BMW 3-Series Tires and Wheels

Mama needs a new set of tires...
 
Shipo, maybe you can help. I have a 2004 330i w/performance package. I need some new tires. I still live in the heart of South Texas; where it is HOT; so no need for an all season. However, I do have a little one in the back seat now, so I do have to be more careful. When it does rain down here it gets slicker than snot... I'm not looking to spend an arm and a leg, but need a good set of tires for my second baby (the car)...
 
Opinions wanted...
 
Thanks,
 
Stacy

Replies to this message:
• shipo (Mar 21, 2008 10:02 am)
  • JingleJill (Mar 22, 2008 2:23 am)
    • gogonow (Jun 28, 2008 2:51 pm) and 1 more...
• roadburner (Mar 21, 2008 11:18 am)
  • shipo (Mar 21, 2008 4:17 pm)

Replying to: JingleJill (Mar 21, 2008 9:40 am)

Hey Stacy, wow, you're a momma now. Cool! IIRC, back when we first started trading posts I had two little ones, and they're now 14 and 11. Yeesh, I feel old.
 
Regarding your situation, given the extreme competence of the Performance Package on your car, a good set of all-season tires will allow you to stay well glued to the road when conditions are dry, and substantially out-perform go-fast rubber when the rain comes. That said, there are only a few All-Season tires that have sizes that fit both the front and rear of your car, and they aren't exactly cheap (although less expensive than typical summer rubber):
 
Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Seasons -- $698
Pirelli PZero Nero M&S -- $720
Yokohama ADVAN S.4. -- $862
 
FWIW, I'm personally am no fan of Pirelli tires and would chuck them off the list without a second thought. I'm luke warm about these Goodyears, however, they do get pretty good reviews. That leaves the Yokos, tires that I happen to like quite a bit and which are very well received by folks who need sporty all-season rubber. So, were I in your shoes, I'd opt to spend the extra money and go for the Yokos.
 
As a point of reference, a set of OEM Michelin Pilot Sports will run you $1,016, so even the expensive Yokos are a relative bargain, especially so as they should last roughly twice as long as the Michelins.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

Replies to this message:
• JingleJill (Mar 22, 2008 2:23 am)
  • gogonow (Jun 28, 2008 2:51 pm)
    • shipo (Jun 28, 2008 4:49 pm)

Replying to: JingleJill (Mar 21, 2008 9:40 am)

Replies to this message:
• shipo (Mar 21, 2008 4:17 pm)

Replies to this message:
• shipo (Mar 21, 2008 4:23 pm)
• fedlawman (Mar 21, 2008 4:28 pm)
  • shipo (Mar 21, 2008 5:16 pm)
    • fedlawman (Mar 21, 2008 9:54 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Mar 21, 2008 11:18 am)

Replying to: kyfdx (Mar 21, 2008 11:55 am)

Replying to: kyfdx (Mar 21, 2008 11:55 am)

Replies to this message:
• shipo (Mar 21, 2008 5:16 pm)
  • fedlawman (Mar 21, 2008 9:54 pm)

Replying to: fedlawman (Mar 21, 2008 4:28 pm)

Replies to this message:
• fedlawman (Mar 21, 2008 9:54 pm)

Replying to: shipo (Mar 21, 2008 5:16 pm)

Well I was thinking specifically of the Pirelli's (which have identical tread pattern for both all-season and summer). They are a good (and maybe the only) example of the "fundamental difference" between all-season and summer tires.
 
No other tire manufacturer that I can think of has "comparable" all-season and summer tires. So yes, in most cases, the tread pattern will be different. And with that in mind, it's up to each tire manufacturer to decide how to cater the performance of their tires for each road condition.
 
That being said, summer tires like the Eagle F1 GS-D3 are supposedly very good at evacuating water. Heck, even my Toyo RA-1's do well in the rain (when they're brand new, anyways ).

Replying to: shipo (Mar 21, 2008 10:02 am)

Replies to this message:
• gogonow (Jun 28, 2008 2:51 pm)
  • shipo (Jun 28, 2008 4:49 pm)