PNW Tire Help

[Bimmer-Bob]

I've always been a year-round summer tires kind of guy, but I've also always been fortunate enough to live in places with climates that allowed it. Currently I'm running Bridgestone RE-71R's, an excellent tire that sees use both on the street and in autocross. If I weren't moving, I would just continue to run this tire all the time, as it's just simpler and I expect to replace them annually anyway.

However, next year I'm moving to the Puget Sound area (Whidbey Island specifically), and I'm thinking I'm going to need to run a different street tire. My concern is not the rain, as there are many summer tires that offer excellent wet traction, but I don't want to run a summer tire when average daily temps reach 45 degrees and below (which looks to be fairly common). That said, I think the winters will be too mild to run a dedicated winter or snow tire, so I'm considering buying a set of all-seasons for year-round use, and reserving the RE-71R's for competition-only.

Is my reasoning sound? Do most of you who live in the region find an all-season tire to be the most appropriate solution, most of the time?

I've settle mainly on 2 tires: the Continental ExtremeContact DWS (or newer DWS 06) or the Michelin Pilot A/S 3. From what I can tell, the Michelin is a better all-around performer, but is more expensive. However, in snow, the DWS is supposed to be far superior. Both the DWS and newer DWS 06 are cheaper than the Michelins, but the older DWS can be found on clearance (so about $300 less than a set of the A/S 3's).

Of course, snow may not be a big consideration. If I expected to drive the 1er in snow often, I would just get snow tires. But I know it doesn't snow too much on Whidbey - one source said about 6"/year. But that's more snow than I'm used to, so I'm thinking the Contis may be the next-best thing while still allowing year-round use. Or does it snow so infrequently that I should just get the Michelins and enjoy the better performance in all other conditions?

I will have a mechanical LSD on the car in a few weeks, so that should help with traction some no matter what tire I'm using. And if it ever got really snowy, I do have a 4Runner with all-terrain tires I could use (assuming my wife didn't need it).

Thoughts?

[Bimmer-Bob]

A little more research and I may have answered my own question: it looks like the new Contis (the DWS06) have a reinforced sidewall for better handling - apparently sidewall stiffness (or lack thereof) is one of the main complaints against the DWS. It sounds like it probably approaches the handling and dry/wet traction of the Michelins, and combines it with the snow/ice traction of the old DWS, at a price point between the two (but closer to the DWS). Kind of makes sens to split the difference in this case, IMO.

Just curious if anyone is running this tire? I know it's pretty new.

Also curious what people think about my concern for snow/ice traction - is it a requirement for the area, or are my concerns unfounded?

[killerhurtalot]

Yeah, all the ultra high performance tires are pretty bad in the snow and ice. But as long as you're not trying to go up into the pass where there's actually snow and ice, it'll be fine since it snows like once a year around here.

But dry performance though, the A/S 3 pretty much takes the cake.

winter charts
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...r.jsp?ttid=177

dry/wet charts
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=201

[bozola]

The DWS have been redone with stiffer sidewalls... or so I hear

[Dilmorecg]

I run summer tires all year. MPSS's. It only really snows around here once or twice a year unless you are in the mountains. It does get below 45* fairly often but I find the summer tires year round work for me since I don't drive much.

I would go for the DWS's if it was me.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by Dilmorecg

I run summer tires all year. MPSS's. It only really snows around here once or twice a year unless you are in the mountains. It does get below 45* fairly often but I find the summer tires year round work for me since I don't drive much.

I would go for the DWS's if it was me.

Yeah, I decided to go with the new DWS06. Just got them mounted to my wheels yesterday, although I haven't put the wheels on the car yet.

Normally I do run summer tires year-round, but that was when I lived in southern Spain, San Antonio, and San Diego. I'll be moving to Washington this summer, and I don't want to run summer tires in the winter there. I don't really trust the compound of my current tire (Bridgestone RE71R) in cold weather at all, and it's not great in the wet either. Plus, even in good weather, it makes more sense to save those tires for competition since that is really their main purpose.