Problem with new Conti DWS's
 

I desperately needed new tires because the crappy Falkens on the rear are nearly bald after only 15k miles...

I decided to go up one size front and back so I could get the very highly rated Continental DWS. However my front tires are still in good shape so I thought I would just go with them for another month before replacing them--to be a little easier on the wallet.

So, I have 225/50 on the front and 255/45 on the rear. The rear tires are noticeably taller than my old ones were and I am experiencing a very strange feeling during cornering...it almost feels like the rear tires are balloon tires.

They feel so soft that I feel like the whole car wobbles....could it be the size difference causing my steering geometry to be off thereby causing this problem or do I need to switch to something other than the Conti's?

they aren't available in the OEM size...

Switching up one size shouldn't be causing anything like a steering geometry issue. Most likely the rears are just a bit slippery due to being brand new along with some extra flex due to having a full thickness of tread to flex (as opposed to the recent feeling you had with your rears being smooth). As they wear a little and you get used to them, you'll probably feel more comfortable with them. There is probably a little contribution coming from different thread patterns on the front and the rear as well.

I had conti they suck the rubber is to soft thats why they feel that way I suggest switching it made a big difference for me

Yup...it is definitely the tires...how are they the number 1 ultra high performance all season tire on tire rack surveys?

Hopefully I can get my money back and exchange them for something else.

That pretty much sums it up!

UHP-AS tires are not known for all-out performance. A majority of buyers in this category want something that's a jack of trades, master of none. A tire that covers the entire gamut from minor winter traction, decent summer traction, long life and comfort. Thus, the ratings.

The DWS is an all-season tire with soft sidewalls and a hard tread compound. They are NOT going to give you much on the performance side. They are built for comfort/noise and longevity.

I wonder how they justify placing them in the "ultra high performance all season" category...

I am probably going to replace them with Bridgestone 960 or 970 UHP-AS tires and I bet they don't exhibit that kind of behavior.

I think maybe people think they need a high performance tire but they really don't, so when they get a soft tire they are happy.

The RE960 is the best UHP-AS tire I've ever driven on. They handle great, even on canyon runs.

Put these tires on my GF's Mazda 3s and at the time I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread. All the reviews were spectacular. We used them in the snow and they worked very well, but then after driving them for a while I started to notice the car bounces over bumps like mad. I'm pretty disappointed. Most others dont seem to notice this and love the tires, to the point that they claim the shocks on her Mazda must be blown instead of the tires being the culprit.

PS: She accidentally drove a tire off the pavement and upon coming back up she sliced right through one of the tires. I feel like it should have tolerated more than that, I know I've done worse myself.

Well...Conti's "satisfaction guarantee" only allows you to replace your tires with another set of Continental tires.

I can't afford to throw away the 450 dollars I've spent on the rears but I'm not sure what to do...I am thinking of switching back to the 245/45 on the rears but Contintental doesn't make a high performance tire in 225/50 for the front.

I guess I could try 235/45 on the fronts...I'm thinking the shorter sidewall will help with the sloppy feeling. It's either that or run mismatched tires front/back.

My 275/35/19 setup feels really stiff and with full boltons i can launch HARD on them and they stick. I truly rave about these tires everywhere.

In a 50 profile i have no comment, they are probably really soft, but you shouldnt be looking at DWS's if you are looking for a performance tire.

good mileage, good traction, low price.

Pick 2.

maybe I should go down to a 245/40 on the back and a 225/45 on the front...

thoughts anyone?

I think this is the problem...many of the rave reviews are from people running 19's or 20's so the super soft sidewall isn't much of an issue.

They shouldn't call them "ultra high performance" all season tires if they aren't...there are plenty of tires in that category that are high performance despite being all-season tires.

After some more calculations, I think I will try 255/40 on the back and 235/45 on the front...hopefully that will ease the balloon tire feeling.