[Scientifix]

My X3 M40i with 19 inch rims has original Bridgestone AS runflats with 19k miles on them. On the highway the car has become quite noisy - it's in fact noisier than my 10 year old other car! I'm very sure it's the tires that causing the constant noise, it's ways there even on local roads and on highways its much worse.
Looking at the tread I think I will need new tires by winter time. I want to just go with all seasons and regular tires (not run flats). Does anyone have recommendations for 19 all season tires? Want a quieter ride but don't want to lose steering feel that the car has so I guess Michelins A/S3+ is one option? What about Continentals or others?
TIA

[Sportstick]

Michelin Pilot Sport AS 3+ are a great choice for 3 seasons. Like other "all season" tires, DWS06 included, they are not competent for the safety of braking and turning on snow/ice, the most important capability of a tire in winter...getting the car moving is a 3rd place nice convenience. FWIW, DWS06 are marginally better than AS3+ in the "light snow" Continental mentions on their website, but sacrifice more handling/steering feel vs. AS3+.

For winter in Massachusetts later this year, you'll first need something like Michelin XIce xi3. Then, once the snow thaws, even if the temps are below 45F (which rules out summer only tires), switching to AS3+ is a great way to get to the cold of the following late Autumn before the snow returns.

Just don't fall for the widespread myth that having all wheel drive somehow makes all season tires acceptable for winter. There is essentially no effect on braking/turning on snow and ice from XDrive. As all traction is a function of what happens at the contact patch of the tire, the choice of tire is far more important than how many wheels are powered for winter capability.

[slick316]

I just replaced my factory run flat 19's (I hate run flats) with BFGoodrich AS Comp 2's and love them.

I don't know how they will perform in the winter, I live in Oklahoma but work in Iowa so I might get a taste of it this winter. In the dry and wet, the Comp 2's are amazing.

I would look at the Comp 2's or the DWS06 to be honest, I used to have the AS3+ on my Mercedes and honestly wasn't impressed with them, especially in the snow. I always loved Michelin, but I sometimes I think they are too expensive for what you get.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by slick316

I just replaced my factory run flat 19's (I hate run flats) with BFGoodrich AS Comp 2's and love them.

Also very good tires and worth considering.

Originally Posted by slick316

don't know how they will perform in the winter, I live in Oklahoma but work in Iowa so I might get a taste of it this winter. In the dry and wet, the Comp 2's are amazing.

They are made for dry and wet. They are not made for more than a very light snowfall. In the winter, on snow/ice, they will be mediocre. Keep in mind, most folks mistakenly assess a tire in winter by how well they get the car moving, which is certainly convenient. However, by far, the more critical capabilities are for stopping/turning on snow and ice, keeping you, your passengers, and your car safer, and that is where the entire All Seasons category does poorly compared to dedicated winter tires.

Originally Posted by slick316

I would look at the Comp 2's or the DWS06 to be honest, I used to have the AS3+ on my Mercedes and honestly wasn't impressed with them, especially in the snow. I always loved Michelin, but I sometimes I think they are too expensive for what you get.

I would look at those as well for three seasons, depending on what I chose to spend (although I would purchase the AS3+). The DWS06 are probably the softest and least "crisp" in steering response of the three, but they are all very good products.

BFGoodrich is an owned brand of Michelin, essentially positioned as the "high value/low cost" brand. For an analogy in appliances, think of Whirlpool versus Kenmore laundry machines, both made by Whirlpool. The tires are not identical, but the Comp 2s and AS3+ do share the Michelin corporate technology. With a few million miles of owner experience, the AS3+ are more highly rated on tirerack.com, actually first in the Ultra High Performance All Seasons category. Admittedly, some of that may be owner bias, having spent more purchase price. However, tirerack.com in their objective track testing does rate the AS3+ first in class.

The undeniable part of this discussion, whichever all season tire is chosen, is that for the kind of winters Massachusetts will provide the OP, none of the UHPAS tires are competent for winter time, assuming one wishes to maxmize the ability to stop and turn on snow and ice if/when something unexpected happens in the path of even the most cautious driver. A set of dedicated winters is advisable.

[xlover]

Originally Posted by Scientifix

My X3 M40i with 19 inch rims has original Bridgestone AS runflats with 19k miles on them. On the highway the car has become quite noisy - it's in fact noisier than my 10 year old other car! I'm very sure it's the tires that causing the constant noise, it's ways there even on local roads and on highways its much worse.
Looking at the tread I think I will need new tires by winter time. I want to just go with all seasons and regular tires (not run flats). Does anyone have recommendations for 19 all season tires? Want a quieter ride but don't want to lose steering feel that the car has so I guess Michelins A/S3+ is one option? What about Continentals or others?
TIA

I live in the Boston area and I run A/S 3+ on my 440 xdrive year round and they are fine in the snow, if you are driving carefully and intelligently you won't have any issues. They are not as good as the PA4 performance winters I have run on previous vehicles but I found them to be the equal in snow of the stock all seasons that came on my previous 335.

A set of X-ice will turn the vehicle into a tank in the snow but you will be kicking yourself for the 95% of winter days when the roads are clear to the bone and you have to deal with squishy handling and loud tread noise. Even the PA4s I thought were overkill on dry days

That said if I had an M3 or similar car where I didn't want to compromise summer traction by running all seasons in summer I would probably go for PA4 in winter over an all season but not 100% sure on that

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by xlover

I live in the Boston area and I run A/S 3+ on my 440 xdrive year round and they are fine in the snow, if you are driving carefully and intelligently you won't have any issues. They are not as good as the PA4 performance winters I have run on previous vehicles but I found them to be the equal in snow of the stock all seasons that came on my previous 335.

A set of X-ice will turn the vehicle into a tank in the snow but you will be kicking yourself for the 95% of winter days when the roads are clear to the bone and you have to deal with squishy handling and loud tread noise. Even the PA4s I thought were overkill on dry days

That said if I had an M3 or similar car where I didn't want to compromise summer traction by running all seasons in summer I would probably go for PA4 in winter over an all season but not 100% sure on that

This really is the classic debate. Yes, UHPAS tires will get your car moving. If you feel you can control your environment and the possible need for unexpected stopping/turning just through your own actions, you may feel the risk/benefit ratio is acceptable. Others, like myself, who don't mind paying homeowner insurance even though I've never had a house burn down, are concerned about the unexpected event in my path from someone else's bad judgement, even though I've been as careful and cautious as possible. I will trade off dry weather winter performance for overall risk reduction. I found there was nothing to "deal with" on Blizzaks...winter was a time to just get through intact and improving those chances involves being accepting of trade-offs.

Choose your mindset and you'll know what tires to buy.

[pritchd]

I had the Michelin AS3+'s on my rear drive 528i as a 3 season tire. I have a set of winter tires that I would change to for the winter - we don't get a lot of snow here- typically two or three blasts each year, so the roads are clear most of the time - but my job before I retired was a 24/7 365 thing so I had to be able to get there regardless.

Now, I'd be good with just the AS 3+'s since a snow day is now a reason to sleep in and not go anywhere until the roads are clear.

[Alias1431]

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Alias1431

Thanks for posting that. If I still lived where it snows, I'd only want to be the blue car!

[greg2step]

I am at 14k - I figure these tires good to 19 or 20k - where you are. Let me know what you get, I will be in the same situation - looking for 19 All Season Non RFT. I ordered my X3 with the spare tire just so i can make that change and have some piece of mind.

Definitely sticking with all season tires