Tires

[R35]

Got a friend looking for new tires. Any recommendations?

Car: 97' M3 4dr

Looking at:

GoodYears (Eagle F1 GS D2):

225/45-17 $200

245/40-17 (don’t have 225/40-17 in stock, can order) $200



BridgeStone (Potenza RE 730 street racing grade)

$179 (same for front and rear)



Michicllan (forgot to ask him the model)

$280 (same for front and rear)

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

[DVSNCYNIKL]

Get the Yokohama's AVS series. They're expensive, but well worth the money.

[328isRob]

Bridgestone R730's are $116 at Tirerack.com They are a great tire at one hell of a price... don't let the price fool you.... they perform great.

[qab5b]

Yokos are very very good for the money.

[4 MAX FUN]

I've run the RE730 and it's a very nice tire. Better value for the money than Goodyear or Michellin (probably the Pilot -- a very nice tire, but overpriced, IMHO). The Bridgestone S-02 Pole position is on sale at Tire Rack and is an even better dry and wet handling tire, but doesn't offer the same long tread life of the RE730.

With tires, everything is a trade off. Dry handling, wet handling, build quality (consistency, tire roundness), ride comfort/noise, tire life, price, and snow capability. I can give better feedback if I know your friend's priorities. Do some research on the Tire Rack's web site. My advice above is based on my preferences (more or less the order of the above list). And my assumptions about an M3 buyer's priorities.

But hey, everyone is different. I knew somebody who bought an M3 and dumped it in less than a year...because it handled lousy in the snow...(I can't tell you how humorous I thought that was...).

Good luck!

- Bill W./4 MAX FUN

[primera man]

Bridgestone Potenza's

[qab5b]

Yokohama AVS and A520's are great summer and track tires. If your friend with E36 M3 wants winter traction with one set of tires, then he better either get a different car (like already said), or bite the bullet and get winter tires! BMW's are MISERABLE in the snow, unless with 4-wheel drive (which even has a rear drive bias since 1988) My E30 M3 is VERY good in the snow BUT i have a set of Blizzaks and a Quaife differential. Be warned, Yok's are HORRIBLE in the winter. My bro had some AVS Intermediates (wonderfull summer and track tires) on his G20, and it SUCKED in the snow. I had my AVS Intermediates and Toyo T-1S on my car for a winter each, and it was ABSOLUTELY horrible. My bro's Potenzas are much better in the snow, but not nearly as good in the dry. I borrowed his g20 while my car was in the shop the other week, and his potenza's were decent in the wet (pretty comparable to A520's and better than AVS Intermediates), but couldn't match the A520's on my car in the dry by far (car and suspension aside). Still good tires for an all weather comprimise.

Another good all around tire is the Pirelli P6000 sport veloce. They are good dry,wet, and decent in the snow (for most tires, but can't touch snow tires)

[my95cobras]

i am not a big fan of yokohama's i think that they are a cheaply made tire

if i were you i would get a set of nitto'd they last a long time and the nt555's are a great handling and traction tire...