Continental DWS06 Snow Performance

[SteveYem]

I am considering simplifying my life and going with a single set of wheels with all-season tires to run year round. Less clutter in the garage, less time spent swapping wheels every other season. I'm not a street racer and do not feel the need to have dedicated summer tires anymore. It would be nice to get away from dedicated winter wheels+tires as well. Before I put on my winter set I was running a set of Conti DWS and thought they were just fine.

Specifically I am looking at the Continental DWS06 for my new setup. It would be 255/35-19 size on a 9" or 9.5" wide wheel. Occasionally I have to drive in the snow, and based on my ride height it's never more than ~4-5" of it. I am looking for input on how these tires do in snow and slush. Any feedback will be appreciated.

[XLR8 Craig]

I personally love these tires. I installed them on my brothers 14' S4 and he really enjoys them. Snow, wet, dry all have valuable traction and are very quiet. I can attest to that since I have had my fair share of joy rides in the car myself. Very popular tire here, my only gripe is that they don't road force well, but we've always fallen into Audi's spec.

[XxSullyxX123]

I am considering simplifying my life and going with a single set of wheels with all-season tires to run year round. Less clutter in the garage, less time spent swapping wheels every other season. I'm not a street racer and do not feel the need to have dedicated summer tires anymore. It would be nice to get away from dedicated winter wheels+tires as well. Before I put on my winter set I was running a set of Conti DWS and thought they were just fine.

Specifically I am looking at the Continental DWS06 for my new setup. It would be 255/35-19 size on a 9" or 9.5" wide wheel. Occasionally I have to drive in the snow, and based on my ride height it's never more than ~4-5" of it. I am looking for input on how these tires do in snow and slush. Any feedback will be appreciated.

Hey Steve, both myself and a local friend are running the DWS06 on our OEM 19" BO "flowers" (the S4 8.5" wheels). For both of us they have been more than capable. These last few storms I've gotten out in the snow to try them, as has he, and they are perfectly fine for daily use. I am on H&R OEs and he is much lower than I on coils FWIW.

[MVR 155]

My sister in law runs these on her A5 and they do quite well in Chicagoland winter conditions...... Definitely not a dedicated snow tire in terms of winter performance but if you are looking for a "one size fits all", it's probably the best choice out there.

[TMurt]

As far as all season performance tires go, the DWS06 will have the best snow performance. You will probably suffer some in the summer though, they apparently stiffened the sidewalls a bit on the DWS06 compared to the old DWS which should help. Michelin's AS3+ will be better in summer but give up a bit in snow. If you're coming from winters, I'd go with the DWS06 if you are set on an all season though as it will be the closest in snow performance (albeit still worse) to the winters

[tarunck]

I got them for my 2016 SQ5 with a new set of 20inch wheels(originally running on 21inch Pirelli Summer Performance tires). First 500miles I didn't like them at all. The ride was sloppy, the steering felt loose- more like a Toyota. It got a lot better after that but some how I am not 100% in to them. But their snow performance is commendable. I am based in Michigan and the grip they offer is great. Never once did I feel or lost control. But if you get very occasional snow I suggest you also look into Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 Plus. I heard really good feedback on them. They may not be as good as DWS 06 in snow but it seems that they provide better feedback and sporty ride. My S4 original Continentals are almost at end of life and my next set would be Michelins.

[sacandagaD]

I run the DWS-06 in 18" as my off season tire, and while I have not driven it in more than an inch or two of snow this winter, it offers a good blend of quiet ride and good grip so far. If you could only run one tire year round in the NE, this would probably be one of the best choices.

[OmaHahn]

I have these on my Audi (18" wheel) and on my Ford SHO (20" wheel). Not one problem here in Nebraska with snow, ice, etc and are great on hot sunny summer days! Love them!

[Iridium.]

Has anyone else seen accelerated wear with these tires? I've only run mine for approx 25,000km (15,XXXmiles) and am down to 4mm (5/32) tread depth. Alignment is good. Pressures are correct.

[jlaudio]

i drive up to Brighton and Park city every week to go skiing. the state police let me pass with DWS06 on the car when there is a snow tire/tire chain mandatory requirement.

i've driven in over 12 inches of snow 4 times this year already and have loved every second of it. extremely capable tire. quite and comfy over bumps.

[DOCEVG]

Have the DWS06 on an RS5 and on an B8 A4 Avant. For a non-snow tire, its pretty capable in up to a couple of inches of snow and decent on packed snow/ice. Have the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 on an RS4, and they suck in the snow.

[bakedziti]

Has anyone else seen accelerated wear with these tires? I've only run mine for approx 25,000km (15,XXXmiles) and am down to 4mm (5/32) tread depth. Alignment is good. Pressures are correct.

Yes, I just ended up with a second set after a year and 18k miles due to a 5/32nds depth on all four tires and a nail being too close to the sidewall.

I love them though, and find that they work perfectly in our Buffalo winters.

[lexcruiser]

i drive up to Brighton and Park city every week to go skiing. the state police let me pass with DWS06 on the car when there is a snow tire/tire chain mandatory requirement.
i've driven in over 12 inches of snow 4 times this year already and have loved every second of it. extremely capable tire. quite and comfy over bumps.

That's interesting. How did the state police validate the DWS06 capability to pass on the snow tire/chain requirement?

But like most everyone else, I also run the DWS06's on both my S4 and my wife's X3. Have only driven in the 4-5" of snow we got in this past snow storm last week in NJ, but they seemed to hold up quite well. No complaints.

[volyer]

I was pleased with the DWS 06 overall, but found them to be a bit compromised in summer driving during hard cornering. They're fine in snow up to 4-5" unless you're on some sort of weird off camber corner. I drove in about 8" of snow in my 8V A3 on DWS 06 and they were okay except in corners with a lot of elevation change. I have since gone to xice xi3 on my S4 for ski trips, but for around town the DWS are more than enough.

[Dash]

I use these as my year round tire and can confirm all that is said above. I have even run mine on a wet/rainy track day and they performed very, very well.

[OmaHahn]

Has anyone else seen accelerated wear with these tires? I've only run mine for approx 25,000km (15,XXXmiles) and am down to 4mm (5/32) tread depth. Alignment is good. Pressures are correct.

I believe they have a great warranty up to 40,000 miles I think with a 520 or 580 tread wear so you should not see an "accelerated wear." If you are maybe it's because of your "accelerated foot!" Ha!

[4DOORFUN]

I am considering simplifying my life and going with a single set of wheels with all-season tires to run year round. Less clutter in the garage, less time spent swapping wheels every other season. I'm not a street racer and do not feel the need to have dedicated summer tires anymore. It would be nice to get away from dedicated winter wheels+tires as well. Before I put on my winter set I was running a set of Conti DWS and thought they were just fine.

Specifically I am looking at the Continental DWS06 for my new setup. It would be 255/35-19 size on a 9" or 9.5" wide wheel. Occasionally I have to drive in the snow, and based on my ride height it's never more than ~4-5" of it. I am looking for input on how these tires do in snow and slush. Any feedback will be appreciated.

I just did what you are considering. I spent the last ten years swapping wheels/tires for winter and summer. I was ready to make things easier (and increase my garage storage space). My main concern with this decision was the potential decrease in warm weather performance by moving away from a summer tire. I decided on Michelin's AS3+ and I'm very pleased with this tire. The biggest benefit in my opinion of any summer tire is the steering response. I want the car to react quickly with a slight turn of the steering wheel. That is one aspect of a sporty car in my mind. I can assure you that the Michelin's AS3+ tire will provide a sporty feel. I'm sure on a road course you won't have the grip of a summer tire, but on the street, I can't imagine you will notice any difference. I have been truly impressed with these tires.

From a snow perspective, the tires have been fine for my needs. The roads in the Chicago area are cleared of snow quickly and it's rare that I would have to drive my S4 in deep snow. Winter roads in the Chicago area during a snow fall are mostly wet and slushy. I was more concerned with the tire performance on a wet, cold road. Wet traction is excellent regardless of the temperature.

[snowmuch]

I used to run the old DWS on my C63 for winter. It runs better than the pirelli sottozero crap they give you at the dealership. Cheaper too.

[Senseless]

See Consumer Reports January '17 issue for a full report on ultra high performance all seasons, summers and winters.

[Dr GP]

I have the old non 06 DWS and they work pretty well in snow, but I really have little need for much snow traction as long as the roads are plowed expediently. But here is my concern. DWS stands for Dry/Wet/Snow. As long as the tires are relatively new, the performance in snow conditions is good . Once treadwear has occurred such that the S marked in the tread wears away, the tire are basically a DW tire, not especially good for snow but definitely better than a summer tire. Once the W wears off from the tread, I'm not sure how much snow traction you will actually have in snow. The tread wear is good, but not as great as you might expect given the 500+ treadwear. Don't get me wrong. I like the tires. Just trying to let everyone know the limitations.

[rulaxin12]

I had a dedicated set of Michelin PSS on 19 rotors for summer and then went with S5 peelers with DWS 06 for winter. I was able to put it through its paces in last week's snow in NJ. It was about 3-4 inches, and I was on the road early in the morning with little to no plows out yet. They were very planted, braking traction felt good and traction on turns and while accelerating was confidence inspiring. On the highway at speed the car felt stable and planted.

I'm in the same boat and considering going DWS06 all year round, but the transformation Michelin PSS do to the way the car handles is hard to pass up. I will say, the softness and mushiness of the DWS06 compared to the stiffness and harshness of the PSS is a nice change. Less jarring over bumps and a softer overall ride.

[DGVR6]

Def enjoyed my a/3+ in the last storm we got up here (5 inches). Did pretty well compared to my old DWS not the 06.

Still have to do some corrections when turning in snow over slush but that's expected with any all season. Had no problems braking, turning and accelerating on pack snow.
I'd have to say the new 3+ is up to par with the old DWS. No experience with the new DWS06 though.
It's a big plus that they handle like summers in cold temps, wet or dry.

But if it's pure snow performance from an all season, I'd bet on the new DWS.

[SForePlayin']

The rating on tirerack.com for the DWS 06 is pretty good in comparison to other options, and it has the highest winter/snow rating. A LOT more miles reported than the other top entries.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...jsp?type=UHPAS

[chi123]

The DWS06 is probably the best option when it comes to all-season tires for snow. I don't have the DWS06 but did have the DWS for two seasons. One occasion, it did snow over a foot and it got around perfectly fine. Only problem though was that the tires got a little noisy when they started wearing out. So instead of getting the new DWV06, decided to get the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ because of the great reviews on TireRack. I sort of regret it, even though it's a quiet tire, it noticeably doesn't perform as well as the DWS in the snow.

[cam0719]

I had DWS06 and they were pretty good in snow. I now have Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 and I swear they may actually be better in snow (and cheaper) than the DWS06 but definitely at least comparable.

[superswiss]

Just came across this interesting piece of information about the DWS06. Looks like the snow and wet performance doesn't last the full lifetime of the tire. I suppose that's true for any tire, but it's interesting that Conti decided to put an indicator on the tire. Wondering at which tread depth the S disappears.

Tuned Performance Indicators are visible letters molded into the second rib from the outboard shoulder to alert drivers of the tire's performance levels. A visible "DWS" indicates the tire has appropriate tread depth for dry conditions, as well as wet roads and snow. After the "S" has worn away, the remaining "DW" indicates the tire only has appropriate tread depth for dry and most wet road conditions. And after the "W" and "S" have both worn away, the remaining "D" indicates the tire has appropriate tread depth for dry conditions only.

[14S4GWM]

Just came across this interesting piece of information about the DWS06. Looks like the snow and wet performance doesn't last the full lifetime of the tire. I suppose that's true for any tire, but it's interesting that Conti decided to put an indicator on the tire. Wondering at which tread depth the S disappears.

That was the same with the original. Was mentioned earlier in this thread too.

[superswiss]

That was the same with the original. Was mentioned earlier in this thread too.

Must have missed that.


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[14S4GWM]

Must have missed that.


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I'll have to measure my depth and see where i'm at now. I've got about 7k on mine.

[Johnnycash]

i have 3 sets of wheels/tires for my car. LOL

hre w re11 summers
stock rotors w michelin as3+
vmr 710 w nokian r2s

i have the luxury of a big garage and a shed to store my stuff, so do not mind the hassle other than the back and forth to the shop since i do not do my own swaps.

I put the as3+ on my stock wheels with the mindset of not having to time mother nature and winter weather, so I wasnt driving on my winters needlessly in non winter conditions. but the swapping out of summers<all seasons<winters is a bear. although I do like the the variety of new shoes, to keep my neighbors guessing:)

I did 1 blizzard on the as3+ and was like NOT! put them nokians on asap! i know the dws06 are better in the wet/snow but still...

in summation: do not take winter tires for granted, and also the performance of a dedicated uhp summer, both tires are head and shoulders above the all season tire by far. ill take the hassle all day over the convenience. my 2 pennies

[Vanimal]

I have about 9k miles on mine and was actually trying to activate or break the tires today at lights while on a rolling start. We got about 1-2" that turned to slush, car rides on rails in in climate weather. Now I run these year round on my Vorsteiner wheels on my S5. Tire size 275/30/20, great tires for all year & what I need them to do. I paid about $900 for the set via Sears on a special last summer.

Prior set of tires were Pilot sport AS/3 that came on the car. I prefer the 06's.

I've tested them in the ice slush crap as well which is sometimes worse than the regular fluffy snow. All passed with flying colors. Drove tonight down into philly a hour away in he slush crap tearing through it all.

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[mike907]

I ran Nokian WRG2's on my A4 before getting two dedicated sets for summer/winter on my new S4. They did absolutely phenomenal. Nokian makes one of, if not the best, winter tire out there. I've driven in a lot of shitty conditions with them, fully iced up roads, deep snow, slush, heavy rain, dry pavement, and they are by far the best all-season tire I've ever driven.

[Ordie]

I'm considering the same tires based on the threads I have read in this forum. I'm looking for tires because the Pirrellis P Zeros that came with my car need replaced. I find the P Zeros to be very noisy. So my main concern with new tires are noise. Any one have ran P Zeros then DWS 06 would like to let me know how the noise compare?

[superswiss]

I ran Nokian WRG2's on my A4 before getting two dedicated sets for summer/winter on my new S4. They did absolutely phenomenal. Nokian makes one of, if not the best, winter tire out there. I've driven in a lot of shitty conditions with them, fully iced up roads, deep snow, slush, heavy rain, dry pavement, and they are by far the best all-season tire I've ever driven.

The Nokian WRG is an all-weather tire, not an all-season tire. They are an entirely different category and the big differentiator is that an all-weather tire performs much better in winter conditions than an all-season tire.


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[doug97gxe]

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...n-tirerack-com

Tire Rack having a special $91 for 20" if anyone is interested in the older model

[S4UCE]

After owning Blizzak LM-32s for two seasons, there's no way I'll ever drive another winter on all seasons in the northeast. I know a lot of you feel plenty confident driving on all season because you have plenty of practice in parking lots an around town and trust quattro, but when it comes time to mash the brakes because some clown didn't feel like clearing their car off and backed out of their driveway in front of you, you'll wish you'd taken the time and storage space to run dedicated winter tires. Your refined drifting abilities won't decrease your braking distance and quattro isn't a braking system. The only thing that matters is the compound and tread pattern. Just my $0.02

[Johnnycash]

After owning Blizzak LM-32s for two seasons, there's no way I'll ever drive another winter on all seasons in the northeast. I know a lot of you feel plenty confident driving on all season because you have plenty of practice in parking lots an around town and trust quattro, but when it comes time to mash the brakes because some clown didn't feel like clearing their car off and backed out of their driveway in front of you, you'll wish you'd taken the time and storage space to run dedicated winter tires. Your refined drifting abilities won't decrease your braking distance and quattro isn't a braking system. The only thing that matters is the compound and tread pattern. Just my $0.02

My grandpa once told me:

4wd helps you go but it wont help you stop

[leahcim]

I have Michelin X-ICE 3's on my wife's car and the stopping power on ice is night and day different compared to the DWS. They ride very nice and don't "float" on the dry highway like other winter tires. I am very impressed with them and as soon as my all seasons wear out on my stock 18's I will swap for a set. Until then I am going to use up the crappy all seasons. X-ICE's are considerably cheaper than some of the other options.

I still might switch from summers to all seasons on my 19's and go with A/S 3+ or DWS06. Weather here in the Ohio Valley is so weird the extra performance of an all season during spring and fall would be nice. The roads are so bad around town that the all season will really help ride quality as well. The last set of Pole Positions I had only got 15k miles and were riding like a rock.