[stvding]

I have used Xi3, Pirelli 240 sottozero.

Will need new tire for next winter for my new upcoming M340i G20. Any recommendations? Price, performance, tread life, noise, stopping distance?

[cfm56d7b]

I had great experience with Pirelli Sottozero winter performance tires. Never failed to impress me with outstanding traction in all winter driving conditions.

[Bongoxxx]

I’ve been running Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2s and really like them. Great in the snow, ice and pretty much anything you can throw at them.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by Bongoxxx

I've been running Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2s and really like them. Great in the snow, ice and pretty much anything you can throw at them.

These tires are also very capable.

[Spielzeugauto]

Michelin PA4s are fantastic in Vancouver weather. Not crazy cold but lots of rain / slush. Way better than most winter tires when it's dry out . Even in deep snow they're not bad.

[pokerface]

Originally Posted by stvding

I have used Xi3, Pirelli 240 sottozero.

Will need new tire for next winter for my new upcoming M340i G20. Any recommendations? Price, performance, tread life, noise, stopping distance?

So you’ve mentioned two models that differ in its focus. One specializes in ice and the other is more performance oriented. Perhaps you could specify what your driving needs are and go from there. There is no winter tire that masters all categories.

[z24b]

I have a 440i X-Drive GC and I run 18 inch Bridgestone Blizzak WS80's, phenomenal grip and not much road noise. They are also slightly cheaper than the Sottozero.

[stvding]

Originally Posted by pokerface

So you’ve mentioned two models that differ in its focus. One specializes in ice and the other is more performance oriented. Perhaps you could specify what your driving needs are and go from there. There is no winter tire that masters all categories.

Yes. Pirelli is much more expensive than xi3. It is run flat. This time I want grip, stopping distance as I will get an rwd m340i (it they decide to still bring it here)

[pokerface]

Stopping performance in the snow? or Ice? or slush? or dry? or wet?

Based on you wanting to move to a RWD car next time sounds like you want to maximize bad weather grip.. so you would probably not be looking at typical dealership offerings which tend to be performance winters which emphasize dry/wet (PA4). You should look at studless winters category which is more for snow/ice/slush (WS80, xice3).

[stvding]

Originally Posted by pokerface

Stopping performance in the snow? or Ice? or slush? or dry? or wet?

Based on you wanting to move to a RWD car next time sounds like you want to maximize bad weather grip.. so you would probably not be looking at typical dealership offerings which tend to be performance winters which emphasize dry/wet (PA4). You should look at studless winters category which is more for snow/ice/slush (WS80, xice3).

Thanks. I will probably go back to Xi3. I have used it on my first RWD e90. It felt very soft rubber compared to my Pirelli now.

[LaGSa]

Originally Posted by z24b

... Bridgestone Blizzak WS80's, phenomenal grip and not much road noise...

I've Bridgestone here too, but I find them terribly noisy on our roads.
So much that I really regret having bought them.
I agree about the grip though.

[BMWMTLQC]

Originally Posted by LaGSa

I've Bridgestone here too, but I find them terribly noisy on our roads.
So much that I really regret having bought them.
I agree about the grip though.

I have the Bridgestone as well and never noticed that they were noisy

They have been voted 2nd best tire and even #1 based on many reviews

[pokerface]

Continental TS850P (performance winter) on my M3. Very good dry and wet. Ice was pitiful.

Continental WinterContact SI (studless Ice) on my AWD Toyota. It is not the greatest in snow.

Pirelli Winter Carving Edge (studdable ice/snow) on X3. Great in deep snow. Not so great in wet or ice. Noisy in the dry.

Hankook IPike W409 (studdable ice/snow) on a number of cars RWD BMWs and my past A4. Similar design and performance as the Pirelli Winter Carving Edge.

Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D (performance winter) on my past A4. Good dry road manners but did worse on the snow than the Hankook.

[mfstrby]

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 (studless, rft), been happy with its performance in all winter conditions so far.

[LaGSa]

Originally Posted by BMWMTLQC

I have the Bridgestone as well and never noticed that they were noisy

They have been voted 2nd best tire and even #1 based on many reviews

That's interesting to know. My dealer keeps telling me that the noise I hear is due to my tires but they might actually have no idea

[Poncho38]

I have a set of Sottozero 3's on my 440xi GC and I loathe them. I've had two tires in two years develop bubbles and had to get them replaced. I admit that the latest one to go was when i ran over a HUGE pot hole that was covered with snow...so not much fault with Pirelli there. But the first one I had to replace, I can't recall running over anything significant.

(I live in Toronto so potholes are just a fact of life I guess).

But traction on the Sottozero's I find is mediocre, at best. They're not horrible but I expected much more. They don't give me a whole lot of confidence when turning, braking...you know, driving. lol

To give you a comparison..

I had a set of Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice on an A4 Quattro 15+ years ago and I couldn't slide out in the heaviest snow even if I tried (and I tried, very hard).

I currently have a set of Continental Winter Contact SI's on my wife's Mini Clubman and again, they're invincible in all conditions.

[the dope steez]

I ran the sottozeros and was never really impressed with them. Comfort wasn't great because they are runflats, and after getting past 6/32 traction seemed to suffer. Honestly once they were 60% worn they felt no different than all seasons to me.

Now I'm running Blizzak WS80s. I've only had them on for a couple months so can't really comment on wear, but they grip much better in ice and snow than the sottozeros. I've tested them out in parking lots by taking sharp corners harder than I normally would on the road to see where they lose grip. Unless it's on sheer ice vs an ice/snow/salt mix (what I'm used to), the car grips impeccably well. The car needs much more power to go into a drift than before and when drifting upon releasing the throttle the car snaps back to center predictably.

Very, very confidence inspiring tires. I can't really comment on any other brands those are the only two I've run on my bimmer.

[quikM2]

I am big fan of the conti Si's. I have them on our Q7. For my M2 I went with the Xice3 and they were fine. RWD is impossible in some conditions with anything but studded so you have the factor in AWD and any of the top reviews will always land on the xice and the ws80's. At the very top will always sit the nokians for extra $.

[stvding]

Originally Posted by quikM2

I am big fan of the conti Si's. I have them on our Q7. For my M2 I went with the Xice3 and they were fine. RWD is impossible in some conditions with anything but studded so you have the factor in AWD and any of the top reviews will always land on the xice and the ws80's. At the very top will always sit the nokians for extra $.

Nokian hakkapelitta R3?

[bimmaBart]

Hankook ICept ......when I did research online they never came up as a #1 result but a few reviews ranked them in top 5, a friend also had them on his Audi for the last few seasons and had nothing bad to say.

I would recommend these.

[quikM2]

Originally Posted by stvding

Nokian hakkapelitta R3?

Yes as I said in my post top of the top is Nokian's in general. That includes the R3.

[dassub]

Any preferred tire shops in the GTA? I'm already thinking of new summer tires

Edit: I use Blizzak WS80 on both of my cars. Very good grip, but very noisy.