Tires running wide/narrow

[CedarZ4]

I need new tires, and I was thinking about getting the Michelin A/S 3. I currently have the Continental DWS, and with my steering wheel turned completely, the tires have about a .25 inch clearance from rubbing against the wheel well liner.

I'm reading from other forums that the Michelins run wide, and the Continentals run narrow. Looking up the specs from the manufacture, the overall diameter and overall section width for both are identical - does this mean that the Michelins should fit? I've also heard that manufacture measurements are rounded to the nearest half inch (is this true?) I'm concerned about throwing down $1,000 and having it rub once mounted.

When they say a tire runs wide or narrow, what exactly are they referring to specifically? The tread width? Overall section width (sidewall to sidewall)? Any opinions much appreciated.

[nicknaz]

ppl measure the tire when its mounted and installed (side wall to side wall) and compare to stated measurement. (if actual is greater than stated, then it runs wide)

My GUESS is that if you run stock or 235 front or 265 rear width it should be fine. I haven't read of anything about people having rub with those, unless the wheel offset is far off from stock

EDIT: there some pics out there where this is really obvious, when 2 stacks of tires are compared. There might be the same stated measurement but there is a clear difference in the height of the stacks

[CedarZ4]

Thanks Nick, so the overall sectional width (from sidewall to sidewall) is the measurement I should be looking at?

I know 235 up front and 265 in the rear will fit without rubbing, but I wanted to run 245/275s.

On a different topic... those who have the PSS, how are they in cold weather? I no longer plan on driving the Z when it snows, but being in the east it does get chilly during the winter. I'm afraid that the PSS will become useless slicks during those months, otherwise I'd get them over the Michelin A/S, which are the same price as the PSS

[jparnes1]

Forget using PSS in cold weather. They are designed to be a summer tire. The rubber will just freeze up. Is your Z your daily year around driver? Is that why you want to put A/S on them? Because you will lose some performance.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by CedarZ4

On a different topic... those who have the PSS, how are they in cold weather? I no longer plan on driving the Z when it snows, but being in the east it does get chilly during the winter. I'm afraid that the PSS will become useless slicks during those months, otherwise I'd get them over the Michelin A/S, which are the same price as the PSS

Over 40F is it not an issue for the PSS or "extreme" street tires

I have used the dunlop ZII last "winter" at a track day in socal when ambient temps were 45F in the morning and after a few sighting laps the tires were fine

honestly, PSS is pretty much an OEM street tire, you don't have anything to worry about if there is no snow or ice or the ground.