New Tires = Continental Extreme Contact DW (Summer Performance) stock sizes Old Tires = Pirelli P Zero Nero (Mud and Snow) stock sizes Never have two tires been so different. I can say this with authority because I go through tires like popcorn. The Pirellis were new when I took delivery of the car 7,000 miles ago and are now showing heavy wear on the front inside edges. The alignment speced OK which means the car is designed to put serious rubber down on the inside of the inside tire in heavy cornering. It sure works well though. The rear tires are evenly worn and may have 5,000 more miles. But get this. The Pirellis felt like performance tires and the Continentals feel like GT tires. Everything is softer and 'buffered' now. The car always had a bit of go-cart jiggle on any sort of surface. Always made me feel like it was busy doing something. Sort of like my buddies old MGB. Whatever the shocks and tires were doing these tires have absolutely removed. As if in exact harmonic opposite balance. The car is now one of the smoothest cars I have owned, though not necessarily a good thing. Very much reminds me of my Sport Cadillac CTS. Seriously. And that's not the only edge softened up. The steering, though quick and accurate, no longer has the feel of a Mac Truck. I don't miss that effect very much but it was part of the character. Handling is very progressive, very forgiving, and is a good match for the chassis dynamics, just with less edge to it. One big advantage to these new tires is a wear rating of about 340. Other tires listed on tire rack were 200 or less. I may experiment with tire pressures a little. These tires are a bit civilized for my tastes, perhaps. Image Unavailable, Please Login
This is a great review, which I didn't see earlier, thanks! While at Sam's Club yesterday I noticed that they have a sale on Pirellis. But, based on your comments, I may still go with the Continentals.
I would be very interested to have these tyres compared to a new set of the Michelin TRX I think people would be supprised as to how well the fare up. It would have to be an independent test where the test driver didn't have an axe to grind.
Half way through your review I started to realize that I had the exact same experience this past summer. I decided to focus on my car's ride as far as the next repairs were concerned. It was time for new tires, as they were new for 2010 and had obvious wear and a screw in it. What I had were some low profile tires. I don't remember what it was, but the car came with them and I like the way they looked, so I had a new set put on. 4 years later and many, many miles I decided I didn't like the bone jarring ride anymore where I got home some days with a head ache after the driving on Michigan roads. The 'go kart' shake and rattle is a good way to describe what I had. I had new tires put on first before any of the suspension work, and what a difference. Like night and day. The ride was softer (in an 86 3.2), it handled better, and made the car a joy to drive like I haven't experienced it. I'm at work with the car so I went to look - mine are Continentals also. They were reasonably priced, and I got them through and installed through a local shop I have used. It was in consultation with one of the service people, and after telling him my problems and what I was looking for, this is what he suggested. He was dead on. So I concur with your review. Regards, Brian Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
