Just bought a new set of Contental Extreme Contact DWS tires for my 2008 G35 Journey to wrap around my recently purchased Ray's 19" forged wheels. The tires are 245/40/19 front and 275/35/19 back. First off, the fitment with the Ray's wheels is absolutely perfect and looks amazing. Definitely changes the look of the car.

Since these tires are UHP All-Season, I will comment on both dry and snowy conditions (we just received about 8 inches of snow). The dry performance of these tires is noticably better than the stock rubber on the OEM 17" rims. The ride is smoother, the grip is much better, and they seem to be not much louder. I am especially suprised by this, as I would have thought the ride would be much rougher and louder given the shorter relative sidewall.

I was also excited to test these paws out in the snow, and got my chance yesterday after our snow storm, which accumulated to about 10 inches. The snow persisted as the plows came and went, so all streets and highways were covered with at least 2-4 inches of packed snow by the time I got on the road, and in some places much more. It’s truly a night and day difference with these tires. The reviews I read are spot on, as the tires’ ability in the snow is pretty incredible (the “S” portion of DWS). At some points, it felt like there was no snow at all. My car was even able to accelerate uphill from a dead stop, which was basically impossible with the old tires on the stock rims. I kept up with the SUVs just fine and passed many front drive cars that were having trouble. Amazing what tires can do.

As a side note, I always keep VDC off. I just regulate the throttle myself, because I hate the feeling of the rear breaks kicking in and wearing them out.

I highly recommend the Conti Extreme Contact DWS's. I also recommend finding a set of used Rays 19inch wheels. I got my set for $480 on from a guy on craigslist...best purchase I've made yet since I bought the car used in January '09.

 

thanks for posting a review. YOu got a killer deal on the rays. Were they beat up much?

 

They were in great shape for under $500. A couple knicks on the front wheels, and minor curb rash on the back. Nothing noticeable unless you were right up there looking for it. It would only be a matter of time before a set of new wheels looked like that anyway (plus then you'd be always kicking yourself for every knick).

For me, it was about the overall look of the car. The OEM 17" wheels look fairly crappy, and really diminish the look of our cars. The 19" Rays wheels sit flush with the wheel wells perfectly. I'm going to post before and after pics soon. Changes the look of the car completely.