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      11-02-2012, 07:15 PM   #11
RPM90
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Drives: 340i M-sport AT
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago

iTrader: (1)

I'm getting a set of all season Bridgestone RE970's in staggered sizing for my Msport.
I have the tires on reserve at the Tire Rack and plan on getting them installed either tomorrow or the next Saturday.

I'm still not sure if these will be as good as the Conti DWS I had on my 135i.
The DWS do have a softer sidewall and thus a reduction in steering response, but with a bit more psi they worked great on my 135i, and they were great in the rain and on cold slushy roads during the winter. On snow and light snow I drove cautiously, but I do anyway when the weather turns nasty, and the DWS got me through 3 winters just fine.
TR reviews the RE970's as being a better handling tire with crisp steering response, but I'm not yet sold on how they will do no light snow.
TR says they are great in wet conditions, so that bodes well for wet, cold, and slushy roads, but not enough driver reviews during the winter.
I may switch at the last minute and go with the Conti DWS.

SO, I'm going with all seasons like I always have, and I'll post on how it goes once we get some really cold and snowy weather.

BTW, for the majority of the winter when there isn't any snow on the roads, the DWS were excellent, quiet ride, good cold temp grip.
In the summer they were better in the wet than the OEM RFT summer performance tires. On dry warm roads they had about the same performance in cornering grip and braking. The OEM RFT's on the 135i weren't the best summer performance tire to begin with. The 335i Msport S001's feel to me to have better warm dry grip than the 135i's RFT's. The S001's aren't that great in the wet. They are ok, but as good as the DWS were on the 135i.

I know most people here prefer 2 sets of tires, and it makes a lot of sense to have winter tires in the winter especially for those who drive regularly on hilly terrain and/or if you get a lot of snow that doesn't get cleared readily. Having 2 sets of tires allows you to have the best summer performance tires, and the best tire for winter snow conditions. No argument there.

I just wanted to give my experience with using all seasons in an area that is very flat, and when it snows the roads are cleared very quickly, and we're driving mostly on cold, damp/wet roads or cold "dusty/with road salt" roads during the winter.
I've been driving on all season tires pretty much since the mid 80's, as the majority of cars around do. And, we've survived.

Last edited by RPM90; 11-02-2012 at 07:20 PM..
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