newlyAMG

Hey Guys,

Did a search on tires for the e63, and most of what I found were thumbs up for the Michelin Pilot Super Sport and Hankook v12s.

I currently have Bridgestone Potenza RE050As, awesome tires, and had a rear blow out. The rears are fairly worn compared to the fronts and the 050As aren't available anymore, anyway.

For cost, I was considering getting 2 new rears and next time around replace all 4, as they'll be closer to all worn I'm sure. I drive mostly back and forth for work and the occasional drag race, but I'd rather not sacrifice too much for .02 off a 60' time. at the same time, don't want to put gold back there just to shred it off with burnouts this fall.

Anyone have any experience with other tires, I know its taboo to talk about putting cheaper tires on such a car, but I'm not road racing and rarely dragging, and ALWAYS take it easy in the rain. Just trying to get some realistic recommendations on what may work for me, without the tirerack guy saying I NEED to drop $1k plus on 4 new Potenzas

**I put $75 Nanking (sp?) tires on an 04 BMW 525 I had, Rode softer and still handled well vs. the $300/each pirelli runflats I removed, so I don't necessarily have a bad taste in my mouth on cheaper name tires

Thanks in advance!

justinwrock

What size tires are you running? I know I have a more limited selection for tires being that I run 19s instead of the OEM 18s.

Quadrobenz

We have Conti Contact 3's on the E63 and the SL600. We tried Michelin's, Pirelli's and Bridgestones but prefer the Conti's by a wide margin. I have Yokohama S Drives on the S65, they were great for about 4k miles then became noisy and harsh. I did not like the Michelin's that were on the car. It seems the Contact 3's are being phased out so I just yesterday ordered a pair of Extreme Contact DW's for the rear of the E63, I hope they are as good as the Contact 3's.
Some caveats. We are in SoCal so we do not have temps under 40F to deal with. We prioritize straight line tracking, quiet ride and acceptable dry and wet road traction. Tire inflation is critical to the overall feel and performance. Since there is usually one or two people in the car I have found 41 front/36 rear to be the best balance for the E63. It provides much quicker turn in, more neutral handling and more even tread wear than the factory recommendation.
Tire selection is very personal and it depends on what you want from a tire. The Michelin's could be the highest performance tire and many drivers prefer them. We liked the Conti's for what is essentially a freeway commuter vehicle.
Enjoy the car!

Arnee

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the Conti DWs. I've run Conti DWS on our X5 before and it was perfect.

Quadrobenz

I hope to have them installed by Friday unless they are back ordered. Will let you know! If the initial impressions are favorable I plan to order a set of four for the S65.

AKnight55

My last set of tires were the Conti DW's are they were awesome. Pulled a 1.79 60' at the drag strip (so traction was very good) and even last around 12,000 miles in the rear..

I would definitely recommend these tires and they are not too expensive at around $900 for a set of 4..

Arnee

The thing is the Michelin Super Sport isn't that much more. If you guys have better experience with Conti DW vs Michelin Super Sport, then that would say something.

Quadrobenz

Great to hear feedback on the DW! My purchase decision was not based on price.
It has been 2 1/2 years since I had Michelin's on the car. We just did not enjoy the driving experience with Michelin's. I have been told by tire dealers that Michelin has made significant changes to their tires since I last purchased a set.

NCE500

My Comments are not for other tire choices, but thought I'd share them.

I put new Michelin PSS on my E63 in May this year, they are outstanding in every way. Traction, handling, steering precision are all better than ever. They also look like they will last much longer than the PS2s I replaced.

I had new Hankook V12's put on my little C55 a couple of weeks ago, they are quiet, handle o.k., and work perfectly for a DD. Best part is that they ran a total $665. The prior Kooks that came with the car lasted 17K miles, but were pretty well shot when they came off. The C55 serves DD duty, the price difference was over $250 between the two, and I went with the kooks again for that reason.

For the E63, cost of the Michelins vs. Hankooks (stock 18 sizes) was around $135 more. I think both will last about as long, but I would spend the difference as the PSS is a better tire.

That being said, IMO you won't go wrong with either choice.

baldmike73

i have the Bridgestone RE760 and have been very happy - happy enough to replace them with the same set up - lasted amazingly ~20K miles - handle well, quiet, good in wet (for N CA standards) - only bummer was the uneven wear on the front inside, but that is nothing new to mb, bmw.

infantry

Your in so cal and your running all weather tires?

sack5000

+1 on the PSS tires. Just put on a set and they are really awesome in comparison to the PS2 tire. Actually, I was surprised the PSS cost less than the PS2 did a year and one half ago. The PSS handles like a dream and rides as smooth as any tire I've had on my AMGs. I've always gotten out of the Contis asap, but to each his own, the DW tires have good reviews.

Quadrobenz

Great to hear that the PSS tires are improved over the PS2. I had a set of PS2's and did not like the driving characteristics of the tires. I had Extreme Contact DW's installed on the rear wheels last week. So far all seems great. Smooth, silent and great straight line traction.
I had four of the DW's installed on the S65 this AM. Much better than the S.Drives that were on it. Only put 50 miles on them so far so it is early to say if there are any issues.
It would be interesting to drive several brands of tires on the same car to see how they perform in comparison to each other.

justinwrock

If you want a good budget tire with decent treadwear, check out the Potenza RE760.

Mr-Uli

I have the conti DWS's and so far so good. heading to the strip in the next few weeks ill keep you posted. very quiet ride and good grip.