Well, I have finally bit the bullet and placed an order for these in 215/45R17. What made the decision hard was the fact that I just bought my '09 JCW less than a month ago and it doesn't really "need" new sneakers. However, the ride harshness of the OEM Conti Run Flats coupled with the horrible snow performance made the decision that much easier. Stay tuned to this thread for a full review within the coming weeks.

BTW, keep an eye on the Marketplace if you are looking for a nice set of Continental Run Flats in 205/45R17 with 7-9/32 tread depth for about $400 for the set.

 

I've had these on my Countryman for the past 12k miles. I have been extremely happy with them.

In dry conditions on a warm day, the handling when really pushing the car may not be quiet as good as the Goodyear Runflats they replaced.

But the ride quality is so much nicer and in any other conditions they feel almost identical.

 

No worries, I know all about pushing cars to their limit.

 

+1

They're great every-day tires. The run-flats that came on mine were summer tires, so of course they stuck to the road better than these all-season tires. But the ride quality is worth the trade. At least until I can afford two sets of tires.

 

The ride is great as I have them on my R53, just dont autocross or track them. If you are looking for a real nice ride, and quiteness, these are very close to the top of the list.

 

Got the new sneakers installed today. HOLY CRAP!!!

Okay, so I lost a little of my Go-Kart handling. Big whoop!

Here are the pros:

#1: Quiet ride
#2: Smooth ride
#3: Better in the snow
#4: Cheaper to replace
#5: The 215 size extends passed the lip of the rim thus protecting it from unexpected curb damage.
#6: SMOOTH-QUIET RIDE!!

With all of that said, they should've been ashamed putting anything but these on these cars. It is an incredible tire that has me loving my JCW more than I did when I got it just over a month ago. WOW!

Now, who wants to buy some run flats.

 

Ditto - I have had a set for a little over a week now. Replaced the Dunlop run flats - 205/45 17s - and HOLY CRAP!! Rides better, quieter, can't believe the difference. And I haven't noticed a degradation in handling, but I don't push the car to its limits. Happy with my choice. Recommend the tires - now if I can get more than 30K miles out of them I will be really happy.

 

I just ordered a set of a DWS's for daily driving. Glad to read good reviews on them. Hopefully they will last quite a while.

 

heres my story of these tires from another thread talking about how "squishy" they feel above 50mph:

so i was originally running 205/40/18 pirelli p-zero runflats on my jcw. needed to replace the rear set (does anyone else's rear tires bald on the inside of the tread first?) and i wanted to transition to non-runflats for ride quality and noise. (also picked up a compressor and dynaplug)

after reading some threads, but not finding this one, i decided to go with the conti DWS 215/40/18. because discount tire could only get those,not the DW. and they were cheapest out of any local or online shops.

i have had them for about 700 miles. i cant believe i havent gotten pulled over for a dui with how slippery (wandery?) these frickin tires feel! i feel like im sliding all over the lane above 50mph. i read that they take about 800 miles to break in but i dont know, they have barely gotten any "better." they honestly made me a bit nervous driving with them at first.

i might give them a bit longer because of this continental warranty you speak of, and then see if i can trade them for the DW. do i just contact continental directly, or discount tire?

oh! the reason i was actually searching for this post was because on my way home today, i took a couple curves on the freeway and the DSC kicked in and was braking for me and the little dash light flashed. but the car didnt feel like it was slipping at all. it really freaked me out. could it be becasue of the tires? or did they mess some sensor or something up changing tires? i havent driven these particular curves since ive had these tires yet either.

thanks!

oh, forgot to add, from just replacing the rears only the noise and ride quality has improved incredibly.

 

oh, forgot to add, from just replacing the rears only the noise and ride quality has improved incredibly.[/QUOTE]

It sounds like you only changed the rears. If so, that's your problem.

 

would you mind expanding on that? what is the problem with only replacing the rears? does it mess with how the onboard computers read the tire spin and drift and such?

 

In general, different size tires have different properties such as the way they change shape at speed. Runflats combined with non-runflats only exaggerate the differences in tire shape and circumference.
I'm not sure about how the TC or other electronic aids may play into this.

 

thanks for the response. i didnt really want to shell out another 400$ for a front set when those still have a good amount of life left (i think).

im now over 800 miles and the ride seems to be a lot less squirrel-y now. hopefully i can burn through the fronts quick and get them replaced with the DWS soon