Need new tires

[tesv12]

Should i go with Diamaris again or Conti Sport Contacts? Anyone had both? pros? cons?

[jmh]

Well I have both. I have the Michelins for my AC Schnitzer wheels and the Contis on my "winter/track" wheels. The Conti might have a slightly stiffer ride (due to their stiffer shoulders) but this in turn could also give you a little bit better cornering abilities.
Given the price difference (on TireRack the Contis are almost $100 cheaper per wheel) the Contis would be the more economic solution, plus the Contis seem to be more readily available the Michelins often are not in stock or on backorder.

It all depends on how you'd feel putting non-OEM tires on your car :) , if the car is leased your dealer could potentially complain and ask you to put the Michelin tires back on.

If money is not the primary object I'd go with the Michelins, the Contis are certainly a great choice and from what I've heard from Cayenne owners they also wear probably a little bit less than the Michelins.

- Jan

[breytonX5]

Should i go with Diamaris again or Conti Sport Contacts? Anyone had both? pros? cons?
Todd, I've had the Contis for a while now and I'm very pleased with them. They're quite comparable to the Diamaris in every aspect: wet, dry handling and ride quality. I agree with Jan the Contis have stiffer sidewall but I don't find the ride to be stiffer.

I'd say go for the Contis since they're more readily available; less expensive; and they seem to last longer than the Diamaris, IMO. :thumbup:

[kirkx5m]

can someone explain to me why bmw goes with michelin on one car (my X5) and then goes with contis on another (my m3). it doesnt make any sense to me, would one mfg really make tires that make that much of a diff on a tire's performance that bmw would go with one and then the other?

i personally went thru my stock diamaris and loved tthem so back on my 2nd set.

[motordavid]

can someone explain to me why bmw goes with michelin on one car (my X5) and then goes with contis on another (my m3). it doesnt make any sense to me, would one mfg really make tires that make that much of a diff on a tire's performance that bmw would go with one and then the other?...

No Xpert, but have a good friend whom was pretty high up in the "Suits Rank" at Goodyear. In the "performance/big buck" car mfg'ers club, most models are designed and spec'd to "work with" a given tire, either existing or in close development with a tire mfg'er, Or a few species (brands) of tires. Some models actually do the entire build run with that specific tire, (usually on the lower vol/high perf models).

The mfger also is balancing Not getting caught with one tire brand as the sole vendor, for many obvious reasons: supply, mfging probs, human delays, reduced comp.,etc.

Back at the ranch, most tire mfg'ers can pump out a v.good tire that meets the req'd specs for a given "normal" vol car. Thus, some models will have a diff tire than others.
And, some models "within" a brand will have diff make of tire than another model by same car mfg'er eg the M3 vs X5. Couple that with intense competition and you'll also often see a certain make have one brand one yr and a diff brand the next.

I suspect that although every mfg'er thinks Their tires are the best/only brand, most of the top line 4 or 5 tar companies can pump out a v.high qual tire for almost any normal vol. prod car, or even a world class small vol car. Some choose to pursue the lower vol stuff for any number of reasons. BMW is no dummy, usually, purchasing-wise, so their spec guys will go for the "best" tire for that model, but I'm poz they will have a near identical tire, performance-wise, from another brand, in their back pocket.

My friend says even v. healthy tire mfg'ers make very lil' GM on the OEM tars supplied;that effort is All about volume and getting brand on the car. The much higher margins are made on the aftermkt tire biz, though even that is being eroded by the T Racks, Costcos, et al, whom buy in vol and thus beat on the mfg'ers for car load prices.

My 2Cts based on some vino enhanced converstations with my bud over time.
BR,md

[breytonX5]

can someone explain to me why bmw goes with michelin on one car (my X5) and then goes with contis on another (my m3). it doesnt make any sense to me, would one mfg really make tires that make that much of a diff on a tire's performance that bmw would go with one and then the other?

i personally went thru my stock diamaris and loved tthem so back on my 2nd set.
I also loved my Diamaris but when it was time to replace (back in March) they were in national backoredered (for weeks) so I had no choice but to go with the Contis.

Performance level is very close to that of the Diamaris and I've been happy with them ever since.

[IFlyX5]

I also loved my Diamaris but when it was time to replace (back in March) they were in national backoredered (for weeks) so I had no choice but to go with the Contis.

Performance level is very close to that of the Diamaris and I've been happy with them ever since.
Yours is 04 and you already replaced the OEM tires? How many miles do you have in your X5, Phong?

[breytonX5]

Yours is 04 and you already replaced the OEM tires? How many miles do you have in your X5, Phong?
Peter, my 04 came with 19" Turanza but I never had them mounted. In late December last year I took delivery of the X with winter tires on. I got these Contis in the spring time for my current 20" Breytons. The 19s were never mounted so I didn't go through my OEM tires that fast. :D.