[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by BMhead

interested that a few of you X drive owners actually switch to winter tyres. Is it really justified?

Without getting in to a winter tyres thread.

Winter tyres are not purely for snow, they are for when average temperature drops and normal summer tyres become to hard.

So whether you have an sdrive, an sdrive, a jeep, then winters provide better traction, stopping, flexibility in the tyres.


An sdrive in winters is suitable for most situations, an xdrive with winters is suitable for even more situations.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by BMhead

good point, tengocity. I'll think about that

AWD (xDrive) and summer tyres is why many can end up in the ditch. Gives a false sense of confidence, often allows you to get going in poor conditions, but easy to forget AWD doesn't add much to car control and nothing to braking.

IMO, it is more important to stop, than get moving, hence why RWD and winter tyres is generally a pretty good compromise. If it is that bad you can't get going, best not to be trying to stop without the best tyres for the conditions.

HighlandPete

[r1cey]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Depends on your situation, but if you are in snow then whilst xdrive might get you going, it doesn't help you stop.

Depends how silly you drive. My previous car was an X3, and even with summers on it (bought in error, never realised pirelli scorpions came in summer and all season), handled the bad winter several years ago with ease. I'm sure that winter tyres and xdrive would be the best option, but for those that don't want to go to the expense of winter tyres, or don't frequently experience deep snow, xdrive is better than rwd (on summers). Also, no disputing the extra traction it provides in the wet, which up here, is a large portion of the year!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by r1cey

Depends how silly you drive. My previous car was an X3, and even with summers on it (bought in error, never realised pirelli scorpions came in summer and all season), handled the bad winter several years ago with ease. I'm sure that winter tyres and xdrive would be the best option, but for those that don't want to go to the expense of winter tyres, or don't frequently experience deep snow, xdrive is better than rwd (on summers). Also, no disputing the extra traction it provides in the wet, which up here, is a large portion of the year!

I hate winter tyre discussions which is why I said it depends on your own circumstances. I appreciate that many just want to know that they won't get embarrassingly stuck on a minor incline in their car, or fail to get home, if caught unawares. They categorically are never going to fork out for winter tyres and just won't use their car when it snows.
and there are others who will trot out the same stuff about them being great in cold weather etc. and so have them on the car any time the weather forecast says I it might drop in to single digits.

[r1cey]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I hate winter tyre discussions which is why I said it depends on your own circumstances. I appreciate that many just want to know that they won't get embarrassingly stuck on a minor incline in their car, or fail to get home, if caught unawares. They categorically are never going to fork out for winter tyres and just won't use their car when it snows.
and there are others who will trot out the same stuff about them being great in cold weather etc. and so have them on the car any time the weather forecast says I it might drop in to single digits.

Wasn't arguing with you Tengocity, and apologies if that's how it came across. Agree, it depends on individual circumstances, and simply posted my reply based on my experience (for the benefit of the op).

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by r1cey

Wasn't arguing with you Tengocity, and apologies if that's how it came across. Agree, it depends on individual circumstances, and simply posted my reply based on my experience (for the benefit of the op).

No worries I know you weren't.

[Gizzard]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

Had the first service this week after 14 months and 14,000 miles. The checklist came back with all boxes ticked green apart from two ambers which were for front tyre wear.

I was surprised to see the fronts wearing quicker as I was under the impression that xdrive had a rear bias and hence that the rears would wear quicker. Am I wrong about this?

Just wanted to check whether my experience accords with everyone else.

Thanks

My 335d is on 21,000 miles and needs some fronts. Tread wear is not even at all. Outside has almost no tread, insides are still above the tread depth indicators. My local dealer said this was normal and was to give understeer rather than oversteer as its safer. I don't see why they shouldn't be set up to wear evenly. Think I'll take it to somewhere independant to get it setup properly. Rears are OK.
Tyres are Pirelli P zeros. Not sure what I'll put on next. Probably the same.
Giz.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Gizzard

My 335d is on 21,000 miles and needs some fronts. Tread wear is not even at all. Outside has almost no tread, insides are still above the tread depth indicators. My local dealer said this was normal and was to give understeer rather than oversteer as its safer. I don't see why they shouldn't be set up to wear evenly. Think I'll take it to somewhere independant to get it setup properly. Rears are OK.
Tyres are Pirelli P zeros. Not sure what I'll put on next. Probably the same.
Giz.

I'd say maybe you do have a set up issue as I've got more miles than that from current MPSS and they've still got 5mm across inside and centre and 3mm on outside, despite track day usage.
I would always expect the outside of the fronts to wear more, though it could be that my stiffer ARBs plus ACS springs are helping reduce this somewhat.

[HighlandPete]

A lot of outside front tyre wear is not due to alignment issues, more how you drive. Whether xDrive lessens or worsens the issue, I guess only users will find out.

But as Terry suggests it could be a setup issue. If you drive light (with lots of straight driving) and don't run low pressures, may not be alignment, but still worth checking if in doubt. But don't be surprised there are no toe-in issues.

HighlandPete

[JustChris]

M4 rears were borderline at sale fronts had 4-5mm still

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by Chris The Manx

M4 rears were borderline at sale fronts had 4-5mm still

But how many miles?

[tjlees]

Originally Posted by Gizzard

My 335d is on 21,000 miles and needs some fronts. Tread wear is not even at all. Outside has almost no tread, insides are still above the tread depth indicators. My local dealer said this was normal and was to give understeer rather than oversteer as its safer. I don't see why they shouldn't be set up to wear evenly. Think I'll take it to somewhere independant to get it setup properly. Rears are OK.
Tyres are Pirelli P zeros. Not sure what I'll put on next. Probably the same.
Giz.

its how you drive (or you may have tracking or tyre pressure problems) - my last car wore evenly, was 4wd and tyres lasted for 50-60k miles. When you pushed it, it over-steered.

The mini recently started wearing its outside edges - it was due to the fronts being at 1.5bar rather than 3.0 bar

Tyre monitor said nothing!

[ewanmac]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

Had the first service this week after 14 months and 14,000 miles. The checklist came back with all boxes ticked green apart from two ambers which were for front tyre wear.

I was surprised to see the fronts wearing quicker as I was under the impression that xdrive had a rear bias and hence that the rears would wear quicker. Am I wrong about this?

Just wanted to check whether my experience accords with everyone else.

Thanks

I've had exactly the same problem. Xdrive 330d with 18k on the clock and got an advisory for the fronts (2.5mm) but rears were fine.

Was quite baffled as I expected all 4 to wear evenly and get more mileage out of them. This is the 6th 3 series I've had and I've never replaced the fronts before! I've usually had to change the rears around 28k miles and that includes an e92 335i and an e90 335d with all that torque.

[muckypup]

Could it be that with xDrive when pushing on a bit you tend to get understeer rather than oversteer as with a RWD. This understeer is bound to scrub the fronts.

S.

[Surturminn]

Originally Posted by Ewan Mac

Originally Posted by ewanmac View Post
I've had exactly the same problem. Xdrive 330d with 18k on the clock and got an advisory for the fronts (2.5mm) but rears were fine.

Was quite baffled as I expected all 4 to wear evenly and get more mileage out of them. This is the 6th 3 series I've had and I've never replaced the fronts before! I've usually had to change the rears around 28k miles and that includes an e92 335i and an e90 335d with all that torque.!

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread......but wondered if there was any conclusion?

Just had my 330 xDrive in for it's first service, 2 years and 15000 miles with all tyres getting advisories.

Rears are even and down to 3mm, both fronts are almost completely worn on the outside edges.

They have advised all 4 corners changed plus a KDS wheel alignment - not sure why that would be off, as no kerbing here

Anybody know a decent place around West Lothian to get this done?

Never had this sort of weat on the 1 Aldis I had previously, and driving style, type of journey and location has not changed since then......

Surely that can't be acceptable wear

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Surturminn

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread......but wondered if there was any conclusion?

Just had my 330 xDrive in for it's first service, 2 years and 15000 miles with all tyres getting advisories.

Rears are even and down to 3mm, both fronts are almost completely worn on the outside edges.

They have advised all 4 corners changed plus a KDS wheel alignment - not sure why that would be off, as no kerbing here

Anybody know a decent place around West Lothian to get this done?

Never had this sort of weat on the 1 Aldis I had previously, and driving style, type of journey and location has not changed since then......

Surely that can't be acceptable wear

Following a puncture on one of the original equipment Bridgestone run-flats I switched my F31 335d to conventional Goodyear AS2's at roughly 22k miles. There was actually a fair bit of tread life on the three run-flats I chucked away but the wear had been uneven on the fronts and that may have actually contributed to the aforementioned puncture.

Anyway, the car has now covered around 46k miles and all four AS2's still have over 5mm of tread left (which suggests I'll get the best part of 40k from the set assuming the wear rate is linear). Given the uneven wear on the run-flats I had a full alignment check done when the Goodyears were fitted and my experience with the AS2's suggests tyre wear is pretty even across all four wheels and that the 335d is pretty kind to its tyres; on a RWD BMW I always thought I was lucky to get 20k from a set of rears so to have done 24k on a set and still have over 5mm left is pretty reasonable IMO!

[dopper99]

On my old E90 a few years back it came fitted with the worlds worse tyre........ Bridgestone potenza re050a run flats. Lasted about 12k miles, and I don't drive like a loon.

[tjlees]

Just clocked 50k and still on the original 19" run flats after 3 years. 3-4mm on the rear 5mm on front - though outer edges are worn.

If you getting uneven tear then the tracking is wrong - it's apparently a known problem with a fix

http://wheels-inmotion.co.uk/bmw-run-flat-problems.php

[teaston]

Originally Posted by tjlees

Just clocked 50k and still on the original 19" run flats after 3 years. 3-4mm on the rear 5mm on front - though outer edges are worn.

If you getting uneven tear then the tracking is wrong - it's apparently a known problem with a fix

http://wheels-inmotion.co.uk/bmw-run-flat-problems.php

Bloody hell, I’m on 43k and changed my rears twice already! You must have done virtually all those miles sitting on motorways?

[stu14t]

Originally Posted by Surturminn

Anybody know a decent place around West Lothian to get this done?

Have a look at THIS THREAD

Company called Redpath Tyres, South Gyle, Edinburgh

They're doing Hunter 4 wheel alignment for £55 CLICK HERE

[Surturminn]

Originally Posted by stu14t

Have a look at THIS THREAD

Company called Redpath Tyres, South Gyle, Edinburgh

They're doing Hunter 4 wheel alignment for £55 CLICK HERE

Great, thanks

[Minty]

My 340i is in for a service today (20K) and they advised carying out a KDS alignment as front Bridgestones (S001) outer edges are down to 2.5mm whilst the rest of the tread is 5.5mm! Rears are 6mm. I noticed this but my previous experience of Bridgestones was that they wear really badly on the outer edge. My winter Continental’s TS830P’s look hardly worn after 5k miles! I decided am not going to risk more tyre wear so have agreed to the KDS for £200!!