2009 V8 - Extreme Conti DW - 2000 mile trip

[QCTLG]

I just came back from a 2000 mile round trip.
I averaged going 8.1L/100KM or 29.03 MPG.
Return trip was 7.5L/100KM or 31.36 MPG.
Cruise control set at 118KM or 73.32MPH
NO AC...windows closed except sunroof tilted up for more air circulation.

Weather was avg. 16C or 61F on my way there and
avg. 21C or 70F on my way back.

Sunny all the way except aprox, 20 minutes of rain on my way back + last 2 hours with AC ON.

Gas is "ONLY" regular (87 octane) in my car. (I see NO difference between regular and Super premium in my car!)

This is on Extreme contact DW tires...God I love these tires!!!
They are so quiet and the ride is so much more smooth compared to the DUMBFLOPS is not even funny.
I cannot believe how much a tire can differentiate from another tire.

I have been working on the road for over 25 years and have never had such good tires on any of my cars. I will no doubt rebuy these tires once they are finished!

Today my ride home was 809KM or 502miles and made it home on a single tank with 1/8 left in the tank.

A little baggage in the trunk and rode with my wife.

Oh ya...very, very comfortable ride and lastly I LOVE my car even after 2+ years of ownership.

 

[TJPark01]

is this the stock size or modified?

 

[QCTLG]

is this the stock size or modified?

If you're asking about the tire size then Yes they are stock size
235/50/18

Regards,

 

[TJPark01]

How miles did you get out of the DUMBFLOPS?
People seem to like the Conti DWS. Performance wise how would you rate them versus the Dunlops?

 

[QCTLG]

TJ,

This is my opinion...
The difference is they feel more cushy floaty but with great performance.
When cornering they are really quite sticky
The duncraps are also very sticky and feel tighter on the ground
The DW feels like it's floating while cornering.

In my opinion they feel alot better when cornering. I get that feeling like it doesn't want to loose control while turning hard. It handles really well. It actually feels like there's more rubber on the ground. (very hard to describe)

Sometimes while cornering I'll give a sharp steer to see and it just sticks to the ground.

For regular driving (Cruising), I'm totally in awe how smooth and quiet they are...I practically read every review on tirerack before pulling the trigger and must admit that when I first installed them I was disappointment. (noise and handling)
I remember a few people writing "Do not judge this tire BEFORE 500 miles"

I now understand why they wrote that.
After now close to 5000miles on them, I'm totally in love with these tires.
My biggest amazement is how much difference tires can make!!!

Hope this sort of answers your question...
Oh ya I got about 33,000KM or 20,000Miles out of the POS dumbflops.

 

[TJPark01]

I have not had favorable experiences with Continental tires. I know you can't paint all tire brands with the same brush, but they've kinda put a bad taste in my mouth. However, I have heard these have the best snow grip for an All season tire. My car never sees snow so I may look else where. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[wallymn]

I run the same tire but in size 255/45. I don't have exactly the same experience..

The tires feel like they bit a LOT harder in a corner than the dunflops BUT there is just the slightest of tire roll prior to biting.... (this may be the suspension not the tire , hard to tell. but once they bite it is very very sticky, I really can't force understeer anymore.

I have 7k miles on the tires now (just had first rotation 2 weeks ago). tread wear looks very good (I was worried about that). Mostly highway miles.

My fuel economy hasn't changed with the tire swap (25 to 27 MPG)

 

[Mark_888]

I run the same tire but in size 255/45. I don't have exactly the same experience..

A tire that size (all other things equal using the same tire brand, model, speed rating, etc) is going to be noticeably stiffer than a 235/50.

I assume you know that your tire has a slightly smaller diameter than stock, and your speedometer is going to be off by about .8% (you are going about .5 MPH slower than you think).

 

[CapoCriminali]

Just to clarify here, OP said he had Continental ExtremeContact DW not DWS. These are Summer tires (DW = Dry, Wet; DWS = Dry, Wet, Snow), not all-seasons. Most owners here have talked about the DWS. I'm going to pick up a set of stock size DWS for my 2010 V8 this week. Can anyone comment about DW vs DWS?

 

[Mark_888]

Just to clarify here, OP said he had Continental ExtremeContact DW not DWS. These are Summer tires (DW = Dry, Wet; DWS = Dry, Wet, Snow), not all-seasons. Most owners here have talked about the DWS. I'm going to pick up a set of stock size DWS for my 2010 V8 this week. Can anyone comment about DW vs DWS?

I would check the TireRack customer reveiw surveys to see if you can find any info about the difference.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[wallymn]

right, I also have the DW not the DWS.... And as to the speedo..... The speedo reads high by default.. Based on GPS it is more accurate now.

 

[CapoCriminali]

I just got a bubble in the sidewall of my 4th Dunflop, so I went to the local tire place and finally ordered a set of 4 Continental ExtremeContact DWS. I'll let you guys know what I think once I get them on Tuesday.

 

[dg_moore]

I just got a bubble in the sidewall of my 4th Dunflop, so I went to the local tire place and finally ordered a set of 4 Continental ExtremeContact DWS. I'll let you guys know what I think once I get them on Tuesday.

I just did the same - mine will be in next week some time. I'll post my opinion FWIW

 

[Vince2]

I've never owned a car with UHP summer tires although in my area of the world (hot and DRY Las Vegas) it is a rational choice. For those who have switched from an all season tire to a summer tire can you say that the ride is firmer? I read Consumer Reports last tire article and one of the statements losely paraphrased goes "you really shouldn't expect a comfortable ride with an UHP summer tire". Is that true for those who have driven the same car with both types (All seasona vs Summer) of tires. Thanks to the OP for the report on the continental dw tires.

 

[TJPark01]

I've never owned a car with UHP summer tires although in my area of the world (hot and DRY Las Vegas) it is a rational choice. For those who have switched from an all season tire to a summer tire can you say that the ride is firmer? I read Consumer Reports last tire article and one of the statements losely paraphrased goes "you really shouldn't expect a comfortable ride with an UHP summer tire". Is that true for those who have driven the same car with both types (All seasona vs Summer) of tires. Thanks to the OP for the report on the continental dw tires.

First let me say that Consumer Reports is too vague. Tires have become extremely application specific, and there are subdivisions within performance categories that makes categorizing them increasingly difficult. It's impossible to paint brands or categories with a wide brush.
Yes a summer tire will generally sacrifice, ride comfort and wear for grip and performance. However, that doesn't mean the A/S tire is going to be quieter on the highway than the summer tire.
Your best bet is to go to TireRack and read the reviews and user surveys. This will give you the best estimate at matching what's important to you with the right tire.

 

[CapoCriminali]

I just had my DWS put on this morning. My initial <2 mile drive with them on makes me feel like they're quieter, but I'll wait until I drive it a bit more to decide that. Definitely doesn't feel like a step down at all, though.

 

[NYCGPS]

Summer tires will ALWAYS give you a much firmer ride. This is coming from a person that has been thru so many sets of UHP All Season and Max/Extreme performance summer tires.

Some UHP gives you a bit better ride, like the Bridgestone's RE 960 A/S pole position. the RE 970 A/S pole position came out about couple months ago and I heard that they soften the sidewall a bit to improve the ride quality.

but of course if you want as much soft ride as possible, go for something like GT or Passenger tires.

 

[dg_moore]

I just did the same - mine will be in next week some time. I'll post my opinion FWIW

Got my Continentals installed today. Based on a short drive over the most problematic roads I regularly use, I can report a subtle but noticeable difference. Mainly, the Continentals are quieter and smoother riding than the Dunlops. The ride is noticeably more comfortable. I'm happy with the new tires.