Grand Touring tire choices

BW · 01-13-04, 11:10

My dad has a 2002 BMW 530i and needs to replace the stock 225/55-16 tires. I've used Tirerack as my main source of info, but I found many of their views inconsistent and contradictory. I'd appreciate it if any tire experts could help clarify.

We are looking for the quietest 'Grand Touring' tire possible, that still has reasonable performance for a BMW. I've considered...

Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus
Bridgestone Turanza LS-H
ContiTouringContact CH95
Bridgestone Turanza ER30
Michelin Pilot HX MXM

In this test, the CH95 came in last for noise comfort, behind the MXV4+. Yet in this, it came in as quietest, ahead of the MXV4+. LS-H seems to be the highest in their owners' surveys, while the MXV4 Plus seems popular.

I think I had the Pilot HX MXMs on my old 528i, and I can't recall much in particular. Afterward, I switched to Yokohama AVS dB's and absolutely hated them - they made horrendous humming sounds. We're staying away.

Any help would be appreciated!

4DSC · 01-14-04, 12:30

Heheh, I wonder if the AVS dB S2 has corrected that problem?

I heard about people complaining about that as well.

If I were you I would start visiting all sorts of forums with tire sub-forums and running searches on "quietest" or something like that. That's what I do when I'm trying to look up something obscure or trying to research something particular (noise level in this case).

Have you tried asking the Tire Rack reps flat-out what the quietest tire for your application is?

HellrotCi · 01-14-04, 03:09

From personal experience, I'd go with Bridgestone Potenza RE950. We had them on my wife's Catera and were very happy with them. They were quite, had an excellent ride, long tread life and had very good traction under wet or dry conditions.

jgv · 01-14-04, 03:51

Both Michelin models you mentioned are old and you can't find them anymore in Europe. They were replaced by the Pilot Primacy, but this one is not as comfortable as expected.

One of the best tires out there that fits your requirements is the Goodyear Eagle NCT 5. They last very well and are very silent, while providing very good drive-ability. I have mounted on my Volvo, as winter tires, the Goodyear Eagle NCT3 in size 215/55-16. I like them very much for the same reasons I stated above.

BW · 01-14-04, 06:38

Quote:

Originally posted by 4DSC
Heheh, I wonder if the AVS dB S2 has corrected that problem? I heard about people complaining about that as well.

If I were you I would start visiting all sorts of forums with tire sub-forums and running searches on "quietest" or something like that. That's what I do when I'm trying to look up something obscure or trying to research something particular (noise level in this case).

Have you tried asking the Tire Rack reps flat-out what the quietest tire for your application is?

Maybe the S2 is quieter, but we don't want to take any chances. Tirerack rep Jim says that the LS-H is the quietest tire they carry, but this seems based on owners' surveys. Their tests say otherwise.

Quote:

On the road, the Turanza LS-H tires were praised for their responsive and predictable handling, but couldn’t quite match the low noise levels and softer ride quality of the ContiTouringContact CH95 tires.

Hm, I'll give the Eagle NCT 5 and Potenza RE950 a search - they seem more performance biased, though.

Thanks for all the help!

bretfraz · 01-14-04, 07:11

I had RE950's on my Saab and while I really liked them, they were noisier than the OE Mich. Energy MXV4+ they replaced. An excellent balance between comfort and sport if that's what you're looking for.

I think the Turanza LS is probably the best of this list. It uses all of Bridgestones latest technologies from the Potenza line and wraps it in a quieter, smoother package. Perfect for cars like Jag XJ's, LS400/430, S class, or any car that needs a refined tire with some performance ability.

The Contis are very quiet, smooth tires but do not have the steering response of the others. For mellow driving this might be a good choice.

I don't know the ER30 offhand but I can do some digging and find out.

Inzane · 01-14-04, 08:56

The Turanza LS-H finished in 2nd or 3rd place in a huge Consumer Reports tire comparison in their Nov 2003 issue. Its definately a tire I'd strongly consider.

Aurora40 · 01-14-04, 10:47

I only have experience with the MXV4 Pluses. They were OEM on my car in 235/55-17. They are a nice compromise tire with good grip, good wet/snow performance, and usually very quiet. They don't really excel in any one area, but are well-rounded. But, on concrete highways they will sometimes set into a rather loud humming. It's a bit annoying when it happens. If you have a lot of concrete roads around, you may not want to consider this tire since quiet seems to be your biggest criteria.

Oh, also at 24k miles, they are wearing quite well. Better than I'd thought. I think they will probably go to 40-50k before needing replacement.

StickKing1 · 01-14-04, 01:14

I have the Turanza LS-H's on my Aurora and am very happy with them. I certainly don't notice any overwhelming noise from them, and I will be buying them again when the time comes. Great dry and even better wet traction...I have never been so confident in my car during a Michigan thunderstorm.

jr_mints · 01-14-04, 02:46

I had the Yokie AVS Db on my SC400 and only got about 18,000 miles out of them. I am not an aggressive driver so I was very dissapointed in them. They were quiet and stuck in the rain very well. I had really written off the Yokies however, I did a lot of research and ended up going with the Yokie AVS ES 100. So far I am extremely pleased, they are very quiet, great ride, super in the wet and reasonably priced.

drewski59 · 01-20-04, 08:45

On our Astro, we just put Goodyear Regatta 2's on it. They're WAY better than the Coopers we had on it!

I also went by TireRack customer reviews, and these ranked among the best touring tires!

As for me, I've been very happy with them. Super-quiet(yes-SUPER!!!) and very good steering response and road feel. Tread wear is supposed to be among Goodyear's best for every tire!

Also, they're a great value! We paid $76/tire for 17" whitewalls!
All in all, a great buy for someone who wants a quiet, grippy(they've been just great in this Michigan snow!!

) tire with long life, I don't think you could beat these!

Hope this helps!

GoodnClean · 01-20-04, 09:19

Have you looked at the Continental ContiExtremeContact? They have excellent reviews, I'm getting ready to put a set on my car.