We don’t drive Corvettes or modern cars. The E36 is only made better with 4S and sets a bar lesser tires can’t touch.
They are fine in 8F to 105F here all year round. Some snow when I’m caught off guard but I have an X5 if weather is an issue for tires. I’m certain most of us have more appropriate cars for poor weather.
Last edited by Braymond141; 09-27-2021 at 09:35 PM.
... or snow tires, like you should if you're dealing with snow and ice even in something AWD.
AND - wet is no excuse to get the AS. PS4Ss are fantastic in the wet.
I just bought ASs for my E32 since PS4Ss were also backordered in one of the sizes for the MPars. They're fine, but they're a substantially different tire. Anyone who tells you they're the same is full of it or trying to get you to buy SOMETHING even though the PS4Ss you want are backordered.
-Josh: 1998 S54 E36 M3/4/6 with most of the easy stuff and most of the hard stuff. At least twice. 271k miles. 1994 E32 740il with nothing but some MPars. 93k miles.
Maybe it's that my car has 320 rwhp, and a 3.38 diff, but under 50F and especially wet and chilly, Every max performance tire I've had on the M3 has lost a lot of grip. (not dangerous, but you had to be aware of increased stopping distance and less traction) Same with my old C7. I put a dedicated set of wheels and AS tires on it Oct 1. I'll probably do the same on the C8. I've found that the AS tires are noticeably quieter than the summer tires. (maybe it's because there is usually a lot more tread on the AS when I put them on.) But the Pilot Sports were loud, and the Pilot Sport AS3 were really quiet. Even Michelin says that you shouldn't use the PS4 under 40F... Granted, that's on a 19 and 20" rim with 305-30-20.. In fact just google Michelin tire cracking in cold weather.. The cup tires would crack the tread and sidewalls... That was just sitting on the transport train to Canada..
And yes, when I know the weather is going to be crappy, I drive the Tacoma, or the wife's AWD Sportage.
Anyway, I think the AS PS's are a great choice for most people if you actually drive the car in colder/wet weather... And yep, that's my opinion.. I could be wrong..
No matter where you go, there you are...
FYI - Discount tire is having a flash sale today. $110 off a set of Michelin's
We just bought 4 MIchelin PS AS tires from Costco for 2006 330i. With $150 sale going on, they were $275 less than Discount.
I had some Conti DW I used for street driving and wet track days, they were great.
I am currently daily running Continental DWs up front, 225 wide and PS4s in the rear, 245 wide. I wanted PS4s up front but they were out of stock when I needed tires. I've previously run DWs on my Mini and loved them. They are still a great tire on the e36, only issue I've had with them is they hydroplane in heavy rain.
For autocross I'm running Falken RT660s, 235 all around. They are absolutely awesome tires, not quite as responsive feeling as the G Force Rival but they have better grip and take the heat well from our heavy M3s on the autocross circuit.
I would recommend all three tires.
It probably isn't important to you, but for winter I run Good Year Ultra Grip Ice, it's a plenty capable snow tire that grips like a Blizzak but doesn't wear out as quickly as a Blizzak.
My solution was to run 245/40 all around.
2011 M3 Sedan
2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD LBZ
1999 323i GTS2
1995 M3 - S50B32/S6S420G/3.91
1990 325is
1989 M3 - S54B32/GS6-37BZ
Hers: 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
Hers: 1989 325iX
thanks for the comments all. going to buy a set of ps4s for sure at 225/45. maybe over thinking it but since I am going slightly off OEM spec, will there be a need to adjust tire pressures accordingly from factory recommended PSIs?
It was per the recommendation of all the 95 squared setup owners here to run at 225/45 spec; especially for DS1 since its a 7.5 ish wheel all around.
245 would make sense if it were on an 8" wide wheel which is what the 96+ DSIIs accomplished in the rear.
I am sure the Ps4s grip technology would make up for the lost contact patch anyway.
Last edited by bmwstephen; 10-13-2021 at 10:40 AM.
For street driving I put on some Nankang NS 20. They are like $60 ea from Amazon when I bought them. I have them on E36 M3 and E 46 M3. Even did a session on track with them (LOL). They are also All Season. For standard street driving. They are perfectly fine. Quiet and handle well. I put Toyo's on for the track.
Street, daily driver and normal spirited driving = perfectly fine
Hard Canyon Carving and Track = Not so much
Just a quick update on this now that the tires are broken in. Michelin Pilot 4s lives up to the hype. Perfect for my weather climate in Cali where it will even function in the 40s. The tires grip is unparalleled and confidence inspiring. Certainly makes the care feel safer to drive especially for the 95s with a lack of traction control and oversteer bias.
It was a debate between the ps4s and the a/s and even my tire guy at firestone didn’t recommend the a/s for the following reasons:
-they are run flats and all the issues that go with them
-not dedicated winter tires nor summer tires
- at 40 degrees or higher, the ps4s will always be substantially better than the A/S.
Last edited by bmwstephen; 01-01-2022 at 10:31 PM.
Keep in mind the tires contact the pavement with a patch roughly the size of your palm.
How to Read
Choose tires that rate the highest in Traction (Wet) and Temperature
Traction Rating
A traction rating can also be found on the sidewall of all modern tires. It can be represented as AA, A, B or C. This is a rating of a tire's traction when tested for straight-line braking on a wet surface. For this rating, AA signifies the best traction performance and C indicates the worst.
Temperature Rating
The temperature rating refers to the ability of the tire to withstand heat at high speeds. The ratings, from best to worst, are: A, B and C.
Speed Rating
The speed rating is a measurement of the speed at which the tire is designed to run for extended periods. An "H" speed rating signifies that this tire can be run safely at speeds of up to 130 mph for extended periods. Will it explode if it goes to 140? Not immediately. But it might, if it is run at that speed for an extended time.
Here is a complete list of the various tire speed ratings:
S = 112 mph
T = 118 mph
U = 124 mph
H = 130 mph
V = 149 mph
*Z = Over 149 mph
*W = 168 mph
*Y = 186 mph
*(Y) = Over 186 mph
*The "Z" rating used to be the highest rating for tires having a maximum speed capability greater than 149 mph. But as tire technology improved, it ultimately split into the "W" and "Y" ratings. A "ZR" may sometimes appear in the size designation, as a sort of nod to the prior rating, but it will also be used in conjunction with a W or a Y. When a Y rating is enclosed in parentheses, it means that the tire is capable of speeds in excess of 186
Treadwear Rating
Finally, you might find the word "TREADWEAR" on the sidewall followed by a number like 120 or 180. This is a rating of the tread's durability, as tested against an industry standard. The reference number is 100, so a tire with a treadwear rating of 200 has a predicted tread life that's twice as long as the industry standard, while a rating of 80 means a predicted tread life that's only 80 percent as long as the industry standard
I hear that Discount Tire has purchased Tire Rack……
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 01-05-2022 at 09:30 AM.
I believe this is a BIG DEAL for all of the independent tire installers across the country. I think DT now ‘cuts them out’……
I used to go to a TR installer close to me that worked out of his garage. Ex-Navy Pilot Subaru owner that always had the engine of his Scubie Doo on the bench waiting on parts coming in from all corners of the globe….
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 01-04-2022 at 11:17 PM.
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