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PZero experience

Gary H <garyh@domain.elided> was wondering about Pirelli tires ...

One of my cars is an E12 5-series with a Dinan Stage IV suspension.  I used
to run P700Zs in 205/55ZR16 (2 full sets), but then I switched to
225/50ZR16 PZeros.  I used to get 15,000 miles on the P700Zs (nearly flat
wear), and I expect to get just a tad less with the PZeros. Although it's a
bit hard to judge the improvement since I went up in width, I feel the
PZeros are a markedly better tire, and the P700Zs were pretty good to begin
with ... The PZeros are especially good in the rain, as I'm finding out
now.

I have had problems with PZeros in terms of balancing them however - make
absolutely sure that a new tire will balance on a(n undamaged) wheel with a
minimum of weights. I got a flat and the tire and its twin were no longer
balanceable -- then I recalled that when they were new some _huge_ weights
were required on the wheels in order to balance them. The only solution was
to discard them (they were almost gone at 12,000+ miles) and get new ones,
which presented no problems when balancing.

My father has two M1s, and he recently switched the rear tires (they don't
last long) from 225/50ZR16 P700Zs to 245/45ZR16s. I had a chance to drive
both cars before and after, and I felt the cars were much more
controllable, less "squirrely in the rear" with the new tires.
Oversteer-induced slides became much more correctable, and my heartbeat
stayed within normal ranges, whereas before I was scared s******s to do any
really hard driving.

I've always liked Pirellis because they (at least to me) give some tactile
and audible warning before they lose traction, unlike some other tires I've
had. 

Of course, 12-15,000 miles is pretty crappy compared to the 40,000 miles
I've heard M3 owners getting out of D40 M2s at 40psi.

Hope this helps,

Andrew Kalman