# Hey guys, tire recommendations PLEASE!



## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

Hey, guys; it's been a long time since I've seen/chatted with some of you. I am in urgent need of new tires and have a few questions. I'm currently wearing Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires with 235/45 ZR17's on the front, with 255/40 ZR17's on the rear. These tires are awful in the snow, but great in the rain and on dry roads.

Doing my research, I'm starting to wonder if I should stick with the Pilot Sport Summer tires, or the All-Season tires. Is anyone experienced with both and know if the difference in dry/rain performance is significantly worse with the All-Season tires? I will go this route if I know I can still nail corners, experience an equal or less harsh ride, and no deal with any annoyance beyond those which I am currently experiencing.

Please assist in any way you guys can. As well, I'm very picky about quality, but would love to hear of any less-expensive tires you guys know of that would not make me disappointed with dry & wet performance!

Thanks,


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## Keith (Feb 27, 2002)

SS said:


> Hey, guys; it's been a long time since I've seen/chatted with some of you. I am in urgent need of new tires and have a few questions. I'm currently wearing Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires with 235/45 ZR17's on the front, with 255/40 ZR17's on the rear. These tires are awful in the snow, but great in the rain and on dry roads.
> 
> Doing my research, I'm starting to wonder if I should stick with the Pilot Sport Summer tires, or the All-Season tires. Is anyone experienced with both and know if the difference in dry/rain performance is significantly worse with the All-Season tires? I will go this route if I know I can still nail corners, experience an equal or less harsh ride, and no deal with any annoyance beyond those which I am currently experiencing.
> 
> ...


Toyo T1-S's, I love mine!
I have 245/45/17's all around.

AND I won them at Bimmerfest!


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2005)

If you're going to stick with summer tires, I suggest the Pilot Sport 2s. I have them on my M3 and they are EXCELLENT.

If you do want all-seasons, I recommend the Yokohama AVS dB 2s. I have them on our Saab 9-5 Aero wagon and they are really quite good performance-wise in the dry and do a good job in the snow. My father has the prior gen AVS dBs on his E39 and does just fine in the snow as well. They have a surprisingly firm sidewall for an all-season plus a sticky compound that grips quite well.


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## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

TD said:


> If you're going to stick with summer tires, I suggest the Pilot Sport 2s. I have them on my M3 and they are EXCELLENT.
> 
> If you do want all-seasons, I recommend the Yokohama AVS dB 2s. I have them on our Saab 9-5 Aero wagon and they are really quite good performance-wise in the dry and do a good job in the snow. My father has the prior gen AVS dBs on his E39 and does just fine in the snow as well. They have a surprisingly firm sidewall for an all-season plus a sticky compound that grips quite well.


Hey, Tom:

I really wanna try and get all-seasons this time. BMW gave me the Pilot Sport Summer's because of my shimmy problem (by the way, it fixed it), and now that I'm paying, I want something much better. The stock Dunlops, although they shimmied, were great in the snow & icy surfaces. The Pilot Sports are a joke...even when I drive very well in the snow. So, I wanna escape that and find some all seasons that are good enough that I don't have to sacrifice cornering capabilities!

I'm gonna check out the Yokohama's. I know they're fairly inexpensive. Also, do any of you guys have comments abou tthe Fulda Extremo's? A tire guy just recommended those for price, performance, and tread-wear. Comments?!?

By the way, thanks to you as well, Keith.


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## Keith (Feb 27, 2002)

SS said:


> Hey, Tom:
> 
> I really wanna try and get all-seasons this time. BMW gave me the Pilot Sport Summer's because of my shimmy problem (by the way, it fixed it), and now that I'm paying, I want something much better. The stock Dunlops, although they shimmied, were great in the snow & icy surfaces. The Pilot Sports are a joke...even when I drive very well in the snow. So, I wanna escape that and find some all seasons that are good enough that I don't have to sacrifice cornering capabilities!
> 
> ...


Hmmm, after reading your post again, I have know idea how my Toyo's would be in the snow :dunno: , but in the rain I've been completely shocked how well they do. :thumbup: 
We dont' get that white stuff in Pleasanton/Bay Area/Calif.
Yoyo does make the Proxes 4, it's an all season, I almost got those, but am VERY happy with my choice.

Being's that "The Man" TD/Tom lives in your vacinity, he's the man I would trust with an opinion on tires! :thumbup:

Oh, by the way, your welcome.


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2005)

Hey Shane, do you still have an E39?

There was a thread recently where Gary from TireRack.com recommended both the Pilot Sport A/S and the Yoko AVS dB S2 as excellent all-season performance tires. I have no experience withe the Pilot Sport A/S, but I had no problem cranking through 2 inches of uncleared frozen crap (sleet and snow) this morning in our Saab. Granted the Saab did okay in snaow with the summer-only Dunlops that came on it. But these Yokos not only do better in the frozen stuff but also seem to perform better in the dry than those summer Dunlops.

I do expect that the Pilot Sport A/S are also excellent all-around tires. You probably can't go wrong with either. However, the Yokos are quite a bit cheaper.


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## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

Keith said:


> Hmmm, after reading your post again, I have know idea how my Toyo's would be in the snow :dunno: , but in the rain I've been completely shocked how well they do. :thumbup:
> We dont' get that white stuff in Pleasanton/Bay Area/Calif.
> Yoyo does make the Proxes 4, it's an all season, I almost got those, but am VERY happy with my choice.
> 
> ...


Whew! Thanks for telling me now. Wet performance is exceptional in the Pilot Sports; I sometimes run into puddles of water just for fun! So, your tires just may handle similarly to mine...good wet performance doesn't mean good snow performance 

Either way, I do appreciate your information and will research your Tires. My car has is out-of-commission right now thanks to a flat, but I sell cars & can drive another for a week or so until I figure this stuff out.


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## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

TD said:


> Hey Shane, do you still have an E39?
> 
> There was a thread recently where Gary from TireRack.com recommended both the Pilot Sport A/S and the Yoko AVS dB S2 as excellent all-season performance tires. I have no experience withe the Pilot Sport A/S, but I had no problem cranking through 2 inches of uncleared frozen crap (sleet and snow) this morning in our Saab. Granted the Saab did okay in snaow with the summer-only Dunlops that came on it. But these Yokos not only do better in the frozen stuff but also seem to perform better in the dry than those summer Dunlops.
> 
> I do expect that the Pilot Sport A/S are also excellent all-around tires. You probably can't go wrong with either. However, the Yokos are quite a bit cheaper.


Yes, Tom...I still have my E39 (can't escape this thing no matter how many times I *think* I'm gonna sell it). Anyhow, I'm too busy to check these boards any more. But, if Gary recommended the Yoko AVS dB S2's, I may go that route. I just found out the Pilot Sport A/S's don't come with the rear size I need 

By the way, the price on the Yoko's is unbelievable!


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

a popular and top rated all season is the pzero nero m/s. i was going to get those and then decided to go w/ summers at the last minute.


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## batastj (Oct 9, 2004)

*AVS dB 2s.*

i have the AVS dB 2s on my 1999 540IA sports package. I bought them in September 2004. I road tested the other yoko, I think AHS? or something but it is the tire right below the AVS dB 2s. When I bought the car, it had the Mich Pilot a/s and man were they LOUD.

I have no complaints with these tires. I never had real "sport tires" but I drive like a mad man and these tires seem fine. I suppose a more dedicated summer tire will give better handling but this is my daily driver and I comfort is important. Besides, if you want more performance from AVS dB 2s or any other tire, just add more air for that rock hard feeling. Just my 2 cents. Heck, I even plan to run my stock 540i at the track. It is all relative to what you want....I want a nice riding car with big fat tires that will do well in the smow...when it snows. I am not saying that my 540i get better traction that my previous Honda Accord but I do get better traction that I did on my Lexus ls400 that had Coppoer Lifeliner Touring SLE.

Also, depnding on where you live, remember the difference betwen summer and all-season are not just the tread design...it is also the rubber compound. When the guys at tirerack told me that rubber on the AVS dB 2s will fair much better when the road itself is cold I decided to go with AVS dB 2s because the Northeast does have long cold winters, not just snowy ones.

Good luck.


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## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

batastj said:


> i have the AVS dB 2s on my 1999 540IA sports package. I bought them in September 2004. I road tested the other yoko, I think AHS? or something but it is the tire right below the AVS dB 2s. When I bought the car, it had the Mich Pilot a/s and man were they LOUD.
> 
> I have no complaints with these tires. I never had real "sport tires" but I drive like a mad man and these tires seem fine. I suppose a more dedicated summer tire will give better handling but this is my daily driver and I comfort is important. Besides, if you want more performance from AVS dB 2s or any other tire, just add more air for that rock hard feeling. Just my 2 cents. Heck, I even plan to run my stock 540i at the track. It is all relative to what you want....I want a nice riding car with big fat tires that will do well in the smow...when it snows. I am not saying that my 540i get better traction that my previous Honda Accord but I do get better traction that I did on my Lexus ls400 that had Coppoer Lifeliner Touring SLE.
> 
> ...


Thank everyone very much. I ordered the Yoko's today and expect to have them tomorrow! Excellent post, "batastj", I think you are right on with what you stated.

I'll let you guys know what I think about these! I'm sure Tom wouldn't let me down with this...


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/co_contiExtremeContact.jsp
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/kumho_ecsta_asx.jsp


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2005)

SS said:


> Thank everyone very much. I ordered the Yoko's today and expect to have them tomorrow! Excellent post, "batastj", I think you are right on with what you stated.
> 
> I'll let you guys know what I think about these! I'm sure Tom wouldn't let me down with this...


 Oh sure, put the pressure on.

Hey, I think they are damn good tires. We'll see what you think.

Granted, on my M3 I'm running Pilot Sport 2s. Then again, it doesn't leave the garage when there is anything frozen on the ground.


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## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

TD said:


> Oh sure, put the pressure on.
> 
> Hey, I think they are damn good tires. We'll see what you think.
> 
> Granted, on my M3 I'm running Pilot Sport 2s. Then again, it doesn't leave the garage when there is anything frozen on the ground.


Hey, I know the area in which you live! I'll find you! LOL...actually, I'm quite confident I will be pleased with the tires. If not, I'll get over it and eventually get use to the darn things...

Thanks


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## leto (Feb 3, 2005)

*Leto,on tires*

Have been driving on Pilot Sport A/S for a couple of years. They are by far the best tire I have ever had on any vehicle. Better than the summer pilots on other vehicles, both bmw and others. They are very quiet, very sticky, and smooth. A big, big,difference from the continentals the last two bmw's came with. I drive on 15 inch Michelein Artic Alpines in the winter using my 1998 528's original 15 inch rims. The Pilot A/S's are on 16 inch rims. Have had Pirelli's, other Pilots, and other Mich's, these A/S's are outstanding.


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