Quote:
Originally Posted by rjm98119
Can I tell you what my personal experience with this topic was?
I had a 2013 F10 535 from Nov '12 through June of this year (I downsized to a '13 335 in June... wanted something more sporty, and missed my 2008 335).
The stock 19" M-Sport rims weighed about 32lbs and the heavy RFT tires themselves weighed on average about 26lbs, so averaging 59-60lbs per wheel (I actually had 1 wheel/tire combo max out at 62lbs.!)
The F10 felt lumbering and sluggish (IMO) and I'd read many similar articles, so I bought some 19" spun forged rims weighing a mere ~20lbs each and new tires (Conti DWS non-rft) running around 23-24lbs. I reduced my unsprung weight by an avg of 15lbs per corner.
There were a NUMBER of factors contributing to the difference (not the least of which was ditching the RFT's), but I can say it was immediate and obviously apparent on all roads in the following ways:
1. The car just felt notably lighter and more nimble. It reacted quicker to everything from throttle input to sharp turns.
2. At lower speeds on modestly crappy pavement, little bumps were more obvious, but in that car, it was in a way that made me feel like I was in a smaller, lighter car. In a 335, it might be objectionable, I'm not sure.
3. On the highway on relatively even roads, I still felt more undulations in the road, however, big bumps or expansion joints actually felt like they were swallowed more readily (didn't send as big of a reverberation through the cabin), so the overall effect was one of feeling more connected and in control during fast maneuvers (whereas before I felt in control but slower and less connected).
4. #1 having been said, somehow the car actually felt *softer* overall. Hard to explain. I think it might have to do with #3 where the bigger bumps sort of felt like punching a pillow, instead of the harder impact on the heavier RFT-clad wheels.
So... I dunno... does that help anyone with anything? How does that hold up to the theories above? Seems about right though I may not have read carefully enough...
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I think your observations are exactly in line with the statements above.
It is funny you mentioned the Conti DWS. I've been seriously considering these tires to replace my current Pirelli A/S RFTs. The DWS is known to have a soft side wall. Most people say that these tires soften the ride tremendously (that you hardly feel bumps) but then makes cornering a bit squishy (due to the soft side walls). Did you notice the "fun factor" being reduced due to this tire? Also are you running a higher (than normal) psi on these tires to gain back a bit of handling?