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[driverman]

I just put a set of Continental DW's on my E90 with ZSP (225/45/17, 255/40/17). They are currently at the top of tirerack's survey for Max Perf Summer tires (http://http://www.tirerack.com/tires...ay.jsp?type=MP). But they are new and the "total miles reported" are much lower than the PS2's.

This is the third set of tires I've had on my car:
- Bridgestone RFT's (10 months, 11K miles)
- Michelin PS2's (17 months, 16K miles)
- Continental DW's

I need to break them in before I push them and provide a full review, but here are my initial impressions. I'll follow up. But I remember what the RFT's and PS2's were like when new and most of these impressions are based on that.

Steering response
- RFT's were the best.
- PS2's responded better as they wore down.
- DW's are the worst compared to this lofty competition, but they aren't bad.

Handling
- RFT's were the best on smooth roads, but the back-end hopped around on rough surfaces.
- PS2's were great overall after thousands of miles.
- DW's handle pretty well.

Comfort
- RFT's were fine on smooth roads (like they have in Germany), but terrible on rough roads.
- PS2's were better than the RFT's when new, but towards the end of their life, they started feeling more like the RFT's.
- DW's are the most comfortable by far in terms of ride and noise.

Cost (tirerack)
- RFT's: $984 + t/s/m/b (treadwear=140)
- PS2's: $886 + t/s/m/b (treadwear=220)
- DW's: $576 + t/s/m/b (treadwear=340)

Unsprung weight
- RFT's: 28/30 lbs, 116 lbs total
- PS2's: 22/24 lbs, 92 lbs total
- DW's: 20/23 lbs, 86 lbs total

Bottom line
It depends on what you want, the kind of roads you drive and how much you want to spend.
- If you drive smooth roads and want maximum responsiveness and security and have the $, the RFT's are the best (see note about PS2 ZP below). BMW tuned the suspension for these tires and it shows.
- If you are willing to give up some responsiveness to gain comfort and want to save a few bucks, the DW's are the best. My car is much smoother and quieter and it still handles great.
- If you want a great overall tire, can afford it and are willing to give up some steering response, the PS2's seem like a good choice.

Great handling is one of the reasons we buy E9x's. But the stock setup with RFT's is way too harsh for trashed roads in the USA. We get great steering response, but we pay a huge price in ride and noise. A better setup for most of us with ZSP is to go with a softer tire like the DW and give up some handling precision. Our cars still handle great and we get a much better ride and less noise. For all out performance and great runs at the track, stick with tires with stiffer sidewalls.

NOTES
- There was something wrong with my PS2's. They started rumbling after 70 mph. So my impression of them is skewed.
- If you have 225/40/18 and 255/35/18, the Michelin PS2 ZP's are very highly rated. I'd get them over the Bridgestone RFT's.
- My car felt a bit quicker after I changed from the RFT's to the PS2's. Does 24 lb of unsprung weight reduction explain it?

[akajt]

Hey,
Just read your post. I, too, have switched to Conti DW's, and so far am very pleased. I replaced the stock RFT's, and what a difference! My testing method is MUCH less scientific than yours, as I rarely drive my car to the limits of adhesion. However, I share some similar experiences:

1) The Conti's are MUCH quieter than the Bridgestone RFT's
2) The ride is MUCH smoother
3) Tramlining is gone

Overall, a much more enjoyable car to drive everyday. I did a bunch of research, read too many posts here, etc. In the end, I felt the Conti's were an excellent value for the $$, and they have a great reputation. I should mention that I also have a set of snow tires I put on for winter months.

[driverman]

Originally Posted by akajt

Hey,
Just read your post. I, too, have switched to Conti DW's, and so far am very pleased. I replaced the stock RFT's, and what a difference! My testing method is MUCH less scientific than yours, as I rarely drive my car to the limits of adhesion. However, I share some similar experiences:

1) The Conti's are MUCH quieter than the Bridgestone RFT's
2) The ride is MUCH smoother
3) Tramlining is gone

Overall, a much more enjoyable car to drive everyday. I did a bunch of research, read too many posts here, etc. In the end, I felt the Conti's were an excellent value for the $$, and they have a great reputation. I should mention that I also have a set of snow tires I put on for winter months.

Glad to hear you like them too.

How many miles do you have on them?

[akajt]

Maybe about 2k

[nano10]

look to hear more reviews as i am looking to pick these up soon to wrap my new wheels

[cliverman]

Love mine. I just switched from Nittos. What a drastic improvement! Very sticky and quiet. The only tire that I'd compare it to is the old Bridgestone Pole Position S03's.

[cb4]

I really like mine too. I have about 1000 miles on them. I replaced my all season bridgeston RFT. I have pretty much they same impression that the OP has. Love the comfort and grip. The responsiveness is not great. I hear they are great in the wet but haven't had enough experience to comment on that yet.

[02themax]

Wait till you break them in, they are a great tire!

[driverman]

Originally Posted by 02themax

Wait till you break them in, they are a great tire!

Agree 100%. I've got 3K on mine. They don't feel as soft and they are much more responsive.

[suprchunk]

Thanks for the review. Will help me in the Spring.

I did have to laugh at the below though.

Originally Posted by driverman

- RFT's were fine on smooth roads (like they have in Germany), but terrible on rough roads.

Don't know where you drove over here, but far from smooth. Which is why I am looking to replace them after winter.

[driverman]

Originally Posted by Volkswagen

Thanks for the review. Will help me in the Spring.

I did have to laugh at the below though.



Don't know where you drove over here, but far from smooth. Which is why I am looking to replace them after winter.

Thanks for pointing this out.

I drove through Germany many years ago and stuck mostly to main highways, including the autobahn. I remember how great the roads were. But how would you rate the city and country roads most people travel every day? I'm curious because I've assumed that one of the reasons BMW chose RFT's is that Germany's roads are good.