To Winter Tire Or Not?

[udme86m]

Looking for some advice need to make a decision next week -

My 07M is my daily driver. Last year I made it through the MD winter with OEM rims/conti's but they are slicks now. Ideally I would like to get VMR 19's with PS2's for summer and put Bilzzaks on stock rims for winter. However my expendable income is not what it was a year ago. So I am debating on the following and would like some input:

a) Get Blizzaks put on stock rims and hope I can get a summer setup. If I can't I would probably have to run them all year as I wouldn't be able to purchase summer tires to swap

b) Get another set of conti's (PS2's are out range), run those through the winter and hope for the best. Thanks to "climate change" winter in MD should be mild again this year.

c) Get some all seasons. Not ideal as I am a bit of a performance nut but a practical choice given my situation.

Thanks for your feedback!

[elerner61]

Since you say you are strapped for cash, have you tried to locate a set of used rims with snows already mounted? Search the various BMW classified forums.

Then you could hopefully get the summers you really want when Spring rolls around. I ran my winters (Pilot Alpin's) into late April last year and they were getting squirrily even when it was low 60's outside. Can't imagine what they would feel like at summer temps.

[udme86m]

Thanks yes - checked several boards and found a couple promising - 17's with no offsets which are great for winter but will look a little funny which is OK. 2 issues are - local pick up distances were far costing $$ in gas and then most likely end up selling next year as I don't love any found so far.

[intoflatlines]

I can't imagine driving these cars with summer tires in the snow. Well, I can imagine it, but I don't want to. Get winter tires and then hopefully you can buy summer tires in the spring or whatever.

[RADRACR]

Originally Posted by intoflatlines

I can't imagine driving these cars with summer tires in the snow. Well, I can imagine it, but I don't want to. Get winter tires and then hopefully you can buy summer tires in the spring or whatever.

In fact, it is literally impossible. Anyone who says otherwise is lying and has never attempted it on real snow/ice.

EDIT: OP says he made it through winter? My car is undriveable on snow/ice with the OEM Contis. I grew up in South Dakota. Hmm.

Blizzaks are the bare minimum if there's any chance of ice on the road, IMO.

[ZStig]

even on winter tires its a challenge sometimes.


Search craigslist daily for 3 series fitment wheel/tire combos

[Huz-Z]

A couple of winters ago I was late getting my car into storage and one late November morning, we had an inch or two of snow. It all melted a few days later and I was able to get the car tucked away for the winter without getting it exposed to salt.

But while the skim of snow was still down, I tried to move the Hankook V12 equipped Z4 further back in my mostly level paved driveway. It simply would not budge an inch in reverse. So. If you drive this car in the snow with summer tires, you are going to crash it, and very quickly I'd say.

[udme86m]

Originally Posted by aestheticstorm

EDIT: OP says he made it through winter? My car is undriveable on snow/ice with the OEM Contis. I grew up in South Dakota. Hmm.

Yes - MD winter was really mild last year. I actually did drive it with OEM conti's twice in about 1/2 of snow and was scared sh@tless. Needless to say I don't want to repeat it. Biggest issue in MD is ice which no tires will help with. It is rare we get any significant snow.

Thanks for all the responses I am going to keep looking on the boards until next week and if nothing turns up will get the Blizzaks.

[jdoublehcubed]

If you actually know how to drive in the snow you'll be fine. I grew up in Upstate NY, with 200+ inches of snow per year. Contis work fine in mild winter, I ran them all last year in Philly with no issues. MD will have 3 or 4 days at most the whole winter with snow on the ground, much better to wear out some cheap tires and buy something nice in the spring.

OP, I have a set of 50% used Contis I'd be happy to sell for a great price. I'll get tread wear measurements tonight and PM you a price. I'm in Media, PA.

[ferrarif1]

I voted for all seasons since the number of days in MD with actual snow is going to be very low.

If you really want to go the winter tire route, I have 3 Pilot Alpin PA2 245/40/18's left over from my (long gone) E60 that are in very good shape and I will give you a smoking deal. There is someone selling a fourth on eBay right now and this would help you save money for proper summer tires for the 8 months out of the year where they work best.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by udme86m

Yes - MD winter was really mild last year. I actually did drive it with OEM conti's twice in about 1/2 of snow and was scared sh@tless. Needless to say I don't want to repeat it. Biggest issue in MD is ice which no tires will help with. It is rare we get any significant snow.

Thanks for all the responses I am going to keep looking on the boards until next week and if nothing turns up will get the Blizzaks.

Ice is hard to deal with, true. But consider installing a studded snow tire. You'll get significantly improved traction and braking under icy conditions. Noisy as hell though. Dunno if you can "stud" the Blizzak.

Check out the Blizzak LM-60, which their site recommends for the Z4M Coupe:

http://www.bridgestonetire.ca/tire/b...m-60/255-40r18

One trick we Canucks use some times to get better traction is to put weight over the back wheels of a rear wheel drive vehicle. A couple of sand bags in the back over the axles can be the difference between getting stuck and getting home to enjoy a hot cup while watching the snow fall.

[intoflatlines]

I think having studs on your tires are illegal in some/many states. Or so I've heard. I imagine that it's probably encouraged in Canada and states that are far North, but Maryland is not.

[jdoublehcubed]

Its illegal in most states in the US, and the max speed rating of tires with studs is usually very low.

That being said, it would be completely ludicrous to run studded tires in a state with negligible yearly snowfall.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by jdoublehcubed

Its illegal in most states in the US, and the max speed rating of tires with studs is usually very low.

That being said, it would be completely ludicrous to run studded tires in a state with negligible yearly snowfall.

In that case, the aforementioned Blizzak LM-60's without studs should be ideally suited to the task.