I have a set on my 90, 535i, 5-speed, w/ 266K miles, Bilstein HD's & BBS factory multispokes. I also have a set of RE950 Potenza's on my 89, 525i, automatic 335K miles ALL ORIGINAL! The RE950's are one size undersized, 215-60-15. The only difference is that the speedometer is 3mph "fast" at all speeds. However, the handling differences are dramatic! There is a center rib on the 950's that separate the right & left asymetrical grooves and that stabilizes the tread in high cornering loads. The G-009's lack that rib and take getting used to to say the least. The first time that I tried to navigate the same stretch of mountain, winding roads between Tennessee & North Carolina at the same speeds with the 535i that I regularly do with the 525i, I almost got a Darlington Stripe on my passenger's side from the concrete divider wall. Thank God I'm on blood pressure medicine! I have since learned the all-out limitations of the G-009's. They are fabulous wet tires, as are the RE950's, but the 950's are a "performance tire" for wet weather whereas the G-009's are a compromise wet-weather performance tire. The cornering limits for the G-009's are considerably lower than the RE-950's. I think that this is a pretty good test since the only difference between the two cars is the engine power & tires. Both cars have the Bilstein HD's & factory wheels and similar mileages.Originally Posted by Russell
One other item, I regularly get about 48,000 or so miles on my RE950's before I get ready to replace them. I replace my tires when they wear down to 4/32". I drive very aggressively and mostly at speeds in excess of 85mph. Nary a week goes by that I don't bump either the rev or top speed limiters on both cars.