[mbergman]

2015 328iX GT

It’s time for new 3 season tires. I’m not quite sure what my F34 trim designation is as it has some M Sport features, but does not have offset tires.
225/50 18 XL

I was not unhappy with the OE Continental Contiprocontacts in RF, but I’m curious if anyone has found a better replacement without changing sizes or giving up RFs. I have snow tires so I’m not real concerned with snow. I want to enjoy spirited driving without going to too soft (and expensive) a performance tire.

Suggestions? Thanks!

[Billfitz]

Size is a problem, there's not much out there. Conti Sport Contact 5 SSR is the best of what's available. If you want to take your chances with non RFT the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is the highest rated.

[mbergman]

So what does everyone else run? Should I give up the RF? I haven’t had a flat on any variety tire in almost 30years

[F30inthe6ix]

RFTs suck.

I recently switched to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ non-RFT tires for my F30 and I am amazed at how much better the car feels while driving versus when I had the factory RFTs on. I've never had a flat in my entire life, so the benefits of using a RFT are really irrelevant to me (hopefully it stays this way!)

Definitely ditch the RFTs, you won't regret it.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by mbergman

2015 328iX GT

It’s time for new 3 season tires. I’m not quite sure what my F34 trim designation is as it has some M Sport features, but does not have offset tires.
225/50 18 XL

I was not unhappy with the OE Continental Contiprocontacts in RF, but I’m curious if anyone has found a better replacement without changing sizes or giving up RFs. I have snow tires so I’m not real concerned with snow. I want to enjoy spirited driving without going to too soft (and expensive) a performance tire.

Suggestions? Thanks!

I think you mean you have a square set-up (same size all corners) and not staggered (wider in back). "Offset" is a metric which refers to the wheel rim relationship to the hub, and is not a tire measurement.

If you are willling to give up RFT (no argument here!), the leading two contenders in the UHPAS category are the aforementioned Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ or Continental DWS06...those exact model names. Michelin a bit more aggressive, DWS06 a bit more quiet/comfort, but both are outstanding performance tires for 3 seasons. I wouldn't need to look any further...

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Ithe leading two contenders...are the aforementioned Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ or Continental DWS06.

He has winters, doesn't need AS.

I recently switched to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ non-RFT tires for my F30 and I am amazed at how much better the car feels while driving versus when I had the factory RFTs on.

Probably true with an F30, but the F34 rides a lot softer, so RFTs don't feel bad at all. Mine rides and handles better with the stock Contis as my Altima did on Michelin MXM4 Primacy.

[mbergman]

Thanks for all the input. I'm not sure why I’ve been reluctant to give up the RFs. since flats are so uncommon these days. I hated the early RFs, but as another mentioned, they don’t feel so bad on the F34. So another question for those of you who have studied tires more. The OE Continentals are spec’d as “XL”. My use is never with a heavily loaded car. Do XL rated tires offer added benefits or durability in a non RF tire? Looking at Michelin AS3+ and the 4S, there is a $40 price difference and the 4s are XL rated. Worth the price difference?

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by mbergman

2015 328iX GT..It’s time for new 3 season tires.

Originally Posted by Billfitz

He has winters, doesn't need AS.

He asked for them. "3 Season" is the more accurate vernacular for "all seasons" which cannot handle winter competently. He didn't ask for Summer tires which are "1 Season", depending on temperature variation in his area. His purchase of XDrive and ownership of winter tires suggest he may live in such a temperature-varying area. UHPAS are the next highest performance tire which will allow him to drive below 45 degrees before/after snowfall season, which Summer tires would not.

[mbergman]

Yes. I have snow tires and I asked about 3 season tires because I live in Vail, CO where we get unpredictable snow even after one has, reasonably, removed snow tires or before putting them back on. I’d love to be able to run ultra High Performance tires without regard to snow handling, but I live in a place where that isn’t practical. Thanks all!

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by mbergman

Yes. I have snow tires and I asked about 3 season tires because I live in Vail, CO where we get unpredictable snow even after one has, reasonably, removed snow tires or before putting them back on. I’d love to be able to run ultra High Performance tires without regard to snow handling, but I live in a place where that isn’t practical. Thanks all!

In this case, I would even more strongly suggest the Continental DWS06 for the best balance of attributes for you.

[sspade]

DWS06

Wont regret.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

He asked for them. "3 Season" is the more accurate vernacular for "all seasons" which cannot handle winter competently.

I'd still go with summer/winter, and it's not like I'm a stranger to snow and ice. We had an ice/slush storm this past week. Traction in snow isn't the only reason for winters. The other is the flexibility of the rubber compound in cold temperatures, and conversely the resistance of summers to heat issues in hot temperatures. If you have summers/winters the time to change them is when the leaves come down in the fall and when they reappear in the spring, which very much corresponds to the average temperature, which also corresponds to the potential for snow and ice storms. That makes winters much more than a one season tire, and obviates the need for a three season tire.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

I'd still go with summer/winter, and it's not like I'm a stranger to snow and ice. We had an ice/slush storm this past week. Traction in snow isn't the only reason for winters. The other is the flexibility of the rubber compound in cold temperatures, and conversely the resistance of summers to heat issues in hot temperatures. If you have summers/winters the time to change them is when the leaves come down in the fall and when they reappear in the spring, which very much corresponds to the average temperature, which also corresponds to the potential for snow and ice storms. That makes winters much more than a one season tire, and obviates the need for a three season tire.

That is certainly a viable strategy, but for some of us, suboptimizes the experience (leaving aside for the moment the very accelerated wear of winter tires on bare concrete vs snow covered surfaces). Winter tires are so soft that they significantly reduce any driving performance entertainment from a chassis otherwise reasonably willing to deliver, even on a GT model. OP expressed desire for performance capability. While your strategy does allow for the very top end Summer experience, the performance loss to a tire such as Pilot Sport AS3+ or DWS06, also designed for great cold weather traction on concrete and resistant to heat, is relatively minimal compared to the squishiness of driving winter tires around as soon as temps seasonally fall/climb into the 40s, but snow is absent. Michelin has stated that their performance objective for the AS3+ was to get as close as possible to the PSS summer tire with an all season compound. Most reviewers, such as Tire Rack, have complimented them as having strongly succeeeded! My desire, and perhaps that of the OP, is to get on winter tires as late as possible and get off them ASAP to enjoy the 3 season tires as much as possible!

One can succeed with either strategy and it becomes a matter of how one most enjoys their car.

[joatmon314]

I have Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and I'm very happy.

Also: Safety Seal KAP30 30 String Pro Tire Repair Kit, and

VIAIR 84P Portable Compressor

[mbergman]

Thanks all¿ I’m going with the DWS06 as a good compromise. Sportstick hit the nail on the head: Get on the winter tires as late as possible and get off them as soon as possible. During spring snowstorms, I may need to cross a mountain pass (to be avoided if at all possible w/o good winter tires) on occasion. Anyone who has skied Vail is familiar with the Vail Pass. It helps make the ski areas of Summit County very busy and popular with Denver area skiers.
I will post my followup comments on the DWS06 after I put some mileage on them.

[Sportstick]

http://www.bimmerzone.com/BMW_Perfor...T-F30-KIT.html

For those who may be interested. They don't specifically call out F34, but a call to confirm can resolve that.

[Billfitz]

The price is absurd, but having looked around for them myself absurd is all that's out there. I got one of these:
https://www.bavauto.com/b36000178

Even though I have RFT I toss this in the trunk when taking a trip, so if I do get a flat I won't ruin my vacation looking for a replacement tire. I've got a tire repair kit, jack and pump on board too, which pretty much guarantees that I'll never get a flat.

[Tribalpinoy911]

General Gmax AS-05 you cant beat the performance,tread-wear for the price.

[kurokawa]

Originally Posted by mbergman

So what does everyone else run? Should I give up the RF? I haven’t had a flat on any variety tire in almost 30years

running pirelli RFT on my F34, grip is ok in both dry and wet, quite noisy on some road, ride isnt as comfortable as normal tyre but the suspension help filter out a lot, found it difficult to spot any puncture or leak by the time the tyre pressure sensor tell you it would be very late, and not always able to repair a puncture RFT

swap to normal tyre on my Mini, the best thing i have done

[GatorF30]

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's

Absolutely love these tires and they're cheap.

[Tribalpinoy911]

For winter the best all seasons out there are continental extreme contact dws

[Lazarus.Bird]

Another +1 for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. I put them on my car when I bought my Apex wheels. I run them all year, and they handled like a champ when I drove to Philly during one of the Nor'easter waves. In Pittsburgh it can be 25 degrees one day and 65 the next so I really didn't want to go with a summer/winter set up. Really pleased with them so far.