phelix

What was evo's test platform?

Dandle

Sorry it was a Mk5 Golf GTI with 225/40-18 tyre sizes.

monacobmw

Don't forget that the tests and reviews (including the ones in Tire Rack) can differ when dealing with different size tires.

A 15" tire may not perform the same as a 19" tire.

When going to Tire Rack, I always try to read the reviews for someone who is likely to have bought a 18" through 20" size. I discount the person who is writing the comment on the tire for their Honda Civic, and I pay more attention to the person who is rating the tire on their Mercedes E class.

0asis2007

Thanks, Dandle for the comprehensive reply.

From this, the Vredesteins look to me like a good price/performance compromise.
Anyone got any experience with these, or the Goodyear F1 Assymetrics on an E60?

In fairness, I've been really happy with the Contis, but just feel aggrieved about forking out ?200+ for a "puncture repair".....

artc

I have the Dunlops as OEM on an LCI 520D Sport (18" rims). Having not experienced run flats before, I cannot compare them to anything, but don't have much bad to say about them either. They are very good in the wet, and seem to be wearing well (27,000 K and still lots of tread).

On a previous E46 that had Conti Sport Contact II as OEM, I switched to UniRoyal tyres and found them WAY more quiet and better in the wet... that was on 17" rims with mixed size front / rear.

russell hayward

Had F1's on a 330. Now I have used F1's for years on Subarus and they are very very good tyres. However, on the 330 they wore VERY quickly, 15k and the rears were almost slick, and the fronts didn't last much longer. This was in comparison to Bridgestones Turanza that came with the car, 22k for the rears down to 3mil, and about 40k for the fronts again down to 3mil.

I have heard good things on the Vredesteins and Falken 452. I fitted the Falkens to the rear of my 535d, so far very pleased, very quiet compared to the Conti's.

I assume you only need one tyre due to a puncture ? If so, don't mix brands on the same axle.

UUronL

Sumitomo. Always overlooked, but Tire Rack says the new HTR Z III beat out the Conti 3s and RE050A. I used to put the HTR Z II on my last car in 17". They were awesome. Cheap too.


The HTR Z III is the new one, tread looks very much like what we're used to seeing on our cars...

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...Model=HTR+Z+III



Tire Rack maintains a test track and several E90 test mules. It is actually where Car and Driver conducted its tire test. So, I really think they know a thing or two about tires.


This is Tire Rack's test where the Sumitomo beat the RE050A Pole Position and Conti 3s. It is currently their #1 ranked "Max Performance Summer".

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...ay.jsp?ttid=93

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...ay.jsp?ttid=93

Mudguppie

I currently have 18" F1's on my Sport E60 and although I love their wet (most secure feeling ever on wet pavement) and dry performance, maintenance-wise they've been the worst tires I've ever owned. One tire became very noisy after 10K miles which caused me to have to replace it because of uneven wear even though the car had been recently aligned. Now another couple of tires are making noise after 14K miles. That, coupled with the fact that I had to go in almost weekly to keep them balanced, has removed them from my list of next tire candidates. The tire mechanic told me that the F1's do need to be balanced frequently.

Blunt

Just changed my rears a few weeks ago for Kuhmo ECSTA KU31 96 Y 275 X 30 X 19.
They seem as good, IMHO, if not better than th OEM Continentals (a lot quieter) and very good price compared to Continentals and Michelins (Paid ?290 inc fitting and VAT for 2)

550isport

I have a 550 sport (U.S.) with 19 inch wheels 245/35 front, 285/30 rear - non runflats. I have Michelin PS2 which are colossally expensive. The grip is phenomenal, the turn in and manners of the tire are very polite (Which I think is appropriate for the car) unlike Bridgestones which tend to toss the car into the corner harder and more abruptly. The wear is even so far, but there is one important issue to consider which is why I wrote this post. The Michelins are very sensitive to road imperfections. Tramlining is very strong with my car. I have driven an LCI M sport 550 in the U.S. (with dynamic drive which my car has as well) with the Contis you have and they track much better than my Michelins, more solid more stable. Also, I noticed that 1) BMW exclusively uses the Conti Sportcontact 2s on the LCI sport cars in the U.S.; 2) This SportContact 2 has been superceeded by the SportContact 3 and yet BMW still uses the 2 and 3) E60 drivers often complain about high speed stability and stability in cross winds.

What I'm driving at here (terrible pun) is that BMW may have very deliberately selected that particular Conti to match the car's innate characteristics. I'm saving a mint next time around and getting the Contis.

Caveat: You probably have a real M sport vehicle with mechanical anti-roll bars (aka no dynamic drive), so maybe this doesn't apply to your car? But for whatever it's worth, good luck.

DRP