Doc@tirerack

I felt the new AS3+ still rides a little harsher than the Conti for what its worth.

snagitseven

That's what I figured. Through the years I've always found Michelins to be a harder riding tire.

Baloo588

I think the opposite. I have always felt Michelin tires were far smoother and more comfortable then any other brands. They stayed in balance far longer and are much more quieter then Continentals which are mushy and Pirellis, Goodyears, and Bridgestones which are too stiff. Never ever did I find any Michelins to be stiff or harder riding. Maybe some of the previous Pilot Sports were stiff but they are performance tires so its expected. I never use max rec inflation pressure and always use standard load pressure in manuals on my car so that may be part of the reason. Otherwise Michelins are great tires with the exception of the AS3+ which where way too out of round.

snagitseven

Well, everyone's experience is different. I've owned two different sets of Michelin UHP A/S (albeit awhile ago) and while they handled very well (except in light snow), they felt harsher than other brands I've owned. As to the new Conti DWS 06, they are a vast improvement in virtually every way over the original DWS (which I've also owned) - there is no "mushiness" and while there is some compromise in crispness, the ride and light snow performance is excellent. No one tire can do it all.

Baloo588

I agree with you there is no "perfect" tire but a tire that suits certain people will not suit others. The previous UHP Michelin A/S are definitely stiff. The Michelin XICE XI3 I use on my 2012 A8L feels very soft and its comfortable but its a studless ice and snow tire so the steering is not as stiff and thats a trade off. The Michelin Premier LTX on my 2015 X5 is so comfotable I was impressed with the ride overall and not a hint of harshness. That tire does amazing in the snow due to the newer helio compound and tread pattern that wears slowly and doesnt lose grip over time. I already put 20k miles on the LTX and the XICE XI3 and they both have more than 80% tread life. Its the price you pay for better quality tires in my opnion. I never had great experience with the COntinental DWS line up so I refuse to even try the DWS06 because I keep hearing out of round condition, soft sidewalls, blow outs, flats, and vibrations etc.

snagitseven

Not sure where you've heard all that about the DWS 06. Most of the reviews here and elsewhere have been very good with very few complaints. I'm at 25K miles on the DWS 06 and I've not experienced any of those things you listed. As I mentioned, Conti has done extensive improvements over the old DWS including a stiffer sidewall (w/o sacrificing comfort), improved handling and better wet/light snow performance. And it looks like my tread looks to last another 20K miles.

There are lots of good tires out there and each person will have their preference (i.e. I'll never buy a Pirelli again). I can only describe my own experience relative to the almost 50 different sets of tires I've owned over a lifetime.

Baloo588

Interesting, maybe I will try to test out the DWS06 on my 20 inch rims on the A7 when my AS3 wears out next year. I use separate 19 inch rims with Blizzaks LM32 during the winter time.

Doc@tirerack

I'll qualify the statement by saying that other Michelin models (Premier AS, for example) are very comfortable while maintaining decent handling. The AS3+ is designed to give you nearly telepathic steering response (which is does), with comfort being a secondary concern.


I try to avoid getting caught up in sweeping generalizations LOL

snagitseven

I agree and I'll restrict my previous statement by specifically referencing the UHP A/S category which is what I've owned in the Michelin and other brands. In fact, I haven't had an all season tire below that performance category in over 25 years. Actually, my last 6 sets of UHP A/S were purchased from Tirerack based on the ratings and reviews at the time, most recently the Conti DWS 06.

LarryJa

I'm a advocate of broad based capabilities. So, I'm always an advocate is "all-season" tires.

For my C6 A6 3.2 quattro, the choice will straightforward. The Michellins have the steering & handling edge and the Continentals have a slight ride quality edge.

At tire time, it'll be a tough choice but I'll probably go with ride quality.

However, between those two tires(AS 3+ vs. DWS 06), there's no bad choice.