Hi Everyone:

Just purchased an 08 Clubman S and I can stand the run flats. SO I convinced the wife car will be much much quieter and ride better with new tires. Now which set should I buy. Im not planing on racing the little car just want a fun little car to drive that rides nice and is as quiet as the car can be.. Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

 

Just put a set of Continental DWS tires on my wife's BMW. Very quiet, very smooth ride...she loves them.

 

I've recently looked at those two side-by-side at the Tire Rack website while shopping for my next set of tires. I think either would be an excellent choice, but which one is best for you may depend mostly on your compromise preferences.

If your main priority is for the best performance in the snow, the Conti DWS seems to be king of the snow, at least among high performance A/S tires. The DWS also seems to beat the A/S+ in being less noisy and providing longer wear. The DWS also has a slight edge in wet traction.

I try to avoid driving in the snow (it tends to be either plowed or melted fairly soon here), so I think I'd pick the Michelin A/S+ instead, because it looks like the DWS gives up too much to the A/S+ in several other categories that are more important to me. The most important of those are cornering stability and steering response, and the A/S+ edges the DWS in dry traction as well.

Your preferences may differ, but I think you've picked two great tires to ponder over.

 

Thats funny Ive had the same chart out for a week. Discount Tires rebate makes the two brands with in 7 dollars of each other. So money won't be a factor. Wife says just pick one..I read the side walls are to soft on the conti,s and the pilots get loud with age.

So don't know. I bet somebody has had both kinds that can offer advice.
Thanks for the replys

 

Thanks for the advice..
has any body had both kinds

 

I haven't. We have the Conti DWS on both of our cars. The work really well in the rain and it rains quite frequently in this area. I have not been a real fan of Michelin's.

I am happy with the Conti's and they cost less than the Michelins.

 

What "Michelin Pilot A/S" are you considering? There are various all season models of Pilot Sport, Pilot Exalto, and Pilot HX Michelin tires.

 

I had a set of Pilot A/S on my Porsche 944 Cabrio. They were good tires, but they did get kind of loud when they were almost worn out. I think they only lasted about 30,000 miles. Otherwise, they were good tires.

I put a set of Conti DWS on my 08 MCS about 20,000 miles ago, and I love them. Quite, smooth, and they should last at least another 20,000 miles. 10x better than the original runflats.

Tom

 

There seems to be a large difference between them. The latestv version of the ultra high performance all season Michelin tire is the: Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus

I just replaced the summer run-flats (otherwise known as concrete doughnuts) and absolutely LOVE the new Michelin tires!!!!!!!!!!!

Smooth, quiet, all harshness is GONE, very responsive, and comfortably picked up 5-6 mph more on the cloverleaf ramp.

I set up the install and my wife took it in to the shop. She texted me after the install "Omg - you gonna luv these tires!!!". It's a large bonus with the wife's seal of approval.

FWIW, I also went up one size to the 215/45-17.

 

Another selling point of the PLUS version is they extended the treadlife above the previous version without sacrificing traction!

 

Anybody look at the Kumho Ecsta 4x? Apparently they have good reviews too and did very well on Tire Rack's test track.

 

Thanks for the info everyone I went with the pilot all season plus tires. What a difference. Handles better but has some give on the bumps. Discount had a rebate that made the tires 8 dollars more than the contis. Right now I love these tires I hope thy don't get loud like the set on my BMW did. That was ten years ago so I'm sure things are better now. Thanks again

 

Apparently many tires get noisier as wear approaches the wear bars. I don't know if that's designed in as an audible cue that they're near the wear bars, but I've read several places that some tires have a somewhat harder rubber compound near the wear bars.

 

I also think any tire heat cycles to the point of getting firm when your approaching the end of their life. This along with low tread depth contributes to why nearly worn tires handle so well, when you compare them to new tall "squishy" feeling ones

 

Have them, think they are good. 40k tread life guar!!!

 

Just returned from a trip. After 1,000 miles I love the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires even better! They are a wonderful match to this car. Smooth, responsive, great cornering and a 45,000 mile warranty!

Such improvement over the Run-Flats; I think almost any non run-flat tire will feel better!