12-18-2012, 05:24 PM | #23 |
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12-18-2012, 05:26 PM | #24 |
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Just make sure that you get at least H-rated winter tires.
I have Continental WinterExtremeContact and I hate them. The traction is excellent but the tires are hopelessly soft and the handling is horrible, unlike my previous set (Vredestein which were H-rated). I had also Blizzak in the past and no, thanks. They just don't last. |
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12-18-2012, 06:01 PM | #26 |
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Honestly that's what I saw too. And of course you still see these drivers in ditches. On the bright side, with AWD they can probably get their scraped up car out of a ditch pretty easily ;-)
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12-18-2012, 07:45 PM | #27 |
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I see cars with snow tires in the ditch as well, the worst part is that if you are in a RWD with snow tires and both rear wheels are in the ditch or stuck, you are shit out of luck unlike a X-drive which still have the front wheels to pull you out. Another problem with RWD cars with snow tires is that they cannot get up a steep hill without sliding where as a X-drive have the front wheels to help pull the car straight up. Both AWD and winter tires have their advantage and disadvantage, looking at the sales numbers in the snow belt states, it’s pretty safe to say almost all BMW owners prefer the X-drive advantage and find the disadvantage very minimal. Another advantage of the X-drive is that if you find the X-drive with all season tires setup still not good enough for your winter driving conditions, you can still step it up with a set of snow tires when as a RWD with snow tires will never be as good as a AWD with snow.
Last edited by The X Men; 12-18-2012 at 07:56 PM.. |
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12-18-2012, 08:38 PM | #29 |
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Honestly, xDrive is too pricey. If we still lived in Philly, where we measure snow in feet, we'd have bought a Volvo S60 T5 AWD or the XC70.
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12-18-2012, 10:38 PM | #30 | |
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That's my E34 touring with a set of Hakkepelitas going over the Continental Divide in Wyoming
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12-19-2012, 12:21 AM | #31 | |
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For your area and terrain DO NOT make the costliest mistake by making the cheapest decision. Get some real snow/winter tires. You're driving children around and you all need to be safe. There's a sort of adage in the motorcycle community regarding how much to spend on a helmet. It goes, If you've got a cheap head, then buy a cheap helmet. If you want to save some money the best and safest way to do that is to mount the snow tires on OEM wheels. Just have the tire shop install the winter set and take the OEM set home and use them for the other 3 seasons. Remember, for a BMW lease you have to return the car with run flat tires, and the tread has to be at a usable amount. I don't know how many miles you drive, but by swapping the OEM tires with winters you will have plenty of tread on the OEM set when you return the car. By getting snow tires you may actually be saving money. Win and win. If you get those snow "socks" you'll have to install and remove them every time you need to use them. If you need to get somewhere fast that'll just slow you down. You can get great prices at the TireRack, have them delivered and go to a tire shop to install them. If you have a Discount Tire in your area, with some knowledge of TireRacks prices and some negotiating you can get the tires at the same price. Merry Xmas! Last edited by RPM90; 12-19-2012 at 12:28 AM.. |
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12-19-2012, 08:08 AM | #32 | |
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To check if your P7s are all season or not, look for a "M+S" symbol on the tire. It will be near the 225/45/18 size indication. It stands for "mud and snow." Also, it will say "All Season" just below the "Cinturato P7." The summer version does not say M+S or All Season. |
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12-19-2012, 02:04 PM | #33 |
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Here in Denver, we finally had our first taste of snow this morning.
Drove my 335 x-Drive with Michelin Pilot Alpin's in to work with no problems. When I was leaving my neighborhood I got the chance to feel the RWD bias of x-Drive. Going around a corner a bit too fast and my rear started to come around a little fast, but x-Drive kicked into gear and put more power to the front. Felt good.
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12-19-2012, 05:30 PM | #34 |
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We just had most of the snow that we will get here for the year in Vancouver.....about 3 or 4 inches over 2 days. Listening to the local news you would think that Armageddon had occured because of all the mayhem on the local roads. I have a short drive that includes some winding hills with a 20 degree grade, even with fresh snow of 2 or 3 inches on the road my 335xdive with all season tires took it all in without a sweat or barely even the spin of a tire.
As usual the forecast for the next 2 weeks now for Vancouver is mostly for more rain I got the Xdrive mostly for all of the rain here but it also makes short work of the rare snow we see on our local roads Here in Vancouver, with rear wheel drive you are ptobably fine with all season tires if you have no hills to climb but if you have any hills I would suggest getting winter tires. Last edited by SPACEMANRICK; 12-19-2012 at 05:48 PM.. |
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12-19-2012, 06:29 PM | #35 |
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I use to always have problems in the snow or ice in my 328i. I was surprised at how the winter tires (General Altimax Arctic) grip the snow/ice because the slipping and swaying went away completely.
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12-19-2012, 06:31 PM | #36 |
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Well I just checked for the m/s and there's no bloody m/s on the tires. So I guess I'll have to buy winter tires. Seeing as its snowed 4 inches in the city where it never snows, and its only December...
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12-19-2012, 07:10 PM | #37 |
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Depending on the length of your lease, you're gonna have to buy a set of tires one way or another. If you return the car with minimal tread, BMW will charge you for a set of tires.
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12-19-2012, 07:57 PM | #38 | |
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12-20-2012, 04:31 AM | #39 | |
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I thought for most markets, the RWD sedans come shod in summer tires, whatever time of the year you purchase them. Any other tire package would be part of the buying process. HighlandPete |
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12-20-2012, 06:03 AM | #40 |
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I'll chime in with what others have said. Snow tires.
I'll give an example. Two years ago, in the Wash D.C. area. Snowmageddon. My wife owned a '95 Ford Explorer, fitted with Pirelli "Scorpion" Snow/Rough terrain tires, a hold over from when she lived further west. We didn't even bother digging out the Jetta, and just prepped her truck. Drove that thing all over. Went around Lexus and Acura SUVs that had spun out and got caught in drifts. We took friends to the grocery, ran errands, and basically had fun driving wherever the heck we wanted because the truck would never lose grip. A year later, when 6in fell during an evening commute, we drove down a completely un-plowed road, bypassing two other modern luxury SUVs, rescued our friend, did a U-turn on a narrow two lane road in snowdrifts, and got her home. What surprised me? The truck's 4x4 was kept in auto the entire time. (enabling it was tricky and came with a page of disclaimers, so I left it in that mode) I felt the truck engage the 4x4 only twice. So, lesson learned? Smart and cautious driving with the right tires makes all the difference. I can't tell you how many SUVs with AWD I saw flounder because they were equipped with summer tires. For all of the wiz-bang gadgetry in the car, only your tires touch the road. Make them good. As for me, I just took delivery of my 335i, with xDrive. My Sottozero IIs have already been ordered, despite me having all-seasons already. Do it right. =) |
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12-20-2012, 06:18 AM | #41 | |
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12-20-2012, 06:34 AM | #42 | |
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12-20-2012, 10:04 AM | #43 |
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We are definitely going to do something. I'm waiting for the dealer to make it right. We should have at least been told they were summer tires when we agreed to by the car (we even told them it had snowed at our house and they didn't say anything). If I'd know I'd have to buy winter tires when we looked at the car, I wouldn't have bought. I love the way bmw drives and its a great car, but if it useless in snow, it's useless to me especially with two kids.
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12-20-2012, 12:15 PM | #44 | |
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yes you can get them in states. I had a set of Nokian on my Outback (base model cloth seat beater for ski pass trips), and it was abso-freakin-lutely a tank in the snow. |
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