Most cars on sale today are aimed at drivers that want a refined and comfortable driving experience. That’s because most people don’t care about driving dynamics or performance. Some people do, though, and BMW is a company that makes cars precisely for enthusiast drivers.
The BMW 328i is a perfect example of that. It’s a performance sedan that you can enjoy down a windy road, specifically thanks to the dynamic chassis, excellent steering feel, and peppy engine. Besides, the BMW 328i satisfies daily needs with aplomb – it’s very comfortable and quiet.
The thing is, to get the most out of your BMW 328i, you will need a good set of tires. And, on an accomplished vehicle such as this one, the tires have much more work to do. First of all, your new BMW 328i tires should provide you with an outstanding cornering grip, excellent traction, and strong braking.
Then, the tires should also be very quiet and comfortable. Sure, the 328i is aimed at enthusiast drivers, but this is still a premium performance sedan. And, in the end, the tires must be durable. Tires in sizes viable for the BMW 328i can cost a pretty penny, so replacing them less often can save you a lot of cash.
With that being said, there is no single tire that will shine in every category. For example, tires that have higher levels of grip usually have lower treadlife, and also tend to be noisier down the road. Like with most things in life, it always comes down to your preference.
And, that’s what I’ll try to uncover in this detailed BMW 328i tires review. Since not every tire works for everyone, I composed a list of grand-touring, performance (all-season and summer), and winter tires.
You should be able to find a set of tires that will suit your driving style and the weather in your area. Just be sure to read the short reviews, as they contain important information on how the tire performs across various conditions.
Contents
Should You Purchase Run-Flat or Regular Tires?
Some trims of the BMW 328i come with run-flat tires. You can drive on these tires for up to 50 miles and at speeds of 50mph (depending on the manufacturer), even if the tire is flat. BMW employs these tires for safety purposes, but also to increase boot space – there is no need for a spare.
Run-flat tires have a lot of obvious advantages. First of all, you won’t need to care when one of the tires goes flat. You just continue driving. That also means that your vehicle will be easily controllable when there is a blowout on one of the tires. With regular tires, the car will instantly become unstable after a blowout.
Nonetheless, these tires also have some glaring disadvantages. The first and most obvious one is the price – run-flat tires are more expensive. For that reason alone, I’ve seen many BMW drivers replace the run-flat tires with regular ones.
Moreover, run-flat tires have much stiffer sidewalls, which negatively affect the ride quality. These tires are also heavier, which negatively affects performance and handling. Besides, run-flat tires are usually less durable than regular tires – the treadlife is shorter.
And, finally, only the premium tire manufacturers offer readily available run-flat tires. In other words, there aren’t many budget-friendly choices on the market right now.
So, should you replace your run-flat BMW 328i tires with regular ones? Well, it depends on your preference. If you want to retain the carefree driving experience, then yes, you should purchase new run-flat tires.
However, if you want to save money, then a set of regular tires will work completely fine. Just be sure that you purchase an additional tire repair kit, as 328i’s with run-flat tires don’t have one. Or, you can purchase a donut spare tire and put it in the trunk. Your choice.
With that said, let’s see what the best tires for BMW 328i are.
The 10 Best Tires for BMW 328i Available in 2021
Best Grand-Touring All-Season Tires for BMW 328i (Non-Run-Flat)
The Premier A/S is the closest tire to perfection, at least when it comes to the BMW 328i. Michelin managed to inject the tire with some truly excellent handling, despite the fact that the tread compound is an all-season one.
Sure, the cornering grip isn’t on the level of performance tires, but it comes very close. And, on the street, you might never tell the difference. Moreover, compared to other grand-touring all-season tires, the Premier A/S is favorable in terms of grip and traction, but also responsiveness and steering feel.
Even more impressive is the wet traction, which is best in the category. On top of that, the EverTread technology widens the grooves on the tire as it wears down, keeping the wet traction intact. The Premier A/S even manages to provide you with some winter traction, albeit winter tires are still recommended.
Despite the focus on performance, the Premier A/S is very quiet and comfortable, like almost every other Michelin tire. That said, the 60,000-mile treadwear warranty is shorter than the competition, and the price is the highest in the category.
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Best Grand-Touring All-Season Tires for BMW 328i (Non-Run-Flat)
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Valid through January 23, 2021
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For drivers that mostly care about comfort, there is no better tire than the newly-launched Turanza QuietTrack. Bridgestone did a great job of reducing noise here – the tire remains almost silent at highway speeds. The ride quality is sublime as well, both over smaller and larger imperfections.
Despite the exceptional comfort levels, the Turanza QuietTrack manages to provide the driver with very predictable handling. The tire isn’t the most responsive around, but at least it manages to achieve high levels of cornering grip, excellent traction, and strong braking.
The wet performance is equally good, with excellent traction, short braking distances, and exceptional hydroplaning resistance. Light-snow traction is very good as well, especially for an all-season tire.
One of the best things about the Turanza QuietTrack is the 80,000-mile treadwear warranty, a record in the category. That said, the QuietTrack is also one of the priciest grand-touring tires around, on par with the Michelin Premier A/S.
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Best Grand-Touring All-Season Tires for BMW 328i (Non-Run-Flat)
The CS5 Ultra Touring is an excellent tire for BMW 328i owners that want to save a bit of cash. Cooper priced its grand-touring offering much lower than the premium competition, while also employing some advanced technologies.
On the road, the tire hides its budget nature excellently. The steering is very responsive and direct, and the tire even communicates well with the driver. Moreover, the cornering grip is great, even for some more enthusiastic drivers. As expected, the traction is excellent, and the braking distances are very short.
The CS5 Ultra Touring continues to shine in wet conditions. The traction in rainy conditions is excellent, and the tire is easily controllable. The braking distances are also very short. Meanwhile, noise isn’t a very big issue, and the tire rides well over bumps.
Cooper even manages to provide a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is exceptional for the price. That said, I wasn’t impressed with the snow traction.
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Best Grand-Touring All-Season Run-Flat Tires for BMW 328i
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Valid through January 23, 2021
Available at DiscountTire.com
The Bridgestone DriveGuard is the most accomplished run-flat tire on the market right now. Why? Well, because the Japanese manufacturer managed to make the tire lighter, which positively affects performance and handling.
On the road, the DriveGuard handles and drives almost like a regular tire. The steering is responsive and direct, without damaging the ride quality too much. Actually, this is one of the most comfortable run-flat tires. Noise is also very well suppressed, even at very high velocities.
The cornering grip is also excellent, and the same can be said for traction and braking on dry roads. The DriveGuard continues to impress on wet roads, where it provides the driver with controllable handling, excellent traction, and very good hydroplaning resistance. The only area where the tire doesn’t impress is snow traction, but that’s nothing new for an all-season tire.
On a more positive note, Bridgestone provides a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is among the best of any run-flat-tire.
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Best Grand-Touring All-Season Run-Flat Tires for BMW 328i
The ContiProContact SSR is another accomplished run-flat tire that fits the nature of the BMW 328i very well. Despite the stiffer sidewalls that support the tire in case of pressure loss, Continental still managed to make the tire comfortable. The ContiProContact irons out smaller and larger bumps, and it’s also quiet.
Moreover, the tire handles everyday tasks with aplomb. The steering is responsive, and the tire feels direct and eager. The cornering grip is also among the best in the grand-touring category, the braking distances are short, and the traction is excellent.
Like most Continental tires, the wet traction is exceptional, accompanied by short braking distances. That said, light-snow traction and braking are only average.
Continental provides a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty on H-Speed rated models, which is excellent for a run-flat-tire. Nonetheless, some owners report that the tire doesn’t last as long as advertised.
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Best Grand-Touring All-Season Run-Flat Tires for BMW 328i
The Primacy MXM4 ZP is perhaps the best-driving grand-touring run-flat-tire. However, it also has a “fatal” flaw – it only comes with a 30,000-mile treadwear warranty, while also costing a fortune. Treadlife should be okay, but Michelin should provide a warranty that fits the price better.
Don’t write out the Primacy MXM4 ZP just yet. Michelin’s grand-touring run-flat offering is the best in its category when it comes to driving. The tire feels very responsive, while also offering high levels of grip and traction on dry roads.
Performance in rainy weather is equally remarkable. The hydroplaning resistance is excellent, and the tire feels easily controllable and glued to the ground. On top of that, the Primacy MXM4 ZP provides usable light-snow traction, and it brakes well over snow.
In terms of comfort, the ride quality is fine, albeit not exceptional. Noise is very well suppressed, though, even at very high velocities.
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Best Grand-Touring All-Season Run-Flat Tires for BMW 328i
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Valid through March 31, 2021
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Valid through January 23, 2021
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Goodyear’s run-flat offering falls very short on treadlife. Owners report only average durability, especially when compared to other premium tires. Goodyear also doesn’t provide any treadwear warranty on the tire, which is something that the company needs to rectify.
Still, the Eagle LS-2 fares impressively in other tests. Goodyear specifically developed this tire for European sedans like the BMW 328i, and that shows on the road. The Eagle LS-2 is a very responsive tire and one that communicates well with the driver.
Moreover, the grip this tire offers is among the best I’ve experienced in a grand-touring run-flat tire, the traction is excellent, and the braking distances are very short. On top of that, the wet traction is merely outstanding, and the braking is sublime.
And, while the light-snow traction is okay, the ride quality is exceptional. Well, at least for a run-flat tire, that is. The Eagle LS-2 is very quiet as well.
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Best Ultra-High-Performance All-Season BMW 328i Tires
Real car enthusiasts will tell you that all-season tires shouldn’t be your first choice for performance driving. However, they probably never tried the ExtremeContact DWS06. Sure, Continental's all-season performance offering won’t replace a proper summer tire, but it comes very close.
And, on the street at least, you won’t be able to tell the difference. The ExtremeContact DWS06 feels eager and sharp, just like a summer performance tire. The cornering grip is excellent as well – you won’t believe this tire is made of an all-season rubber.
Continental also managed to make the ExtremeContact DWS06 excellent in rainy conditions. The tire remains surefooted in heavy rain, giving the driver a lot of confidence. Also, the hydroplaning resistance is excellent as well.
The best thing about the ExtremeContact DWS06 is that it lasts very long, and Continental covers it with an excellent 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. If it wasn’t for the noisy operation on rough roads, the ExtremeContact DWS06 would’ve been perfect.
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Best Max-Performance Summer BMW 328i Tires
If you want to improve the handling of your BMW 328i, but you don’t want to lose on comfort, there is no better choice than the Pilot Sport 4S. Michelin’s newest addition to the max-performance summer lineup is the most accomplished performance tire right now, and it’s not even close.
At first, the tire might not feel as responsive as the competition, but I’m really splitting hairs here. What matters is that the tire communicates with the driver outstandingly well. Moreover, the cornering grip it provides is almost racing-level, and the same is valid for traction and braking.
Oh, and don’t worry about the rain – the Pilot Sport 4S continues to impress on wet roads. It feels surefooted in the rain and gives you the ability to push forward. Oh, and it’s also hushed for a performance tire and comes with an exceptional 30,000-mile treadwear warranty. If it only was slightly cheaper.
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Best Winter Tires for BMW 328i
Get $70 Prepaid Mastercard® by mail when you purchase a set of four select Bridgestone tires
Valid through January 23, 2021
Available at DiscountTire.com
The Blizzak WS90 is the successor of the wildly-popular WS80, and it immediately launches itself on the top of the category. If you want the best studless winter tire for BMW 328i, look no further – it’s the Blizzak WS90.
Snow becomes almost a non-issue with this tire. The traction is merely outstanding – you won’t have trouble accelerating. Moreover, the braking distances are the shortest in its class, and the handling feels safe and surefooted.
Ice is another surface where the Blizzak WS90 beats the close competition by offering better traction and braking. On top of that, Bridgestone’s winter offering feels very safe in wet conditions and drives well on dry roads.
That said, while Bridgestone advertises an improved treadwear warranty, they should’ve provided a treadwear warranty on the tire, just like Michelin does. Also, the Blizzak WS90 can be expensive for some buyers, although I suspect that won’t be an issue for BMW 328i owners.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- When should I replace my BMW tires?
It is recommended to replace the tires every 4-5 years, even if there is ample tread left. That’s because the rubber on your tires becomes harder and can’t grip the road very well.
Also, if you cover a lot of miles annually, you should replace the tires sooner. The minimum tread depth for safe wet driving is 2/32-inch, but be sure to replace the tires before that. You can use the built-in TWI’s (tread wear indicators) to monitor the tread depth of your tires.
- What’s the correct tire pressure on the BMW 328i?
It depends on the size of your wheels. On most models and trims, the correct pressure is 32 psi on both ends. However, models that have equal sizes front and rear should be pressurized to 32 psi (front), and 35 psi (rear). To be sure, you can check on the door sill (driver’s side), or in the owner’s manual.
- Do I need new TPMS sensors when I replace the tires?
You can reuse the existing TPMS sensors when you replace the tires – the tire technician should do that for you. If you change your rims, though, you need to transfer the sensors onto the new wheel and tire combo.
Conclusion
You probably noticed that I only included high-quality premium tires on my top 10 list. That’s because I fully believe that there is no price on safety, and premium tires are the safest around. Besides, the BMW 328i is a high-performance vehicle that deserves great tires.
If you are still interested in cheaper tires, though, you can check reviews of those products on our website – they contain some valuable info!