[BimmerFan79]

So i picked up my new 335i xDrive sport on Friday. Decided to roll with the stock all season setup. The thing is a tank in the snow. No problems at all.

I'll wait until next year, then put winters on my current rims, and get black 19" rims for summer driving.

[muditrawat]

Originally Posted by BimmerFan79

So i picked up my new 335i xDrive sport on Friday. Decided to roll with the stock all season setup. The thing is a tank in the snow. No problems at all.

I'll wait until next year, then put winters on my current rims, and get black 19" rims for summer driving.

Congratulations on the brand new ride!

[335BOY]

Originally Posted by BimmerFan79

So i picked up my new 335i xDrive sport on Friday. Decided to roll with the stock all season setup. The thing is a tank in the snow. No problems at all.

I'll wait until next year, then put winters on my current rims, and get black 19" rims for summer driving.

In Ottawa youre on a/s? Did you try to stop or turn?

[YYC Bimmer Driver]

Just got my car back after having the Pirelli Sotozeros taken off and replaced with Conti's. The Series II Sotozeros are having a problem leaking when temperatures get cold. Five attempts by the shop I bought them from to seal the tires failed and they voluntarily switched them out. Local dealership is having problems as well with the Pirellis. Be careful out there with the Sotozeros and cold temperatures.

[focal]

Hi everyone. Taking delivery this week '13 328i sport RWD 6MT.

Settled on the 16" winters. Function over style. Rep wheels and Xi3 Michelins snows. Going to look and handle soft with such a sidewall. Hate delivering cars in the winter. Last new car too

Spring cannot come soon enough


Back to OP question, always run winters!!! performs better when cold. Performs = safer. Especially when the tread starts to wear. First season you will get away with it with xdrive but second winter on is a definite better with snows. If you have to get new tires or winters in the second year, get snows from the beginning.

[Bram335]

helping a friend sell these. Price drop to $600 rims+tires
http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ541727341

[AstonKarim]

anyone have any information regarding Bridgestone Blizzaks LM-32 winter tire, was told its the successor to the LM60. May opt for these over the Sottozero's and save a few bucks.

(yes I am getting winter tires late, tried ordering new Michelin A/S 3's but they are back ordered )

[BimmerFan79]

Originally Posted by 335BOY

In Ottawa youre on a/s? Did you try to stop or turn?

Yep. No problems stopping or turning. I've driven lots of different setups through the winter here. I think the worst was my 328i coupe. The RWD was brutal. This AWD setup is great. Turn, stop, start, no problem. You just need to be aware of the conditions and adjust your driving accordingly.

[bobblehead]

[335BOY]

Originally Posted by BimmerFan79

Yep. No problems stopping or turning. I've driven lots of different setups through the winter here. I think the worst was my 328i coupe. The RWD was brutal. This AWD setup is great. Turn, stop, start, no problem. You just need to be aware of the conditions and adjust your driving accordingly.

google road and track a/s vs winter tires.
October 8, 2013 article. Everyone should read this.

[bluemark81]

Originally Posted by ademitt

Just got my car back after having the Pirelli Sotozeros taken off and replaced with Conti's. The Series II Sotozeros are having a problem leaking when temperatures get cold. Five attempts by the shop I bought them from to seal the tires failed and they voluntarily switched them out. Local dealership is having problems as well with the Pirellis. Be careful out there with the Sotozeros and cold temperatures.

I have the Sotozero's and have not noticed this with the early cold temperatures we've experienced so far here in eastern canada. I downsized to 17" wheels and really like the tires so far. We have had an early winter with significant snow and I am very impressed with their all-round winter ability. They are quieter than my OEM 18" Continentals. I also find them far more comfortable and although, it makes no sense, I even find they handle better. In the past, I have had Blizzaks and Dunlops. Overall, I am very impressed with the Sotozero's Serie II rft's. In fact, I like them as much or more than other winter tires I've had.

[turbo4]

I have a new F30 328 xdrive and for this winter I have installed Dunlops with new rims. I am very impressed. I am in the Edmonton so winter this year is very hard, we got lots of snow, ice and rain. The car is great and the handling is prefect.
I feel that I am in the control at all times. I would recommend these tires to anyone.

I also, did a long trip a month ago to Seattle and on the highway the tires were just great.

[joz]

I picked up my 335xi (with m performance tires) just before Christmas. Things were fine when the roads were dry and temperatures were around 0C (downtown Toronto), however as soon as we got this recent chill (below -5C) and some snow things became unbearable. It literally feels like driving on hockey pucks. Getting going wasn't the issue, it was stopping and cornering.

Traditionally I have always had a set of dedicated winters and I think over time I have forgotten how staggering the performance difference really is. I figured I would take the "see how it goes" approach and try to get away without winters, but that has long gone and I've ordered a set.

If you live in Canada I think the safe bet is to get a set of winters and call it a day. It is a bit more money but it pales in comparison to the cost of an accident or your safety. You also have to remember that winters prolong the life of your summer tires!

[bobblehead]

^ pure common sense to get winter tires. Period.

[F30Drive]

[Soundstream]

Just thought I would add my 2 cents about my new set of tires.

I went with the Michelin Alpin PA4 tires this year. And I must say they have been better than any set of winter tires I've had. I usually buy the high performance Blizzaks LM22 and LM32 or Dunlop Wintersport 3D.

The dry weather performance is great. Smooth and relatively quiet ride with great grip. Although you can't take sharp corners as well as in the summer. But what has impressed me so much about the Alpins is their snow and ice performance. I expected it to be mediocre like most high performance winter tires, however I have been blown away with their grip on both snow and ice. Even over the last few weeks of brutal weather, I've experienced virtually no slippage, even when putting it in Sport mode (I do have Xdrive though).

Anyways, they are a pricier tire, but WELL worth it in my opinion!

[joz]

I ended up getting Bridgestone Blizzak WS-70's mounted on 18's. After some driving in snow, ice, and dry I can provide a bit more feedback.

My driving is a mix of highway and city roads (a lot of it in stop and go during rush hour). My driving style is pretty casual/laidback during most of my commute. There are some sections where I like taking corners a little faster or stepping on it, but in general its pretty tame.

Overall I like the tire. It isn't a performance winter tire and on dry pavement it feels a little soft. The dry performance was inline with my expectations (considering the compromise I made to get ice/snow performance). For typical driving in dry the tire is more than suitable, its just the cornering where it suffers (nothing drastic for typical driving, but when being aggressive you definitely feel the performance difference over summers).

Snow and ice performance it is pretty solid. The tires bite in very well and kept traction with very little slip while trying to take some turns with a slightly aggressive driving style. Like any tire if you pin it around a corner you will lose traction in the snow/ice (if traction control doesn't stop you first) I used to have Nokian Hakkapalita R's and I would say the Blizzak's aren't quite as good as them, but 90-95% there. Under heavy braking the Blizzak's showed minimal slip from both highway speeds to regular city speeds.

Tire noise seems a bit higher than the 19 summers but it isn't as bad as the Nokians I used to have.

One thing is for sure, night and day driving compared to the summer tires!

CONCLUSION:
I'd rate the tire as a 8/10. Great snow/ice performance with suitable dry condition performance. A little soft under dry cornering.

[AstonKarim]

I recently got the bridgestone LM 32 non run flats installed, no complaints on them, even took them on the highway and the noise wasn't bad at all. With the endless traction I am encountering, I'm glad I went for a dedicated set of winters.

[focal]

Update on my 16" set up Michelin iX2 (store sold out of 16" sized iX3) here in the GTA. Took delivery on jan 2 with them installed and have experienced snow and ice. This tire is confidence inspiring especially important with a RWD car. The 16" size may be esthethically blah but it has been so smooth running and has taken every pot hole ice rut perfectly fine.

[335BBS]

Originally Posted by BimmerFan79

Yep. No problems stopping or turning. I've driven lots of different setups through the winter here. I think the worst was my 328i coupe. The RWD was brutal. This AWD setup is great. Turn, stop, start, no problem. You just need to be aware of the conditions and adjust your driving accordingly.

The RWD with winter tires is a safer car than your xdrive on A/S....thats been proven/documented hundreds of times. Its about stopping and turning....not just "adjusting your driving accordingly". There is a reason the winter tire law is in effect in Quebec.

[casualDIYer]

Originally Posted by focal

Update on my 16" set up Michelin iX2 (store sold out of 16" sized iX3) here in the GTA. Took delivery on jan 2 with them installed and have experienced snow and ice. This tire is confidence inspiring especially important with a RWD car. The 16" size may be esthethically blah but it has been so smooth running and has taken every pot hole ice rut perfectly fine.

My first winter with the Xice3 and these tires are really good. I wouldn't go plowing through really deep snow with them as they tend to me more an ice than snow tire but what I really liked was their wet and dry performance. Here in TO we get about 23 seasons a year, 18 in Winter alone. I had the Dunlop 3Ds before on my e46 and found them good in the snow but not very confidence inspiring in the wet. X-ice3? No problems. In the dry, also excellent as they are very quiet. I found other brands tended to be a bit noisy in the dry.

Want a good snow tire? Check out the General Altimax Arctic. Great grip in snow.

[335BBS]

Originally Posted by AstonKarim

I recently got the bridgestone LM 32 non run flats installed, no complaints on them, even took them on the highway and the noise wasn't bad at all. With the endless traction I am encountering, I'm glad I went for a dedicated set of winters.

I gather those are great. I might try them next.