Nitto Motivo Warning

[EightySix Four]

Girlfriend recently replaced the Continental DWSs on her car with a set of Nitto Motivo. Not many reviews out there about them, but I haven't ever had a problem with Nitto and the local tire shop didn't have the Conti's available so we went for it. After driving home she told me they didn't feel "right" when turning and changing lanes, which I assumed was just that they were a bit new and probably a little slippery, so I told her to give it a few days. After 4 days and 150 miles, she was still complaining so I took it out for a drive.

Tire pressure: Check
Proper sizes: Check
Straight line acceleration: Exceptionally grippy.
Around town driving: Not the sharpest turning sensation but not awful.

Then I changed lanes on the freeway at about 75 mph.

Holy. Shit.

I have never experienced sidewall flex like this on anything short of the most extreme off road tires. You could feel the car's momentum take it past where the wheels were and then the tires would straighten back out again, sending you back towards the lane you just came from. It literally felt like I was fighting a rubber band.

We are taking them back and I highly recommend anyone considering these look for something else.

 

[phucheneh]

I don't think I've ever heard a complaint of 'excessive sidewall flex on interstate.'

What kind of car is this? What size tire?

 

[EightySix Four]

I don't think I've ever heard a complaint of 'excessive sidewall flex on interstate.'

What kind of car is this? What size tire?

A 2010 C350 with 225/45-17 up front and 245/40-17 in the rear. Only change is the tires. Checked alignment a week before the swap at the MB dealership and it was fine. The DWSs will be installed on Monday so I will let you know but I am nearly positive that is what it is.

 

[fstime]

The Conti DWS, while a well respected tire, is known for having soft sidewalls also.

I have never had Nitto tires, but they are owned by Toyo it seems, and Toyo Proxes have always been a favorite high performance all-season for me personally.

My local tire chain lets you return tires if you are not happy with them no questions asked within a month of purchasing them so maybe that is something your installer may offer.

 

[brainhulk]

i wonder if these nittos require a higher pressure.

 

[EightySix Four]

The Conti DWS, while a well respected tire, is known for having soft sidewalls also.

I have never had Nitto tires, but they are owned by Toyo it seems, and Toyo Proxes have always been a favorite high performance all-season for me personally.

My local tire chain lets you return tires if you are not happy with them no questions asked within a month of purchasing them so maybe that is something your installer may offer.

They are taking them back, they just ordered DWSs Friday which won't arrive until Monday.

I know the DWSs have some flex and have driven the Mercedes with the DWSs on there, these are in a different league. I actually believe them to be dangerous on her car, for whatever reason.

 

[SSSnail]

The Conti DWS, while a well respected tire, is known for having soft sidewalls also.

I have never had Nitto tires, but they are owned by Toyo it seems, and Toyo Proxes have always been a favorite high performance all-season for me personally.

My local tire chain lets you return tires if you are not happy with them no questions asked within a month of purchasing them so maybe that is something your installer may offer.

Do you or did you own the Conti DWS? Or is that just hearsay from the "internet"?

 

[EightySix Four]

Put on the DWSs yesterday. Drives like a normal car again.

 

[phucheneh]

Pretty weird. I've had little to no experience with Nittos, but a 17" tire in a W/V/Y (somewhere in there...'higher than H and not Z' is a good general way to look at it) speed rating is an odd thing to cause conspicuously bad handling.

edit: the Conti's aren't runflats, are they? Runflats are stiff as a fothermucker.