You wouldn’t believe the difference new rubber makes, even on a car with trashed suspension.
A few months ago I purchased an E46-generation BMW M3 coupe with an incredible 284,000 miles on the clock. While the car looked fine on the surface, it still needed a ton of work if I wanted to enjoy it as a fun daily driver. After determining the engine was healthy, I got to work replacing things like the tie rods, brakes, drivetrain mounts, and a handful of other items. One piece of maintenance I’ve been putting off were the tires. Because the rubber had tread and held air, they weren’t exactly high on my priority list. But it took me less than a mile after swapping on new tires to realize I should’ve replaced them much sooner.
The only reason I took some initiative and had the tires replaced at all is because one of them went bad. By “went bad” I don’t mean it exploded while I was cruising down the highway. The right rear developed a massive bubble, causing a bit of a vibration at speeds over 60 mph. Had it not bubbled itself to death, I probably wouldn’t have replaced the set for years. But I’m extremely glad I did, because the M3 rides about 37 times better than before.
The tires that came off my M3 were old all-season run-flats. Combined with the car’s trashed suspension, they made the ride borderline unbearable over any pavement that wasn’t glass-smooth. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I took my first drive on the new set of tires, a set of Continental’s ExtremeContact Sports. Even though these tires are meant for more mild temps, they were still way, way better in blistering cold 15-degree weather. It only took a few corners to realize I’d been driving on what were essentially tire-shaped rocks for half a year. I no longer find myself bracing for impacts over potholes or avoiding cracks in the road. The tires just absorb the bumps like they’re supposed to. You might not realize it, but tires are just as important to a car’s suspension system as the shocks or springs. So having new ones was a blessing.
Who needs a trunk when you have back seats?
Brian Silvestro
And while I won’t get much use out of the Continentals until Spring comes, I no longer have to worry about the rubber being a weak point when it comes to performance. When I eventually begin to drive this car as it was intended—on some fun back roads, autocross events, maybe even a track day or two—I’ll actually have enough grip to have fun. And because the ExtremeContact Sport isn’t the most extreme compound out there, I’m sure the car will still be comfortable on the road… once I get to installing new suspension, anyway.
So What Else on the Car Needs Fixing?
Aside from the shocks, which are all blown out, and the springs, which are all about 100,000 miles too old, I also need to tend to the shifter bushings, which are getting worse and worse every time I drive the car. After those things have been taken care of, I’d like to take the car on a real trip somewhere to make sure it’s reliable enough to do properly long drives.
After that, I’d like to address the cooling system, and maybe even replace the front bumper; it’s the only part of the exterior in bad shape right now. Then, if it’s needed, I’ll repair the rear subframe mounting area (it’s a common problem on E46s like mine). Stay tuned.
Keyword: New Tires Feel Like Magic For Your Project Car