Posted by Ray Adams on April 29, 1999 at 09:34:25:
I'm trying to find someone out there that replaced the OEM tires on a 1998 BMW M3 - the tires are the Michelin Pilot SX MXX3's. I wanted to get another set of them for my M3, but as we speak they are no longer available from anyone, not even Michelin directly. The current M3's coming off of the assembly line have Michelin Pilot Sports and Dunlop 8080E's. Michelin tells me that he Pilot Sports are replacing the MXX3's.
The problem? We have really great relationships with several BMW dealers in the SouthEast. We got to really rip around in a new 1999 M3 (no changes) with the Pilot Sports on it. The results? To begin with, we thought that we were just imagining things, but we thought that the Pilot Sports were EXTREMELY loose. So, we took the 2 cars out, back to back, same roads, same speeds, and figured out that the new tires are horrible. The most disturbing thing was having to continually correct the line through a sharp left-hand curve with the steering wheel - the throttle wouldn't do it. It seems, that after another direct call to Michelin to complain, that they separated the MXX3 into 2 tires. The ride/comfort tire is now the Pilot Sport, and the Performance tire is now the BF Goodrich (owned by Michelin) Comp T/A KD. I told them that the BMW M3 plus Michelin Pilot Sports equals car in ditch.
The problem? The MXX3 was a great all-around tire, whereas the Pilot Sport is horrible on performance and the KD is somewhat harsh, but sticks like glue.
Has anyone had any luck with finding a replacement tire that gives you the same foundation for performance as the MXX3?
Here's what else I'm looking at.
Required Sizes? 225/45/17 Front, 245/40/17 Rear
*Dunlop 8080E (OEM on M Coupe, last run of M3's, and M Roadsters)
*Bridgestone Potenza S-02 Pole Position
*Bridgestone Potenza RE-71 (I raced on these before and loved them, but the tire technology itself is over 7 years old)
*Dunlop SP Sport 9000
*BF Goodrich Comp T/A KD
*Michelin Pilot Sport
IF anyone has any input I would really appreciate it. I really don't care for a great rain tire, but dang, there has to be something out there that I'm not seeing.