12-04-2012, 10:02 AM | #45 |
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I did switch between summer runflats RFT to conti's all season non-RFT on a 335i a few years back, and it was a night and day difference. The conti's feel was terrible in that car, you could feel a difference every day, no need to go on a track. I went back to the runflats summer after a couple of thousand miles and never looked back. Granted it's not the same car, but the difference in tire feel was very noticeable, so with the higher power X5 I'm pretty sure it will be noticeable as well. I was also reading similar good reviews on the 3er forums about the conti's back then, but after this bad experience I'm now very skeptical of these types of reviews, and will stick with summer tires (RFTs if the car came with it) unless weather absolutely requires something else.
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12-04-2012, 12:18 PM | #46 | |
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The run flats that came on my X5 diesel were unnecessarily harsh and a bit noisy. The DWS's ride SIGNIFICANTLY smoother and a bit quieter. At speeds of 55MPH down an exit ramp there is some difference but since these are the exact same size & profile, it is minimal and well beyond the control and handling 95% of the population would require. I could probably have went 65MPH around that same exit ramp with the Run Flats but the reality is that few drivers are going to try and go 65MPH down a 35MPH markered exit ramp. Rather, most will probably drive it at 45MPH and still have a significant buffer. If you are driving a X5M, I would say "stick with the RFT option" but for any other driver, the Conti DWS's are an exceptional tire regardless of summer or winter weather conditions. |
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12-18-2012, 08:24 PM | #47 | |
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I plan to swap the stock Bridgestone RFTs on my X5M with the Conti DWS. As per Tirerack, the DWS is actually in a higher performance category than the Bridgestones.
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12-18-2012, 09:06 PM | #48 |
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I put the DWS's on my 335i and loved them. I drove the car one winter and before I replaced the stock run-flats with the DWS I couldn't even make it up my driveway if there was 1/2" of snow on it. Once I switched I never looked back.
I swear those tires had so much traction. I was running a JB4 tune on the 335i and I never had issues even in the rain. It was almost like there was no rain. I will probably replace my X5 tires with these in the next few weeks. |
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12-20-2012, 01:49 PM | #49 |
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My DWS on 20" staggered now has 3k miles on them and still running strong. I drove on 3" of snow/ice covered road today, my X5 rolls around like a tank even on steep hills.
These are the tires BMW should've put on all their cars out of the factory. |
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03-07-2013, 05:23 PM | #50 |
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I'm getting these tomorrow! Thanks for the review and advice. I recently picked up some 22 inch wheels with pirelli all seasons but I want to have some all season "good for snow" on my 19 inch wheels for predictable snow storms.... These seem to fit the bill. I also like the fact that I don't have to be in a hurry to take these off if it gets warm outside. Kansas City has crazy weather....
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03-08-2013, 08:58 PM | #52 |
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My problem with DWS is the side wall is too soft and makes the turns too squishy. I actually prefer harsher and firmer ride for a sporty, performance oriented feel.
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03-08-2013, 09:46 PM | #53 | |
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RFT sidewalls are supposed to be thicker and firmer, since it's reinforced by kevlar and thicker material so you can drive w/o air. With thicker sidewalls, you're also getting more unprung weight. RFTs feel about twice as heavy, compared to DWS off the car. Plus, having the set of DWS on is like wearing a set of Bose QC15 on the plane. It's ridiculously quiet compared to the stock RFTs. You will feel the lighter unprung weight and hear the difference when it's mounted, a fair trade-up IMO. Overall, DWS is a very "good" replacement for the money compared to other non-RFTs in its class. It's the best "jack of all trades" tires, but it's not going to be "great" in any particular categories (maybe noise, it's great there). I wouldn't mount these on track days. |
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03-09-2013, 07:57 PM | #54 | |
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03-10-2013, 12:43 PM | #55 | |
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03-11-2013, 01:51 PM | #57 | ||
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03-11-2013, 02:52 PM | #58 | ||
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04-27-2013, 11:06 AM | #61 |
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I'm 90% sure they have to be RFTs on the lease return. I'm 100% sure they have to be a matching set.
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02-19-2014, 06:35 PM | #62 |
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One of my DWS tires got punctured. I replaced all 4 with Bridgestone OEM RTFs since I already logged over 20k on my DWS (still looks new and I can't find a DWS set in town, needed the car). The Bridgestone are better than the Duns, but they're crap compared with DWS. The steering now feels heavy and the acceleration is reduced.
DWS owners, have a spare set of tires on hand. You don't want to be caught with not being able to locate the DWS tires in town then having to go with what the dealer has in stock. I'm going back to DWS after these sets go out. |
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02-24-2014, 06:24 PM | #63 |
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I am buying a set soon. Dun's are smoked at 12k. Rear's still have some life but front ones are toast.
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02-25-2014, 09:23 AM | #64 | |
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I'm going back to my DWS if I'm not trading my X5 in for another BMW. The F15 body hasn't grown on me yet, maybe once I see the model with mSport might change my mind. A set of DWS will last 30k miles, easy. Mine had 25k with the D.W.S wear indicator still in tack. Plus, DWS is so much better on snow and icy roads. PLEASE, LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE: Once you switch to DWS, have a spare set of tires on hand. I carry a bottle of fix-a-flat for long trips. It's a good idea to have a spare set (or at least one front and one rear). When you have a blow out, it's really hard to locate a set of DWS in town. |
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02-25-2014, 10:41 PM | #65 |
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I like these tires and they work well in the snow. I don't have extra rims, but we do the swap between Dunlops in the summer and these for the winter. We only get 2 seasons from the summers so I don't mind beating up the tire bead. (25K miles a year)
Because of the camber, the rear inside edges wear much faster and the front outside edges wear fast too. I was contemplating reducing camber on the rear and increasing the fronts but am afraid that might make the car oversteer so haven't done that yet. |
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02-26-2014, 01:27 PM | #66 |
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Bought my X5 SAV in May 2012, dealer wouldn't hear a negotiation of switching the OEMs out, so I have run them for 20k, alternating with Pirelli Scorpions. Just bought the Contis and will install in 3 weeks or so, will swap out one last time next winter if the Scorpions still have tread. Looking forward to the Contis forever though after that. Thanks for the review. The OEMs are a scam, we all know that, but that's life... BTW, just saw some 2014 X5s on the road and I am so glad I have my 2012!!!
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