[///Mandy]

Sara, I know it's been said over and over again, but invest in a good set of snow tires. It does make a big difference in the winter months and gives you that comfort level.
As mentioned in your other thread, all seasons tread aren't good for the colder temperatures...just think of them like chewed gum. When it gets cold, it becomes hard.

[CirrusSR22]

The 50/50 weight balance is definitely a good thing. It think the 1960s/1970s "American iron" cars gave RWD a bad name in snow. Combine crappy tires from the era, a big, iron block V8 that's sitting essentially ON the front axle, not behind, and you have trouble. I wouldn't be surprised if the weight distribution on those is 70/30. Plus, the solid axles don't keep the tires planted very well on bumpy, snowy roads.


A new BMW, with 50/50 weight distribution, modern suspension, traction control, stability control, plus the excellent traction of modern winter tires all are huge pluses. It's just not really a big issue as long as you can react to oversteer.

[Lassaxi]

Originally Posted by JunkStory

This means that your car is technically a "one-wheel drive" car under slippery conditions, with only one wheel spinning at a time.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to start this crap again.

[MN BMW]

I just drove my RWD 328 with blizzacks 200 miles through a storm that dumped 10 inches of snow in Minnesota with no problems. Granted I have been driving RWD vehicles my entire life in these types of conditions. I'm used to it. My 2 cents...

Get winter tires and SLOW DOWN!

[JunkStory]

Originally Posted by Lassaxi

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to start this crap again.

[stickypaws]

Originally Posted by E90ice

Don't listen to them....my car runs on Michelin PS2 and I have NO problem in the snow.

Hmmm, I have PS2s and they turn into slick hard stiff plastic in the cold. And I live in SoCal. Instead of just putzing around in the snow, try flinging your car into some corners on ice cold asphalt for some real hair raising excitement.

[MichTa73]

My favorite snow picture...



I have all-seasons on my XI this time of year, and I seem to get by.

[nidget]

I don't know if it was said before, but with a manual you can also start in second. It can help a bit.

[Sara]

I have already ordered a set of Blizzak LM-25's and they were shipped yesterday! woot! Will arrive today or tomorrow and will be put on my car the day they arrive!!

[willa1975]

Originally Posted by Sara504

I have already ordered a set of Blizzak LM-25's and they were shipped yesterday! woot! Will arrive today or tomorrow and will be put on my car the day they arrive!!

Did you get them from Tire Rack?

[hugo330i]

Where do you got them at?

How much did they cost you?

I am looking into buying a set of Blizzak, but I can not figure out which one is better. The LM-22 or the LM-25?

So far tirerack have them for the better price.

[Well Marbled]

We just got a pretty good dump of snow here today. Im thinking that given our weight distribution, rather than putting the sand bags in the trunk I might sit em in my back seat. Get a little more weight back there for traction but just about over the back axle rather than swinging around aft making me tail happy.

Thoughts?

[SonicGerm]

So I drive a 335xi, sport package, I have summer performance tires on it now. I drove a grand marquise when I was in high school in the north and I could handle that in in the snow so I'm assuming I should be fine in my car heading up north for a few weeks. I would love to get snow tires but I have no where to store my old tires. Sucks living in the B's on post.

I'm a man though I can drive in anything.... as I slide in to a tree and burst in to flames....

[JunkStory]

yea I think that putting the weight as close to the rear axle as possible is best.

[JunkStory]

Originally Posted by SonicGerm

So I drive a 335xi, sport package, I have summer performance tires on it now. I drove a grand marquise when I was in high school in the north and I could handle that in in the snow so I'm assuming I should be fine in my car heading up north for a few weeks. I would love to get snow tires but I have no where to store my old tires. Sucks living in the B's on post.

I'm a man though I can drive in anything.... as I slide in to a tree and burst in to flames....

good luck.

[Mooreski]

I agree with most of the posts here. I'm in Portland, we're getting snow and the city doesn't believe in snow plows.... sheet of ice every where you go. I did the Sport Edition A7's from Tire Rack with Conti TS810's in 225/45-17. The rims even look pretty decent on the car!

The tires are performing well. They do great in the cold rain (most of the time in Portland) and pretty decent in the snow. I've never driven any other snow tires, so I don't know how they compare but I'm happy overall!

[arbitrage]

I drove in Edmonton AB for 2 snowy and icy winters (06/07) with my 335i, Dunlop M3 Snow tires and two sandbags in the trunk.( I have read conflicting things with this as it may actually be better to leave the BMW with its natural 50/50 distribution and sandbags are better for the old school cars with massive front biased weight but with RWD) I was commuting out of town 25min each way and never had any issues, what follows are my recommendations, most have been covered by people but might as well add my thoughts.

1. DSC helps a lot, but what also helps in compact/icy snow is to hit the button to go into DTC to get off the line and if you have a 6spd to start in 2nd gear. Then get it right back into DSC.

2. In deeper snow DSC does fine and I actually drove through some parking lots with about 20cm of moderately heavy snow and plowed through fine.

3. Obviously the only thing that can help braking in winter are tires...period! I think studs are overkill because with modern plowing there are just too many days of dry roads throughout a 7 month winter season. Even though my dunlops are not the most hardcore winter compound (like a Blizzak would be), they made the car much more secure on turning and breaking. Especially essential if you have Summer tires normally, and still an important improvement over AS tires (especially with an i over an xi).

4. DSC helps with turning but of course only increased awareness and caution can really keep you out of an accident.

5. Finally, experience is everything, I've always lived in Canada with winters, my first day with my license driving myself to highschool we got 15cm of snow during the school day and I had to learn really fast how to make it home! (of course having a 100hp, FWD, `85 civic may have made it easier to manage!!!). And as many have suggested head out to an empty lot and just test out what you can and can't do with your car. Try with DSC, DCT and all off. I was amazed with all systems off how just a little throttle would make the 335i spin like crazy! And plus, as many have said, its the most fun you can ever have with your car (except maybe a track, which I've never had the opportunity to try).

So I'm writing this fairly sad as I had to turn in my 335i when I decided to move to Whitehorse Yukon, due to lack of service options and not wanting to look too pretentious in such a small norther town. But damn, I miss that car a lot. I rarely need a car where I live now (walking to work) and we only kept the Mazda 3 for economy and driving around town. I recently have gotten the Audi S4/S5 itch and also living up here the Subaru WRX itch, both of which I'm trying not to scratch so that when I leave Whitehorse I can hopefully come back to the BMW team. Anyways, enough with that sob story, hope everyone can go out and do a few donuts for me this winter because the Mazda 3 will only do them in reverse....LOL!

[BMW in Sweden]

Here in Sweden we have (by law) snow tires - On the car it is very rare I have been stopped (going uphill round a hairpin bend in 30 cms of snow....!!!) the 3 series with DTC is really way ahead of all RWD's in the past - It's weird when the DTC takes over mid-bend on 'black-ice' Just feels like a guardian angel takes over...

[chaz58]

This was stated earlier,

but the best place to put weight is just in front of the rear axel. You don't want to put it behind the rear axle.

And yes, you will get more wheel spin in the 2006/7 cars as they dont' have the e-diff (pseudo LSD diff). It makes a huge difference.

My car is great in the snow (lsd + 49/51 front/rear weight ballance + snow tires).

Originally Posted by Well Marbled

We just got a pretty good dump of snow here today. Im thinking that given our weight distribution, rather than putting the sand bags in the trunk I might sit em in my back seat. Get a little more weight back there for traction but just about over the back axle rather than swinging around aft making me tail happy.

Thoughts?

[jlstyle]

Hm I just do fine on snow with my stock tires.
I find my BMWs (z4 and 335icoupe) much more stable then other sports cars I had owned before such as s2k.
Traction control is definately helping alot when I accidently apply heavy gas.

As long as you just drive like grandma and avoid hills covered with snow, you should be fine. But it is still scary so get some snow tires and still drive like grandma!

[DPritchett]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Ok so I bought my first BMW two days ago. Before I had this car I was driving a FWD car and well I've only driven in snow twice. It's snowing right now in SLC, any tips for better/safe driving?

If you can do it, find a big, empty parking lot covered in snow and test the car out -- stops, starts, turns, etc. to get a feel for how it handles. 360's are fun when there's nothing to collide with... I did this with my son years ago when I was teaching him to drive and he says to this day its one of the most valuable lessons he ever had.

The way I always put it is to do everything slowly ... start slowly, stop slowly, etc.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Well Marbled

We just got a pretty good dump of snow here today. Im thinking that given our weight distribution, rather than putting the sand bags in the trunk I might sit em in my back seat. Get a little more weight back there for traction but just about over the back axle rather than swinging around aft making me tail happy.

Thoughts?

Just make sure you have them restrained. Ever given thought to a 60 pound bag of sand hitting you in the back at 60 MPH?