[BimmerNugget]

I'm kind of a tire newbie here, just wondering how much of a difference tires actually make.

I've heard people rave about the Michelin Pilot Super Sports and now the new Pilot Sport 4S which are supposedly better than the PSS.

Obviously tires make a huge difference when you're on a track and driving the car to the limits, but in everyday driving you rarely drive at the limits.

Even during everyday "spirited" driving, you might (at most) drive at 80% of the cars handling limits. Especially for people who are from big metropolitan cities.

I would like some feedback about whether or not PSS and PS4S tires make a difference in regular everyday driving and everyday spirited driving. Don't wanna spend $800 on some tires and regret it because I don't even notice a difference.

[tlow98]

It depends on what you’re comparing them to. If you’re comparing against some like the Continental DW or to the RE-11s there will be trade offs in comfort and noise, but not very large compromises.

Now, if you’re comparing them against budget Chinese Nankangs and the like there are pretty large trade offs in everything.

The PSS/PS4S are large considered the best all around extreme summer tires. That means you get nearly the best of everything. They’re quiet and the grip like hell and tread water and and and.

Noise and comfort make a big difference in day to day driving.

Try to find tires that accomplish what you want them to be able to do best.

If you were doing track I’d say re-71. If you’re doing street I’d say something like the DW. If you’re doing some of both maybe something like PSS/4S

[avocet]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Now, if you’re comparing them against budget Chinese Nankangs and the like there are pretty large trade offs in everything.

What he said.

I think it was C&D that did a tire review and found the Michelin's gripped as well and were faster in the wet than Linglong tires were in the dry

I would put Nankang's in the same catagory.

https://www.caranddriver.com/compari...mparison-tests


P.S. yes this is an old article, but the point is, yes, tires make a massive difference in the driving experience.

[6ixSpd]

Considering they're literally the only thing that connects your car to the road, yeah, they make all the difference... Everything from steering feel, comfort, road holding, responsiveness, etc etc. these are all things that are felt during casual street driving not just track use.

[Meeni]

The difference between poor tires and good tires is night and day.

I have used PSS and AS3 alternatively
+ feel and grip, the PSS wins: the difference in ultimate grip and road feel of the PSS can be felt in spirited road driving conditions. I'm not a race driver or anything, but I can tell, it is very visible. The PSS is surprisingly good on wet (warm) surfaces.
+ all rounder, the AS3 wins: the AS3 is a very satisfying tire overall. It definitely feels like a sport tire (with a hint of sidewall flexing though), but is also more comfy, lasts longer, and is a solid performer in cold weather (not snow/ice, you need a winter tire for that). In comparison, the PSS wears quickly and feels wooden during the cold weather months, the AS3 is clearly superior in winter.
+ Compared to non-Michelin competition, the AS3 is a superior tire (or was last time I checked a couple of years ago, new compounds are pushed to the market every year) wrt to most other all-season tires. It compares favorably with most non-PSS summer tires in feel and grip! It lasts as long or longer than most, which amortize some of the initial sticker cost.

I have also used
+ DWs and they were perfectly adequate. Nothing to get crazy about though.
+ Turanza RFT: junk.
+ PS2: they were very good in their time. The AS3 is a better summer than the PS2, that;s just how much progress there has been in a few years.
+ S-04 (not on a BMW, but whatever): very, very good. PSS is better, but would consider based on rebates/moment pricing.

I keep ping-ponging between the PSS and the AS3. I think I'll get AS3 again next time, because I drive more sedately these days. If you go with the AS3 you will be happy. If you try the PSS you may see another level, but it's up to you to see if the slight advantages in feel and grip are worth the lower life and reduced winter performance.

[RocketSurgeon]

The PSS are great tires, they're just super expensive and wear SUPER quick. For on-street sane driving, there's not much difference between max performance summer tires and ultra high-performance all-season tires.
Obviously performance driving in a performance car requires a performance tire. Run-flats, Chinese tires, etc can all ruin the experience. Tires make a dramatic difference, so you don't want to cheap out. I also don't want to drop a grand on SuperSports only to have them wear out in 10k miles.
For a 328i driving in New York, I might stick with the Michelin A/S 3+, Conti DWS, or COMP-2 A/S.
It gets cold for easily half the year where you live, summer tires aren't safe below 40, so you'll need to buy a second set of tires for half the year (and store the other set).
I've learned a few lessons about tires.
-Buy good ones, because short of buying another set, you are stuck with them.
-Summer tires wear super quick, and don't grip worth crap in the cold.
-Staggered setups eat tires because you can't rotate them.
-Beware new tire designs. Nearly all tires have good manners when new, the problems appear as the tread wears down. I stick with the tried and true until reviews covering the entire life of the tire appear.

[BimmerNugget]

Thanks for the input, I think I will go with PSS when they go down in price since the PS4S are out now.

[unrealii]

I went from michelin pilot sport a/s 3 to bridgestone potenza s-04 and noticed a difference. Both tires are at the top of their respective categories.

[m20e3087]

Had the PS4 installed today. WOW!! Night and day diffrance, although I did not push it much but man its something else if you are coming from RFT. Price wise it was about $15 more than PSS per tire.

[BimmerNugget]

Originally Posted by m20e3087

Had the PS4 installed today. WOW!! Night and day diffrance, although I did not push it much but man its something else if you are coming from RFT. Price wise it was about $15 more than PSS per tire.

How much did you pay for the PS4?

[m20e3087]

Originally Posted by BimmerNugget

How much did you pay for the PS4?

$181 installed for 17s.

[ATLIEN]

As the others say tires make a huge difference on our cars. I’ve run OEM run flats, PSS, PZero Nero AS and AS3+. My all around favorites are the PSS and AS3+. The runflats handled very well and cornered like it was on rails but were harsh and expensive. The PZero flat spotted in the morning and didn’t handle well in the twisties. Don’t cheap out and regret it. Get some Michelin’s.

[Phyrexia]

Big difference. 10/10 or 3/10 it's still the only thing actually touching the road. Even in slow speed situations like trying to whip around a speed bump or just accelerating out of a parking lot onto a road, tires make a difference. Source: had shitty and good tires on the same vehicle

[mecheng77]

You are welcome

[Phyrexia]

30k on a set of S-04s?