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New tires. T3 TDI is just so, so, sweet.

2919 Views 22 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  bmw m3
I had a set of 20" Continental DWS put on 2 years ago and got 26,000 miles out of them. The rears had only the D left while the fronts have the D and W. I like knowing that I have every bit of performance in my tires in every condition so I saved the two fronts just in case I ever need them.

I never had the tires/wheels rotated in all the years/miles and the wear was very even across the entire tread, just that the rears wore a little quicker than the fronts.

The new Pirelli Verde Plus are great.

Here is the best part. While there have been some, maybe many, who have had problems with steering wheel shake aka SWS, the past two times I had new tires put on, I never gave the service advisor any special instructions like; torque the lug bolts to 133 ft lbs, or inflate the tires to this psi, face east towards Mecca and balance on one foot while torquing the lug bolts in a sequential pattern . . . They put the stuff on and I let it be and both times I get my truck back and it is mint, right out of the shop. I didn't even bother with asking for the alignment printout this time around like I had done a couple of years ago when I had it done.

I didn't even bother with coming home and checking the lug bolts to see if they are all at 133 ft lbs. Sometime, when I am bored and have the time, I probably will but for now, I will leave it alone and enjoy the verified, smooth as silk ride at triple digit speeds.

I know that the entire truck is so much smoother after the alignment and having new tires that have been newly balanced. It feels better than it did with the worn DWS, that's for sure.
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I felt the same way after I got the Verde Okys tires. Still feels A+. And, I liked my DWS tires. That's how good these Pirellis ride.
The Pirellis Scorpion Verde (& Plus) are like they were designed specifically for highway use on the Touareg. Perfect match.

Not so much for off pavement. I don't care about that.
Has anyone run the Pirellis and Michelin Latitudes and give a comparison?
Had the Perrelli's and swapped them for some Michelin Latitudes. I was searching for a quieter ride, honestly, it didn't help much. They are both awesome tires, the Michelin's seem a little smoother (but they are also new now). But, I should have rode the Perrelli's until they expired. Wasn't worth the upgrade in my opinion and the Perrelli's look better, to me.
I had Pirellis Scorpions problem with them is they cup way too quick.
The key is having the 'plus' version of the Pirellis. The OEM tires suck. The OP's and my comments are for the Plus version.

I will eager $$ the negative comments are from those who did not have the Plus version.
I do not think that the brand of tires has anything to do with the SWS. It is about quality of a particular set of tires. If they can be RF-balanced to less than 15 Lbs., both Pirelli and Michelin will perform well. My T3 came with GY Eagle on (made in Germany) and they were very smooth and quiet. For 25K miles - until the GYs were replaced at 5/32” – I’ve never cared about RFB or lug bolts torquing @133 while having rotation done every ~6K miles. I’ve come to a subjective conclusion that the Michelin has better quality control than most and their tires in general are “rounder” than tires made by others. This does not deny that a set of tires from Pirelli or Nitto or Continental can be as good as Michelin or better.
Agree that brand does not matter. The distinction in this thread is that Pirelli vastly improved the scorpion verde with its Plus version. The regular scorpion verde is not a great tire, which is why Pirelli improved on it.

As for the Michelin Latitudes...great tire. Was on my list but very pricey.
I had Pirellis Scorpions problem with them is they cup way too quick.
Out of curiosity do you mean cupping (scalloping), or feathering?

http://www.collisionblast.com/2014/07/10/from-feathering-to-cupping-what-tire-wear-patterns-mean/

When a tire is feathered, it means the edge of the tread ribs have a more rounded edge on one side, while the other side of the tire is sharper. You can check for this with your hands far more easily than your eyes — just run your hand over the treads and if you feel the sharp edge on one side, feathering is probably the culprit. If one or more of the tires has a feathered appearance across the treads, notes Free ASE Study Guides, the vehicle is also overdue for an alignment. Feathering can also be caused by the toe-in setting being off; in either case, the vehicle needs to be seen by a qualified mechanic.

When the tire treads appear to be cupped or scalloped, worn out shocks or struts are usually to blame. Tires that are out of balance may also cause this problem.
Out of curiosity do you mean cupping (scalloping), or feathering?
I had feathering on the outside edges of the tires on the OEM Verdes. Reviews will show this is a common theme with the original Verdes. I had the alignment checked twice by a local shop I've used for years on all of my vehicles (Hunter equipment). In spec both times. This started at about 17K, and was the source of the loud road noise. I've never experienced SWS. Tires were shot at less than 30K in mixed driving. Replacement Bridgestone Alenzas are wearing perfectly 20K in.

This isn't the first time I've had Pirelli problems. I had wear problems on a G35 coupe. Same story. Alignment always checked out in spec. These weren't the OEM tires. Filed for warranty. Denied. Pirelli for me isn't an option anymore.

Best wear and performance I've gotten on SUV tires - Michelin Lattitudes. Excellent highway performance. Mediocre A/S snow performance.
This is just my experience having owned Nissan, Toyota, and VW SUVs continuously since 1993. Your experience may be different.

All of them developed feathering of the front tires, usually noticeable around 5K miles or so. The alignment always checks out as within specs.
The Plus' are definitely better than the standard Verde's that come stock/oem with vehicles. At least Pirelli says that they build the Plus to be what owners/drivers want vs what the oem('s) want.

At least with SWS, when I first got my T3, I was disappointed when I felt it from 65 mph+. Thankfully, thanks to CT, I adjusted my psi and torqued the lug bolts and just like that, it went away.

Whether it is luck, tires, wheels, whatever it might be, to be able to let whatever tech do what they need to do to change, balance, install the tires, then align the truck, and not have SWS is a great thing. It should be the norm but sadly, for some, it just isn't the case.

Now, with new tires, my Treg is mint again. I so think of either having my wheels powdercoated a dark gray or getting some new wheels.
The US-market Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season Plus is essentially just a harder compound than the EU-market Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season - to give reduced wear but at a slight expense of grip.

Many of the big brands do the same but don't give the US version a different name.
Interesting, about to pull the trigger on the DWS 06; coming from the Dueler h/p Sports which wore uneven.
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Funny how some talk about "grip", and I had even seen someone mention his wife had felt "sidewall flex" on DWS', as if they are driving their T3's around on road courses or closed circuits, when all they are really doing is whipping around parking lots and taking on-off ramps all the while braking into the turns. I mean really, some wouldn't even know it if someone were to take 5 psi out of their tires. As if utmost grip is of some sort of requirement.

I've had the Treg shuddering on on-off ramps from all the nannies working to keep me out of the weeds on off-camber, downhill off-ramps, trying to find the limits of the tires and I just about never can because the nanny keeps me in-check. Thank goodness.

I almost got the DWS 06 but I want long-life and also know that if I want to take the on/off ramps faster than the CR-V behind me, I can. It is always funny when I go hot into/off of a ramp and someone in a Camry or an Odyssey does their best to keep up, I love it.
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Ben, you got the right tire for the T3. Most recommended by dealers and tires shops for this vehicle as all-season. I, too, was very close to getting the DWS 06. Others, here say they won't get this and won't get that...fine. The Plus version is the number one rated tire for our type of SUV on Tire Rack -- that rating, along with people here and my local tire shop convinced me to try them.
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Ben, you got the right tire for the T3. Most recommended by dealers and tires shops for this vehicle as all-season. I, too, was very close to getting the DWS 06. Others, here say they won't get this and won't get that...fine. The Plus version is the number one rated tire for our type of SUV on Tire Rack -- that rating, along with people here and my local tire shop convinced me to try them.
You were one of the main reasons why I got them. That and the longer life based on the UTOG rating.

Now we will see what the next best thing will be in 2-3 years from now, and I also will be waiting for my $60 rebate/gift card.
You were one of the main reasons why I got them. That and the longer life based on the UTOG rating.

Now we will see what the next best thing will be in 2-3 years from now, and I also will be waiting for my $60 rebate/gift card.
Sharing info is what makes this forum great! And, in 2-3 years I hope to be in the next-gen Touareg...if there is one here.
There is no such thing as a single best tire. It is going to vary based on how you drive, where you live, when you put your snows on and off if at all etc.

The DWS 06 should offer more grip, especially in wet and definitely in snow. In western NY where you can have 70 and sunny and 20 and snowing in the same week in the spring and fall, decent snow performance out of your three season tires can be a big plus. The downside is lower tread life, higher cost, and some subjective ride quality factors.

The Verde plus chooses a slightly different set of trade offs. I would expect slightly quieter ride and better tread wear in exchange for a little less wet performance and a big drop in snow traction. With the Touareg's excellent all wheel drive and plenty of experience driving with reduced traction, I could certainly accept that compromise for the handful of snow covered road days before or after the Blizzacks are mounted for winter.

Both would work for me, but neither one is a clear winner. I'll be keeping an envious eye on Touareg owners' experiences with both as I wear down my factory Goodyears and debate which path I will take.
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