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View Poll Results: Which of the 4 tires for my summer option?
Michelin PSS 33 67.35%
Dunlop Sport Maxx GT 3 6.12%
Dunlop Star Spec 11 22.45%
Dunlop Maxx TT 2 4.08%
Voters: 49. You may not vote on this poll

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      04-24-2011, 12:36 AM   #1
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Deciding on a summer tire?? -Hmmmm

K so im pretty close to when Id like to go with a nice new spring, summer, fall set of tires with 18" rims. Ive been doing a load of research on TR on pretty much all there is the look at in tires, in every category, etc. Ive now narrowed it down to 3 tires, MAYBE 4 depending on a few things, so heres the list with their pros n cons::

Michelin Pilot Super Sport


Pros: Great treadwear and just about the "newest" sports tire technology throughout as Michelin notes this tire outperforms the PS2. Also a reputable looking warranty. Slightly lighter than most.

Cons: Obviously the price is fairly high, bout $1000 atleast for 4 tires is a bit high for me . Also, this is a fairly new tire with not near as much track testing and reviews as some others, which with further testing could possibly reveal some issues, as is possible with any new item.

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT


Pros: Lowest cost of the 3 tires, also with excellent wet and great dry grip and handling together with a fairly balanced rating in noise and comfort. Also for Max performance tires these have a nice treadwear rating. Also, these tires have very unique sidewalls with uses to protect rims as well as hold stiff through turns.

Cons: Not much of a con but of the 3 tires, this one seems to be the median of just about everything which can make it hard to decide. The tread width of this tire is slightly slimmer than the other two but not by much.

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs


Pros: Definately the highest performer in dry street and track driving among the 3 tires. Also has the widest tread width with slightly higher steering response than the others. Also Z rated.

Cons: Heaviest of the 3, with a lower treadwear rating and noisier than some. Not XL rated (would think this would cause the tire to be "mushier" under weight, but reviews ive seen say this tire has square and stiff sidewalls, so not sure..)

Ok I am adding the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT tires to my list as #4 as well. I had them on there before but took them off because of the price (255's are like $290) but im re-adding them because they are inline with their dunlop brothers with added comfort and what looks to be a slightly better wet track performance.



So lemme know what ya think, please dont suggest any other tires as I have made up my mind itll be between these. Other tires are either too expensive or lacking too much in one or more categories for the money.

Last edited by thez99; 04-24-2011 at 04:15 PM..
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      04-24-2011, 01:09 AM   #2
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I haven't tried the others, but I love me some Z1s. I autocross alot, so I need to have a tire that works best there. Z1s feel great, you know exactly what they're doing, and they are very sticky.
The downsides are that they wear out fast, and get real noisy as they wear too. They're very quiet when new though.
The PSS look promising for someone who doesn't autocross (or not much). For me, it would really depend on their treadwear. For a slight decrease in traction (I'm assuming here, but I think it's a pretty safe assumption), the increase in tread life better be pretty good compared to the Z1s to justify the extra cost.
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      04-24-2011, 08:31 AM   #3
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I've done the less expensive tire bit and found that there's no such thing as a great cheap tire so next time I'm not compromising and will go PSS.
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      04-24-2011, 02:37 PM   #4
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These tires I have listed arent exactly cheap..
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      04-24-2011, 03:09 PM   #5
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I would say buy the best tires you can afford. They are you ONLY link/connection to the road. I think the Michelin PS2's are the way to go here. Why do you want the more expensive PSS ? Were are talking about spending, what $50 more per tire? How much did you pay for your car? $45K?

$788(Dunlaps) vs $1014 (Michelin PSS's) ?

Just to be clear... you are talking about going with non run flats and in the 225/255 sizes, right?

Here are the results from a search I did on Tire Rack's website:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...=8&sortValue=0
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      04-24-2011, 03:22 PM   #6
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I think you missed one, the Contnental Extreme DW. Its rated at the same level, if not higer than all three (Closest to the Z1's) in wet, dry, and all around on TR. The grip is unbelievable and handling is excellent.

Now, from the above 3, I would suggest the Dunlop Dirreza. That was the tire I was intending to use for the track and was rated at par with the Conti's.
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      04-24-2011, 03:40 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
I would say buy the best tires you can afford. They are you ONLY link/connection to the road. I think the Michelin PS2's are the way to go here. Why do you want the more expensive PSS ? Were are talking about spending, what $50 more per tire? How much did you pay for your car? $45K?

$788(Dunlaps) vs $1014 (Michelin PSS's) ?

Just to be clear... you are talking about going with non run flats and in the 225/255 sizes, right?

Here are the results from a search I did on Tire Rack's website:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...=8&sortValue=0
Not sure what got messed up with your search but both dunlops have the sizes I am looking for and yes you are correct on the specs.

I dont really believe the way tires are sold that the only good way to tell the "best" tire is by paying the most. For instance, the "median" dunlops I have listed have very impressive track and street driving results as well as very good treadwear, etc. etc. yet at a far less price than the pss's or ps2's. And finally the main reason I removed the ps2's from my list were because of the pss's coming out and reading many different reviews stating that this tire certainly would outperform the ps2 in every way, yes its a bit more expensive and yes its the highest cost tire of my three, but theres many reasons other than that for it being there.
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      04-24-2011, 03:47 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elsabor67 View Post
I think you missed one, the Contnental Extreme DW. Its rated at the same level, if not higer than all three (Closest to the Z1's) in wet, dry, and all around on TR. The grip is unbelievable and handling is excellent.

Now, from the above 3, I would suggest the Dunlop Dirreza. That was the tire I was intending to use for the track and was rated at par with the Conti's.
I missed nothing. I drove the DW's last summer on 18" rims and hated them. About the only decent thing I can say about them is they were comfy and noiseless which for the first time as Ive seen is the only thing TR got correct on their testings. Usually they are spot on from what Ive seen, but yea the DW's are a COMFORT tire only, that is all. They have insanely soft sidewalls and just about the slimmest tread width of ALL the tires I have looked at under my specs on TR, hence the size I got were off for the rims I had, they looked stretched and basically they were stretched. They flex all the time, the cornering is sloppy and the ride is also sloppy, its SOFT and "comfortable", but all over the place. I rode those tires for 5k miles and that was my feeling in the end.

Yes theyre cheap, and yes they are comfy, but thats about it. Just goes to show you cant ALWAYS go 100% by the personally claimed survey results from TR, you need to also look at track testings as well as actual reviews from those who rode on them as well. Something I did for all three of these tires now.

I would say if you're a 60 year old stiff driving a 7 series who just wants silence and softness, go with the DW's. Otherwise, if you want a performing tire along with balanced treadwear, ride, etc. look above.

Finally, again in regards to the ps2, they are a fine tire, well tested and reviewed, however I just cant see going with them when now they appear to be left behind by michelins new pss tire, regardless of the slight cost increase. If I did get the ps2's i have a feeling 6 months from now after seeing all the awesome reviews of the pss's i would feel id made a mistake, and i plan on having these tires throughout the remainder of my usage of this car, so I dont wanna make another tire mistake.
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      04-24-2011, 03:52 PM   #9
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^^Well... I recently had to decide on which tire to buy as well. I went ahead and purchased Michelin PS3's. But IF I was living back in the states I think I would have gotten PS2's.

In just about every tire thread I have read over at 1addicts: the Michelin always had people raving about them. Even AFTER many, many miles. I think any tire will "feel good" when new... down the road... the PS2 people were still very happy with them. THAT is what made me go with Michelin tires. Also seeing how the PS2's are OE on BMW M models and Porsche's... that says a lot to me.
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      04-24-2011, 04:03 PM   #10
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2 cents.

I had the DW's as my last tire. I totally agree with the above post. They are a comfort only tire.

Just switched to the PSS, and I'm in love. Even during the 250 mi break in to wear off the tread release compound there's far more grip than the dw's.

I'd go PSS, but if the price is prohibitive, then go Z1. All the autox'ers that I've talked to at events love them and they've been the gold standard for "summer tire".
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      04-24-2011, 04:15 PM   #11
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Ok I am adding the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT tires to my list as #4 as well. I had them on there before but took them off because of the price (255's are like $290) but im re-adding them because they are inline with their dunlop brothers with added comfort and what looks to be a slightly better wet track performance. And actually of the 4 tires, this one is the only true Z-rated tire of them all.

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      04-24-2011, 05:26 PM   #12
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^^When you gonna start a poll so we can vote and tell you which tires to buy?
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      04-24-2011, 05:34 PM   #13
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I just purchased a set of PSS in 225/40/18 & 255/35/18... what really convinced me to go with these tires over many of the choices you're considering is the warranty... these tires were built to grip and built to last as well. Running a square setup Michelin will warrant 30k of treadlife... with a staggered setup, 30k for the fronts and 15k for the rears... pretty damn good! They also offer roadside assistance!

I felt more comfortable spending the extra money and going with these tires vs. a tire that is slightly cheaper but may not even last me a year.
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      04-24-2011, 08:22 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrackRat View Post
I can't explain your issues with the Conti DWs but I can assure you from my driving on them that Tire Rack's test report is accurate. They have amazing grip in both the dry and wet with very linear steering response. They may not have as stiff of sidewalls as the PS2s but clearly the DW test data and my personal expereince with them supports they out perform the PS2s and many other tires. My experience with many Max and Extreme performance tires on the street and track confirms the DW to be a great tire. The Sport Maax tires are nice street tires but they are not in the same performance league as the extreme performance category Conti DW.
I ran the DW's with 18" vmr 710's, wheels were 18x8.5 et45 front and 18x9.5 et50 rear. Tire size as they said would fit perfectly was 225/40/18 front and 255/35/18 rear. Both the front and rears, the rears especially, were very stretched, the slimmer tread width from the tires made the setup far from squared with the edges of the wheels, nor square with the inside fender. After getting them installed and driving on em a bit I did think perhaps if Id gone with a 235F 265R setup they could have squared out a bit and maybe performed a little better, but that really didnt do me any good then.

All I know is the drive feel around corners and fast driving over bumps, etc. just felt fairly disconnected with the road and sloppy. I know some may say thats atleast partially the suspension of the 1er, but the tires im driving now for instance are 17" BFGoodrich SS all seasons, square setup and they feel more connected and less sloppy for sure. Not to mention I curbed two of my wheels with those tires as well, as with atleast the setup I had there was ZERO rib protection for the rims' edges.

I guess different people have different experiences with tires depending on the wheels, the roads theyre driving, how they drive, etc. etc. but I did not like those tires. I felt like if they were a size higher each, and I was more interested in a comfier, noise-free tire than they wouldve worked. But the tires I am looking at regardless of their performance category all look like they have a great blend of stickyness, handling and comfort (Z1's a tad lower on comfort). Hence why I chose these 4 to look at further. I could go with a size higher on the conti's but Id rather go with another tire and have a much better chance of being happy all around then take that risk.
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      04-24-2011, 11:17 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
^^Well... I recently had to decide on which tire to buy as well. I went ahead and purchased Michelin PS3's. But IF I was living back in the states I think I would have gotten PS2's.

In just about every tire thread I have read over at 1addicts: the Michelin always had people raving about them. Even AFTER many, many miles. I think any tire will "feel good" when new... down the road... the PS2 people were still very happy with them. THAT is what made me go with Michelin tires. Also seeing how the PS2's are OE on BMW M models and Porsche's... that says a lot to me.
The PSS is the away to go over the PS2. It is $1014 for PSS at tirerack versus $956 for PS2. It is worth the extra money from all I have heard or read. That was why I got a new set of PSS installed just last week!
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      04-24-2011, 11:40 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vanbmw View Post
The PSS is the away to go over the PS2. It is $1014 for PSS at tirerack versus $956 for PS2. It is worth the extra money from all I have heard or read. That was why I got a new set of PSS installed just last week!
Installed pics?
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      04-25-2011, 03:29 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thez99 View Post
I missed nothing. I drove the DW's last summer on 18" rims and hated them. About the only decent thing I can say about them is they were comfy and noiseless which for the first time as Ive seen is the only thing TR got correct on their testings. Usually they are spot on from what Ive seen, but yea the DW's are a COMFORT tire only, that is all. They have insanely soft sidewalls and just about the slimmest tread width of ALL the tires I have looked at under my specs on TR, hence the size I got were off for the rims I had, they looked stretched and basically they were stretched. They flex all the time, the cornering is sloppy and the ride is also sloppy, its SOFT and "comfortable", but all over the place. I rode those tires for 5k miles and that was my feeling in the end.

Yes theyre cheap, and yes they are comfy, but thats about it. Just goes to show you cant ALWAYS go 100% by the personally claimed survey results from TR, you need to also look at track testings as well as actual reviews from those who rode on them as well. Something I did for all three of these tires now.

I would say if you're a 60 year old stiff driving a 7 series who just wants silence and softness, go with the DW's. Otherwise, if you want a performing tire along with balanced treadwear, ride, etc. look above.

Finally, again in regards to the ps2, they are a fine tire, well tested and reviewed, however I just cant see going with them when now they appear to be left behind by michelins new pss tire, regardless of the slight cost increase. If I did get the ps2's i have a feeling 6 months from now after seeing all the awesome reviews of the pss's i would feel id made a mistake, and i plan on having these tires throughout the remainder of my usage of this car, so I dont wanna make another tire mistake.
I'm only 43 and DO NOT like driving a 7 series That was funny. but I understand where you're coming from. I made the same mistake when I jumped on a set of Yokohama Advan S4's and after 1000 miles, I truly hated them

I've had the DW's for about 1000 miles so far in stock size (215/40, 245/35) and am really happy with them overall in all aspects and also had a chance to run them at Hockenmeim earlier this March. I will see how they hold up on the 'ring when I go there in 3 weeks. Grip is phenomenal and also excellent in wet which was one of my biggest reasons I went with them, of course I got them before the PSS came out.

I've talked to alot of people here that had PS2's on their E92 M3's and the biggest issue they complained about was that they wear quickly under moderate to hard driving.

Anyways, based on other conversations with some friends, I would still stick with the Z1 star specs. Good luck.

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      04-25-2011, 04:35 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thez99 View Post
These tires I have listed arent exactly cheap..

A lot of the guys who buy Michelins like to talk down to guys who bought "cheap tires" with "you get what you pay for" type comments. As you know, Star Specs are not "cheap tires" by any stretch. Only less expensive.

Also, their performance creds are backed up by objective testing conducted by Car & Driver, not to mention heaps of anectdotal evidence by satisfied consumers.

If one wants to pay the extra money for a set of PS3's, fine - I have no doubt they are great tires. But so are the Star Specs, and I certainly don't mind saving a couple of hundred dollars when tire shopping.

The only really legitimate gripe I've heard about the Star Specs is the noise penalty. And I think they wear faster, not sure - I haven't burned through mine yet but I'm only at ~9K miles.
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      04-25-2011, 05:09 AM   #19
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Im honestly suprised the Maxx dunlops arent getting more luv, they really go look like all around sweet performing tires, specially the GT's
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      04-26-2011, 04:43 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thez99 View Post
Im honestly suprised the Maxx dunlops arent getting more luv, they really go look like all around sweet performing tires, specially the GT's

I am kind of surprised that the Michelin's are getting ALL the LuV! lol
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      04-27-2011, 09:53 AM   #21
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Anyone know what the likely difference in tread life would be for a set of PSS vs Maxx GT's in 225/255 18?
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      04-27-2011, 11:35 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrackRat View Post
The MAAX are good tires but they simply don't have the grip of the DWs in my experience.

I would suggest that whatever tires you decide on, make sure the front and rear tires have the same load rating designation, i.e. "SL" or "XL" to prevent the issues you experienced with the mis-matched DW tires you previously tried.
A bit difficult when the Conti DW's only come in XL for 225/40 18 and SL for 255/35 18

Personally tossing up between DW's and PSS...

I need to stop changing my mind every 5 secs on tires!
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