high performance winter/all season tire suggestions or reviews

[Kevin quattro]

I live in Michigan and am going to need more grip for winter. I do not like to drive slow ever so I'm looking for something with high performance. I would love to have a set of all seasons that run great in winter, but I don't know that's the best option.

I would love to hear from you if you've had a good experience with a certain tire or if you've had a terrible experience and would avoid something. I know ultra high performance winter tires are best in winter and ultra high performance summer tires are best in summer, and if that's what's required to put the power down safely then that's what I'll do but I would rather save money with only 1 set of all seasons if at all possible. My last car was a 2017 A3 quattro stage 2 apr w/ stock AS tires and I got through 2 winters just fine on them.

Considering the Michelin pilot Aplin and Pirelli sottozeros. According to tire rack these are the best for winter. Leaning more toward Michelin sport A/S 3+ though. If it's relevant, I am going stage 2 soon so I'll have even more power, but I don't ever track the car. It's for daily driving and fun.

[MugelloB7RS4]

I'm not sure what you mean by " I don't like to drive slow ever" but keep in mind, no matter what tire you have, you can't defy physics. If there's no grip on the road and you're driving too fast for the conditions, it's your own fault.

Having said that, there's no questions a dedicated set of winter tires and summer tires will perform the best. Quattro is great to help you get going, but once you're going you still need to turn and stop which is where winter tires come in. I have dedicated sets for both my vehicles (both of which are AWD) and I wouldn't have it any other way. Can you get away with an all season tire? Sure, but there's no question that dedicated sets of summer/winters will be safer and perform better. It may be the difference between getting in an accident and not.

[MSq5]

I am running the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires. Just installed them. I had been running summer compound tires. We don’t get much subfreezing weather here, but the summer tires were due for replacement. I don’t yet know how the 3+ tires will do. Bought them because of this:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests...y.jsp?ttid=241

[Serzyfritz]

I have the Continental EXTREMECONTACT DWS 06 which are an All-Season High Performance tire
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...Contact+DWS+06

I am very pleased with them, they ride nice, I feel confident driving in rain & snow, and they also still drive nice in the summer months.
They wont give you the peak performance of a summer tire but they are a great compromise if all you want to have is one do all set of tires.

[Kevin quattro]

Mugello- I obviously don't actually drive fast all the time. I've never crashed a car and know when to take it slow and be safe. What I meant was I'm a spirited driver with a quick car. I know I can make a AS tire work, as I've done it before, more so asking if any all seasons will come close enough to a dedicated winter and summer set that I wouldn't really notice the difference but it sounds like you are firmly on the side of 2 sets. Thank you for the input!

MSq5- that's the reason I was considering them too! They look like they really perform well in all types of weather. Thanks for the share.

And serzyfritz- thank you for the suggestion I will look into those! I've had continentals on my last car and they were great with that set up. I'm certain those are even better than what I used to have. do you burn out with launch control in dry conditions? Mine currently do for about 0.5 seconds and I hate it.

[obGLI]

Some DWS06’s at 40-50% got me through last winter (upstate NY) and I’m going to see how much better a fresh set are this year...likely will opt for a summer/winter set starting with some new summer wheels and tires next year


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[MugelloB7RS4]

Mugello- I obviously don't actually drive fast all the time. I've never crashed a car and know when to take it slow and be safe. What I meant was I'm a spirited driver with a quick car. I know I can make a AS tire work, as I've done it before, more so asking if any all seasons will come close enough to a dedicated winter and summer set that I wouldn't really notice the difference but it sounds like you are firmly on the side of 2 sets. Thank you for the input!

Yea of course. The other thing to keep in mind is your climate. I see you're in Michigan, so not a ton different from me in Toronto. If you lived in MS like MSq5 I would say think about 3 season (all season) tires as the amount of cold and snow they see is much different than you or I would see. Some of our Canadian provinces have made winter tires mandatory now from like November to April. I have to say, I agree with it. It kind of sounds like you're in a similar boat to me when I first got the car. I was looking for the best performing tire period. All seasons aren't the best in the summer or in the winter so that made the choice to have 2 sets easy for me. I have a set of Michelin PS4S's on my RS4 in the summer and a set of Blizzak's on in the winter. There's just no way that an all season can compete with either.

The other argument people use is that it's expensive, which I can see up front, but over the period of the car one set of winters and one set of summer will in theory last as long as 2 sets of 3 season tires, so in the long run I see it as being moot.

Again to each their own, but like you said you're looking for a high performance winter/all season. I'm not sure a high performance all season really exists, they're too compromised. However there are a few good high performance options for winters. I've had great luck with Blizzaks, but I've also heard great things about Michelins X-ice and Pirelli's Sottozero. We had a few clients run the Pirelli on their 911 turbo in the winter and they all seemed quite happy. Nokian has also made some pretty great ground in winter tires. I would say they have above average grip in ice and snow, I just don't know how they compare to something like a Blizzak, but they're definitely a tire I would research also.

[Kevin quattro]

Mugello, you've convinced me. Winter and summer tires are they way to go in our climate. It's freezing here for 4ish months out of the year. I'm not really all that worried about the $ just thought if I could spend less it'd be cool. I was thinking about getting another set of wheels anyway. According to tirerack those Michelin alpins are the best winter tire out there. It almost seems like they're being paid to say that because this tire won out in every category, but with everyone being so in love with their summer tires I'm sure they are great. I'll do a little more research and report back with my purchase. Thanks for the advice!

Also, that's wild they made it mandatory to have winter tires! I haven't heard of that, but it probably saves lives or at least keeps the roads safer freeing up emergency personnel.

[twopointohtee]

Over here in Minnesota...same thing....I run PS4s in the summer and X-Ice3 in winter (Nov1-April1 approx). My biggest selling point was to keep the performance and safety of the vehicle in all seasons. I have just as much fun in the winter on snows! The sheer control and reduced stopping distance is key, if snows save you from one fender bender they are worth it!!

[Kevin quattro]

Over here in Minnesota...same thing....I run PS4s in the summer and X-Ice3 in winter (Nov1-April1 approx). My biggest selling point was to keep the performance and safety of the vehicle in all seasons. I have just as much fun in the winter on snows! The sheer control and reduced stopping distance is key, if snows save you from one fender bender they are worth it!!

Agreed man. I am firmly sold on the idea of winter and summer tires now. How long have you ran the X-ice3? And how do you like them?

[MugelloB7RS4]

Mugello, you've convinced me. Winter and summer tires are they way to go in our climate. It's freezing here for 4ish months out of the year. I'm not really all that worried about the $ just thought if I could spend less it'd be cool. I was thinking about getting another set of wheels anyway. According to tirerack those Michelin alpins are the best winter tire out there. It almost seems like they're being paid to say that because this tire won out in every category, but with everyone being so in love with their summer tires I'm sure they are great. I'll do a little more research and report back with my purchase. Thanks for the advice!

Also, that's wild they made it mandatory to have winter tires! I haven't heard of that, but it probably saves lives or at least keeps the roads safer freeing up emergency personnel.

Glad to hear. You won't be disappointed.

[TheContrarian]

I used blizzak LM32, which is a high performance winter tire.

[twopointohtee]

Like them a lot so far, they are a bit less squishy compared to the Blizzak WS80's which I have run before. They also have a tread life warranty too (40k) which is nice. Ran them the last two seasons and they still look pretty new! I also stepped down to an 18" for weight reduction and better traction in the snow :)

[Dubfound]

I have ran Conti DSW all seasons last 3 winters in my S3. I picked up a set of wintersthis yr and ot these Falken Eurowinters? https://www.discounttiredirect.com/b...-hs449/p/17691

Never heard of them but they were only $109 each shipped! I do a ton of driving so only looking to get one season out of them. They were already delivered to my house the other day and look actually pretty legit.

[S3NICK]

I have the Continental EXTREMECONTACT DWS 06 which are an All-Season High Performance tire
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...Contact+DWS+06

I am very pleased with them, they ride nice, I feel confident driving in rain & snow, and they also still drive nice in the summer months.
They wont give you the peak performance of a summer tire but they are a great compromise if all you want to have is one do all set of tires.

I am running this tire, and I too like it. That's my vote.

I work in the automotive industry/a tire company, and with that comes pretty aggressive employee benefits if we need some rubber. I'll extend the offer to you. Send me a message with what decide on, and I'll get my people to price out what the cost would be for a set. I'm sure it'll be comparatively low and maybe it'll help you.

[flyingfish2626]

I am also running the Continental DWS06 and love them. Good grip, quiet, good wet traction.

[Kevin quattro]

I am running this tire, and I too like it. That's my vote.

I work in the automotive industry/a tire company, and with that comes pretty aggressive employee benefits if we need some rubber. I'll extend the offer to you. Send me a message with what decide on, and I'll get my people to price out what the cost would be for a set. I'm sure it'll be comparatively low and maybe it'll help you.

Dope thanks man I'll definitely take you up on that. Still debating though. I was all set on the Michelin alpins then realized they don't make them in 19's. Only in America btw. Europe of course gets them in that size:( Anyway, the DWS conti's seem great but do you all live in a colder climate? We have snow on the ground for 4ish months out of the year. I guess I'm kind of stuck with the Pirelli sottozeros if I want to go winter tire...

[thorigol]

Here in Colorado we get a lot of snow, but a lot of sunshine too - I don't like snow tires on dry road which is common in the winter. I ran the Conti DWS06 on my A4 and went skiing every week - they were not as good as real winter tires, but always got me to the areas. Now I need tires for my A5 so have been checking around.

For snow handling and ice breaking in Ultra-performance all-season tires, Consumer Reports rates several tires as better than the Conti in their latest reviews. BFG g-Force COMP-2 A/S gets best marks in these categories with Vredestein Quatrac Pro also well rated. Anyone have experience with either of those?

[Kevin quattro]

Here in Colorado we get a lot of snow, but a lot of sunshine too - I don't like snow tires on dry road which is common in the winter. I ran the Conti DWS06 on my A4 and went skiing every week - they were not as good as real winter tires, but always got me to the areas. Now I need tires for my A5 so have been checking around.

For snow handling and ice breaking in Ultra-performance all-season tires, Consumer Reports rates several tires as better than the Conti in their latest reviews. BFG g-Force COMP-2 A/S gets best marks in these categories with Vredestein Quatrac Pro also well rated. Anyone have experience with either of those?

Very similar conditions to what I have. We do have plenty of snow and ice, but most of winter is dry roads, or just wet. I still want to push the car on those nice days, so you're making me question winter vs all-season again. Is it that winter tires are too soft and spongy? I haven't heard of either of those tires, but I'll look into them.

[thorigol]

Thanks Kevin. Absolutely, good winter tires are going to be more soft and spongy than AS. Plus I feel like every hard-pushed curve dents your tread life more that it would with AS. Those points plus the inconvenience of managing 2 sets of wheels keeps me using AS.

I've been checking on TireRack and they don't totally agree with Consumer Reports about those tires. I look forward to what you find out.

[Kevin quattro]

Thanks Kevin. Absolutely, good winter tires are going to be more soft and spongy than AS. Plus I feel like every hard-pushed curve dents your tread life more that it would with AS. Those points plus the inconvenience of managing 2 sets of wheels keeps me using AS.

I've been checking on TireRack and they don't totally agree with Consumer Reports about those tires. I look forward to what you find out.

Unfortunately those tires don't come in 19's and I don't want to buy new wheels atm. Trail ends there for me. But thanks for the feedback on winter tires vs A/S!

[thorigol]

Looks like an almost identical Vredestein is available in a 235/35 19 (Quatrac 5) but you are right the the BFGs aren't.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...um=335YR9QT5XL

Tire Rack calls them "Grand Touring All Seasons" but their performance ratings are better than many of the "Ultra-high performance All Seasons" so I don't know what that means. The snow and ice ratings do make them very interesting to me.

[Kevin quattro]

I did some research into those Vredestein Quatrac Pros. They are really great tires! If anyones looking for a grand tourer all season, tirerack is selling them at a closeout price. Unfortunately for me, these are grand tourers. They are comfortable, quiet, and perform well under all conditions but aren't going to be quite as performance oriented. I am looking for the highest performance possible. These are more suited for a stock A3 or another luxury car. If you don't plan on pushing the car to its limits, and drive like a normal person, I think this is the best buy in the segment.

I've narrowed my search down to dws 06 and sottozero 3. A/S vs winter tires. I plan on getting summer tires either way, unless I decide to go with and am totally satisfied with the dws. Does a winter tire mean it will be softer and not corner in dry or launch as well as the harder with more contact a/s? Or will it grip better and provide better performance? I'm over thinking this now and need someone to just tell me what to buy! lol I'm purchasing in the next 2-4 weeks so any more advice is greatly appreciated.

[S3NICK]

Dope thanks man I'll definitely take you up on that. Still debating though. I was all set on the Michelin alpins then realized they don't make them in 19's. Only in America btw. Europe of course gets them in that size:( Anyway, the DWS conti's seem great but do you all live in a colder climate? We have snow on the ground for 4ish months out of the year. I guess I'm kind of stuck with the Pirelli sottozeros if I want to go winter tire...

No worries. Happy to help. Just got a set of winters for my Dad and my buddy's M240i. It's a nice perk. Why not spread the love? FYI, I live in Ohio, so we have similar climates.

I did some research into those Vredestein Quatrac Pros. They are really great tires! If anyones looking for a grand tourer all season, tirerack is selling them at a closeout price. Unfortunately for me, these are grand tourers. They are comfortable, quiet, and perform well under all conditions but aren't going to be quite as performance oriented. I am looking for the highest performance possible. These are more suited for a stock A3 or another luxury car. If you don't plan on pushing the car to its limits, and drive like a normal person, I think this is the best buy in the segment.

I've narrowed my search down to dws 06 and sottozero 3. A/S vs winter tires. I plan on getting summer tires either way, unless I decide to go with and am totally satisfied with the dws. Does a winter tire mean it will be softer and not corner in dry or launch as well as the harder with more contact a/s? Or will it grip better and provide better performance? I'm over thinking this now and need someone to just tell me what to buy! lol I'm purchasing in the next 2-4 weeks so any more advice is greatly appreciated.

I think I can find info on both of those. Send me a PM when you're close to deciding.

[thorigol]

Yes, winter tires are softer - I'm sure that even a 'grand touring AS' would still be much firmer than any real snow tire. The DWS's I had on my A4 handled OK, but certainly they were softer than any decent summer tires. Those Pirelli's sound interesting, probably better in the snow than the P7's that came on my car, but I always felt that brand wore out quickly. Here's an interesting Tire Rack comparison:

[Kevin quattro]

Yes, winter tires are softer - I'm sure that even a 'grand touring AS' would still be much firmer than any real snow tire. The DWS's I had on my A4 handled OK, but certainly they were softer than and decent summer tires. Those Pirelli's sound interesting, probably better in the snow than the P7's that came on my car, but I always felt that brand wore out quickly. Here's an interesting Tire Rack comparison:

Ugh those Michelin A/S 3s look awesome but not available in my size. So annoying! I didnt think 19s were such an unusual size.

- - - Updated - - -

No worries. Happy to help. Just got a set of winters for my Dad and my buddy's M240i. It's a nice perk. Why not spread the love? FYI, I live in Ohio, so we have similar climates.


I think I can find info on both of those. Send me a PM when you're close to deciding.

Awesome thanks bud! I definitely will soon here.

[Kevin quattro]

So big development today, one of our friendly members told me to ask for a deal on a set of 18" alzors I've been wanting. ECS was kind enough to give me an awesome price on them so I went ahead and made the purchase. Now I can get the alpins or pilot sport A/S 3+ or whatever other tire I want! So stoked! Been wanting black wheels anyway, and this way I can have a dedicated winter and summer set.

Is anyone running pilot sport A/S 3+ or alpins?

[dvan5693]

Any dedicated snow tire(not performance snow tire) will be a monster paired with Quattro, some just may be quieter or last longer.

If looking for a performance winter, Michelin Alpin or nothing, there’s no contest. I just bought a set of 235/40/19 Alpins for my RS3. Will be going on in a month or so, I’m in SE MI.

Personally I think Alpins are a bit overkill on an A3, no offense. They’re a damn expensive winter tires. I wouldn’t even compare an AS+ 3 to an Alpin or dedicated winter tire, they’re simply designed for different things.


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[normcaldwell]

So big development today, one of our friendly members told me to ask for a deal on a set of 18" alzors I've been wanting. ECS was kind enough to give me an awesome price on them so I went ahead and made the purchase. Now I can get the alpins or pilot sport A/S 3+ or whatever other tire I want! So stoked! Been wanting black wheels anyway, and this way I can have a dedicated winter and summer set.

Is anyone running pilot sport A/S 3+ or alpins?

I'm running Alpin PA4 235/40/18 this year. Just mounted them a couple of weeks ago. Surprisingly good dry performance, and I expect excellent snow results as well.
I ran PA4 245/40/18 on my E46 M3 for several years during the winter. They were an excellent tire.
Since the S3 is my one and only ride, I want to be sure I'm good for the frozen precip.

If you have another vehicle to use more aggressive snows on, you could use the A/S 3+ for the S3, if you're not going to track the car.

[Kevin quattro]

Any dedicated snow tire(not performance snow tire) will be a monster paired with Quattro, some just may be quieter or last longer.

If looking for a performance winter, Michelin Alpin or nothing, there’s no contest. I just bought a set of 235/40/19 Alpins for my RS3. Will be going on in a month or so, I’m in SE MI.

Personally I think Alpins are a bit overkill on an A3, no offense. They’re a damn expensive winter tires. I wouldn’t even compare an AS+ 3 to an Alpin or dedicated winter tire, they’re simply designed for different things.


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I have a stage 2 S3, not an A3. Not sure where you got that from. But glad to hear from guys that actually have the alpins. I appreciate the feedback! Definitely the tires I'm getting. Wish I could've stayed with 19's but I'm stoked about my new 18" wheels. They're already in the mail.

[dvan5693]

I have a stage 2 S3, not an A3. Not sure where you got that from. But glad to hear from guys that actually have the alpins. I appreciate the feedback! Definitely the tires I'm getting. Wish I could've stayed with 19's but I'm stoked about my new 18" wheels. They're already in the mail.

18’s will give a better ride anyhow and cheaper tires! I wanted 18’s for winter, but there’s no cheap 18’s that fit the rs3 because of the damn front calipers. So 19’s it is.


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[Kevin quattro]

18’s will give a better ride anyhow and cheaper tires! I wanted 18’s for winter, but there’s no cheap 18’s that fit the rs3 because of the damn front calipers. So 19’s it is.


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Wait, how did you get the alpins then? They're only available in the us in 18s... or so I was told by tirerack. That's the only reason I bought the wheels.

[dvan5693]

Wait, how did you get the alpins then? They're only available in the us in 18s... or so I was told by tirerack. That's the only reason I bought the wheels.

I bought these used. However many stores including Tire Rack has them in 19”


https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires.j...omCompare1=yes




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[Kevin quattro]

Whoa! I'm kind of upset now. I called them and the guy said they don't make alpins in 19 in the American market. I might return the wheels now. Also will 225/40R18 92V XL tires fit on an 18x8 wheel?

[Kevin quattro]

and I see those aren't the same tread but they have the same name besides n-spec. Not sure what the difference would be.

[dvan5693]

They have many different sizes in 19’s. I believe bell tire and discount tire carry them as well.

I’m no too sure about the size with 18’s off hand.


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[Kevin quattro]

They have many different sizes in 19’s. I believe bell tire and discount tire carry them as well.

I’m no too sure about the size with 18’s off hand.


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Alright thanks man. I will be giving tirerack a "spirited" call tomorrow. haha I just can't believe they would say that when it's right on their website. that tire does not come up when I search under s3 19" too. I'll report back with what they have to say.

[S3NICK]

From I can see, the factory fitments for the S3 are as follows. Can someone confirm?

225/40/18
235/35/19

The factory wheels are all 5x112 bolt pattern. The 18's should be 7.5" wide with an offset of 51mm (ET51), and the 19s are 8" wide with an offset of 49mm (ET49). Again, I'd confirm this with someone else on here, but what size and offset are the wheels you purchased?

In terms of the Michelin Alpins, I am finding them in 19" fitments. Is this what you're looking for?

Michelin PILOT ALPIN PA4 XL (STR) BW
235/35R19 91V
SKU 82082

Michelin PILOT ALPIN PA4 GRNX XL (STR)
235/35R19 91W
SKU 93465

[morris39]

From I can see, the factory fitments for the S3 are as follows. Can someone confirm?

225/40/18
235/35/19

The factory wheels are all 5x112 bolt pattern. The 18's should be 7.5" wide with an offset of 51mm (ET51), and the 19s are 8" wide with an offset of 49mm (ET49). Again, I'd confirm this with someone else on here, but what size and offset are the wheels you purchased?

In terms of the Michelin Alpins, I am finding them in 19" fitments. Is this what you're looking for?

Michelin PILOT ALPIN PA4 XL (STR) BW
235/35R19 91V
SKU 82082

Michelin PILOT ALPIN PA4 GRNX XL (STR)
235/35R19 91W
SKU 93465

I don't know if this will help you but here goes.
My S3 came with 19" wheels and tires that match your description exactly.
For winter tires I bought 18"x 8.5"/40 offset rims and mounted 225/45 18 Michelin X-Ice tires. This size is a little narrower (225 vs 235) and has a little more sidewall (45 vs 40) so the circumference is about the same. This works well in my service, some powder, hard pack and ice (ski hill commute). Advantage of 18" is price and better comfort without any performance penalty on winter roads. The higher sidewall (45) adds to the softer ride. The offset is marginal according to some sites (if you a stickler) but I have experienced no handling problems or unusual wear in 8k miles. The winters ride definitely more quiet than the OE Conti summers and about the same as 19" Pirelli PZeroAS+.
I do not need or (understand) the concept of winter "performance" tires.

[dvan5693]

I do not need or (understand) the concept of winter "performance" tires.

For me; My RS3 is my daily and I bought one of the highest performance small sedans you can buy, I don’t want to spend 5 months of the year driving around on mushy snow tires that provide an inadequate driving experience.

To each their own, but what’s the point of spending the cash on these types of cars just to have it drive/handle like crap?


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