BMW M3 Tires
On this page you will find the best real world tire reviews from owners of the BMW M3.
Do you Drive a BMW M3? Why not add your own tire review and help other owners pick the right tire! After all, who knows what the best tire for a M3 better than the owners?
| Tire Reviewed | Dry Grip | Wet Grip | Feedback | Handling | Wear | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 (8) | 84% | 86% | 90% | 88% | 83% | 96% |
| Michelin Alpin (8) | 87% | 95% | 87% | 74% | 93% | 90% |
| BFGoodrich gForce Profiler 2 (24) | 92% | 85% | 87% | 84% | 89% | 85% |
| Vredestein Wintrac Pro (26) | 91% | 90% | 85% | 82% | 87% | 87% |
| Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (155) | 94% | 87% | 88% | 87% | 80% | 85% |
| Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S (132) | 93% | 88% | 86% | 87% | 82% | 86% |
| Michelin Pilot Super Sport (143) | 94% | 84% | 89% | 86% | 82% | 81% |
| Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 (406) | 92% | 89% | 85% | 85% | 80% | 87% |
| Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta (237) | 91% | 88% | 87% | 85% | 79% | 85% |
| Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 (301) | 90% | 88% | 84% | 84% | 74% | 82% |
| Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Plus (2) | 100% | 75% | 90% | 90% | 55% | 70% |
| Kumho V70a (19) | 99% | 78% | 90% | 86% | 57% | 69% |
| Bridgestone Adrenalin RE003 (89) | 91% | 78% | 83% | 87% | 71% | 74% |
| Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric (141) | 90% | 87% | 82% | 78% | 70% | 80% |
| Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 (28) | 85% | 84% | 72% | 76% | 86% | 84% |
| Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 (80) | 87% | 81% | 78% | 79% | 74% | 77% |
| Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 (18) | 96% | 59% | 90% | 92% | 61% | 75% |
| Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R (3) | 100% | 60% | 93% | 93% | 70% | 60% |
| Bridgestone Potenza RE01R (4) | 90% | 83% | 80% | 80% | 73% | 60% |
| Continental Sport Contact 6 (88) | 91% | 87% | 82% | 83% | 53% | 77% |
| Continental Sport Contact 3 (244) | 88% | 80% | 81% | 77% | 62% | 74% |
| Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (14) | 83% | 68% | 80% | 82% | 63% | 75% |
| Nankang AR 1 (35) | 91% | 45% | 84% | 88% | 71% | 66% |
| Nankang NS2R (59) | 89% | 66% | 82% | 84% | 72% | 55% |
| Nexen N8000 (79) | 79% | 74% | 68% | 66% | 68% | 79% |
| Bridgestone Potenza S001 (158) | 83% | 69% | 74% | 74% | 67% | 61% |
| Bridgestone Potenza RE050A (212) | 83% | 69% | 74% | 72% | 66% | 59% |
| Pirelli P Zero (157) | 84% | 69% | 75% | 72% | 58% | 64% |
| Maxxis MA V1 (19) | 69% | 61% | 61% | 53% | 65% | 61% |
| Triangle SporteX TH201 (26) | 70% | 51% | 58% | 55% | 66% | 65% |
| Cooper Zeon 2XS (16) | 70% | 51% | 57% | 48% | 58% | 65% |
| Federal SS595 SUPER STEEL (136) | 70% | 47% | 57% | 55% | 69% | 48% |
| Accelera PHI (158) | 68% | 44% | 53% | 52% | 66% | 58% |
| Triangle TR968 (68) | 54% | 32% | 40% | 38% | 61% | 38% |
BMW M3 Tire Review Highlights
Writing about the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 given 82% (275-45-18-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 1500 spirited miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 1500 spirited miles
Rear wheel drive BMW. Staggered Wheel set up. 1000mi. Chicago winter. At highway speeds in the dry (we’ll say over 80mph @ 40°f) it’s down right scary. I don’t feel like I get good traction and the car wanders a bit. At wide curves in the dry, the traction control light comes on and then when I straighten out the LSD kicks in and it has a lateral jolt. Oh, and when there’s strong winds… white knuckling it all the way to work. I took the car back to the shop because I thought it might be tire rub but they said everything was clean and then rebalanced. It’s been quite a winter this year-seemingly every winter scenario imaginable So that being said, in city driving with 4-5 in of snow @ -15° to 20°f under 45mph the tires are simply AMAZING! Remember, this is a rear wheel drive, very “torquey” car. Slush and cold rain it handled well. I might be so bold to say the tires handled better at 20° than at 40°f. The only winters I have to compare it with are Pirelli Sotozero 3, which handled great on the highway but not in the slush or snow. I truly wanted to love this tire particularly since they were really hard to come by in my area but on the highway it falls short.
Writing about the Nexen WinGuard Sport 2 given 75% (225-45-17-)
Driving on mostly motorways for 5000 spirited miles
Driving on mostly motorways for 5000 spirited miles
These tires have been quite satisfactory, especially considering the price. They are quiet, comfortable, and actually handle well on dry pavement without feeling too squidgy.
My vehicle is RWD, but I haven’t had any issues in 3-4” snow. Deeper snow poses a slight challenge, and I haven’t tried them on straight up ice. Up hill starts a standstill are perfectly doable with careful use of the throttle and clutch.
Dry grip and handling is actually very impressive for a winter tire. I chose these partially because I didn’t want to lose 100% of my car’s sporting nature during winter, and they haven’t let me down. Wet grip is very good as well, in my experience. I don’t push my car to the limits in cold and wet conditions, so this may not match the experiences of professional tire testing organizations.
Noise level and comfort are very good, with only a very slight hum on warmer days. They absorb and dissipate bumps and impacts well.
Wear is difficult for me to comment on. I’ve only used them for maybe 5,000 miles of daily/spirited driving, and so far the tires have worn noticeably but not excessively. Most drivers probably won’t be using these in a spirited manner on dry pavement, so I don’t foresee any wear issues after many miles of relaxed daily driving.
The price is very good, and mostly makes up for any shortcomings this tire has, seeing as I don’t drive this vehicle much during winters, and rarely use it on snow covered roads. These are good tires for someone who lives in an area that gets occasional snow, doesn’t want to lose the sporty feel of their car, and doesn’t want to spend $800 on a set of winter tires.
TL;DR- They are much, much better in the snow than any all-season tires, somewhat sporty (for winter tires), won’t break the bank, and aren’t annoying in any way.
Writing about the Triangle SporteX TH201 given 34% (265-35-19-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 1500 spirited miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 1500 spirited miles
I bought these tires based on availability whilst abroad in Spain. At the time I had Conti 6s on which were great but wore way to quickly. The reviews seemed quite good and felt they would be fine to get me home on a 700 mile trip on all sorts of A roads, motorways and a couple of B roads. Initially I was very cautious in how far I could push the tires and this proved to be a wise decision as they were woeful in the dry, so did not push my luck in the wet. on twisty A and B roads they struggle for grip with only the finest of throttle input the traction control light is flashing away. It feels like they have a soft tire wall which makes the car feel like its trying to tuck underneath you, could also be down to very soft compound of tread (liken it to winter tire which have soft tread blocks with lots of small channels) Under slightly heavy braking at roughly 70 mph the car feels like it moving around under you, so feels very unsafe. They got me home but spoiled what should of been a great drive on some of Spain's greatest roads. They will be coming off as soon as possible as they are truly awful in all conditions.
Writing about the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 given 83% (265-35-19-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 6000 spirited miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 6000 spirited miles
After the run in check (at 2000 km), replaced the OEM Pilot Super Sport with Cup 2 (265/35 R19 and 285/30 R20).
They really stick like s**t to your shoe! But you need first to heat them up AND accordingly adjust the tire pressure! It's the most heat sensitive tire I had until now...you can start at 20°C and 2,3 bar and end up with almost 3 bar at 70°C on the highway. So, before doing another lap, get out, check the pressure and adjust at around 2.1-2.2 bar. Front-back variation, at your own discretion, depending on how do you want your car to behave.
They are so sticky that even cold they SUCK the pebbles in the parking lot and the MPG is worse than with Pilot Super Sport (from 9 to 11-12 l/100 km). Road feed back is amazing, it's like you feel the road with your own palm faces. And the are more comfortable than the Super Sports! I guess the side wall is not that stiff. Who knows. Now the bad part: it absolutely does hate cold and wet conditions. As in, no grip. Try to pull away from a stop at a roundabout, you only get shudders from the back and not much forward momentum. So you need to time your starts accordingly (more time and space to the next incoming car). But with care, you can manage it. During a long trip, I also drove in snowy conditions (unexpected, it was only September) and it went ok. Just take care and no sudden movements.
They really stick like s**t to your shoe! But you need first to heat them up AND accordingly adjust the tire pressure! It's the most heat sensitive tire I had until now...you can start at 20°C and 2,3 bar and end up with almost 3 bar at 70°C on the highway. So, before doing another lap, get out, check the pressure and adjust at around 2.1-2.2 bar. Front-back variation, at your own discretion, depending on how do you want your car to behave.
They are so sticky that even cold they SUCK the pebbles in the parking lot and the MPG is worse than with Pilot Super Sport (from 9 to 11-12 l/100 km). Road feed back is amazing, it's like you feel the road with your own palm faces. And the are more comfortable than the Super Sports! I guess the side wall is not that stiff. Who knows. Now the bad part: it absolutely does hate cold and wet conditions. As in, no grip. Try to pull away from a stop at a roundabout, you only get shudders from the back and not much forward momentum. So you need to time your starts accordingly (more time and space to the next incoming car). But with care, you can manage it. During a long trip, I also drove in snowy conditions (unexpected, it was only September) and it went ok. Just take care and no sudden movements.
Writing about the Michelin Pilot Super Sport given 90% (225-45-17-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 1500 average miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 1500 average miles
OEM on my M3 CS, replaced them after 2000 km with Cup 2 tires.
Very good in wet, not so good on the track, where they are prone to overheating and the resulting understeer.
But they get good MPG, very comfortable and if you don't plan on doing track days with your sports car, choose them over the Cup 2 or 4S.
They might not have those high limits, but they have enough and they approach them with ease and plenty of feedback where the point of no return is. Also, nice road feed back.
Writing about the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 given 76% (235-45-17-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 10000 spirited miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 10000 spirited miles
there tires are the best bang for your buck at this price. they handle great on road and will even do some light tracking.
my tires have been installed on my car for 2 and a half years with a few track days a year. the edges of the tires are starting to wear and chuck off as expected with the load and heat cycle from heavier than normal wear.
would definitively recommend and buy again.
Writing about the Continental Sport Contact 6 given 64% (265-35-19-)
Driving on mostly country roads for 10000 spirited miles
Driving on mostly country roads for 10000 spirited miles
2 Sets on the rear axle, 1 FA. All kinds of driving (Track, drifting, normal driving, spirited country roads.
To summerise,
very good in the dry, awesome level of grip on both axles, almost compareable to a semi slick tire like the Cup 2 (tested both) on the track and on the road but much better "cold grip".
BUT,
wet is the complete opposite. All in all grip levels are good but the predictability is very bad. And the limit of grip the tire suddenly looses traction which ends in massive sudden oversteer in addition to a lack of lateral grip on the front axles. Drifting in the wet is impossible, fornt axle cant keep up, massive understeer, not able the react to steering inputs.
All in all,
very good in the dry, unpredictable in the wet. Wear is not that bad in my opinion. My Michelin Pilot Supersport did a much better job in the wet....and they a well known for beeing not the best in terms of wet performance.
Writing about the Michelin Pilot Super Sport given 84% (225-45-17-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 6000 spirited miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 6000 spirited miles
just great.
Writing about the Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 given 87% (245-40-18-)
Driving on mostly country roads for 10000 spirited miles
Driving on mostly country roads for 10000 spirited miles
Bought this tire during heavily rain tropical storm season in Malaysia. The wet handling and grip is excellent. Aquaplaning resistant is average and still cannot beat my previous PS4. Braking distance in wet is absolutely impressive for this price range. In dry it stick to the road. It has progressive traction to its limit until it loosing grip but quickly recover it back in few second, thats really exotic capability that never exist ini this price range before. Negative side, is the sidewall too soft for aggressive use and not feel sportier for front tire because it absorb the road feedback quite a bit. Increasing tire pressure is not an option because the tire easily overheat and ballooning in the midle of the thread for long drive country road n 3 hours spirited drive. Other than that it is really a bargain peformance tire and safe in wet too... For daily vs peformance vs economy this is the perfect tire.
Writing about the Vredestein Wintrac Pro given 87% (275-35-19-W)
Driving on a combination of roads for 4000 spirited miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 4000 spirited miles
Using tires on BMW M4 F82 only in winter sesion. Dry grip is like with summer tires very good. Road feedback is also very good. Snow and Ice Grip is not perfect but its normal, you can feel save. Most important that you feel road very detail. I will buy for sure it again
Like others said in other reviews
I ve used 3sets of Nankang AR1 brefore i write this review on F80 M3 with 490RWHP set up.
My sizes were 265 35 18 front and 295 30 18 rear.
The only problem with AR1 is that it starts to get heat soaked pretty quick for a semi slick tire. You will have to cool down after a consecutive attack, if not it has tendency to become very greasy.
It doesnt last that long obviously but It does provide more grip than most of Extreme summer tires.
If you are limited on tire expense,i would go with something that lasts a little longer.
However if you are not limited, AR1 will provide more DRY grip for a limited time.
Break away characteristic is adequate. I would say it is on the liniar progressive side.
I ve used 3sets of Nankang AR1 brefore i write this review on F80 M3 with 490RWHP set up.
My sizes were 265 35 18 front and 295 30 18 rear.
The only problem with AR1 is that it starts to get heat soaked pretty quick for a semi slick tire. You will have to cool down after a consecutive attack, if not it has tendency to become very greasy.
It doesnt last that long obviously but It does provide more grip than most of Extreme summer tires.
If you are limited on tire expense,i would go with something that lasts a little longer.
However if you are not limited, AR1 will provide more DRY grip for a limited time.
Break away characteristic is adequate. I would say it is on the liniar progressive side.
Writing about the Accelera PHI given 47% (255-40-18-)
Driving on a combination of roads for 100 average miles
Driving on a combination of roads for 100 average miles
These are the tires on the courtesy wheels put on my 2001 M3 whilst my own wheels are refurbed. They are fine in the dry, but in the wet they are lethal. Even in the damp. They have absolutely no business on a powerful car, or a car that you want to go round a corner on wet roads without taking a chunk out of the nearest kerb or ditch. In the wet an oiltanker has a shorter stopping distance. These are grade A ditchfinders and they are quite simply dangerous.
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