Continentals DW EC vs. Michelin SS ZP
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 76
Likes: 2
From: Rockville MD
Continentals DW EC vs. Michelin SS ZP
I;m sure there's people here who went with the continentals. are they better for street application? hows the grip? pull? should i go Conti next tire change or stick to the origins?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 3,169
Likes: 861
From: Naples FL
I've had the Conti ExtremeContact Sports (newer version than DW), Cup2s and SSs. I have been tracking the Cup2s and street driving the Contis. I'll ultimately end up using SSs for track and Contis for the street.
Amat Victoria Curam
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 591
Likes: 141
From: NH, FL
My Contis solved all of those issues for me. I find them to be a fine street tire. If I want to drive at an HPDE, I'll throw the MPSS tires on some spare rims and bolt them back on.
I will tell you that, as far as grip is concerned, the Contis seem to about 80 to 85% of the MPSS. That's fine with me but may not be fine for you.
I've had one person say that the tires don't look as good as the MPSS - but, as much as he's a very good friend, he's honestly a bit OCD about the appearance of his car. Okay, maybe a bit more than a bit, actually.
My Contis are fine ... they even mounted more easily than the run flats.
Last edited by HighBeta; Jan 22, 2018 at 07:37 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 4,671
Likes: 1,245
From: Southern Ca
I chose the Contis because I found the MPSS to be pretty harsh riding, noisy at a frequency range that was irritating, and they threw up small stones and road grit (an issue a few times a year where I live) to a ridiculous extent.
My Contis solved all of those issues for me. I find them to be a fine street tire. If I want to drive at an HPDE, I'll throw the MPSS tires on some spare rims and bolt them back on.
I will tell you that, as far as grip is concerned, the Contis seem to about 80 to 85% of the MPSS. That's fine with me but may not be fine for you.
I've had one person say that the tires don't look as good as the MPSS - but, as much as he's a very good friend, he's honestly a bit OCD about the appearance of his car. Okay, maybe a bit more than a bit, actually.
My Contis are fine ... they even mounted more easily than the run flats.
My Contis solved all of those issues for me. I find them to be a fine street tire. If I want to drive at an HPDE, I'll throw the MPSS tires on some spare rims and bolt them back on.
I will tell you that, as far as grip is concerned, the Contis seem to about 80 to 85% of the MPSS. That's fine with me but may not be fine for you.
I've had one person say that the tires don't look as good as the MPSS - but, as much as he's a very good friend, he's honestly a bit OCD about the appearance of his car. Okay, maybe a bit more than a bit, actually.
My Contis are fine ... they even mounted more easily than the run flats.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 20,318
Likes: 1,905
From: Huntingdon Valley Pa/ Town of Webb NY
Took the cup tires off the 16' and replaced with ExtremeContact's, they worked good, on my 17' I took the cup tires off and switched to Nitto invo's, they work real well and do not pick up and throw stones down the side of the car, and like the extreme contacts they have tread unlike the cup tires, kind of important in the rain. 
Last edited by hcvone; Jan 23, 2018 at 06:43 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 13,281
Likes: 2,509
From: Bluffton SC via Canton Oh
I can vouch for a couple of comments. I have Conti DWS and DW tires too. Don't ask about the DWS on a Z!!
They do run narrower. And they are more rounded then the MPSS which have a more square appearance. Before I bought the DW tires I saw that on the forum. I thought no big deal. But you know it is!!!. We're all different but I'm going back to MPSS.
I will try to snap some pictures and post them up, been too busy to get to the car lately. Need to wax her up and get the summer tires back on.
They do run narrower. And they are more rounded then the MPSS which have a more square appearance. Before I bought the DW tires I saw that on the forum. I thought no big deal. But you know it is!!!. We're all different but I'm going back to MPSS.
I will try to snap some pictures and post them up, been too busy to get to the car lately. Need to wax her up and get the summer tires back on.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 256
From: NJ
I can vouch for a couple of comments. I have Conti DWS and DW tires too. Don't ask about the DWS on a Z!!
They do run narrower. And they are more rounded then the MPSS which have a more square appearance. Before I bought the DW tires I saw that on the forum. I thought no big deal. But you know it is!!!. We're all different but I'm going back to MPSS.
I will try to snap some pictures and post them up, been too busy to get to the car lately. Need to wax her up and get the summer tires back on.
They do run narrower. And they are more rounded then the MPSS which have a more square appearance. Before I bought the DW tires I saw that on the forum. I thought no big deal. But you know it is!!!. We're all different but I'm going back to MPSS.
I will try to snap some pictures and post them up, been too busy to get to the car lately. Need to wax her up and get the summer tires back on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,162
Likes: 338
From: Fair Oaks, California
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
Last edited by jaden61; Jan 23, 2018 at 12:43 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 422
From: NY
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 3,169
Likes: 861
From: Naples FL
Here are some photos for you guys. My guess is you lose about an inch of contact patch width with the rounded shoulders. This is probably the main reason for less grip than the SSs.
Last edited by spearfish25; Jan 27, 2018 at 08:40 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 206
Likes: 142
From: MD's Eastern Shore
Just put "CONTINENTAL EXTREME CONTACT SPORT XL" on my wife's '16 Z06. Bought them at Tire Rack. This is an street only car.
Pros: Much less expensive, noticeably less tire noise, ride is slightly less harsh (like going from Sport to Tour on the suspension, you get a feeling of just a little smoother), it *appears* that the tire will be a better rain tire looking at the tread. As I said, this is a street driven car, and we can't see/feel any appreciable difference from the Michelins. No clue if they would suck on the track. Appearance wise, I can't tell any difference from the Michelins, other than the tread is different.
Cons: They are not run flats. I bought a 12v air pump that runs off the cigarette lighter and a little set of tire plugs. I've plugged many tires and wouldn't hesitate to plug the Conti's to get me home, and then get them properly repaired/replaced. Also, on Tire Rack's site it warns you that these are Summer only tires, and if they cooled to <20*, they must be allowed to NATURALLY warm up to >40* before you drive.
Overall: For a street car, I'll buy them again. If you track your car, maybe not for you...or, maybe because they are so much cheaper, try them.
Pros: Much less expensive, noticeably less tire noise, ride is slightly less harsh (like going from Sport to Tour on the suspension, you get a feeling of just a little smoother), it *appears* that the tire will be a better rain tire looking at the tread. As I said, this is a street driven car, and we can't see/feel any appreciable difference from the Michelins. No clue if they would suck on the track. Appearance wise, I can't tell any difference from the Michelins, other than the tread is different.
Cons: They are not run flats. I bought a 12v air pump that runs off the cigarette lighter and a little set of tire plugs. I've plugged many tires and wouldn't hesitate to plug the Conti's to get me home, and then get them properly repaired/replaced. Also, on Tire Rack's site it warns you that these are Summer only tires, and if they cooled to <20*, they must be allowed to NATURALLY warm up to >40* before you drive.
Overall: For a street car, I'll buy them again. If you track your car, maybe not for you...or, maybe because they are so much cheaper, try them.