New Member - 1 Year with the G37x
12-17-2015, 02:13 AM
#1
Registered Member
Thread Starter
New Member - 1 Year with the G37x
Hey, all! After creeping on the forums for a year, I thought I should join in on the fun.
I got this beautiful CPO 2013 G37x last December with only 7700 miles on it. Now at 19,000+, I love it more than ever. That being said, I've gotten know it better and the forums highlight its key attributes pretty well.
Upon hearing the raw roar of the VQ and feeling the heavy, hydraulically-assisted steering for the first time, I immediately fell in love with it. There's not as many sport sedans during its model year that offers the same feedback and experience as the G37 does. The steering gradually builds in weight as you push it in the corners. The engine, while lacking low end torque, only asks of you to push it harder; the redline may be kind of gritty in sound, but it's a sound reassurance that you're getting all of your money's worth. 19MPG on the highway isn't exactly wonderful, but it's the smiles per gallon that counts. The sound from the Bose speakers is quite nice as well.
With that out of the way, I've gotten learn that it's also inherently flawed as all of you have found out. Thankfully, most of them can be easily resolved.
1. Good Year RS-A tires: As if the small section tires weren't enough, these tires seem to be sourced from a Power Wheels. They literally screech even at a 1/6 of the throttle from a dead stop. If there is one good note that I have, they felt on the stiff side and made the steering feel linear.
Between the Continental DWS06, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3, and Michelin Premier A/S. While the Pilots were really appealing, I ultimately went for the Premier and do not regret it at all. While slightly softer than the tires they replaced, still provide the beautiful, stock steering feel when set to 37PSI all around and simultaneously cushion passengers away from the harsh bumps along my commute. No longer does a corner feel like driving on the edge! Tire roar went down slightly, too, though it's still a tad loud for my tastes.
2. The seating position: After a few months, the driving position felt a bit high for me. Thankfully, I found this thread. It's a small, but beneficial difference! Due to my incompetence, however, I managed to drop my 12mm socket under my seat and now it's rolling around somewhere between the carpet and the floor. Any ideas or suggestions with lifting up the driver's seat?
3. Body roll: For 90% of G37x owners, the handling is decent enough. However, the 10% of us on here always believe things can be better. While I found that I could take corners more confidently, there's no denying that the rear sway bar downgrade from the factory really affected the driving experience and the increased grip of the tires emphases that. While I would love to go for a Hotchkis upgrade now, I'm not financially fit for that at the moment.
I've been watching online for listings, but sport model sway bars don't always come up. Does anyone know if the convertible RSB are the same ones as on the coupe?
I plan to keep mods to a minimum for the next few years, but I hope to do small things like RSB upgrade, muffler delete, tints, and vinyl at some point in time.
That's probably the beauty about these cars: they're not perfect, but that means we get to choose how to define it.
12-20-2015, 08:20 PM
#3
1. Good Year RS-A tires: As if the small section tires weren't enough, these tires seem to be sourced from a Power Wheels. They literally screech even at a 1/6 of the throttle from a dead stop. If there is one good note that I have, they felt on the stiff side and made the steering feel linear.
Between the Continental DWS06, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3, and Michelin Premier A/S. While the Pilots were really appealing, I ultimately went for the Premier and do not regret it at all. While slightly softer than the tires they replaced, still provide the beautiful, stock steering feel when set to 37PSI all around and simultaneously cushion passengers away from the harsh bumps along my commute. No longer does a corner feel like driving on the edge! Tire roar went down slightly, too, though it's still a tad loud for my tastes.
I have a 2013 G37x as well, and riding on the DWS06 now. I tried the GY Eagle Assymetric and they felt pretty close to RS-A. The conti has made my car feel a bit more premium and comfy to ride, but less communicating about the road. It also makes my car look better (subjective) in a non sporty or bad *** way.
If you have a picture of your sedan from the sides; with your new tires on, and your opinion on the road feedback and comfort level with them, I can possibly have another choice to consider when my time is up for a new set.
Btw, do you live in a snow country of regularly more than 3 inch of snow falls in winter? I do, hence I chose the DWS for its superior snow handling; for an all season tire that is. Unfortunately I do not have the luxury of owning a garage to store a winter set, so I am riding all season, all year.
Last edited by sharmelan; 12-20-2015 at 08:28 PM.
12-20-2015, 09:13 PM
#4
Registered Member
Thread Starter
I'll try to get some photos of it from the side tomorrow, but I can give you some feedback on the tires themselves in the meantime. I live in Massachusetts, so definitely in regular snow fall territory (though recent weather suggestions otherwise haha)
They definitely look more substantial than the RS-A's, especially when new, but overtime will produce a smoother look when the tire starts to wear.
I definitely agree with you that the Good Year RS-A's provide good feedback. They seem to transmit road imperfections more and provides linear steering movement.
The downside with them is that they seem to lose grip too easily. For most driving situations, they should suffice. However, I feel that our cars have too much power for the RS-A's. Whenever turning onto a main road from a side street or when slightly more throttle is needed (little more than 1/4 from a dead stop), it's quite easy to produce tire spin and causes the front differential to engage. If you are not familiar, our cars are RWD until the rear loses grip, and the front differential engages for AWD until grip is restored.
When I mounted the Premier A/S (late August), I also felt more comfort with the trade off of less feedback. I rectified the issue by altering the tire pressures. Stock pressures would be 33 all around as instructed with the OEM RS-A's, but I increased them all by 37 which definitely returned most of the feel and linear control while maintaining the benefit of comfort and quietness. There is still a subtle loss in road imperfection feel through the steering wheel, but not enough to notice after a week or two. I would definitely check adjust your pressures first if road feel is your only problem.
My favorite part about the Premier A/S is how consistent they feel in all conditions. The biggest appeal with these tires aim to feel almost the same regardless of being in torrential rain or dry weather. Compared to the RS-A, producing wheel spin feels almost impossible and grip is definitely increased. You will definitely find yourself taking corners faster and pondering about upgrading your sway bars! In terms of wet conditions, I've had several days when I've hit unexpected puddles on freeways and the car feels completely stable and predictable regardless of condition. They do a great job of channeling water and the tread design is made to alter its channels over its lifetime so its wet performance remains the same over its lifetime. It's very easy to gauge your limits of grip. I've yet to try these on snow, but I have full confidence in them.
In terms of comfort and noise, they have definitely dampened the ride. You can definitely approach bumps with more confidence noise and they are a little quieter than the RS-A's, but they do produce a different roar (almost drony) over certain surfaces (I've only produced that on a specific section on I-93). In most cases, tire noise does sound the same as most tires. I suspect this is from the tread that is by the sidewall, as increasing tire pressures and wear over time reduced this characteristic. However, the G37 isn't exactly the best with cabin isolation.
While I have not had experienced the DWS line, I have experienced the similar summer DW model on a BMW and while they are at a good value in terms of grip, the sidewall feels too soft for my liking and would likely contribute to your reduced feel. The DWS06 is supposed to remedy that, but they were too new for reviews when I selected my tires. Some have stated that the DWS06 feels more like touring all season tire in terms of road feel, just like the Premier A/S, even though they are marketed as a performance all-season. You can also consider the Pilot Sport A/S 3 if you want to stick to performance all-seasons, but most reviews suggest that they do not provide optimal snow grip compared to the DWS and the Premier. They do seem to provide a benefit of dry grip and increased road feel compared to our tires though.
Definitely look into the Tire Rack reviews; they may not give you the answers that you are looking for, but they do provide some food for thought.
They definitely look more substantial than the RS-A's, especially when new, but overtime will produce a smoother look when the tire starts to wear.
I definitely agree with you that the Good Year RS-A's provide good feedback. They seem to transmit road imperfections more and provides linear steering movement.
The downside with them is that they seem to lose grip too easily. For most driving situations, they should suffice. However, I feel that our cars have too much power for the RS-A's. Whenever turning onto a main road from a side street or when slightly more throttle is needed (little more than 1/4 from a dead stop), it's quite easy to produce tire spin and causes the front differential to engage. If you are not familiar, our cars are RWD until the rear loses grip, and the front differential engages for AWD until grip is restored.
When I mounted the Premier A/S (late August), I also felt more comfort with the trade off of less feedback. I rectified the issue by altering the tire pressures. Stock pressures would be 33 all around as instructed with the OEM RS-A's, but I increased them all by 37 which definitely returned most of the feel and linear control while maintaining the benefit of comfort and quietness. There is still a subtle loss in road imperfection feel through the steering wheel, but not enough to notice after a week or two. I would definitely check adjust your pressures first if road feel is your only problem.
My favorite part about the Premier A/S is how consistent they feel in all conditions. The biggest appeal with these tires aim to feel almost the same regardless of being in torrential rain or dry weather. Compared to the RS-A, producing wheel spin feels almost impossible and grip is definitely increased. You will definitely find yourself taking corners faster and pondering about upgrading your sway bars! In terms of wet conditions, I've had several days when I've hit unexpected puddles on freeways and the car feels completely stable and predictable regardless of condition. They do a great job of channeling water and the tread design is made to alter its channels over its lifetime so its wet performance remains the same over its lifetime. It's very easy to gauge your limits of grip. I've yet to try these on snow, but I have full confidence in them.
In terms of comfort and noise, they have definitely dampened the ride. You can definitely approach bumps with more confidence noise and they are a little quieter than the RS-A's, but they do produce a different roar (almost drony) over certain surfaces (I've only produced that on a specific section on I-93). In most cases, tire noise does sound the same as most tires. I suspect this is from the tread that is by the sidewall, as increasing tire pressures and wear over time reduced this characteristic. However, the G37 isn't exactly the best with cabin isolation.
While I have not had experienced the DWS line, I have experienced the similar summer DW model on a BMW and while they are at a good value in terms of grip, the sidewall feels too soft for my liking and would likely contribute to your reduced feel. The DWS06 is supposed to remedy that, but they were too new for reviews when I selected my tires. Some have stated that the DWS06 feels more like touring all season tire in terms of road feel, just like the Premier A/S, even though they are marketed as a performance all-season. You can also consider the Pilot Sport A/S 3 if you want to stick to performance all-seasons, but most reviews suggest that they do not provide optimal snow grip compared to the DWS and the Premier. They do seem to provide a benefit of dry grip and increased road feel compared to our tires though.
Definitely look into the Tire Rack reviews; they may not give you the answers that you are looking for, but they do provide some food for thought.
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sharmelan (01-09-2016)
12-20-2015, 09:50 PM
#5
I'll try to get some photos of it from the side tomorrow, but I can give you some feedback on the tires themselves in the meantime. I live in Massachusetts, so definitely in regular snow fall territory (though recent weather suggestions otherwise haha)
They definitely look more substantial than the RS-A's, especially when new, but overtime will produce a smoother look when the tire starts to wear.
I definitely agree with you that the Good Year RS-A's provide good feedback. They seem to transmit road imperfections more and provides linear steering movement.
The downside with them is that they seem to lose grip too easily. For most driving situations, they should suffice. However, I feel that our cars have too much power for the RS-A's. Whenever turning onto a main road from a side street or when slightly more throttle is needed (little more than 1/4 from a dead stop), it's quite easy to produce tire spin and causes the front differential to engage. If you are not familiar, our cars are RWD until the rear loses grip, and the front differential engages for AWD until grip is restored.
When I mounted the Premier A/S (late August), I also felt more comfort with the trade off of less feedback. I rectified the issue by altering the tire pressures. Stock pressures would be 33 all around as instructed with the OEM RS-A's, but I increased them all by 37 which definitely returned most of the feel and linear control while maintaining the benefit of comfort and quietness. There is still a subtle loss in road imperfection feel through the steering wheel, but not enough to notice after a week or two. I would definitely check adjust your pressures first if road feel is your only problem.
My favorite part about the Premier A/S is how consistent they feel in all conditions. The biggest appeal with these tires aim to feel almost the same regardless of being in torrential rain or dry weather. Compared to the RS-A, producing wheel spin feels almost impossible and grip is definitely increased. You will definitely find yourself taking corners faster and pondering about upgrading your sway bars! In terms of wet conditions, I've had several days when I've hit unexpected puddles on freeways and the car feels completely stable and predictable regardless of condition. They do a great job of channeling water and the tread design is made to alter its channels over its lifetime so its wet performance remains the same over its lifetime. It's very easy to gauge your limits of grip. I've yet to try these on snow, but I have full confidence in them.
In terms of comfort and noise, they have definitely dampened the ride. You can definitely approach bumps with more confidence noise and they are a little quieter than the RS-A's, but they do produce a different roar (almost drony) over certain surfaces (I've only produced that on a specific section on I-93). In most cases, tire noise does sound the same as most tires. I suspect this is from the tread that is by the sidewall, as increasing tire pressures and wear over time reduced this characteristic. However, the G37 isn't exactly the best with cabin isolation.
While I have not had experienced the DWS line, I have experienced the similar summer DW model on a BMW and while they are at a good value in terms of grip, the sidewall feels too soft for my liking and would likely contribute to your reduced feel. The DWS06 is supposed to remedy that, but they were too new for reviews when I selected my tires. Some have stated that the DWS06 feels more like touring all season tire in terms of road feel, just like the Premier A/S, even though they are marketed as a performance all-season. You can also consider the Pilot Sport A/S 3 if you want to stick to performance all-seasons, but most reviews suggest that they do not provide optimal snow grip compared to the DWS and the Premier. They do seem to provide a benefit of dry grip and increased road feel compared to our tires though.
Definitely look into the Tire Rack reviews; they may not give you the answers that you are looking for, but they do provide some food for thought.
They definitely look more substantial than the RS-A's, especially when new, but overtime will produce a smoother look when the tire starts to wear.
I definitely agree with you that the Good Year RS-A's provide good feedback. They seem to transmit road imperfections more and provides linear steering movement.
The downside with them is that they seem to lose grip too easily. For most driving situations, they should suffice. However, I feel that our cars have too much power for the RS-A's. Whenever turning onto a main road from a side street or when slightly more throttle is needed (little more than 1/4 from a dead stop), it's quite easy to produce tire spin and causes the front differential to engage. If you are not familiar, our cars are RWD until the rear loses grip, and the front differential engages for AWD until grip is restored.
When I mounted the Premier A/S (late August), I also felt more comfort with the trade off of less feedback. I rectified the issue by altering the tire pressures. Stock pressures would be 33 all around as instructed with the OEM RS-A's, but I increased them all by 37 which definitely returned most of the feel and linear control while maintaining the benefit of comfort and quietness. There is still a subtle loss in road imperfection feel through the steering wheel, but not enough to notice after a week or two. I would definitely check adjust your pressures first if road feel is your only problem.
My favorite part about the Premier A/S is how consistent they feel in all conditions. The biggest appeal with these tires aim to feel almost the same regardless of being in torrential rain or dry weather. Compared to the RS-A, producing wheel spin feels almost impossible and grip is definitely increased. You will definitely find yourself taking corners faster and pondering about upgrading your sway bars! In terms of wet conditions, I've had several days when I've hit unexpected puddles on freeways and the car feels completely stable and predictable regardless of condition. They do a great job of channeling water and the tread design is made to alter its channels over its lifetime so its wet performance remains the same over its lifetime. It's very easy to gauge your limits of grip. I've yet to try these on snow, but I have full confidence in them.
In terms of comfort and noise, they have definitely dampened the ride. You can definitely approach bumps with more confidence noise and they are a little quieter than the RS-A's, but they do produce a different roar (almost drony) over certain surfaces (I've only produced that on a specific section on I-93). In most cases, tire noise does sound the same as most tires. I suspect this is from the tread that is by the sidewall, as increasing tire pressures and wear over time reduced this characteristic. However, the G37 isn't exactly the best with cabin isolation.
While I have not had experienced the DWS line, I have experienced the similar summer DW model on a BMW and while they are at a good value in terms of grip, the sidewall feels too soft for my liking and would likely contribute to your reduced feel. The DWS06 is supposed to remedy that, but they were too new for reviews when I selected my tires. Some have stated that the DWS06 feels more like touring all season tire in terms of road feel, just like the Premier A/S, even though they are marketed as a performance all-season. You can also consider the Pilot Sport A/S 3 if you want to stick to performance all-seasons, but most reviews suggest that they do not provide optimal snow grip compared to the DWS and the Premier. They do seem to provide a benefit of dry grip and increased road feel compared to our tires though.
Definitely look into the Tire Rack reviews; they may not give you the answers that you are looking for, but they do provide some food for thought.
Thanks for the detailed feedback.
My RS-A felt pretty good on puddles as well. But I didn't know any better at the time.
One of the most appreciated improvement that I felt with DWS06 is, its incredibly quiet. It made my Bose system sound even better, and I kid you not; I was able to hear the bass tones without manually having to adjust the equalizer. This to me was incredible.
But after about 12,000 miles on the DWS06, I must admit, the road noise has been slowly increasing, but not to the level of RS-A or any other tire that I have previously had (including Grand Touring ones). This is still quietest tire that I have ever driven.
On the Snow, it gave me the confidence to drive on, where I saw other cars struggling to climb up the inclines on the road, as well as my parking lot.
I was looking for a set of tires that is V rated, and good on snow. And tirerack showed the DWS to be the top choice. At the time I got it, there was only about 4 reviews or so on tirerack, and all were very positive. Hence, I went with it.
About the soft sidewall, I am still scared of it. But the DWS06 is supposed to be an improvement, and I read on some thread (not sure of which) mentioned that the DWS06 is stiffer than the predecessor.
I do agree about the Touring tire feel that others are talking about. Not really sure how it is really a performance tire, but I guess it must be because of the V rating.
12-21-2015, 09:23 PM
#6
Registered Member
Thread Starter
Pardon my car's appearance - I haven't been able to clean my car recently.
Most of these photos were earlier today on my phoneand the tires have around 5,000+ miles on them; the only exception is the bottom left corner, which was taken when they were new. As you can, the sidewall appearance when new seems to be on the chunkier side, but wear smooths the channels out.
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sharmelan (01-09-2016)
01-09-2016, 01:52 PM
#7
Looks much nicer than I thought it would. Thanks a ton for the attached pics.
In comparison, my DWS 06 still look chunkier and does not seem to flat out. But I am not concerned about it much. I should also mention the non clean cuts off the tire press. There were some rubber pieces (small and thin of course) on the sidewall that always caught my eye, and I considered an eyesore. I went through the hassle of exchanging this tire for Good Year Eagle F2 Asymmetric and ran back to DWS 06 for the comfort, tire noise and well behaved road feel (Subjective to individual taste, of course).
In comparison, my DWS 06 still look chunkier and does not seem to flat out. But I am not concerned about it much. I should also mention the non clean cuts off the tire press. There were some rubber pieces (small and thin of course) on the sidewall that always caught my eye, and I considered an eyesore. I went through the hassle of exchanging this tire for Good Year Eagle F2 Asymmetric and ran back to DWS 06 for the comfort, tire noise and well behaved road feel (Subjective to individual taste, of course).
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