[BenN]

Factory Bridgestones on my F31 335d xDrive are ready to be changed, ideally i would be looking at non-rft michelin PS4S BMW STAR, but right now there is atleast a 12 week wait on the rear size over in the UK: according to michelin themselves.

I'm on a 2017 msports plus model, with 19" staggered setup of 225/40 and 255/35.

Ideally i would like to stay with star rated tyres, so due to the lack of choice in non-rft i am back looking at RFT for my sins.

I'd rather not have Pirelli or the bridgestones again - so i'm down to these two:

• Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3, RFT, BMW Star
• Continental ContiSportContact 5 SSR Runflat, BMW Star.

Whats your preference, or better yet do you have experience with either of these? As you'll know, the 335d is abit of a monster, so i want something that will perform well in both the dry and wet, be progressive and allow for a fun drive. Biggest gripe with the Bridgestones is how hard they are, the road noise is pretty terrible and they lack grip in all conditions.

I've also heard that some RFT tyres are more forgiving than others, the only real experience of a RFT i have is these bridgestones.

Also open to other suggestions,
Cheers!

[Kriegsschatten]

Hi Benn,

I have an F36 435d xDrive; very similar to your car
I also have the exact same wheel sizes for my summer wheels.

My question would be: Why using the Goodyear Asymmetric 3, when there is the newer, better Asymmetric 5?

Since April, I changed on those. And I can absolutely recommend them! They have perfect grip in acceleration, braking and especially in curves. A few days after that I read a test in a car journal and was not surprised that the Goodyear got the 2nd place (dont remember the first, but it was way more expensive).

From what I can tell, the Goodyear noise level is the same like my winter tires and the former Pirelli tires. By the way, the noise is very dependent on the asphalt quality you are driving on.

[J555]

I second that. If you can't wait, and decided for the non-RFT tires, simply take another PS4S's (the standard ones or Merc spec) or the standard Conti CSC6 (as a very sporty option) / Eagle F1 Asy 5 (as a more comfy option). A way better tires than the outdated RFT tires you are considering.

[Ennoch]

I was recently in the same boat as you and needed to replace my Brigestone S001's (fronts were 2017 date code and the rears were 2014). Ideally, like you, I would have gone for star marked PS4S but also like you, they weren't available. I looked at the options you're considering, as well as the newest Pirelli P-Zero (I wish they'd give version numbers to their tyres!) but realistically I've never had a Pirelli that really works well, and the same can be said of most Japanese (Toyo/Yoko/Bridgestones) tyres that I've ever used. I discounted the Continentals as they seem to get some very varied reviews, and they don't seem to wear well, and discounted the Good Year Asym 3 RFT's as they didn't get rave reviews either with sidewall bulges etc. That and they're old tech now. So I settled on boggo Michelin PS4S's and I've been absolutely blown away by them, they've totally transformed the car for me. Where I really hadn't gelled with it before, now you can really drive it. It's quieter, better riding, grippier and has more steering feel as well as more on-throttle adjustability on tight roads compared to the S001's. It's still a 1.7 ton car but it is absolutely night and day and the best £500 I think I've ever spent on a car. Of course this is non star marked and non-RFT but they are so transformative that it seems worth it to me. The measured difference is 0.7% while static but I would expect the rears to balloon slightly more in rotation, and as those were the slightly undersized tyre I'd expect the real world difference to be slightly less.

[BenN]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

I was recently in the same boat as you and needed to replace my Brigestone S001's (fronts were 2017 date code and the rears were 2014). Ideally, like you, I would have gone for star marked PS4S but also like you, they weren't available. I looked at the options you're considering, as well as the newest Pirelli P-Zero (I wish they'd give version numbers to their tyres!) but realistically I've never had a Pirelli that really works well, and the same can be said of most Japanese (Toyo/Yoko/Bridgestones) tyres that I've ever used. I discounted the Continentals as they seem to get some very varied reviews, and they don't seem to wear well, and discounted the Good Year Asym 3 RFT's as they didn't get rave reviews either with sidewall bulges etc. That and they're old tech now. So I settled on boggo Michelin PS4S's and I've been absolutely blown away by them, they've totally transformed the car for me. Where I really hadn't gelled with it before, now you can really drive it. It's quieter, better riding, grippier and has more steering feel as well as more on-throttle adjustability on tight roads compared to the S001's. It's still a 1.7 ton car but it is absolutely night and day and the best £500 I think I've ever spent on a car. Of course this is non star marked and non-RFT but they are so transformative that it seems worth it to me. The measured difference is 0.7% while static but I would expect the rears to balloon slightly more in rotation, and as those were the slightly undersized tyre I'd expect the real world difference to be slightly less.

Very interesting read, thank you! Exactly the same elimination steps i had for each brand, and now i'm 99% decided michelin PS4s will be the ones i go for - still no stock of the star marked ones for the rear axle, which is really frustrating now.

I'm currently down to 2mm tread on the rear, so need these soon - if stock doesnt come in of the star marked i'll have to go for the non star like yourself. You mentioned the measured difference of 0.7%, what were you referring to here?

The circumeference difference between the star and non-star marked variant of the same tyre?

I've been reading that the biggest difference between the star and non-star models is the circumference from new, which would make sense why its recommended to go for star marked to keep the two axles within tolerance.

Presuming you still have the stock F31 335d suspension, which is sadly SE spec, i was concerned about removing the runflats and loosing that stiffer sidewall. I read that the PS4s have a stiffer sidewall than the PS4, so i'm hopeful its still a stiff enough ride but without the harshness of RFT. Does yours stil corner well?

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by BenN

Very interesting read, thank you! Exactly the same elimination steps i had for each brand, and now i'm 99% decided michelin PS4s will be the ones i go for - still no stock of the star marked ones for the rear axle, which is really frustrating now.

I'm currently down to 2mm tread on the rear, so need these soon - if stock doesnt come in of the star marked i'll have to go for the non star like yourself. You mentioned the measured difference of 0.7%, what were you referring to here?

The circumeference difference between the star and non-star marked variant of the same tyre?

I've been reading that the biggest difference between the star and non-star models is the circumference from new, which would make sense why its recommended to go for star marked to keep the two axles within tolerance.

Presuming you still have the stock F31 335d suspension, which is sadly SE spec, i was concerned about removing the runflats and loosing that stiffer sidewall. I read that the PS4s have a stiffer sidewall than the PS4, so i'm hopeful its still a stiff enough ride but without the harshness of RFT. Does yours stil corner well?

So the measurement of 0.7% (actually 0.78%) comes from the front (2074mm) vs rear (2058mm) difference of the non* PS4S. Now this was done in my front room rather than on the car at 60kph as HighlandPete noted in the PS4S vs PS4S* thread, but at least gave a ballpark. My intention was to compare this to the S001*'s that came off the car but unfortunately I haven't got them back to measure yet - I know they're worn differently but it's easy to calculate what their starting measurements were when new if you know what the tread depths are.

In terms of the PS4S* I was told 1st July for being able to order them in, but as with anything in the bike/car world my general view is that it's over 2 weeks away it's not really going to be accurate. If you can hold out I would but equally, I suspect that date will get pushed back. Michelin Race Line MTB tyres (made on the performance product line) were originally due last month but are now quoted as August.

With regards handling I can't believe the transformation in the car since getting the PS4S's on (on stock 335d suspension). I hated the S001's to the point where even my RFT Sottozero 3 winters were better in all conditions, and had better precision and feel. Where before the S001's were stiff but felt like the rubber wasn't keying into the road, especially in the wet, there is now a little more float but the rubber directly reacts to what the steering wheel is doing. And in the wet they're almost indistinguishable from dry grip. Of course some may not like this 'float' but it's minor, and actually enables you to use weight transfer to move the car around whereas I found with the Bridgestone's if you lifted off to tighten the line in a corner it would just plough on - a combination of poor rubber and a super stiff casing. In the case of the PS4S the car now reacts to both steering and throttle inputs to control the car in the corners. It's gone from the point where every time I spoke to my mate (who used to have one and convinced me into getting one) would offer to take it off my hands because I was saying I just hadn't clicked with it, to properly loving driving it.


Of course what you want from a car may be different to me but on the rougher and lumpier north highland roads the car is just night and day better and if anything the tyres and suspension now work well together as a cohesive and better balanced pairing. Also gone is that horrific crashing sound/feel when you hit submerged manholes and smaller potholes in the road. I get your concern with the stiffness but to me it isn't really a detriment overall as it gives more than it takes away. The PS4S also has firmer rubber than the standard PS4, and then the PS4S has a different blend again.

Incidentally they had to cut one of my old rear tyres off with a grinder and the casing was about 12mm thick + tread, on the surface with the sidewalls even thicker again, and with some serious steel braiding throughout. No wonder they ride like solid blocks of plastic!

[BenN]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

HighlandPete noted in the PS4S vs PS4S* thread

Do you have a link to this thread please, searching for PS4S in this forum throws up alot of results...?

Excellent review also, thanks very much, really cements the confidence in going down this route.

You mentioned a date of 1st July, who was that by btw? I've been told by my local tyre garage a date of mid-july, however when i speak direct to michelin UK customer services, they can't give a date, although they keep telling me a lead time that get shorter each time i call, so maybe there is hope. I was originally told a few weeks back 12 weeks+, but today when i called michelin i was told 4-6 weeks, which would kind of align with what my local tyre dealer is saying, but i am getting such contrasting information i'm not sure who to believe!

[Ennoch]

This is the thread (in the UK section, linking to the Tyre Reviews S vs S* comparison video):
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...=1828241&page=

That date was from the local Eastern BMW main dealer when I asked them if they could track them down (and to give them credit they did come back pretty quickly) rather than going for S001's. Fingers crossed they can get them in for you within the time your tyres have left in this world. I was initially put off by the S* a little with the talk of it being more biased towards dry grip rather than wet. However, my experience of the standard one being so good on wet roads suggests that it could probably afford to give up some of that performance as visibility and the risk of standing water etc reduces your speed sufficiently that you're driving well within it's wet weather performance capabilities anyway. And that would give you sharper turn in etc. As I said, to me it's acceptable and the upsides are so numerous that it's not a concern, but equally if someone offered sharper turn in with no downsides I'd probably not say no. If you can I'd hold out for the S*, but if not you're very much not going to be disappointed with the normal PS4S.