imakeholesinu

Just placed an order for 4 Continental ExtremeContact DWS. Did a lot of research in the forum. Install and balancing plus tax got it to $167 a tire.

I had narrowed it down to these or the Primacy MXM4s which I could have had at Costco for $176 (walk off) a tire but after seeing the Tirerack rating in wet conditions and snow/ice I opted for the Continentals.

Here's hoping the midwest doesn't have an insane winter like last year but the way this summer has been I'm almost sure it will end up similar.

NBP04TL4ME

Congrats and best of luck with them!!

96SC4

i need tires, come October. definitely a tough choice...

Where did u get the Contis? Costco?

TIA

DMZ

The Conti's aren't a bad choice. But now that I've have had both them and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3's, I'll take the Michelins over the Continentals any day. The Continentals have a great ride, but they wear out quickly. Besides, the Continental Extreme Contact DWS's are NO LONGER a recommended tire by Consumer Reports while the Michelin's are not only the top rated all season tire, but according to Consumer Reports, "The Standard By Which All Other All Season Tires Are Judged".

Good luck with them!
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imakeholesinu

I got the Conti's at a retail chain here (gotodobbs.com).

Costco had the Michelin's Pilot Sport A/S 3's for $163.99 (walk off).

Damn DMZ, you are making me kick myself for not renewing my Consumer Reports subscription!!! Oh well.

NBP04TL4ME

Just bear in mind the Conti's are rated significantly higher for Winter / Snow / Ice traction than the PS A/S 3's. Which will likely come in handy in the Chicagoland winter............
Don't get me wrong I know that Michelin makes a good tire, but don't have any experience with this model tire. We do have the Conti's on my daughter's Accord and they performed admirably during this past winter in MA
OP - perhaps a little buyer's remorse?? Wait until you have them on your car and have real world experience as DMZ has and then decide.

DMZ

Bear in mind that on a # of occasions, I felt the Continentals SLIP on the ice and wet roads, no joke. Haven't experienced that at all yet with the Michelin's.

erdoc48

I have the DWS Contis and have nearly 40K miles on them- excellent wear and nice ride (I got the 245/45/17 size)- the 'S' of the tread still is visible. I normally use a set of dedicated snows for winter but left them on year round a few years ago- they weren't bad really in light snow (snow tires will be better though).

imakeholesinu

Wow, these make a huge difference. Cabin noise is super low now, the car feels much more responsive in cornering. Not sure if it is just new tires but damn it rides so much different now than when I bought it!

96SC4

^^^new tires always make a world of difference...

i think i'm gonna go with the DWS' as well. I need a tire that will actually grip in a dusting of snow(unlike my Hankook Ventus 12). When we are expecting a storm, i take the wife's AWD Element and she stays home. Works out great for me...

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

You'll love them!


You know, we will need pics......

imakeholesinu

Guess I need to get the car dolled up then tomorrow Steven.

paperboy42190

iTrader: (7)

I heard from a reputable member here that the michelin as3's arent too great in snow, but other than that its a good tire

NBP04TL4ME

Sonny from Tirerack.com said the same in another thread in comparison to another tire.

TacoBello

I'm surprised you guys buy all season tires for sporty driving. All seasons are such an overall compromise. You don't have the crazy summer traction on dry pavement like summer tires do and you don't get the ice/snow grip as well as dedicated winter tires do. Even the best all season or all weather or whatever you want to call them are worse then the worst true winter tire.

I dunno about down in the US, but here in Canada, Costco has the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11As on sale twice a year. I've driven on a good 18-20 different tires, and by far, the RE-11As or like putting super glue to the road. I was hesitant looking at their tread pattern for wet weather conditions, but wow, again, these things are crazy. I can have people crap their pants in fear as I approach a turn and then sigh with the utmost relief when the tires barely even chirp through the turn. Plus they are sexy as hell, lol.

A very close second would be the Yokohama Advan AD08s. They're pretty damn grippy too, but I find they wear a bit faster. They lose traction just a little sooner, however, they are more forgiving, in that you can feel them wanting to start slipping before they totally bust loose. Unfortunately they are more expensive too. I would rate the REs a 10 and the AD08s like 9.6.

As far as winter tires are concerned, my favourites by far are either the Michelin Primacy Alpins or the Bridgestone Blizzaks. They both have their mostly ups and some downs, but I'd take either set without even thinking over any all season/weather tire. They've both gotten me out of some sticky situations, where my wife's car, on all seasons would just spin the tires.

I paid $1045 for my RE-11As just a couple weeks ago (third time I bought them, second car I out them on) at Costco with all taxes, mounting and balancing included. And that wasn't even on sale. The sale here happens at the start of May and end of September/early October. Plus, stuff is always more here in Canada, sadly. Costco was cheaper than Tirerack however.

I STRONGLY suggest you try them. They're unbelievable.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

^Well most, me included, consider the TL far from a road and track car and want a compromise to some degree, but our TL isn't used in the winter, but still utilize an A/S tire. In fact, just installed some new Yoko WS1 245/45 with a tread width of 9.1", look great but probably not great for an auto-cross event.

The RE11's are expensive and only have a 200 UTQG which indicate they are soft and will wear quickly, not a great combination and they also don't make that tire in the TL size, either 235/45 or 245/45-17.
For the person that has custom wheels, needs the ultimate in performance and wants to do tire/wheel changes, great choice, but it will be quite a low percentage of owners.

TacoBello

You're right in that the TL isn't a road and track car, but it is a sporty sedan. It doesn't really make sense to put any "go fast" parts on ones car, but then limit the one item that keeps the car on the road. I guess if people like being fast in a straight line, then so be it. But an all season is still hampering you when you try to take off from a stop as it'll spin easier then a summer tire. Also, one would be limiting the TL to fast straight line driving and we all know the TL is no drag car. It has a decently good setup for handling though. Why not exploit it? It doesn't matter what mods one has on their car, as soon as I see some budget tires, I already know all I need to know about their driving skills. I don't mean to sound like an ass, but let's be honest.

The RE11s are limited in size, that's why Bridgestone put out the RE11As. It's the exact same tire with just many more sizes available. Why they did it that way, I have no idea. You can also get that "meaty" look by putting a slightly wider tire on the stock wheels which helps fill those gaps without compromising the ride in anyway. The stock rims can handle a slightly wider tire with zero compromise. In fact, by adding a wider tire, you're distributing the weight more, causing less tire wear.

Also, the tire wear is obviously higher then compared to an all season- that's kind of the point of a summer tire, I'd say. I was still able to get three summers worth of driving on my last set though. Don't trust those tire wear ratings 100%, as they can be kind of misleading. The companies travel a certain distance then measure the wear and extrapolate it across the board. It's far from accurate and there is also no governing body monitoring what number is put on the tire. I've had tires wear quicker then expected, and like the REs, I've had them wear slower then expected. You're right, they will wear faster than an all season. But buying a set every three years isn't that bad.

Then again, maybe I misunderstood this whole thread.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

First off, you're idea of someone having a "budget A/S tire" on their vehicle gives you the indication of their driving skills is far from accurate. I have an NHRA competition license and still don't drive the TL hard, same as our RX7 Turbo we purchased new. The other side of the coin is that I can't understand why someone would take a 4DR, FWD TL, and drop it, camber the tires, etc, but I do understand that's their prerogative and their creativeness, same with the RX7, IMHO they destroy the car.

Three summers is certainly no indication of longevity, mileage counts. I’ve got 8 years on the front summer tires on the RX7, but not much mileage.

Seems like everybody wants to be a race car driver.

kingkong_dav

Re11a ftmfw

1fstTL

iTrader: (1)

just got some toyo proxes t1 sports 245/45/17 , couldnt be happier with these summer tires! had the conti's on before and loved those aswell both good choices!