From P Zero Summer to All Season. Should I?

[hufington]

I have 15k miles on the clock and according to the BMW service, I have 6 mm thread depth on the front and 5 mm thread depth on the rear Pirelli P Zero tires that came with the car.

I was hoping to stick with them until the end of my lease, which is 13 months from now, but I am not sure if BMW will ask me to pay for a new set of tires by the end of the lease in case I decide to keep them.

My question is: Does anyone know what is the minimum thread depth that you can return your lease to BMW w/o being asked to pay for a new set? If it is around 2-3mm, then I will go ahead and change them right now for a set of non-run flat all seasons and then put the P Zeros back on when I return the car. At least that way I will have a set of slightly used all season tires when I return the car instead of paying more for BMW to replace the tires for the next owner.

And when I decide to get a new set, I am looking for either Vredestein Quadrac Pro or Toyo Proxes STIII. I need the new set only for around 10K miles before I return the vehicle at the lease end. What would you prefer?

Thanks in advance for your input.

[BMWofVS]

This snapshot is taken from the BMW end-of-lease brochure

Wheels and tires
Acceptable
• Four original, matching tires that have at least 4 ⁄ 32" tread depth and that match the original equipment supplied
on your vehicle (speed rating, type, run-flat, brand, and size);
• Minor scuffs that fall within the inner circle, to tires that do not affect the safety of the tire;
• Minor scuffs or nicks to wheel covers or alloys that fall within the 4" outer circle of the Evaluator.

Unacceptable
• Tires, regardless of mileage, that have less than 4⁄32" tread depth; • Specifications and sizes different from original equipment brand (approved brands are Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Continental,
Dunlop, and Goodyear), type (run-flat), and speed rating;
• Recapped or retread tires;
• Tire sidewall repair plugs;
• Snow tires;
• Any tire damage affecting the safe operation of the vehicle;
• Mismatched, bent, cracked, or broken wheels, wheel covers, or alloys;
• Missing spare tire and/or spare tire that does not match
the original manufacturer’s specifications;
• Bulges or indentations in the sidewall;
• Scuffs/scratches to wheel covers/alloys that fall outside
of the 4" outer circle of the Evaluator.

Hope this helps.

[hufington]

Great info. Thanks.

[hufington]

Update on my switch to Vredesteins:


It has been approx. 1500 miles since I have had my new set of Vredesteins mounted. My initial impression is that the car is riding "softer" and the response to the steering wheel inputs are slightly slower in comparison to P Zeros. On the other hand, the ride comfort is much improved, the road noise is much less and the Vredesteins absorb little bumps and potholes very well.

I had DWS on my two previous F10 vehicles and Vredestein feels softer and less noisy.

When I drive thru large water accumulations on the road, there is almost zero aquaplaning.

This week I was able to test the tires on fresh and compacted snow and also on icy surfaces. The directional stability is amazing. Especially on turns, the car feels like you are driving on regular asphalt surface as long as you do not exaggerate. Plowing thru fresh snow (almost 1.5-2 ft) is no problem. The most impressing feature is the braking behavior. The car brakes without any drama and almost w/o ABS intervention on compacted snow at speeds up to 25-30 mph. When changing direction on snow or ice, you feel that the tires have a great amount of grip and you can feel that they "bite the surface".

Overall, the Vredesteins are a great all season choice due to their performance in cold weather conditions and their price.

[turboawd]

Originally Posted by hufington

Update on my switch to Vredesteins:


It has been approx. 1500 miles since I have had my new set of Vredesteins mounted. My initial impression is that the car is riding "softer" and the response to the steering wheel inputs are slightly slower in comparison to P Zeros. On the other hand, the ride comfort is much improved, the road noise is much less and the Vredesteins absorb little bumps and potholes very well.

I had DWS on my two previous F10 vehicles and Vredestein feels softer and less noisy.

When I drive thru large water accumulations on the road, there is almost zero aquaplaning.

This week I was able to test the tires on fresh and compacted snow and also on icy surfaces. The directional stability is amazing. Especially on turns, the car feels like you are driving on regular asphalt surface as long as you do not exaggerate. Plowing thru fresh snow (almost 1.5-2 ft) is no problem. The most impressing feature is the breaking behavior. The car breaks without any drama and almost w/o ABS intervention on compacted snow at speeds up to 25-30 mph. When changing direction on snow or ice, you feel that the tires have a great amount of grip and you can feel that they "bite the surface".

Overall, the Vredesteins are a great all season choice due to their performance in cold weather conditions and their price.

That's good to hear. I'll have to try those after my dws06 wear out.

[RED_Y_]

Originally Posted by hufington

Update on my switch to Vredesteins:


It has been approx. 1500 miles since I have had my new set of Vredesteins mounted. My initial impression is that the car is riding "softer" and the response to the steering wheel inputs are slightly slower in comparison to P Zeros. On the other hand, the ride comfort is much improved, the road noise is much less and the Vredesteins absorb little bumps and potholes very well.

I had DWS on my two previous F10 vehicles and Vredestein feels softer and less noisy.

When I drive thru large water accumulations on the road, there is almost zero aquaplaning.

This week I was able to test the tires on fresh and compacted snow and also on icy surfaces. The directional stability is amazing. Especially on turns, the car feels like you are driving on regular asphalt surface as long as you do not exaggerate. Plowing thru fresh snow (almost 1.5-2 ft) is no problem. The most impressing feature is the breaking behavior. The car breaks without any drama and almost w/o ABS intervention on compacted snow at speeds up to 25-30 mph. When changing direction on snow or ice, you feel that the tires have a great amount of grip and you can feel that they "bite the surface".

Overall, the Vredesteins are a great all season choice due to their performance in cold weather conditions and their price.

I second this. Got a size up to 20" and put Vredsteins on,feels more comfortable that my 19" RFT Pirelli. Great tires.