norsecarnut

Sometimes it was a small "option" to check during ordering so some have it there already and others don't. The kit is available though at BMW dealers.

norsecarnut

I have to disagree! I tried the DWS, thought they were going to be incredible, and the material compound is actually soft enough to notice it's deformation in corners, compared to a stiff tire. You can even feel the difference between it and a Bridgestone by hand.

I have 24,000 miles on my Bridgestone 960 AS Pole Position and have found them to be awesome both cornering but also in full on 100% snow storms.

I just think the DWS is a great concept but maybe not the ideal tire for my needs. Also, the load range is important to me as I often have a lot of weight and still want to go fast safely - an oxymoron maybe

Lotus99

LOL! Doh! Fixed:

Do you guys that run 245/45/18 instead of the stock size of 245/40/18 do so to get more sidewall protection and a softer ride? I find the ride on my 245/40 RFT summer tires pretty good already...

So do you run all seasons all year? I thought for some reason you had summers and winters?

norsecarnut

I run winter once winter arrives to stay. I have used summers but on the wagons, decided that that highest performance all seasons would be smartest plan for summer and shoulder seasons. This way I can be on a spring or fall trip where I may mostly be in 60-80 degrees but just as easily hitting a snow storm in the mountains a day later This was exactly my spring trip from Seattle to NC, 5 different snow storms in northwest all through Montana, then hotter than hell in Louisiana.

To me, summer performance tires are for sports cars, not wagons, if you use the wagon as intended.

The larger size I use is for two reasons. I wanted both higher ground clearance and more sidewall protection from road hazards. I get the added benefit of a little better mpg and I suppose my top speed could be higher too!

The side affect I didn't consider was "filling the fender gap" without lowering the car which I am pleased with as well. I love how snug it looks all the way around the fender, not just the top like when a car is lowered. I'm a fan of proportional design balance and this accomplishes that as do the thicker looking sidewalls. I always loved the older BMW cars which had thick looking tires due to their small rim sizes. The looked like they could drive through anything and not worry about the rim.

Granted, when I had the E91, it came new with factory 19" 189 rims and looked totally hot but part of that was because the 3 series car is smaller, lower, and just more sporty than the 5 series which is truly more of a "touring" vehicle than sports car-like. The e91 does well enough to forget you have a wagon behind you though.

My winter tires are RFT because when the weather is crappier, I wanted even more safety as well as durability.

Lotus99

Interesting, I'd have never thought of the extra 1" of ground clearance (0.965" to be precise)! You're right about that. Did you find the handling changed much from the higher center of gravity? Have you taken some nice spirited corners?

So is there anything special you'd have to check in terms of tire and wheel combos, or would all 245/45/18 tires always fit the rims that had 245/40/18 tires on them before since the width of both tires is identical? I'm running the M package 18's in the summer.

norsecarnut

actually the ground clearance is only about the 1/2" because it's 1/2 the total diameter increase... no issues with rims. an 8" to 8.5" rim is perfect.

These photos, some seen before, show 245/45x18 tires:

my winter tire on the oem sport wheel 8" wide:


and the summer all season on 8.5" rim:


The handling is still awesome but the Bridgestone is a fairly stiff sidewall for a non-run flat and solid tread compound with high speed rating as well as load rating, partially due to the particular size (as per specs noted on TireRack) I love how solid the RFT Pirelli Sottozero tires feel. Just enough real winter traction without giving up too much dry pavement handling.

Dandle

The PS3 isnt no.1 at all. Its the replacement for the Michelin PE tyre not the PS2. The PS2 was replaced by the supersport which is now michelins no.1 summer tyre.