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[bmwarg]

Turns out my wheel isn't bent but rather my front tire is the problem. I currently have Bridgestone Potenza RE970AS Pole Position and although they are good (better than stock RFT) I want something that is still responsive but makes less road noise on the highway.

I was thinking of going to max summer peformance with a tire like the Continental DW which got tirerack reviews for being a good performance tire but also good ride quality (the Michelin PSS is better performance but compromises on bumps and noise compared to the DW). However, I was told that all max performance tires are going to be noisier and bumpier than all season tires because of the stiffer side walls. Is it true that all the max summer performance tires are going to be harsher and noisier than my current Potenza all seasons? Thoughts on what I should get?

On another note is it ok to run different sets of tires between front and rear? I'd like to wear out the rears but if I have to replace all 4 tires that's fine too.

Also, what does this mean "I had them match mounted and road forced"

[Fundguy1]

I drive my car for a living. I have 208,000 miles on mine. I love PSS and like DW. Unless you're driving in snow, A/S tires are silly next to max as extreme summer tires. Ride is more comfortable and quiet that the stock RFT that came with the car. Yes you can run different front and rear. Road force and match mounting are part of the process of balancing the tires. Tire rack has full descriptions if you care.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Turns out my wheel isn't bent but rather my front tire is the problem. I currently have Bridgestone Potenza RE970AS Pole Position and although they are good (better than stock RFT) I want something that is still responsive but makes less road noise on the highway.

I was thinking of going to max summer peformance with a tire like the Continental DW which got tirerack reviews for being a good performance tire but also good ride quality (the Michelin PSS is better performance but compromises on bumps and noise compared to the DW). However, I was told that all max performance tires are going to be noisier and bumpier than all season tires because of the stiffer side walls. Is it true that all the max summer performance tires are going to be harsher and noisier than my current Potenza all seasons? Thoughts on what I should get?

On another note is it ok to run different sets of tires between front and rear? I'd like to wear out the rears but if I have to replace all 4 tires that's fine too.

Also, what does this mean "I had them match mounted and road forced"

Look at Goodyear Eagle F1 asymmetric 2.

http://m.tirerack.com/tires/TireDeta...al+Valve+Stems

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

I drive my car for a living. I have 208,000 miles on mine. I love PSS and like DW. Unless you're driving in snow, A/S tires are silly next to max as extreme summer tires. Ride is more comfortable and quiet that the stock RFT that came with the car. Yes you can run different front and rear. Road force and match mounting are part of the process of balancing the tires.

So PSS would still be quiet enough? I actually was looking at the reviews for my current tire (Bridgestone Potenza 970AS) and other have complained about the drone in the highway. So the PSS might actually be quieter. The DW is probably the quietest but sounds like you and others prefer the handling of the PSS.

[Fundguy1]

PSS is the greatest tire devised overall. Period. Goodyear is better in one way. It's made in USA not France. The last good Goodyear tire was the Eagle GT back in 1980. Yes. You will never buy another tire after you own PSS. Be warned.

[Gary@TireRack]

Yes, a new max performance summer tire setup will be louder and harsher than a new set of RE970 A/S tires.

You should definitely avoid mixing summer tires and all-season tires. Best to keep the same brand and model front and rear.

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by Gary@TireRack

Yes, a new max performance summer tire setup will be louder and harsher than a new set of RE970 A/S tires.

You should definitely avoid mixing summer tires and all-season tires. Best to keep the same brand and model front and rear.

I agree. But noise is subjective. The DW and PSS will be louder, but I don't hear my PSS unless roof is down and never heard DW. They're both more quiet than my run flats were and more comfortable smoother ride. When I do hear them it's so quiet I have to focus to hear them. As for front to rear yes I agree bease of handling differences wet/dry, etc but it won't mess up anything. I've had mixed front and rear more often than not and not had any issues with 208,000. Front need changing 2/3 less than rear and I can't rotate. Sideal to side is far more critical than front to back.

[gavronm]

Do you park your 335 in the winter and drive only the X5? If not you'll need to get a set of winter tires to go with your Max Performance summer tires and put those on when temps drop into the 40s.

My car came with bridgestone run flat winter tires when I bought it, so I had to do all the research to pick a set of summer wheels and tires. Settled on the Continental Extreme Contact DW and absolutely love them. Transformed the car when I made the switch from the run flats - ride is soooo much better, harshness is gone. Quieter, too.

I considered PSS but went with the DW based on cost and my 50 mile round trip daily commute. Took the DW to the track and they were fine there, too.

Someday I'll probably switch to PSS (or whatever the hot tire of the year happens to be) and maybe I'll decide they're 10,000 times better than the DW, but for now I'm very pleased with my purchase.

Last thing I'll add, the statement that all max performance tires are going to be noisier and bumpier than all seasons may (may!) be true when you're comparing run flats to run flats or non run flats to non run flats, but that's not what you're considering. You're talking about going from run flats to non run flats, and in my experience and just about everyone else's I've read, a non run flat tire is going to be less harsh than a run flat tire of comparable performance.

Regardless of whether you choose PSS or DW or some other max performance non run flat summer tire I think you will be very pleased with the outcome.

[Fundguy1]

Perfect option if finances permit is stock rims with winter dedicated tires for snow months and max or extreme performance summer tires on a nice set of aftermarkets for the other 9 or so months.

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

Perfect option if finances permit is stock rims with winter dedicated tires for snow months and max or extreme performance summer tires on a nice set of aftermarkets for the other 9 or so months.

Yes, that would be perfect. Maybe in a year I'll do that. Right now I'm sticking to stock rims until I find something I really like.

So would running the max performance summer tire (PSS or DW) be a real issue in northern California in the winter. The lowest it gets is about 40 degrees. My wife drives the X5 and I'll continue driving the 335i. I assumed everyone in california drove the summer tires year round. But if it is a real issue would the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 or Continental DWS be the best all season choice (no need for snow)?

[Fundguy1]

As long as you don't actually drive in snow they're fine.

[WreckerX5d]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Yes, that would be perfect. Maybe in a year I'll do that. Right now I'm sticking to stock rims until I find something I really like.

So would running the max performance summer tire (PSS or DW) be a real issue in northern California in the winter. The lowest it gets is about 40 degrees. My wife drives the X5 and I'll continue driving the 335i. I assumed everyone in california drove the summer tires year round. But if it is a real issue would the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 or Continental DWS be the best all season choice (no need for snow)?

Regular driving you won't notice a difference. I would just be more cautious for those temperatures because stopping distance and extreme traction will be reduced by a noticeable amount.

[Alonsomac]

I think that _good_ summer performance tires are quieter and more comfortable than most all season tires. i rate the PSS, and it's ancestors, as among the best tires available. the bridgestone S-02, 3, and 4 were always very close on performance but just not as quiet as the michelin pilot sport line of tires. the RE 050 A was as close as Bridgestone ever got to the Pilots, and this tire was more comfortable with less grip than the PSS. so i owned and loved only one set of the 050's.... Replaced them with PS2's, and that was a great choice. The conti DW is a great tire for the price. it is excellent in the wet - where the men are separated from the boys in tires technology. it doesnt have the ultimate grip in the dry of the PSS or PS2, but it is is more comfortable because of the softer sidewalls. you give up responsiveness on turn-in if you run the DW's rather than the PSS, but wet grip is pretty much the same.

whether the PSS is worth the money over the DW is down to how you drive. both tires last long (25 to 30k mi. by that time, no tire is really very good anymore ), and if you dont push the car every chance you get (e.g., 50 mph on every 270 degree offramp), then the michelin may not be worth the extra cost. i do think that the PS2 (my current near end of life tire) is aging more gracefully than my DW's did - it is still very quiet, consistent, and smooth, and I will stick with the michelin on that car (an RX-8). For my E91, i am debating between the two. I dont drive the E91 hard like I do the RX8, so i dont need the dry grip of the PSS. But it is definitely a better tire.

I no longer consider other rubber - the DW is the king of any tire that isnt expensive, and the PSS (previously PS2) was the best all-rounder. So its down to how much you want to spend. And remember, shipping from tirerack and mounting and balancing cost the same for both tires - so the price difference is less than it seems.

Regarding the 970AS, i have this currently on the E91 from the PO. it is not a great tire, but probably good for what it is. RFT's have no place at all in my garage. i'd really actually rather be stranded (never has happened). So that's a big negative. the weight dulls the handling, and roughens the ride. there's nothing good about RFT's except on someone else's wife's minivan (sorry i dont mean to offend).

i dont have much nicer things to say about A/S tires. the best, surprise, are the pilot sport A/S (i've never owned these) and the conti DWS. i run the DWS as my winter rubber on my RX8 and it is adequate. Brutally noticable lower performance than the PS2, no quieter (maybe louder), but more comfortable as it is a 17 instead of 18. The 960 is noticably worse in the wet than the DWS. if you must run a A/S tire, i recommend the PS A/S or the DWS. not as much difference here as with the summer rubber, and the DWS is much better in snow than the PS A/S. so that's the winner.

for me.

good luck.

[Alonsomac]

If you really never see lower than 40 F, then you should really consider sticking with summer tires. you dont need an all season there. i spent years in MA and the 40-50 F range was what I used to decide when to switch from summers to snows and back. as long as you dont run your summer rubber in freezing rain you'll barely notice.

one thing to be careful of though, when you are running a summer at temps lower than about 50, dont push them - you'll increase the chance of chunking rubber out of them and prematurely aging your tires. it's just a precaution.

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Yes, that would be perfect. Maybe in a year I'll do that. Right now I'm sticking to stock rims until I find something I really like.

So would running the max performance summer tire (PSS or DW) be a real issue in northern California in the winter. The lowest it gets is about 40 degrees. My wife drives the X5 and I'll continue driving the 335i. I assumed everyone in california drove the summer tires year round. But if it is a real issue would the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 or Continental DWS be the best all season choice (no need for snow)?

[Alonsomac]

Nah. Read the latest testing out of Tirerack.com.

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

PSS is the greatest tire devised overall. Period. Goodyear is better in one way. It's made in USA not France. The last good Goodyear tire was the Eagle GT back in 1980. Yes. You will never buy another tire after you own PSS. Be warned.

[bmwarg]

Thanks, the low average temperature around here in the winter is mid 40's so I think I will be ok. I'm trying to get the Michelin PSS but I can't find the front set. I may choose the Bridgestone S-04 if I can't find the Michelin PSS.

[gavronm]

Just want to clarify something from earlier in the thread - I read someone else's post and thought it was the OP - that person lived in Michigan, which is what prompted my comment about summer/winter tires. If you're in CA - even northern CA, you should be fine on summers year round.

Originally Posted by bmwarg

I'm trying to get the Michelin PSS but I can't find the front set. I may choose the Bridgestone S-04 if I can't find the Michelin PSS.

This seems impossible to me. Where are you looking?

[Fundguy1]

They're having backorder issues at the moment on pss. Probably waiting for a slow boat from France to unload. I'd check with tirerack for an eta.

[bmwarg]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm not sure I should be saying this since this forum is sponsored by tirerack but I needed the tires now so I ordered Michelin PSS from http://www.discountedwheelwarehouse.com

[Fundguy1]

That's fine.

[bmwarg]

The Michelin PSS are awesome. I actually find them to be smoother, quieter, and better over bumps then the all season Potenza RE970AS.