[Supr3me]

Finally in the position to buy whatever winter wheels I want instead of being stuck running stock wheels in snow half the year (I live In South Dakota)

What wheel/tire combo would you run in snowy conditions with xDrive? I live in a big city (by South Dakota standards) so it does get plowed and driven on pretty regularly but I can usually count on driving in fresh snow or packed snow at least a few days out of every week during the winter.

I read through the Winter Tires sticky but it seemed like mostly fitment questions and tire type questions.

Right now I'm leaning towards 225/45 R18 on 18x8 square.
Sounds like the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 would be a good choice for my area.

My question- any recommendations on a wheel manufacturer that makes 8" width wheels? Seems like Apex and most others start at 8.5". I'd rather avoid cheap heavy cast wheels if possible.

Secondly, in your opinion which finish is easier to clean and maintain in the winter - black or a hypersilver alloy type finish?

[Desertnate]

I built a tire/wheel package off of TireRack last winter and was very happy.

My wheels are the 18x8 Rial X10's. They are built and finished well.

For tires I went with the Pirelli Sottozero 3 since I only see a handful of snow storms each year and spend most of my time on dry roads in freezing temperatures or rain/slush/ice. If you're seeing/driving on snow on an almost daily basis I'd probably go with Blizzaks or something from Nokian.

[sqwinny]

Usually it's the smallest + thinnest wheels you can find with snow tires. If your city plows the roads pretty well, most of the time you can get away with all seasons instead.

Light vs heavy wheels in the snow don't really matter it's more the tire that plays a role here.

[cfm56d7b]

One of the best options for a dedicated winter wheels / tires set is BMW's own 400M Style wheel in a square configuration: 18x8J ET34. These wheels are often sold at a discount on this forum and other e-commerce sites. This wheel will clear M Sport brakes.

[blumagic]

i prefer 17", always thought style 39 would be cool for winters

[Desertnate]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

If your city plows the roads pretty well, most of the time you can get away with all seasons instead.

I used to feel the same way until I switched my winter set-up from AS to winter tires.

In near- and sub-freezing temps I found the winter tires to have better grip than my AS tires in sane daily driving conditions. Add rain/wet roads to the equation at those temps and the difference in grip is even wider.

Even in my well-plowed area, ice becomes a frequent issue. Either from freezing rain or melting snow. In this situation it's no contest between the winter and AS tires.

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by Desertnate

I used to feel the same way until I switched my winter set-up from AS to winter tires.

In near- and sub-freezing temps I found the winter tires to have better grip than my AS tires in sane daily driving conditions. Add rain/wet roads to the equation at those temps and the difference in grip is even wider.

Even in my well-plowed area, ice becomes a frequent issue. Either from freezing rain or melting snow. In this situation it's no contest between the winter and AS tires.

I stated you can, however I am agreeing nothing will out perform a dedicated set of snow tires. Major cities will plow and you'll be fine (urban and rural South Eastern Wisconsin average storm brings 4-6") but you can't beat a soft set of rubber what doesn't freeze at the rate of all seasons or winter tires.

You have to remember to dismount and take off your winter set of tires at around 40F otherwise you'll burn them up just driving around. Between to two tire types are night and day, but many people get around on all seasons just fine 100% of their life driving slow and defensively in the snow.

[Desertnate]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

You have to remember to dismount and take off your winter set of tires at around 40F otherwise you'll burn them up just driving around.

Depending on the tire, it's not too bad. For the really soft Blizaks and Nokians which are really soft it might be a problem, but I found my Sottozero's held up pretty well in temps as high as 60-ish.

Lately our winters have seen huge swings in temperatures from day-to-day and even during the day. Swapping out the tires because it is 60 degrees is not and option. You'd be swapping them out almost daily or end up stranded on a day when it's pushing 70 around lunch time and an ice storm blows through by the time you get off work. I found my "performance winters" held up really well when doing road trips in 60~65 degree weather. No tread destruction or chunking of any kind. They handled terribly and I had to be gentle on them, but showed no real signs of wear.

I feel choosing the right winter tire (they aren't all the same) will always put you in a better position than trying to run an AS in certain parts of the country. Another option I find interesting are the "all weather tires" like the Nokian WR G4 hitting the market. Even more flexibility for those who live in the "shoulder areas" of the snow belt.

[J555]

Originally Posted by Supr3me

but I can usually count on driving in fresh snow or packed snow at least a few days out of every week during the winter.

I think your choice of tires and tire size is just right for such conditions. The tires designed for tough winter as X-Ice or Nokian's Hakkapeliitta have compromised handling on dry and wet, but absolutely shine on snow and ice.

Personally, I really like BMW's 397 wheels as 18" winter setup - they look good and are easy to maintain. Any reason you want aftermarket wheels?

Originally Posted by Desertnate

Depending on the tire, it's not too bad. For the really soft Blizaks and Nokians which are really soft it might be a problem, but I found my Sottozero's held up pretty well in temps as high as 60-ish.

If somebody would be interested in high-temperature wear, the Nokian's WR A3/A4 are second to none - they wear similar to summer tires. Absolutely no clue, how they achieved that... considering how soft and comfortable these tires are.

Indeed, the Hakkapeliitta's are a whole different story - had them fitted on a car during hot Scandinavian summer and spotting the skid marks in the rearview mirror during braking was nothing special

[zole2112]

I just used my stock wheels with 225./45/18 Blizzaks, wouldn't change a thing. I leave them on until the temp gets above 40 degrees consistently which is usually later in March and of course then we get an early April 12" snowfall and I'm stuck at home lol.

[Regulator]

M3 ZCP replica wheels (18x8" +35 square setup) - Bought off ebay for like $600 shipped. Tons of wheel weights but they drive fine and have taken a beating lol.
Nokian Hakkapelitta R2 Tires (225/45/18 stock size) - Overkill for sure, but when theres snow and ice on the ground this car is a tank.

[Supr3me]

Thanks for all the replies. I actually just sold my stock 18" M-Sport wheels recently because I didn't care for their appearance. Not sure on the style code but I included a pic. Just not a very aggressive wheel IMO.
I think I've almost definitely settled on FlowOne F3 18x8 wheels in gloss black with 225/45R18 Blizzak WS90s.
I think the wheel design will be easier to clean than split spoke styles and the width of the tire will provide some rim edge protection, but narrow enough to give good bite in the snow.
Maybe the only thing that gives me pause is that I'm worried about destroying the Blizzaks on bare pavement days. It doesn't get very much over freezing here during the winter but I'm making about 600 WHP right now. I'll probably be on a lower boost winter map but it's still going to push these tires way beyond what a snow tire is designed for. I'm really going to have to restrain myself lol

[Desertnate]

I like those wheels for a winter set. They look really easy to clean.

Based on what you've said about driving on fresh snow several days a week and the temps steadily staying below freezing most of the winter, you should do just fine on the Blizzaks. It's when they too warm that the accelerated wear starts to happen. A more performance oriented tire like what I run would hold up better in the dry, but probably not ideal for most of the conditions you encounter. How you handle the 600hp while they are on your car is a totally different story!

[cmplaya]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

Usually it's the smallest + thinnest wheels you can find with snow tires. If your city plows the roads pretty well, most of the time you can get away with all seasons instead.

Light vs heavy wheels in the snow don't really matter it's more the tire that plays a role here.

all seasons lose traction even in cold dry weather....maybe ok in miami though but not in south dakota

[cmplaya]

I got BBS SR 18x8 for my winter setup

Originally Posted by Supr3me

Thanks for all the replies. I actually just sold my stock 18" M-Sport wheels recently because I didn't care for their appearance. Not sure on the style code but I included a pic. Just not a very aggressive wheel IMO.
I think I've almost definitely settled on FlowOne F3 18x8 wheels in gloss black with 225/45R18 Blizzak WS90s.
I think the wheel design will be easier to clean than split spoke styles and the width of the tire will provide some rim edge protection, but narrow enough to give good bite in the snow.
Maybe the only thing that gives me pause is that I'm worried about destroying the Blizzaks on bare pavement days. It doesn't get very much over freezing here during the winter but I'm making about 600 WHP right now. I'll probably be on a lower boost winter map but it's still going to push these tires way beyond what a snow tire is designed for. I'm really going to have to restrain myself lol

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by cmplaya

all seasons lose traction even in cold dry weather....maybe ok in miami though but not in south dakota

South Eastern Wisconsin is my experience my man for 20+ years. -15F weather in the city. Plowed roads are no issue. Anything under 2 inches on the road and you'll be fine crawling away.

[Twodawgs]

All season tires are good for all seasons, just not very good in any of the seasons.