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Preferred Tyres


ShaneyB
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Hi all,

Currently running Conti Contacts but thinking of changing as the fronts need replacing soon. What are you guys running and how do you rate them in the dry, wet & snow/ice?

Always run my RS4 on Vredesteins Ultrac's which are a popular RS tyre and very well priced but don't know where to start as an M3 owner.

Any thoughts advice appreciated.

Cheers

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M3's have always been crap on Conti's in my experience. That includes the E92 as well, albeit a much briefer experience than in the E46's.

The thing is - as you've eluded to - they're all so different depending on the car. What works on an RS could be crap on an M3, and vice versa.

Mac, Andrew etc will probably be your best bet on here. I do know someone who has put Michelin Pilot Sports on their E92 though and they think it's a much better car as a result of it. He did say he knew he'd get less them out of life, but that they were very grippy indeed.

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The Pilot Super Sport (replacement for the PS2) seems to be hugely lauded - but then again it is £270 for one rear. I've got Conti's on mine but will be getting the Michelins when the rears go which isn't too far away.

Mac runs the Vreds and thinks highly of them - he got a hoofing deal too from what I remember.

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Hi guys,

I can get the following and would appreciate your feedback.

Conti's

245/35/19's £188.00 all in

245/45/19's £215.00 all in

PS2's

245/35/19's £210.00 all in

245/35/19's £244.00 all in

I realise people will ask where from at those prices but it's from a family friend who can only do this once a year unfortunately.

Thanks guys.

Edited by ShaneyB
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In the manual it suggests tyre sizes of 265/35 ZR 19 and 245/35 ZR 19 (r&f). You might even be getting prices less than I expect to when I replace (again, someone useful in the sort of trade). I think PS2 used to be the standard tyre before they were phased out. I assume at that point the Contis were used and now they are shod with the Super Sports.

The PS2s were dearly loved by those in the know, I do know that!

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See I found the originals useless on the r32 compared to ps2.

But I think that's where it comes down to tyres being very specific in performance to the cars they're on.+++

I maintain the view that just because a PS2 or a Vred or a Conti or whatever is good on one car - it doesn't mean it'll be good on another.

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Tyre choice is personal and I guess the type of driving/journeys you do influences this choice.

The old Michelin Pilot Sports were a Symmetrical directional tyre as opposed to the new Michelin Pilot Sport 2 which are an asymmetrical non directional tyre. In most measurable respects the newer Michelin Pilot Sport 2 is a better tyre than the older Michelin Pilot Sport except - aquaplaning resistance and associated straight line stability in these conditions. The V shaped tread pattern on the old Michelin Sport was responsible for this as it clears water slightly better and helps directional stability at speed in the wet. So I guess if you drive a lot on motorways and fast straight roads etc then the Michelin Pilot Sport would seem better than the newer Pilot Sport 2. The same can be said of the Vreds which are I believe a symmetrical directional tyre.

The newer asymmetrical tyres excel on cornering and handling as they are setup to corner better due to multi-compound and tread construction and someone like Woppum who fancies himself as a racing driver :P would most likely prefer these tyres. The M3 in particular is affected by the type of tyre fitted and the only tyres approved by BMw for fitment to the M3 are Continental or Michelin. My recommendation would be Michelin as the better handling/cornering is worth it on an M3.

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I had PS2's on mine and loved them, has PS2's on the 996 and loved them.... hate Conti's and only other tyre I rate is the Goodyear Assy's, but that was on a Quattro moons ago.

I'd go Super Sports personally, VRed's were crap on a mates E92 at the 'Ring... well, that's what he put it down to lol

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Yup. Had Ps2s previously and personally I rate the vreds as a better all rounder. A lot cheaper too +++

Mac,

Are yours Ultrac Sessanta's? I used them for two years and was very happy with them (until I hit a tree) but I think any car/tyre would have done the same. I also found the Vred's fantastic in the snow but Quattro played a big part I think. During the snow we had earlier in the year I was used as the 'shop run boy' as I was the only car that could get out of the estate. I think they'll be disappointed next time around.

I'll get some Vred pricing too and compare all three.

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My question would be this - were the original PS's a softer compound than the PS2's? My experience suggested they were - because personally I found them a much better tyre for all-round grip.

Tyre construction technology has moved on leaps and bounds over the last decade or so. The old Michelin Pilot Sport were optimised to resist aquaplanning (great V shaped water clearing tread which also helped directional stability/traction). They were constructed using esssentially the same rubber compound all round and the tyre carcasse was not as advanced in terms of construction compared to the newer asymmetrical tyres.

The newer asymmetrical tyres are much more advanced in construction and are composed of multiple tread compounds and multiple tread patterns. The carcasse construction is also more advanced to reflect this with better rigidity to enable the different tread blocks and compunds to perform to their optimum under different load profiles. For example asymmetrical tyres are engineered to have different tread blocks and compunds on the outside of the tyre (that's why they are marked with an indication of "outside" which come into play when the tyre is cornering.

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Tyre choice is personal and I guess the type of driving/journeys you do influences this choice.The old Michelin Pilot Sports were a Symmetrical directional tyre as opposed to the new Michelin Pilot Sport 2 which are an asymmetrical non directional tyre. In most measurable respects the newer Michelin Pilot Sport 2 is a better tyre than the older Michelin Pilot Sport except - aquaplaning resistance and associated straight line stability in these conditions. The V shaped tread pattern on the old Michelin Sport was responsible for this as it clears water slightly better and helps directional stability at speed in the wet. So I guess if you drive a lot on motorways and fast straight roads etc then the Michelin Pilot Sport would seem better than the newer Pilot Sport 2. The same can be said of the Vreds which are I believe a symmetrical directional tyre.The newer asymmetrical tyres excel on cornering and handling as they are setup to corner better due to multi-compound and tread construction and someone like Woppum who fancies himself as a racing driver :P would most likely prefer these tyres. The M3 in particular is affected by the type of tyre fitted and the only tyres approved by BMw for fitment to the M3 are Continental or Michelin. My recommendation would be Michelin as the better handling/cornering is worth it on an M3.
I drive like a pansy
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