East BMW owners unite!!! > What tires are you running? > It's a poll, really

[danewilson77]

Poll is for those who only run one set of tires throughout the year.

So....living in VA, my soul constantly struggles with weather I should get Summer/Performance tires or All season tires.

Just wondering what most Beast Coasters run.

Any and all input is appreciated. Stories/experiences of driving in winter like conditions on summer/performance tires would be most helpful.

Thanks for stopping by,

~DW

**NOTE: The statement that All season tires = No season tires does not need to be repeated. I understand the logic.

[M3TA5IN]

Edit: I personally think all seasons would be fine. I dont understand the logic of all season/no season. Yea of course dedicated snow tires are going to bite better. How many normal people actually have snow tires and summer tires though? I bet 90% driving on the road drive with all seasons year round. A lot of it comes down to driver ability and on ice it doesn't really matter unless you are running studs. This is the first car I have ever had snow tires on and that's just because I have high performance summer tires. Katie drives on all seasons.


Sent from my fancy city machine.

[danewilson77]

I'm referring to those of us, who do not run two sets of tires.

[M3TA5IN]

I'm referring to those of us, who do not run two sets of tires.

Sorry, I edited. For reference last year was the first time I have had a dedicated snow tire in my whole life. (14 years of driving). That's driving throw Kansas blizzards on all seasons and being stationed in Johnstown, pa where it snows like a banshee for 2 years.


Sent from my fancy city machine.

[echo46]

Just bought Kumho all seasons. Not sure how they will perform vis a vie my Bridgestones, which were super summer tires. Great performance tire but did not last at all. Hoping the all seasons will last and I will not give up too much on the performance side.

[danewilson77]

Just bought Kumho all seasons. Not sure how they will perform vis a vie my Bridgestones, which were super summer tires. Great performance tire but did not last at all. Hoping the all seasons will last and I will not give up too much on the performance side.

OK...so...when you had the Bridgestones installed, how did they work in the winter time?

[danewilson77]

Edit: I personally think all seasons would be fine. I dont understand the logic of all season/no season. Yea of course dedicated snow tires are going to bite better. How many normal people actually have snow tires and summer tires though? I bet 90% driving on the road drive with all seasons year round. A lot of it comes down to driver ability and on ice it doesn't really matter unless you are running studs. This is the first car I have ever had snow tires on and that's just because I have high performance summer tires. Katie drives on all seasons.


Sent from my fancy city machine.

OK. I guess my questions is....do performance tires absolutely suck in the light snow? Do A/S track that muck better?

[M3TA5IN]

My V12s were not good at all in the light snow. I could barely move it up the driveway.

They don't fair well on cold roads either.

Katie does great with her all seasons, but she also has AWD.


Sent from my fancy city machine.

[BimmerWill]

I've been running kumhos for the last couple of years just recently switched to federals which are also all season. As far as the all seasons in the snow I feel a lot has to do with the driver and how you approach driving in the snow, which is a completely different ball game as im sure you all know. Any who the kumhos faired well I feel despite lacking a good portion of the tread. I believe they were the kumho ecsta's. As long as it wasn't over four inches or so on the road they did just fine...any more than that and the snow would just get stuck in the tread on the tire. I was out doing some nifty drift stuff in some open parking lots with them not last year but the year before. I personally feel you'd be fine driving in the snow in all seasons dane...have you looked at the textile chains they have now or given them consideration? Could be a good idea if it gets too heavy out and just throw them on the all seasons..just a thought....don't forget to get slide ways lol

Everyones a hero in the rain/snow ;)

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[danewilson77]

OK....I have always had A/S......and have been thinking about switching to Summer tires, due to the brevity of our winters.

[sum1orotha]

I've been driving on Yokohama AVID ENVigor's (All Seasons) that came with the car when I purchased it. Drove the car through last winter (which was extremely mild in terms of snow fall) and on cold roads it was fine. I didn't take the car out on snow covered roads (mostly because I was afraid of getting stuck behind a salt truck blasting my front end) so I can't attest to what the tires were like on snow/slick surfaces. This summer (and last summer) the tires have performed well too.

I don't track/autocross the car. If anything the most "spirited" driving I do is when merging on a highway. Otherwise it's either stop and go in the city (rare since I usually avoid going through downtown with the BMW) or just highway/commuter miles to work.

I've been wanting to get a set of wheels with summer performance tires on them, but I don't know if my wallet can handle it since I have a brake service I need to do plus VANOS at some point soon.

[nike001]

I run summers. First set of summers were Pirelli's (awesome), 2nd pair were hankooks v12's (deceptively good), and now I have Michelin PS II's on the rear and I can't really judge how they are. If I didn't know any different, I'd say I haven't changed anything.

I have a dedicated winter set as well

[mLuMaN83]

I'm running all seasons but when I move to Colorado, I'm gonna keep my old 17's and put snow tires on them and swap me out with my 18"s when I make a trip to the mountains for a weekend of snowboarding.

[echo46]

My Bridgestones were awful in any type of snow.

[danewilson77]

My Bridgestones were awful in any type of snow.

Just summers?

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[echo46]

Yes, they were just summers. Terrible in the snow, great in the summer but wore way too fast.

[danewilson77]

Yes, they were just summers. Terrible in the snow, great in the summer but wore way too fast.

Ok.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Johnmadd]

I wouldn't chance summer tires in the winter due to the unpredictability of what "might" happen, and with your commute the weather can be drastically different from the peninsula to by the water. Just my .02 cents.

[BRGcoopahS]

I drove mine the other day with the PS2's in light snow and it was horrendous. I essentially just drove down my street and turned back around. Wasn't having it. It also doesn't help that the tires are towards the end of their tread life. I plan on getting winters and having dedicated summers, but it will probably just be easier and cost efficient to get all seasons.

[kayger12]

Just about 12,000 miles and I still haven't gotten a chance to run the Kumho Ecsta 4Xs in the snow yet.

Great traction, wear, and tread life so far though.

[Hermes]

When I lived in MI I ran Conti's A/S, so did my uncle when he owned the E32 before me in Chicago winters.

If I needed to buy a dedicated winter set now it would be Michelin Alpin's, my cousins back home run those and love them.

[Vas]

Currently the zhp has some Conti DWS and my wife has Hankook V12. And honestly both tires were not great in the snow.

[330i ZHP]

Toyo T1 Sports summer and blizzaks in winter on touring

Michelin RFT (for now) summer on X5 and now Conti DWS for winter

Conti DWS all year on TL

[echo46]

Went on a few long rides over the holidays and the Kumho Ecstas were outstanding. Road grip has improved and the car felt like it was on rails on some fun curvy roads in Pa. So far very happy but have not had them in any significant snow yet.

[danewilson77]

Went on a few long rides over the holidays and the Kumho Ecstas were outstanding. Road grip has improved and the car felt like it was on rails on some fun curvy roads in Pa. So far very happy but have not had them in any significant snow yet.

Welcome. In for Intro thread.

[echo46]

What you talkin about DW? You've already heard about my ridiculous life ad nausiuem via my 700 boring posts. However, if you want more I can write a few paragraphs to tell everyone about this crazy life and my badass ZHP and how it is the beastest animal on the road:)

[danewilson77]

What you talkin about DW? You've already heard about my ridiculous life ad nausiuem via my 700 boring posts. However, if you want more I can write a few paragraphs to tell everyone about this crazy life and my badass ZHP and how it is the beastest animal on the road:)

Lmao. Nice.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Newjack]

I love my Michelin pilots sports to death. These things grip the road with a vengeance. Dry is insane, wet is phenomenal, haven't gotten a chance to drive in snow that sticks to the ground yet.

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

[echo46]

Agree the pilots are incredible driving tire, however hoe long do they last. I had a set on my last e46 and they were toast before 20,000.

[wsmeyer]

I love my Pilot Super Sports. I run them all year long :)

[sketchyd]

Agree the pilots are incredible driving tire, however hoe long do they last. I had a set on my last e46 and they were toast before 20,000.

i hope you get that from your khumos. i've been running the ecsta ASXs on my car, and i like them in varied conditions, but they wore quick. but then, they're about half mich pilot.

driving in snow is a lot of driver skill, knowledge of the vehicle, and momentum. it can be done on summers, but anything low speed/from a stop on an incline is hopeless.

[kayger12]

i hope you get that from your khumos. i've been running the ecsta ASXs on my car, and i like them in varied conditions, but they wore quick. but then, they're about half mich pilot.

driving in snow is a lot of driver skill, knowledge of the vehicle, and momentum. it can be done on summers, but anything low speed/from a stop on an incline is hopeless.

I have 10k on my Khumo Ecsta 4x and have a ton of tread life left. At this wear rate they'll make 40k.

[Sockethead]

We have Dunlop Star Specs on both the zhp and the 135. The ZHP gets parked when we get snow.
We were going to drive the 135 all winter and even put the stock wheels and snow tires on it( they came with the car) but Kpro decided to buy a winter car instead so now we have a '95 Honda Accord for the winter weather lol
The X5 has Conti DSWs on it now. We did notice that they are a much softer sidewall than the Michelins that they replaced. We haven't had any significant snow yet to test them though..

Edit: Forgot too add, as much as we love the Star Specs for handling and adhesion, we'll probably switch back to Hankook V12. The Star Specs are just too stiff for everyday street driving in our opinion.

[Newjack]

Agree the pilots are incredible driving tire, however hoe long do they last. I had a set on my last e46 and they were toast before 20,000.

Sorry I forgot to specify. I'm running the michelin pilot sport a/s plus. These are the all season tire opposed to the michelin pilot super sports which are a summer tire. The tread rating on these is a little less than the Conti DWS, but I had my contis for so long (3 years) that they were dry rotted with almost 0 tread life left. So I asked myself, what is the point of getting a tire that is going to last that long if it can't handle worth a shit. 2 years is what I should expect out of tires, anything over that is either me being stingy, or a tire that probably isn't far off from being too worn to drive on.

[CERF04ZHP]

Wanted to chime in here... and I consider myself somewhat of a tire snob/geek. For the last 10 years or so, I have always run dedicated winter wheels/tires on my vehicles. And looking back, I can't believe how I ever got by on just all-seasons for so long. I also live in New England, and ski a lot, so naturally that plays a big part of why I do the seasonal swap. Since getting married 3 years ago, and now having an infant son, safety is now my #1 priority when it comes to wintertime driving preparedness. Fact: for any amount of money, there is no "all-season" tire on the market that can touch a dedicated winter tire for starting/stopping/steering prowess. Sure, you can probably "get-by" with an all-season, and slip and slide your way to your destination (again, depending on several factors including where you live, how much driving you do, how much snow you receive, etc.)... But given my circumstances, I will always skip the gamble and go right with the tried and true. Currently, I am running General Altimax Arctic in size 235/45R17 on Style 44's. While they are an absolute BEAST in the snow, and I mean unstoppable, they are like warm marshmallows on dry pavement. Next time around, I will be going back to a "Performance" snow tire, something along the lines of an LM-60 or Pilot Alpine, and give up a little bit of that winter traction for more grip and confidence on the tarmac. :-)

[Mtnman]

I ran both mich pilot as plus and conti dws on the zhp prior to selling it. We had bad winters both times. I expected the zhp to be absolutly terrible in the snow. However, i was pleasantly suprised by both tires. With 4 inches or less, the zhp did just fine in the snow, as long as one drove appropriately (read slowly). Both tires gripped and turned fine. Anything over 4 inches in pointless, as the zhp turns into a snow plow....especially for those who have lowered it. I live in the nc mountains, and we get a handful of snows per year. I was very happy with my decision. I never wanted for more summer traction from either tire. Both were plenty sticky for real world driving. I am not one who would take my car to the limit of traction on a public road. So my opinion is for those of us who have less than 10 snows a year, all seasons are a great choice.

Also, if i was to track the zhp, or i lived in new england or other heavy snow area, i think the choice would be to get a dedicated winter/summer.

I got 20k out of both the dws and the mich tires in the rear, and got 30k out of the fronts.

[Newjack]

This is all good info. Dedicated winter and summer tires are definitely superior to all seasons without question. It's just a matter of money. I can't afford an extra set of wheels and tires, so I get by with all seasons.


CERF04ZHP, even in cold temperatures do your dedicated snow tires feel mushy on dry pavement? Or only warm weather?

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

[robincx]

My ZHP runs F1 Eagle GS D3's. I'm in Western New York, and she's parked until spring.

[kayger12]

I ran both mich pilot as plus and conti dws on the zhp prior to selling it. We had bad winters both times. I expected the zhp to be absolutly terrible in the snow. However, i was pleasantly suprised by both tires. With 4 inches or less, the zhp did just fine in the snow, as long as one drove appropriately (read slowly). Both tires gripped and turned fine. Anything over 4 inches in pointless, as the zhp turns into a snow plow....especially for those who have lowered it. I live in the nc mountains, and we get a handful of snows per year. I was very happy with my decision. I never wanted for more summer traction from either tire. Both were plenty sticky for real world driving. I am not one who would take my car to the limit of traction on a public road. So my opinion is for those of us who have less than 10 snows a year, all seasons are a great choice.

Also, if i was to track the zhp, or i lived in new england or other heavy snow area, i think the choice would be to get a dedicated winter/summer.

I got 20k out of both the dws and the mich tires in the rear, and got 30k out of the fronts.

Well said and agreed. This sums up where I'm at.

[sketchyd]

I have 10k on my Khumo Ecsta 4x and have a ton of tread life left. At this wear rate they'll make 40k.

thats great to hear. it's my biggest issue with the ASX. i haven't tracked or really spun this set of rears and got barely 20k.


...I also live in New England, and ski a lot, so naturally that plays a big part of why I do the seasonal swap...

hey! i live in portsmouth. i feel like dedicated summer/winter tires are fairly commonplace up here; i do a ton of swaps each spring/fall. only reason i haven't yet is cause i'm lazy and broke :(

[CERF04ZHP]

CERF04ZHP, even in cold temperatures do your dedicated snow tires feel mushy on dry pavement? Or only warm weather?

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

They are very soft most of the time... if it creeps up towards 40 or 50, it's very squirmy. But if it's in the teens or closer to zero, they do firm up a bit.




hey! i live in portsmouth. i feel like dedicated summer/winter tires are fairly commonplace up here; i do a ton of swaps each spring/fall. only reason i haven't yet is cause i'm lazy and broke :(

Hey man! I lived in Portsmouth from 2004 until 2007, and have been in Kittery since then. We're neighbors! You have an AW e36 M3? I can't believe I've never seen it... I would remember that, and know most of the BMW's in the area... ;-)

[gammagoblin]

I have Conti DW's (not DWS) on, with the intent of getting a dedicated winter set of wheels. So far though the Contis feel OK in the cold but they are pretty terrible in even a light snow covering. I'm in Baltimore so generally there is not a big snow cover but some random years we get a few storms and there will be snow on the ground for days at a time. So it's a toss up, but I can get by on the summers and just staying in on the odd snow day.

[sketchyd]

I have Conti DW's (not DWS) on, with the intent of getting a dedicated winter set of wheels. So far though the Contis feel OK in the cold but they are pretty terrible in even a light snow covering. I'm in Baltimore so generally there is not a big snow cover but some random years we get a few storms and there will be snow on the ground for days at a time. So it's a toss up, but I can get by on the summers and just staying in on the odd snow day.

a couple years back y'all got more snow than we did in NE :rofl



Hey man! I lived in Portsmouth from 2004 until 2007, and have been in Kittery since then. We're neighbors! You have an AW e36 M3? I can't believe I've never seen it... I would remember that, and know most of the BMW's in the area... ;-)

yeah, the plate changes every year though; the one in my sig is no longer on the car. i have stickers on the rear windows that don't change however.