If cold weather is not concern, rather than the Continental ExtremeContact DWS consider the Continental ExtremeContact DW - the max performance summer tire version of the DWS. Not sure if those come in the sizes you mentioned though.

I currently have DWS's on the rear and am eagerly waiting for stock from treaddepot or tirerack to replace my fronts.

 

My car had Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum 225/50-18 front and 245/45-18 (grand touring all season) rear on it when I bought it so I don't have experience with other tires on the G. However they are very quiet and compliant and the ride is more comfortable than my old car with 225/45-17 Nitto Neo Gens (also all season). Haven't really pushed it too much, but there hasn't been anything alarming about the traction so far. I would get them for my new 19" coupe wheels but I'm pretty set on summer-only tires and they also don't come in 275 width. I was also pretty happy with the Neo Gen so would probably be willing to try Nitto Motivo for all-season as well.

ECSTA LX PLATINUM KU27 - OnlineTires.com

 

Thanks for the feedback, bri. I've had Kumho Ecsta's before (on another vehicle) and didn't really care for them.

Still leaning towards the Continental's, but PERMAT's suggestion of the DW's definitely raised an eyebrow. Since I'm not encountering any snow, it sounds like the DW's are right up my alley, but I'm worried that since they're in a different category from the DWS's (Max Summer High Performance on DW vs. All-season High Performance on DWS) they may not have the same increase in ride quality that the DWS's do.

Any chance anyone from Tire Rack wants to weigh in on this? In all my searches I've seen a lot of good feedback from them too.

 

+1 on Conti DW that's what I'm rolling with on both set of wheels I own. The dw's will be tad quieter/comfier over the DWS since it's a softer compound but won't last as long though. Plus DW performs better...

 

Good to hear.

OK, I've made my decision: Continental ExtremeContact DW's in 245/40ZR19 and 275/35ZR19.

Based on the feedback here, my lack of cold weather need, and research from other forums:

Continental DW or DWS? - E46Fanatics
Continental DW or DWS tires? - AcuraZine Community
Anybody Using Continental Extreme Contact DWS? - BMW M5 Forum and M6 Forums
Continental Extreme Contact DW Review. - MY350Z.COM Forums
Continental Extreme Continental DW vs. Hankook Ventus V12 K110 Evo - MY350Z.COM Forums
Continental Extreme Contact DWS in the Rain (Review) - MY350Z.COM Forums

They seem to be the best bet. I also found them for $1000, installed, out the door. (Along with a 30-day return policy if I don't like them.)

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm anxious to get rid of these RE050's.

 

I was going to mention the DW, but I have only had experience with the DWS. I didn't want to make the assumption that the qualities in the DWS would also be present in the DW. Sounds like you did your research though and found a good deal. Enjoy!

 

Keep us updated on how you like them!

 

I got my tires mounted this past weekend, and after a week of driving on them, I think I've finally gotten enough miles on them to post an accurate review:

Ride Comfort / Quality: These tires definitely improved my ride quality by a very noticeable amount. While I won't say it's quite as good as it was on my OEM 18" wheels, its still significantly better. I no longer feel small cracks and patches in the road, and tar snakes are completely imperceptible. (In case you'd forgotten from the original post, I'm dropped on Swift springs with OEM Coupe wheels.) The steering weight increased a considerable amount, and the car feels much more planted. I thought this might be due to an increase in unsprung weight, but after checking the specs, these tires are actually lighter than the RE050As, even at the larger sizes.

Road Noise: I'm trying to remember what the road noise sounded like on the RE050As. I feel like the frequency of the road noise is a little different. I can't say there's zero noise with these new tires, but it's just slightly different. Maybe it's because I'm listening for it more in an attempt to evaluate these tires, but it seems slightly higher. That being said, there is a legitimate possibility that this is all in my head. Or it could be due to the fact that there is considerably more rubber on the ground from the +0 sizing.

Traction: Holy crap. It's vastly more difficult to break rear end loose and the effect of the +0 sizing is incredible. (Thankfully, with a 6MT, it's only a challenge; not an impossibility! Save the manuals!) Granted, my previous tires were worn down to ~3/32 and were extremely easy to get sideways. While I'm not brash enough to push the envelope in the rain, at no time did I ever feel that an unpredicted evasive maneuver would have caused me to doubt the control I had over the vehicle.

Handling: One of the things that people complained about with these tires (and the DWS's) was the "floaty" feeling due to the softer sidewall. Unfortunately, I can't report that the DW is not subject to the same thing. The car doesn't point as well going into a corner (perhaps 10-15% worse than the RE050As), and when powering out strongly of a decreasing radius, the weight shift to the rear removes a noticeable amount of feedback from the front end. I may just need to get used to the feeling, but at the moment, I haven't been able to adapt my driving style to this change. I expect that to change with more time, though the lack of turn in feel is disappointing.

Looks: Granted, this didn't even make my list in terms of what I was looking for, but I love the way the +0 sizing looks. That being said, I hate the stretched, "hellaflush" look that the kids are doing these days. I honestly felt that the OEM tires were way undersized for the wheels, and in casual conversation with my tire installer, he agreed with me. The back of the car looks very tough and almost steamroller-esque. The sidewalls definitely have a more pronounced relief from the front surface of the wheel, but not enough to cause them to poke out at the top of the fender. My only negative comment would be that the rear tires sit so perfectly, it almost makes the fronts look a little too inboard. A 5mm spacer would probably make it perfect. (Pictures to follow soon)

Would I buy these tires again? Most likely. If they wear a bit longer and end up being rougher, I'd probably check out the DWS's. If my driving style can't adapt to the lack of feedback, I'd probably check out the Pilot Super Sports. If they stay like they are right now: I'm definitely going to be a repeat customer.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread and I hope this feedback helps someone who is wondering the same things that I was. If anyone has any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer.