Quote:
Originally Posted by improvius
Sounds like you just got a poor set of tires. What brand/model were your replacements? Were they GT or a lower-performing all-season class?
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I think it was Kumho Ecsta 4X, it was a new tire with good reviews in 2012. It was ultra high performance all season. I paid attention to get a relatively stiff tire, but there is not comparison against a RFT tire.
BTW my car was a pre-facelift 2008 328i with sport package, so the suspension was really stiff with RFT tires. With non-RFT it was closer to a Toyota than a BMW.
Things improved a bit when I increased tire pressure to 42psi all around. But still there was no comparison with RFTs.
There is an on-ramp from 92 east bound to 880 south bound in Hayward. I take this on-ramp regularly during my commute. It is sloping down with a curve at the end just before merging with 880 SB. With my 328i sport package and non RFTs, I had to slow down before the curve and the car would dive on front wheels during braking. I almost crashed once I tried to take this without braking.
With my X1 xDrive 28i with 18 inch sport line RFT Contis, I can take this corner without braking. The car feels rock solid. An SAV with high center of gravity and non-sport suspension handles better than a sport-package 3 series. The steering is more precise. With non RFTs I felt the wheels turn and the car keeps going straight.
Just as said above you can't have your cake and eat it too. The softer ride comes at expense of lost steering feel and handling.