Good Replacement Tire For Is 250 Awd

[mike1021]

Hello,

I am looking for suggestions on what a good replacement tire would be for my 2007 IS 250 AWD. I currently have the Dunlop Sport 5000 on them and they only lasted around 30k. I live in Cleveland, Ohio where the winters can get pretty nasty so I am looking for something that is all season. I find the Dunlops do not handle that well in the snow and the tread life is pretty dismal at best. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also I have been looking at the Continental Extreme Contact DWS as one option, what about others?

Thanks!

Mike

[bartkat]

I have the Continental Extreme Contacts on my IS350 and I like them a lot. I got caught in some freezing rain in Ohio last year and the tires did fine.

[mike1021]

I have the Continental Extreme Contacts on my IS350 and I like them a lot. I got caught in some freezing rain in Ohio last year and the tires did fine.

How do you like those tires regarding handling? My concern is that they have a softer sidewall and give a softer feel as well as add more sway to the car. The dunlops I have on now give good response on handling.

Thanks!

[smooth1]

I have the Continental Extreme Contacts on my IS350 and I like them a lot. I got caught in some freezing rain in Ohio last year and the tires did fine.

How do you like those tires regarding handling? My concern is that they have a softer sidewall and give a softer feel as well as add more sway to the car. The dunlops I have on now give good response on handling.

Thanks!

While I understand your looking at the numbers on the charts and graphs they put out on how X brand compares to Y brand, but I wouldn't put any stock into that over a direct review. Bartkat has had those tires on his car for a couple years now. If anyone knows exactly how they handle, feel, and wear it's him.

[mike1021]

I have the Continental Extreme Contacts on my IS350 and I like them a lot. I got caught in some freezing rain in Ohio last year and the tires did fine.

How do you like those tires regarding handling? My concern is that they have a softer sidewall and give a softer feel as well as add more sway to the car. The dunlops I have on now give good response on handling.

Thanks!

If anyone knows exactly how they handle, feel, and wear it's him.

That is why I am asking him a more specific question. I appreciate his response but would like a little more clarity, I do not want to go out and spend the $$$ on the tires without a couple of concerns I still have. I used to have a Corvette with run-flats that needed replacing and I went out and bought some tires of the same size online and the ride for the car with them was night and day, squishy handling, felt like the car floated on aggressive maneuvers, etc. This is what I would like to avoid.

Thanks!

[Lexusfreak]

I'd go with a proper set of winter tires & a seperate set of high performance summer or all seasons during the warm weather personally....you won't get the traction you are looking for in an all season tire that performs well in the winter...regardless of AWD or not.

[bartkat]

I have the Continental Extreme Contacts on my IS350 and I like them a lot. I got caught in some freezing rain in Ohio last year and the tires did fine.

How do you like those tires regarding handling? My concern is that they have a softer sidewall and give a softer feel as well as add more sway to the car. The dunlops I have on now give good response on handling.

Thanks!

I had the OEM Dunlops. I like the Continentals as well or better. in fact i think cornering traction is maybe a little better. It all depends on your driving style I suppose, but I'm happy with these. It's not all about sidewalls stiffness when it comes to handling, it's about the entire construction of the tire, compounds, and the way you set up your pressure balance. I'm running 38 PSI front and 40 PSI rear. There was another guy on here that had the Continentals and liked them too.

I lived in Stow and worked in Akron for 15 years and there's no way I'd try to drive on summer tires in winter even with AWD. You gotta have some sharp tread edges and some self cleaning ability in your tires or you may as well be driving on slicks.