BMW 320d SE (e46) Saloon Tires

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Tire Reviewed Dry Grip Wet Grip Feedback Handling Wear Comfort
Michelin Pilot Sport (42) 92% 82% 87% 81% 73% 75%
Uniroyal RainSport 3 (286) 84% 92% 79% 78% 64% 83%
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 (91) 84% 78% 77% 77% 75% 79%
Continental Premium Contact 5 (117) 87% 83% 76% 77% 58% 78%

BMW 320d SE (e46) Saloon Tire Review Highlights

Writing about the Michelin Pilot Sport given 93% (225-40-18-W)
Driving on mostly town for 14300 average miles
No comments left
tire reviewed on 2019-02-28 20:41:04
Writing about the Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 given 69% (225-40-18-W)
Driving on mostly country roads for 1900 average miles
I have bought 2 tires , 225 40 18 92y, to fit on the front axle in my Bmw 320d E46. I have chosen them based on reviews and many tires test found on the internet. Previously, i used to have Conti Sport Contact 5, so i will compare Dunlop with Conti. When i started to search for tires, I tried to find a comfortable, quiet and a low mass tire, because it can be a 1,5 kg difference between tires brands. So i decided to buy Dunlop Sport MAxx rt2:
- dry grip is good, the tire is sticky when it's getting hot, but the lateral walls are way to soft. It's good for ride quality, but not for high speed corners. The tire simply can't hold the weight of the car in a sporty drive, even with 2,7 bar pressure.
- wet grip is ok, but the problem with softness still remains, so the car gets some understeer, both in dry and wet;
- road feedback is good, but not as good as Conti SC5. Sometimes, the car understeers, but i can't feel it in the steering wheel. With Conti, i knew better what;s going on with front wheels;
- wear is good i think, i've done about 3.000 km with these tires , with some sporty drive, and they are as new;
- comfort is good, they are quiet and comfortable to drive;
- i will not buy them again, just because of the softness of the sidewalls. These tires can't hold the car in high speed or tight corners, not because the grip, but because the deformation of the sidewalls;
I think they suit more for city driving, or cars with less mass, like Golf, Astra, Focus.
I would buy again Conti SC5, or Michelin PS4.
tire reviewed on 2018-09-22 14:33:29
Writing about the Continental Premium Contact 5 given 60% (205-55-16-H)
Driving on a combination of roads for 22000 average miles
Tires are ok and doing well and dry and in the wet,
not noisy but quickly had spent in 3mm to less than 22,000 km ... For this reason, they are not yet bought ...
tire reviewed on 2015-03-28 11:47:35
Writing about the Uniroyal RainSport 3 given 61% (225-45-17-W)
Driving on a combination of roads for 0 average miles
Had these to replace some Goodyear efficient grips on my BMW 320d SE (e46). Replaced all four tires to keep handling and performance consistent, and I have to results have been mixed. The main positive is the handling in the wet. They feel very sure footed round corners in the wet, and the braking distance in the wet is also pretty impressive - as it takes very little time to stop from 60/70, and they remain straight and true under heavy(ish) breaking. So they do what they are renowned and designed for well to this extent. The Rainsport 3's however do appear to have some issues, especially when compared the Goodyear's I had on previously.

The first thing is the poor rim protection. I'm fairly careful with the alloys so was disappointed when I inadvertently glanced the side of a toll booth in France (front left hand side tire), to find that there is no real protection on the tires. So as a result I'd recommend extreme caution when you park etc. second point is to do with wear. These tires won't last too long by the looks of it, they have quite a soft compound mix, and I think I'll be fortunate to see 12,000 miles from them, currently done 6,000 and they look like I might get the same or just above from them. The Goodyear's (yes I know - a slightly more expensive option) lasted around 16,000. The third point actually relates to the first two points to an extent, and this is the 'flex' in the tire walls. The Rainsports feel more 'flaccid' when cornering harder in the dry - as a consequence you feel the car rolling more in corners, and with the rear wheel drive on the BMW it does not add to the driving experience especially with back end I in corners. As the tires have aged - they did improve from when I first put them on, as they were quite 'vague' to start with in terms of feedback etc. but as they bed in in the first couple of hundred miles they do feel more assured. Again, the Goodyear's were far more sure footed compared with the Uniroyal's. I am not an overly sporty driver either, like most of us I have my moments when the foot can go down - but for 90% of the time I drive within the normal parameters. However; I have also noticed is slightly more road noise with the Uniroyal's, and also maybe due to this poorer fuel economy than I had with the Efficient grips, approx 3-5 mpg on some runs I do very regularly.

So if I were to sum up, it's been a less positive experience than I hoped for. Positives are definitely the wet grip/braking - which in the UK is a good thing with our mercurial weather. However; the wear, the slack(ish) tire walls and the lack of 'progressiveness' combined with the lower mpg/noise are distinct negatives.

They aren't that bad - and I'm no 'Petrol head', but I won't be putting Uniroyal's on the car after these have expired. I think that although they were cheaper than the Goodyear's I had on before - I will return back to something similar to the Goodyear's, as like in any other aspect of life - you tend to get what you pay for.
tire reviewed on 2014-11-02 04:52:24
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