Tires Continental or DUNLOP
I have Dunlop Winter Sport tires riding on 17" wheels during the winter and the ride is smoother and they are not louder than my 18" wheels with summer tires.
After speaking with the nice gentleman at Discount Tire, I opted for a Dunlop Direzza DZ101 in 205/50/R15. Wow. The Dunlops offer an impressive amount of grip. Thus far, just in irresponsible city driving, I have not been able to get the tires to lose their traction. In first gear cornering, punch the gas at almost full lock will not produce any tires spin. In long fast(er) cornering, there is not wallowing or any wiggling. In corners that I am familiar with, I am able to take them at much higher speeds, but feel much more in control and almost feel as though the car is going slower because it is very much more predictable. Overall, I am satisfied with the tires. For $70 a piece in my size, I believe they are the best money I've ever spent on a car. My on complaint is that they sit a little strange on my wheels because they have an extra edge to protect your rims from curbage. But oh well. They're fast, smooth, and even quiet.
O.K I did it. Got the Contintal Cross Contact UHP 285/50/18 put on this afternoon. Driving home they seemed to be very quiet and smooth running.
I have the WinterSport M3 205/55R16 on steelies on my 20th. This is my second winter on them. Great Tire.
I installed a set of Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3's. This is a quick review of my thoughts on the handling and performance, so far. Wet Grip: Amazingly capable. Dry Grip: The tires grip reasonably well. Snow Grip: Amazing. Truly amazing. Ice Grip: grip was still very good. Low-speed Handling: I am fairly impressed with how these handle. High-speed Stability: Well, these are winter tires and feel well-suited to a sedan driven in a commuting style. Noise: None, so far. Comfort: Still, these are quite comfortable.
based on my own prior experience.. skinnier tires are better in snow/slush.... so I bought a set of 205 50 17s myself... Dunlop Winter M2s for me!
I was told to run right around 40psi in my Continental ExtremeContact tires. I was running about 38 in my Michelins with no adverse effects.
I am on my second set of SP5000's also on my Passat. They are a great UHP all-season tire. The big knock on them is quick wear, even with a 340 treadwear rating.
They were replaced with 205/65 X 15 Continentals on VW alloys (15X7) and after 15,000km still look like new, but they are noisy.
I just put my winter tires on. Dunlop wintersport M3. I have used these for 2 winters already, they have a decent amount of tread left. Maybe 20,000 miles total use on the tires already. 90% highway. I notice that the car now rides much more harsh than it does on the summer tires. It also makes a lot of noise. Almost like a wheel bearing or something. Way more noise than I remember from last winter!
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