Losing the run-flats. Just put on the Conti DWS, and they are way too mushy for the curvy roads I drive everyday. Mushy, squirrlly, disconnected and wandering on the freeway... not fun like my Mini is supposed to be. My tire place is going to switch them out at no cost, but I'm having a terrible time choosing the replacement. It seems there aren't that many good choices in this category, if I want something that's "higher performance" but still an all season tire. It gets cold enough where I live to require one, but not really worth the trouble of two sets of tires. (Sierra foothills above Sacramento)

Here's the choices beyond the DWS:
Yokohama YK580 (America's Tire only, evidently...)
Kumho 4x (questionable quality?)... leaning toward this one at the moment
General G-MAX AS-03 (doesn't seem like this is going to be very high quality)

What else am I missing?

I'm not after the perfect smooth ride... I want to feel the road, get from side to side quickly, and still have good dry and wet grip. Slightly smoother than the run-flat would be lovely, but the DWS mush isn't gonna cut it.

Thoughts?

 

I actually have the tire the General G-MAX replaced, the GENERAL Exclaim UHP (my set shows made in France...no crap from China)....good tire, for a good price IMO...sidewalls are slightly soft for folks who like to use it on the track, but the same is true for the kumho you have listed. The tires youu are listed are actually UHP tires....a step above a HP.
And just to give you the heads up, General tire is now owned by Conti....
So there have been some very nice deals from them as they attempt to bring the brand back....

 

Ah, good to know on the Generals...

And yeah, I meant "high performance" more as a driving style than a tire marketing category. I just want to distinguish my needs from those who are loving the DWS because of it's smooth, quiet ride.

 

I've had those Yoks'. Skip them.

Out of those, I'd look at the Kumho 4x. They get really good review on Tire Rack. Looking at them for my car too.

 

Subscribing to this thread for interest. The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S+ (did I get that name right?) sound great, but expensive and not available in 205/50/16. I think they come in a 55 profile but I'd have to raise my car up a bit to fit that.

I very much like the turn-in of my S.Drives but I'd like something a little quiter and smoother riding that's still grippy and doesn't feel mushy. All Seasons would be ideal since we really only seem to get snow every other year, hardly worth having the set of dedicated snows.

 

Stick
Just a quick note that I have the Conti DW's and they took a long time (500 miles) to burn off the mold release compound. That and the addition of a couple of extra lbs of air made a huge difference. You may still loose a little turn in but the grip is very good. You would be hard pressed to find a better rain tire.
Steve

 

DW or DWS? The DWS is the all season, DW is a summer tire that doesn't like freezing temps. I think the DW is stiffer and sportier, and if it wasn't cold here for a few months each year, I'd probably try those.

I'm actually starting to think that a lot of the issue is the size of the tire. I'd guess people running on 17" rims don't have the mush issues I am with 16".

 

I've run both the DW and DWS (DWS is currently on my MINI). As mentioned, both took a good 500-1000 miles to really get broken in and start to grip properly and not wander all over the road surface.

I had no problem running the DW during the winter months here in NC, including a few bouts of sub-freezing temps and I think I even had to drive them in the snow one time. I never had any problems due to the cold despite the warnings not to use them.

My own impression is that the DW has slightly better grip on wet surfaces and obviously, being a summer tire, better grip on dry surfaces. Just for reference since it was mentioned, I also ran through a set of S.Drives. I thought they were even better grip wise than the DW, but they got a little loose on wet surfaces once I got below 4/32nds. The DW never seemed to lose anything despite running them down to about 1/32nd.

I've been running 55 profiles on 16-inch rims, so some sloppiness is expected, especially compared to the stock RFT with their stiff sidewalls.

 

I highly recommend Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S in 205/50-16V (I'm on my second set - '03 MCS). They're a bit pricey but their performance, build quality, quiet ride, quick turn-in, stability and longevity make them well worth the price. Also excellent in cold weather and in light snow. Tire Rack has highly rated this "high-performance" tire (read their review). It's great for all types of driving and brings out the best (and fun) in the Mini suspension.

 

Please add
Nitto Neo Gen All-Season Tire - 205/50R16 91V
Know a couple folks that really like this tire....sidewall is a bit stiffer than ANY of the above....folks also use it for auto-x. Amazon has then for $120...but I have seen then for MUCH less.
http://www.nittotire.com/Tire/neogen

 

I had the conti's dws like you and never experienced the mushiness.

 

fwiw, I had a MINI friend contact me via FB yesterday asking about my experience with the Conti tires. He mentioned that he had some information indicating the DWS model had just been upgraded to the same XL Load Index that the DW model has. Not sure when that may have happened, so possibly something to look into.

He ended up going with a set of Cooper RS3S summer tires.

 

If you see any significant snow, Conti DWS. I feel like the dry handling of the 4X. More precise feeling. I am basing this on my perception during our testing.

 

Yeah, I've got the DWS on there right now, and don't like how mushy they are. Kumho 4x are on order. Fortunately, the dealer is replacing for free.

 

Oh duh! You have 50 series. Didn't see that. I had the 45 R17.

 

Yeah, I can imagine them being pretty nice on 17s.

 

The Kumho ecsta 4X should work for you, let us know what you think.

To get a more responsive feel you may need to consider 17x7" wheels and 205/45-17 tire.

Your choices are more limited because you want a blend of good handling with some snow use, therefore an Ultra High Performance All Season tire.

 

Which brings him back to the Conti DWS. I have had the 205/45ZR17's mounted on O.Z. Superturismo 17X7 GTs, on my '07 MCS for over 2 years now and love them! So much in fact, that when it comes time to re-shod her around the end of this year we'll be going back to TR for the same tire.

 

Just back from the dealer with the Kumho 4X on the car. 205/50/R16, inflated to 38 lbs at the moment. Without any break in, it feels like my Mini again! Grip seems solid (but didn't push too hard), much more road feel, but not as harsh as the run-flats. Noisier than the DWS, but that was to be expected. Again, not as loud as the run-flats. Handling is much better than the DWS, and it wasn't squirrelly and unpredictable like the DWS on the freeway. I may try backing the pressure off a bit to see how that feels... a little softer might be nice.

Oh, and $20 back in my pocket. Well, I spent most of it on lunch for the wife and me.