[Winemaker2]

The weather east of SF must still get too cold for summer tires even though its only for a few weeks out of the year when the morning temperatures drop down into the 30's. As a daily driver, it's just not working with these great summer tires. I noticed this morning that my tires are checking around the edges, when I back down the driveway and turn the wheel I'm getting the bump in the front end, and I am starting to slide a bit when i push it a little even in 45 degree mornings. I still have 3+ mm of tread left, but maybe challenging safety boundaries a bit too much. I only have 15K miles on my car. Since this is a daily driver and it's mostly a mild winter, I don't want to maintain two sets of tires. So is it goodbye to track days and autocross? Is it time to buy ultimate performance all season tires? I think I'm going with the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarates if I do. I still want to scream up and down Hwy 1 and enjoy the mountain drives to Yosemite. Anyone else make the compromise to a GT car from a semi-track car? And if so what tires did you go with?

[BEM-S4]

AS3+ here

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

The weather east of SF must still get too cold for summer tires even though its only for a few weeks out of the year when the morning temperatures drop down into the 30's. As a daily driver, it's just not working with these great summer tires. I noticed this morning that my tires are checking around the edges, when I back down the driveway and turn the wheel I'm getting the bump in the front end, and I am starting to slide a bit when i push it a little even in 45 degree mornings. I still have 3+ mm of tread left, but maybe challenging safety boundaries a bit too much. I only have 15K miles on my car. Since this is a daily driver and it's mostly a mild winter, I don't want to maintain two sets of tires. So is it goodbye to track days and autocross? Is it time to buy ultimate performance all season tires? I think I'm going with the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarates if I do. I still want to scream up and down Hwy 1 and enjoy the mountain drives to Yosemite. Anyone else make the compromise to a GT car from a semi-track car? And if so what tires did you go with?

My take is that these are already GT cars. The only semi-track quality they have is that they go fast on the straights, but that's not where the fun is anyway.

Dealing with track days, autocross, and sub-45 degree temps on one set of tires sounds kind of tough if you like leaning on the car in each of those circumstances. If I was in your position, I'd stick with something I could use at track/autocross events and just dial it back when it's below 50. Otherwise, yeah, A/S 3+ and forget about the driving events.

WAIT - that's no fun - just get a second set of tires and be done with it!!!

hth

[German1967]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

AS3+ here

Same here.

[DanG]

I used Michelin A/S 3+ on my M235i. I never saw a reduction in performance.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

AS3+ here

Originally Posted by German1967

Same here.

I bought a set for the shoulder seasons and am looking forward to seeing what they're like compared to the winter and the summer tires. I'll drive on them for the first time later this week.

[Sportstick]

I had AS3+ before moving southwest and swapping for PS4S. AS3+ were specifically developed by Michelin to come as close as possible to a summer performance tire but allow for ambient temperature variation. I thought they did an excellent job and would immediately choose them again if we went back to a four season climate.

[amw896]

Originally Posted by dradernh

My take is that these are already GT cars. The only semi-track quality they have is that they go fast on the straights, but that's not where the fun is anyway.

Dealing with track days, autocross, and sub-45 degree temps on one set of tires sounds kind of tough if you like leaning on the car in each of those circumstances. If I was in your position, I'd stick with something I could use at track/autocross events and just dial it back when it's below 50. Otherwise, yeah, A/S 3+ and forget about the driving events.

WAIT - that's no fun - just get a second set of tires and be done with it!!!

hth

I disagree....I sold my 235i because it was my second car and hardly drove it. Sold both and picked up a b8 audi s5 with the 4.2l. Vastly different driving dynamics between the two. My 235 was 6spd and bm3 stage 2 so it could walk my audi with ez, in a straight and on track.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by amw896

I disagree....

I'm not sure what it is you're disagreeing with.

[amw896]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I'm not sure what it is you're disagreeing with.

my b...was disagreeing with the 2er being a GT car. The s5 is definitely more of a gt car. The 2er is a very track capable sporty coupe.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by amw896

my b...was disagreeing with the 2er being a GT car. The s5 is definitely more of a gt car. The 2er is a very track capable sporty coupe.

I get it now - thanks.

I think of my M240i as a GT car that I spent $14K on right after I got it to make it into a pretty good street/track car. That made it only minimally a capable track car, though. It's just way too heavy to ever be much of a track car. My 2¢, of course - I know there are other owners who feel differently.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I get it now - thanks.

I think of my M240i as a GT car that I spent $14K on right after I got it to make it into a pretty good street/track car. That made it only minimally a capable track car, though. It's just way too heavy to ever be much of a track car. My 2¢, of course - I know there are other owners who feel differently.

I did say semi-track car...enjoying the couple of weekend BMW club events, etc. How about if we just say it makes you feel like you're in something more than a touring car.

Okay, looks like AS3+ tires. Thanks for the feedback everyone. And Dradernh please let us know what you think of these tires on your GT car.

[sethwas]

Yeah - your temps are too cold for summer tires. Definitely go with something in the all season category. You can still get high performance tires of course.
You will notice a change in steering feel, but in terms of ultimate grip you likely won't notice (will actually be an improvement most likely since your tires started turning to plastic in the cold).

An alternate to the AS3 is the DWS06 by conti. (the conti is way more comfortable (less rough less loud), as the michelin's are known for not being as smooth as the others, but the conti is softer feeling vs the more agressive michelin. Pro or con is up to you - to me it's a con against the michelin)

Some like the older potenza RE980 for its steering feel. Some don't like the stock feel of the BMW and this helps here more than the rest.

Goodyear has the Eagle Exhilirate which seems to be highly highly regarded - at least tire rack thinks so. If the price was right I'd give them a try since I like to be different but they seem to be the same cost as the Michelin's.

On a personal note, I run General RS summer UHP tires and since they compete with the big dogs I'd suggest try the AS-05 if I was in the market for an all season. They are so much less expensive than the michelin's that it's like getting a free tire and to me that's a performance benefit over the others. I haven't been convinced buying the most expensive tire means you're getting the best any more after trying so many over the years.

Seth

[keylime503]

I have MPSS on my M240i also in the Bay Area. For the 1 week a year where it drops into the 30s in the mornings, I just WFH till lunchtime and by then it's warmed up to about 50 degrees. Problem solved .

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by dradernh

....
WAIT - that's no fun - just get a second set of tires and be done with it!!!

hth

This is my recc too - get a second set for the colder months. Buy or install them at a local tire place and they will probably store the off-set for nearly nothing; our local place will swap them for free as a tire rotation (both sets are mounted on their own wheels). All seasons are getting better, but not at the same level as a summer tire. I've been to track days with guys running AS3's, and they were described as greasy and weird, and also toast by the second day (this was last April, so it wasn't that hot). If you are on RFT's, you might just try a good summer non-RFT; I never had those problems running Conti ExtremeContacts or Potenza s007's, and would drive hard in sub 45 degree weather often.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

And Dradernh please let us know what you think of these tires on your GT car.

I'll certainly do that if there's anything to report. As it is, I don't drive at all hard on the street; if I did, the A/S 3+s would quickly be overwhelmed by the DTC70s.

Originally Posted by Maynard

I've been to track days with guys running AS3's, and they were described as greasy and weird, and also toast by the second day (this was last April, so it wasn't that hot).

I can't imagine running any all-season tire at the track. An owner would have to take it pretty easy to make that work, and then what would be the point. I guess it could work in a novice group, or even in a lower intermediate group, but drivers are bringing faster and more capable cars to the track all the time. The all-season driver could end up spending all his time in his rear-view mirror and giving point-bys.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by Maynard

This is my recc too - get a second set for the colder months. Buy or install them at a local tire place and they will probably store the off-set for nearly nothing; our local place will swap them for free as a tire rotation (both sets are mounted on their own wheels). All seasons are getting better, but not at the same level as a summer tire. I've been to track days with guys running AS3's, and they were described as greasy and weird, and also toast by the second day (this was last April, so it wasn't that hot). If you are on RFT's, you might just try a good summer non-RFT; I never had those problems running Conti ExtremeContacts or Potenza s007's, and would drive hard in sub 45 degree weather often.

My summer tires are MPSS and they have worked great. Even though we only experience cold weather a couple of weeks per year, as a daily driver I am at work early in the morning. With this shelter in place, the car sits in the garage and there isn't an issue which makes Keylime's suggestion feasible. Okay, bottom line, either I bite the bullet for two sets of tires, buy ultra premium all season tires, or tell my boss I won't be in until noon on cold days. I think I will make myself a Manhattan to contemplate the best avenue to take. But seriously, you all have given me some thought and I may go back to summer tires, and select option 3, after all I am the CFO.

[Throttlesteer14]

My problem is I bought my M240ix used, but it has brand new Pirelli P7 Cinurato run-flat crap tires. They also included 3-year old Michelin winter tires that were barely used (no extra wheels). I hate the idea of getting rid of brand new tires, but the Pirellis are garbage. I would like to get an extra set of wheels and put PS4s or AS3s on them and mount the winter tires to my current wheels. It just seems like a waste of money and tires.

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by Throttlesteer14

My problem is I bought my M240ix used, but it has brand new Pirelli P7 Cinurato run-flat crap tires......

Post them for sale here. There are often people doing lease turn-in that need decent factory tires to avoid fees, and postage/shipping on tires is easier than mounted wheels.

[msendit]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Post them for sale here. There are often people doing lease turn-in that need decent factory tires to avoid fees, and postage/shipping on tires is easier than mounted wheels.

Or take them to an empty parking lot and pretend you're a Mustang driver

[Throttlesteer14]

Originally Posted by msendit

Or take them to an empty parking lot and pretend you're a Mustang driver

Would that require planting into a curb and having the cars and coffee folks cheer too? I might have to skip this recommendation

[Maynard]

You can skip the curb-hit if you take out either a pedestrian or another car. I'd go for the ped, as it will probably buff out easier.