Winter wheels and tires : what to choose?

Aeromotive · 08-13-2013, 11:19 PM

Hi all.

I know I'm a bit early on this but I would love the have the information before fall arrives and all tire shops become busy. We just got our 335i Xdrive with M Sport and the 19" wheels (403M), and I have a few questions (keep in mind this is a leased car so the set is probably going to be sold after 3 years, unless it fits the next car). Wife drives 88 highway kilometers per day and winter tires are required by provincial law here... so no all-season tires!

1) What kind of winter rims is it preferable to put? Replicas? Cheapest brand? Does it really matter other than for the looks? Thought about the Replika brand, which is a branch of Fast Wheels (cheap, cheap wheels)...

2) Because of M Sport brakes I can't go with 17" wheels

3) About tires, my wife does a lot of highway and conditions get harsh here sometimes, so I plan on getting her the best, even if it means paying extra $ (was thinking about Blizzak's or X-ice series). No cheap stuff here. Any suggestions?

4) RFT or not? This car doesn't have room for a spare tire. Also getting non-RFT's would mean buying 5 wheels/tires... is it just cheaper to go with RFT (and cross our fingers we don't get a flat tire)? However non-RFT seem to get consistently better reviews and opinions.

What did you guys choose for your cars?

Aero.

bamsefar · 08-14-2013, 04:37 AM

I will not say what brand of tires you need - I think you know this already ;-)

However I am in the same spot: 335i xDrive with 2NH, or the M Sport brakes from factory (EU version so I got the 370mm brake discs and so on). 18" wheels, so I will get the BMW OEM 416 (however 415 works just as well, and a few other 18" OEM wheels).

RFT is not an option, tires will be to hard and not be able to adapt to ice on the road when needed. Stay away as far as possible from RFT !

canbmw · 08-15-2013, 12:11 AM

^ Interesting opinion as I assume you get a lot of snow there like we do here in Canada. What do you do if you get a flat in the winter?

syuan92 · 08-15-2013, 10:15 PM

I'm also trying to prepare for the New England Winter! I've had a great deal of trouble with my '06 E60 525i and I was never smart enough to get winter tires :/ I just bought a new ActiveHybrid 3 and I'm definitely going to get a Winter set. Since I don't have the MSport Performance brakes, I am able to get 17" wheels. I'm just having trouble deciding between a performance winter tire or a snow/ice tire. Also, I have no idea what kind of wheel to get and whether or not I need to get TPMS or not. If anybody could give me some insight, that would be greatly appreciated

floydarogers · 08-15-2013, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamsefar

RFT is not an option, tires will be to hard and not be able to adapt to ice on the road when needed. Stay away as far as possible from RFT !

I don't know where you're coming from. RFT snow tires do exist, and there is no apparent difference in handling between them and go-flat snows.

Buy whatever you like; 225 is the favorite width, 7.5"-8.5" x 18" wheels are the preferred size. non-performance snows are squirmier than performance, but the additional grip in serious snow may not be worth it. Get TPMS for the wheels, and it won't matter RFT or go-flat, but you'll need a spare (use one of your summer tires) or depend upon AAA.

Although there are a lot of Blizzak fanboys (or Michelin or Nokia), all tires in the same category are very close in performance. Any of the non-performance Blizzaks, Michelin xIce or Nokia Hakkepelita will do just fine. If you shop others, be sure to compare on tirerack.com.

bamsefar · 08-16-2013, 02:42 AM

Well I do believe I know winters, since we have them for at least 4 months every year (and the law here in Sweden says we need winter tires from late October to early April), and I have been driving for the last 28 years. I have owned, among other cars, E46 328i, E46 330ix, E92 335ix and now a F30 335ix. So I do have a lot of experience of the xDrive systems on different road conditions, and different tires. I got my E46 in 1999 - so today I have about 14 years of BMW 3-series experience - is that enough ?

I have also tried RFT winter tires (and summer tires, I hate summer RFT just as much), and they are useless. Yes you can buy them, but stay away as far as possible ! The sidewalls are just to stiff to be able to get enough grip during driving on packed snow/ice bumpy roads (roads may be smooth during summer but when winter hits, they have a tendency to be everything except smooth...).

Also do remember that if you get a flat tire (not that common here in sweden I think), with RFT tires that is, you need to change both tires. Expensive tires, with less grip - you are free to make your own choice here. Mine is simple: Don't buy RFT tires.

I have the BMW repair kit in my trunk, which I think was released with the E92 M3 from the beginning - I just got it for my E92 335ix as a spare part, and are still waiting for the first time use. So with my E92 I drove for 6 years, no flat tire - so I newer had to use the repair kit.

Everyone has the right to there opinion, and this is my opinion based on real world driving.

08-13-2013, 11:19 PM	#1
Aeromotive Second Lieutenant 235 Rep 256 Posts Drives: you bonkers Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Montreal, QC iTrader: (0)	Winter wheels and tires : what to choose? Hi all. I know I'm a bit early on this but I would love the have the information before fall arrives and all tire shops become busy. We just got our 335i Xdrive with M Sport and the 19" wheels (403M), and I have a few questions (keep in mind this is a leased car so the set is probably going to be sold after 3 years, unless it fits the next car). Wife drives 88 highway kilometers per day and winter tires are required by provincial law here... so no all-season tires! 1) What kind of winter rims is it preferable to put? Replicas? Cheapest brand? Does it really matter other than for the looks? Thought about the Replika brand, which is a branch of Fast Wheels (cheap, cheap wheels)... 2) Because of M Sport brakes I can't go with 17" wheels 3) About tires, my wife does a lot of highway and conditions get harsh here sometimes, so I plan on getting her the best, even if it means paying extra $ (was thinking about Blizzak's or X-ice series). No cheap stuff here. Any suggestions? 4) RFT or not? This car doesn't have room for a spare tire. Also getting non-RFT's would mean buying 5 wheels/tires... is it just cheaper to go with RFT (and cross our fingers we don't get a flat tire)? However non-RFT seem to get consistently better reviews and opinions. What did you guys choose for your cars? Aero.
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08-14-2013, 04:37 AM	#2
bamsefar Let's Rock ! 5 Rep 62 Posts Drives: BMW 335i xDrive (F30) 2013 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	I will not say what brand of tires you need - I think you know this already ;-) However I am in the same spot: 335i xDrive with 2NH, or the M Sport brakes from factory (EU version so I got the 370mm brake discs and so on). 18" wheels, so I will get the BMW OEM 416 (however 415 works just as well, and a few other 18" OEM wheels). RFT is not an option, tires will be to hard and not be able to adapt to ice on the road when needed. Stay away as far as possible from RFT !
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08-15-2013, 12:11 AM	#3
canbmw Second Lieutenant 15 Rep 267 Posts Drives: 2014 F31 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Edmonton iTrader: (0)	^ Interesting opinion as I assume you get a lot of snow there like we do here in Canada. What do you do if you get a flat in the winter?
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08-15-2013, 10:15 PM	#4
syuan92 Member 26 Rep 237 Posts Drives: '20 BMW X3 M40i Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Massachusetts iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW X3 M40i [0.00] 2013 BMW ActiveHybr ... [0.00]	I'm also trying to prepare for the New England Winter! I've had a great deal of trouble with my '06 E60 525i and I was never smart enough to get winter tires :/ I just bought a new ActiveHybrid 3 and I'm definitely going to get a Winter set. Since I don't have the MSport Performance brakes, I am able to get 17" wheels. I'm just having trouble deciding between a performance winter tire or a snow/ice tire. Also, I have no idea what kind of wheel to get and whether or not I need to get TPMS or not. If anybody could give me some insight, that would be greatly appreciated
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08-16-2013, 02:42 AM	#6
bamsefar Let's Rock ! 5 Rep 62 Posts Drives: BMW 335i xDrive (F30) 2013 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	Well I do believe I know winters, since we have them for at least 4 months every year (and the law here in Sweden says we need winter tires from late October to early April), and I have been driving for the last 28 years. I have owned, among other cars, E46 328i, E46 330ix, E92 335ix and now a F30 335ix. So I do have a lot of experience of the xDrive systems on different road conditions, and different tires. I got my E46 in 1999 - so today I have about 14 years of BMW 3-series experience - is that enough ? I have also tried RFT winter tires (and summer tires, I hate summer RFT just as much), and they are useless. Yes you can buy them, but stay away as far as possible ! The sidewalls are just to stiff to be able to get enough grip during driving on packed snow/ice bumpy roads (roads may be smooth during summer but when winter hits, they have a tendency to be everything except smooth...). Also do remember that if you get a flat tire (not that common here in sweden I think), with RFT tires that is, you need to change both tires. Expensive tires, with less grip - you are free to make your own choice here. Mine is simple: Don't buy RFT tires. I have the BMW repair kit in my trunk, which I think was released with the E92 M3 from the beginning - I just got it for my E92 335ix as a spare part, and are still waiting for the first time use. So with my E92 I drove for 6 years, no flat tire - so I newer had to use the repair kit. Everyone has the right to there opinion, and this is my opinion based on real world driving.
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