[stupot]

Originally Posted by stupot

Just to add my experience, although similar to a lot of other peoples.

My wife was getting increasingly irate at not being able to get her coupe out of the drive. 2 1/2 weeks now, and she was passing her feelings on to me!

Couldn’t find a cheap enough set of alloys for her 3, but found a cheap set of 16" alloys for my 5.

Got Avon winter tyres fitted today. 225/55/16. Cost £90 for alloys and £470 for the tyres.

Absolutely brilliant. Drives on snow and slush like it wasn’t there. Picks away on hills and stops like normal driving. I was worried it wouldn’t be worth it, couldn’t see how it would make that much difference.

It deffo does, worth every penny. Just do it!

Stu.

Should also mention it now looks like S**t. Actually looks like an unmarked police car.

Bring on spring so the 19's can go back on!

[the_rangdo]

Gotta love that feeling when people are watching me park up in 6 inches of snow thinking no way will he shift that again, then off I scoot with no issues

[garysargent]

Just had 19 inch Dunlop Winter Sport 3D's fitted front and back on the 335i (255 width back, 225 front).

Absolutely brilliant. Its like driving on tarmac but you're on ice, snow, and slush!

At a safe point I even tried an emergency stop on compacted snow and it just stopped like there was no snow there. No skidding at all. I was amazed as I really hit the brakes which should easily have caused a skid normally.

I feel like I could take on any 4x4 now!

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by garysargent

Just had 19 inch Dunlop Winter Sport 3D's fitted front and back on the 335i (255 width back, 225 front).

Absolutely brilliant. Its like driving on tarmac but you're on ice, snow, and slush!

At a safe point I even tried an emergency stop on compacted snow and it just stopped like there was no snow there. No skidding at all. I was amazed as I really hit the brakes which should easily have caused a skid normally.

I feel like I could take on any 4x4 now!

Gary - are those the 18" sizes?

i.e. 225/40/18 and 255/35/18?

If so where do you get them? i tried all over to get the 225/35/18 size with no luck.

[garysargent]

No they are 19": 255/30R19 Rear, 225/35R19 front.

From http://www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk/

[squid2010]

Could someone please offer some advice on the size of wheels I should get for my 335d as I am thinking of getting winter tyres for it and thinking a complete swap would be the easiest way forward.

[E92Fan]

Originally Posted by squid2010

Could someone please offer some advice on the size of wheels I should get for my 335d as I am thinking of getting winter tyres for it and thinking a complete swap would be the easiest way forward.

The best size of winter wheels for your 335d will be 8J x 17" all round, with an ET34 offset.

Tyres to suit will be sized 225/45/17


16" wheels don't fit over the brakes, and 18" wheels end up costing more as a combination

[squid2010]

Thanks for such a speedy reply! Now to find them

[jonnydrama]

After picking up my 335i today I really, really need some winter tyres. I'm a bit pissed off cause I ordered snow socks on Monday which haven't arrived yet, they could've helped me get the car into my car park!!

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by E92Fan

The best size of winter wheels for your 335d will be 8J x 17" all round, with an ET34 offset.

Tyres to suit will be sized 225/45/17


16" wheels don't fit over the brakes, and 18" wheels end up costing more as a combination

FWIW I followed this advice to the letter (Thanks Tony)

[Captain SlowCoach]

Another couple of video examples - a pal in the Caterham Club has a 7... in Finland! Couple of vids on his site of his car on an Ice Lake: http://people.fishpool.fi/~setok/7/Ice%20Track/videos/

He was complaining the other day that as day time temp is -17 his car would not start (its an old Crossflow on 45s- aka a Flame Thower!). Runs 99% of the year without the roof on... He is rather mad! Some still pics of his 7 on then lake... http://people.fishpool.fi/~setok/7/Ice%20Track/

(My Caterham does have a heated front screen - something I always think is lacking on BMs...)

Captain SC

[doughboy]

Not a hot topic now summer's on the way....

But I got my new wheels and Winters on last Friday...quick review after a week...better late than never, and it will now never snow again in the UK

4 MV3 reps (18x8J) £300

4 Wintrac Extremes 225/40/18 (£550)

Fortunately for me I was off work for 3 weeks when the snow came, but other wise, being a freelancer, every day off due to being stuck in by snow would have cost nearly as much as the set of winter tyres, so for me its a no brainer choice as far as avoiding (even 1 or 2) future snow-stuck-days.

Although snow and ice is only part of the story....

The wheels look great - going from 8.5J to 8J on the rear looks no different, the offset being ET34 instead of ET helps with that.

The tyres look awesome, not important I know, but a consideration.

BTW, the driving temps since last week has varied from 0deg to +8.

The feel and dry grip is quite amazing TBH. Smooth but firm, lots of feedback and very sharp turn in compared to the chilli Conti 3's that came off. As the tread is soft at the present cold temperatures, it feels like driving in summer on hot summer tyres, but with ultimately less grip of course. You can sink a finger nail into the tread at -3deg, try that with a PS2!

The WET Grip is UNBELIEVABLE - I mean UNBELIEVABLE.

Again the feel and progressiveness is like summer on summer tyres - gone is tiptoing around with the grip...grip..ahhhh...no-grip of summer tyres in cold weather. You can lean and lean and then it gently pushes wide with all that hot weather confidence and progression, but now at 3deg in the pissing rain......

You can really enjoy sliding the car a bit because the feel is so good and they never just 'let go' like cold summer tyres. You have all the good characteristics of a warmed up summer tyre, but the grip limits are ultimately lower of course, BUT this means you can enjoy playing with the limits of the car all at much lower speeds than warmed summer tyres would allow. All without the greasy slippy fear-factor of summer tyres in winter.

More safe fun at lower speeds - bonus!!

Also when you drive through a puddle with one side of the car, say 1 inch deep at 40mph, usually you would feel a good pull on the wheel and slowing of the car as it hits the water, with these winter on they are so good at draining the water you feel nothing, just the spray hitting the floorpan but that's it no tug on the steering wheel, no sudden slowing or yawing of the car. The first time I did it I thought I was going blind and had missed the water altogether!

I thought the Conti3'3 were great in the wet - and they were a leap up from the PS2's but these winters are the danglies!

So, for someone who:

a) owns their car
b) will keep it for a while
c) wants to enjoy cold/wet/slippy driving as much as warmer weather driving (maybe more TBH)

I think a set of winters is a must.

Plus it gives you the chance to properly clean your out-of-use set up at your leisure and repaint your rusty hub every spring when you change the wheels over...and you can buy some proper summer only rubber for the warm weather.

[Estoril Sport]

Originally Posted by doughboy

I think a set of winters is a must.

Plus it gives you the chance to properly clean your out-of-use set up at your leisure and repaint your rusty hub every spring when you change the wheels over...and you can buy some proper summer only rubber for the warm weather.

If you can get over the initial cost its a 'win win' scenario

I ordered mine winter alloys and tyres on Monday, for the B3BT. Alpina recommend a different set up being:

Alloys - Alpina Classic 8" x 18" EH2 34 offset
Tyres - 235/40 R18 95V M+S Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3

For all four wheels.

[firebod]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Not a hot topic now summer's on the way....

But I got my new wheels and Winters on last Friday...quick review after a week...better late than never, and it will now never snow again in the UK
......

liked the quick review, ive been pondering over the choice of winter tyres for my E91 for a while. I, like you, will be keeping the car for a while so it might be a worthwhile investment, i was also lookin at the michelin alpin PA3 so it would be great if estoril sport could post what he thinks of them when he gets them. Does anyone have any other recommendations? sounds like the Vred's are winning a lot of people over.

thanks guys.

[swanseahammer]

I've got the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 in 225/45/17 RFT. They are superb, not just in the ice & snow we had but also in the wet too. Difference is like night and day. Quiet too and good ride quality in wet and dry In the snow, they made the difference between being able to take my daughter to college for an exam and her not being able get there.

[firebod]

thanks for that, i think i may need to see out this winter then start getting organised through the summer/autumn ready for next winter, gotta save some pennies to be sure i do it right.

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by E92Fan

I drove up the same hill in my own car, rear wheel drive, wide 19' wheels and all that with no problems whatsoever... because I was on winter tyres.

Damn, Tony.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Estoril Sport

If you can get over the initial cost its a 'win win' scenario

I ordered mine winter alloys and tyres on Monday, for the B3BT. Alpina recommend a different set up being:

Alloys - Alpina Classic 8" x 18" EH2 34 offset
Tyres - 235/40 R18 95V M+S Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3

For all four wheels.

Nearly the same as what I went for! - same wheel sizes, just 235 instead of 225 tyres.

Works a treat.

[330d xdrive Scotty]

Winter tyres are the way to go as i also put them on and what a massive difference they made.

I went for 8j x 18 all round with 225 40 18 vred wintracs.

Big thank you to all who gave advice - it was because of this that i made the investment.

[Estoril Sport]

I have noticed even when there is no snow or ice the current summer tyres I have are really quite poor holding traction in cold weather as few time the back end have been very twitchy.

So the sooner the better for the winter tyres.

[rshew]

Makes huges difference. Get winter tires and you'll feel the difference. Have studded snow tires on my other car which even gets better grip, at the cost of increased noise and steering wheel shakes a bit.

[Teutonicdriver]

Anyone please... will 16" alloys fit on my E90 M Sport?