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      07-11-2014, 12:15 PM   #1
sploo
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Question Any point in getting winter tyres for a 330d in the UK?

I've got a 2013 F31 330d that has the 225/40 R19 89 Y on the front, and the 255/35 R19 92 Y on the rear. They're pretty wide, and I'm suspecting that the combination of tyre width and engine torque is not exactly going to be great in the snow.

However, most of my driving is between the south (Oxfordshire/Berkshire) and Midlands (Staffordshire) in the UK, and mostly on motorways and dual carriageways. Given that we might get a week or two of snow at worst, and that it can be cool and p*ssing it down in July, or fairly warm and dry in October, I'm wondering if there is really any point in getting some winter wheels and tyres?

If I was going to do it I guess something like a set of cheap 17" steel wheels would be the pragmatic choice, with suitable runflat winter tyres? I found an eBay seller who does 16" steel winter wheels, but they're not compatible with the 330d.
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      07-11-2014, 12:27 PM   #2
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...-the-test.html
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      07-11-2014, 12:38 PM   #3
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      07-11-2014, 12:54 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sploo View Post
I've got a 2013 F31 330d that has the 225/40 R19 89 Y on the front, and the 255/35 R19 92 Y on the rear. They're pretty wide, and I'm suspecting that the combination of tyre width and engine torque is not exactly going to be great in the snow.

However, most of my driving is between the south (Oxfordshire/Berkshire) and Midlands (Staffordshire) in the UK, and mostly on motorways and dual carriageways. Given that we might get a week or two of snow at worst, and that it can be cool and p*ssing it down in July, or fairly warm and dry in October, I'm wondering if there is really any point in getting some winter wheels and tyres?

If I was going to do it I guess something like a set of cheap 17" steel wheels would be the pragmatic choice, with suitable runflat winter tyres? I found an eBay seller who does 16" steel winter wheels, but they're not compatible with the 330d.
You need at least 17" to go over the front brakes. If your car has the M Sport + pack with the bigger brakes then you may even need bigger than 17" .
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      07-11-2014, 01:23 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy View Post
You need at least 17" to go over the front brakes. If your car has the M Sport + pack with the bigger brakes then you may even need bigger than 17" .
You need a minimum of 18" with M Sport braking system.
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      07-11-2014, 01:28 PM   #6
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Basically, if you will be driving in snow or in temps below 7 degrees for long periods then winter wheels are going to be safer.

I havn't got winters myself, but just decided not to drive the 330d (RWD) in the snow if I could help it. On the one time I did drive in snow (major snow storm whilst on the motorway) I just kept the car in Eco Pro mode and it was fine.
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      07-11-2014, 01:32 PM   #7
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It's just not safety - you get better fuel economy and the tyres last longer when using winter tyres.

On snow, RWD or 4WD makes zero difference. It's the tyres that are the big factor.
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      07-11-2014, 01:39 PM   #8
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They are probably not necessary in your circumstances, in the same way that having a 330d over a 320d isn't really necessary, but your car will perform a whole lot better in cold weather, not just snow.

When you consider that you are only wearing one set of tyres at a time, and smaller wheels are very cheap, the additional cost of switching between winter and summer tyres is tiny.

I have been switching between summer and winter wheels for about a decade now and I wouldn't go back. Having said that, I do drive in places where I would have to choose an alternative route without winter tyres.

I also carry a tow rope in the distant hope of discovering a stuck 4x4 one day and pulling him out. Will he even live down the shame of being towed out by a BMW saloon
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      07-11-2014, 01:41 PM   #9
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Only if you can't drive.

I spent plenty of time driving round Cumbria/Northumbria in the depths of winter in a 300bhp tuned FWD vRS on Vredestien Sesantas summer tyres without crashing/dying/driving into things and I'm no driving God, so all this talk of needing AWD and winter rubber etc for 6 months in anywhere on our sceptered isle except the Scottish highlands is just guff to cover poor driving ability IMHO

(example of conditions below and that was one of the much better days ).
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      07-11-2014, 01:47 PM   #10
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Depending on where in Staffs (some places do get swamped in snow), then not really.

A lot depends on how critical trips / journeys are.
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      07-11-2014, 01:52 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pablo68 View Post
Only if you can't drive.

I spent plenty of time driving round Cumbria/Northumbria in the depths of winter in a 300bhp tuned FWD vRS on Vredestien Sesantas summer tyres without crashing/dying/driving into things and I'm no driving God, so all this talk of needing AWD and winter rubber etc for 6 months in anywhere on our sceptered isle except the Scottish highlands is just guff to cover poor driving ability IMHO

(example of conditions below and that was one of the much better days ).
+1

Most people living in Scottish highlands keep same tyres on all year round, just normal all season rubber.

Unlike the 50k + car rich south! most rural areas are pretty old cars, just the people living there know how to drive, unlike the south.

I noticed this when moving from Scotland to down south the first time.

How many people actually carry a bag of extra clothes (including boots) in he car over the winter?
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      07-11-2014, 02:04 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sploo View Post
I've got a 2013 F31 330d that has the 225/40 R19 89 Y on the front, and the 255/35 R19 92 Y on the rear. They're pretty wide, and I'm suspecting that the combination of tyre width and engine torque is not exactly going to be great in the snow.

However, most of my driving is between the south (Oxfordshire/Berkshire) and Midlands (Staffordshire) in the UK, and mostly on motorways and dual carriageways. Given that we might get a week or two of snow at worst, and that it can be cool and p*ssing it down in July, or fairly warm and dry in October, I'm wondering if there is really any point in getting some winter wheels and tyres?

If I was going to do it I guess something like a set of cheap 17" steel wheels would be the pragmatic choice, with suitable runflat winter tyres? I found an eBay seller who does 16" steel winter wheels, but they're not compatible with the 330d.
In a Winter like last year, not really i must admit!

But in the average winter yes if you rely on your car most days. A) because you won't get stuck on snowy days B) you'll have greatly reduced risk of losing control in snow/ice/cold & wet roads C) Summer tyres wear faster in cold, and the winter tyres you buy effectively cost you nothing because your summer tyres aren't being worn!
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      07-11-2014, 02:18 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teaston View Post
In a Winter like last year, not really i must admit!

But in the average winter yes if you rely on your car most days. A) because you won't get stuck on snowy days B) you'll have greatly reduced risk of losing control in snow/ice/cold & wet roads C) Summer tyres wear faster in cold, and the winter tyres you buy effectively cost you nothing because your summer tyres aren't being worn!

One of the problems in the UK is that winter tyres perform worse than all season or even good quality summer tyres, even in the wet, if the road surface is above about 6 degree C...and in the UK that is most of the time.
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      07-11-2014, 02:20 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by -AndyH- View Post
It's just not safety - you get better fuel economy and the tyres last longer when using winter tyres.

On snow, RWD or 4WD makes zero difference. It's the tyres that are the big factor.
+1 My experiance with an E91 320D is the wear rate of winters at lower temperatures is so much less than summers at low temperatures the winters pay for themselves never mind the extra grip snow or not.
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      07-11-2014, 02:24 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pablo68 View Post
One of the problems in the UK is that winter tyres perform worse than all season or even good quality summer tyres, even in the wet, if the road surface is above about 6 degree C...and in the UK that is most of the time.
Even last Winter it was below 7 degrees most of the time! You are maybe thinking about the daytime high temps, which are only from about 11am to 4pm. But early morning and late afternoon/early evening when most people do most of there driving, the temps are lower!
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      07-11-2014, 02:33 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teaston View Post
Even last Winter it was below 7 degrees most of the time! You are maybe thinking about the daytime high temps, which are only from about 11am to 4pm. But early morning and late afternoon/early evening when most people do most of there driving, the temps are lower!
ROAD SURFACE temperature not air temperature is what counts
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      07-11-2014, 02:43 PM   #17
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If money was no option I'd have awinter tyres. Alas for me and most others it is and tbh....im not worried about crashing - I won't go out if it's THAT bad - I'm more concerned with being crashed into! So if you all want to get winter tyres please....that'll suit me just fine.
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      07-11-2014, 02:45 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pablo68 View Post
ROAD SURFACE temperature not air temperature is what counts
Great shout. And road temps will always be errr.....lower or higher than air temp!? I assume lower?
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      07-11-2014, 02:53 PM   #19
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This debate is about as circular as xdrive v sdrive and petrol v diesel!

I have them but agree that for much of the winter in the uk they can actually be worse than normal tyres. Especially a mild winter like the last one. But like most things it depends on your needs. I take mine to Poland every Christmas so kind of have to have them anyway for continental Europe, but then also usually drive to the alps for skiing and also Scotland, so they make sense for our car needs.
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      07-11-2014, 02:53 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zofinger View Post
Great shout. And road temps will always be errr.....lower or higher than air temp!? I assume lower?
It depends a lot on where you live and type of road surface and even what road is built on.

Inner city I believe will usually be higher than air temperature
Rural likely to be a few degrees lower, say 4 degrees.

Also depends on weather or rather type of weather and how long it's been cold for.
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      07-11-2014, 02:59 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zofinger View Post
Great shout. And road temps will always be errr.....lower or higher than air temp!? I assume lower?
Can be either... up here often lower, hence all the signs. "Roads liable to icing". So many get caught out with black ice, due to air temperature being above freezing when the road is still below.

Won't go into the foes and against of winter/all weather tyres, as it is a 'no brainer' up here.

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      07-11-2014, 03:08 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pablo68 View Post
ROAD SURFACE temperature not air temperature is what counts
Sorry my friend but you are very wrong!

It is neither air nor road temperature that is most important! TYRE temperature is what's most important, as the whole point of Winter tyres is the rubber stays softer at lower temperatures!

And second most important i would say is air temperature, as the more of the tyre is in contact with air than road, so air will affect the tyre temp more!
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