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[cardsdoc]

Garry,
Sorry to post on e90 forum but you don't appear to be on f30 forum so thought I'd try here. I have a 2013 335 xdrive sport line on the way and live in Cleveland so would like a winter set up. I want to stick with run flats. It seems options are limited. I was leaning towards the Blizzak LM-25 but these seem to be dated tires. Other options seem to be Pirelli Sottozero Serie II (which is what BMW seems to recommend) or Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 ROF. Any opinions?

Also quick question about wheels. Was going to go with sport edition a7's so I can use bmw center caps (and they are cheap). Do I need to buy new center caps or is it easy to pop them out from my current wheels.

Thanks.

[Tom K.]

Can't give you a direct answer, but I used the older Dunlop (non RFT) M3 for about 4 seasons on my E46. Not only was it a capable snow tire, but the wet/dry road performance was excellent for a winter tire

Tom

[Gary@TireRack]

Originally Posted by cardsdoc

Garry,
Sorry to post on e90 forum but you don't appear to be on f30 forum so thought I'd try here. I have a 2013 335 xdrive sport line on the way and live in Cleveland so would like a winter set up. I want to stick with run flats. It seems options are limited. I was leaning towards the Blizzak LM-25 but these seem to be dated tires. Other options seem to be Pirelli Sottozero Serie II (which is what BMW seems to recommend) or Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 ROF. Any opinions?

Also quick question about wheels. Was going to go with sport edition a7's so I can use bmw center caps (and they are cheap). Do I need to buy new center caps or is it easy to pop them out from my current wheels.

Thanks.

No problem!

If you're minus sizing to 17" on the F30 and looking for run flat winter tires, you'll use tire size 225/50R17. In that size the two with the better snow and ice traction would the Dunlop Winter Sport M3ROF and the Bridgestone Blizzak LM25RFT. The Pirelli Sottozero Serie 2 runflat and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 ZP will give up some snow traction for slightly better dry road handling and faster steering response.

For areas that see system snow and lake effect snow, I would lean towards the LM25 and M3ROF.

Yes, your original BMW center caps should fit these wheels with no problem.

Winter http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AH8&...nter/index.jsp

[cardsdoc]

Originally Posted by Gary@TireRack

No problem!

If you're minus sizing to 17" on the F30 and looking for run flat winter tires, you'll use tire size 225/50R17. In that size the two with the better snow and ice traction would the Dunlop Winter Sport M3ROF and the Bridgestone Blizzak LM25RFT. The Pirelli Sottozero Serie 2 runflat and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 ZP will give up some snow traction for slightly better dry road handling and faster steering response.

For areas that see system snow and lake effect snow, I would lean towards the LM25 and M3ROF.

Yes, your original BMW center caps should fit these wheels with no problem.

Winter http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AH8&...nter/index.jsp

Thanks Gary. While Cleveland has the potential to get a lot of snow, the roads are cleared fairly well so it's rare that I would be driving in deep snow. I'm leaning towards the Pirelli's for the better dry road handling but still not sure.

[divisionbell77]

Originally Posted by cardsdoc

Thanks Gary. While Cleveland has the potential to get a lot of snow, the roads are cleared fairly well so it's rare that I would be driving in deep snow. I'm leaning towards the Pirelli's for the better dry road handling but still not sure.

What did you use with that 2009? Trying to decide on what I want. Did you use a local place to switch? Do they store sets in the off season? The BMW dealers up here all told me unless I get the tires from them, they will not store them.

You get this, yet? Someone with a 2013 335i xdrive sedan parked 2 spots away from me(black 2011 335 e92) in the outskirts of the Giant Eagle parking lot in Legacy the other day.

[cardsdoc]

Originally Posted by divisionbell77

What did you use with that 2009? Trying to decide on what I want. Did you use a local place to switch? Do they store sets in the off season? The BMW dealers up here all told me unless I get the tires from them, they will not store them.

You get this, yet? Someone with a 2013 335i xdrive sedan parked 2 spots away from me(black 2011 335 e92) in the outskirts of the Giant Eagle parking lot in Legacy the other day.

Wasn't me. Mine is still in Germany waiting to catch a ride across the Atlantic unfortunately.

I didn't use snows on my 2009. I was in Pittsburgh most of that time and did ok on all seasons. I figure with snows this time I'll be safer (have a 3 yr old) in Cleveland and will hopefully save treads on the all seasons so I can get through the lease without new ones.

I called BMW Cleveland and they will sell BMW wheels + Pirelli run flat winters installed with storage of all seasons for ~2180. Certainly more than tirerack but also convenient. Not sure what ill do yet.

[jmarino21]

Hey guys this thread is a little old but I figured I could chime in. I have a 2011 335i xdrive and recently replaced the all-season runflats I had on my stock 17s with non-runflat snows. Got em on just in time for the snow we got towards the end of december! I went with Blizzak LM-60s and I must say the car is unstoppable in the snow. This coming spring I'm going to look into some used or aftermarket 19's and put sport tires on those.

I live in Mayfield Heights but frequent Legacy Village quite a lot as I work out at Urban Active / LA Fitness. Groceries split between Giant Eagle and Heinen's (worked at the Shaker store in high school). Maybe I was the one parked in the outskirts...I rarely put my car next to others...

As far as tire storage is concerned, I plan to keep the unused set in my garage. I'm looking at homes now, if nothing comes around in the next few months I'll probably just store them at the 'rents house in Shaker.

Also, dealers wanted 400 bucks more for those snows than what I paid at Mr. Tire. $800 bucks vs. $1200 for tires was a no-brainer.

-James

[01tj]

Do you guys running non-run flat tires keep a can of fix-a-flat in your trunk?

[BillionPa]

Originally Posted by 01tj

Do you guys running non-run flat tires keep a can of fix-a-flat in your trunk?

only if you want to destroy the TPMS sensor...

I bought XL and V rated winter tires to minimize the chance of a flat, they will take quite the beating, have not had one damaged in 40000 miles of craptacular MN road travel

[01tj]

I see, Ive been wondering what options there are for replacing run flats. Do you have you winter tires mounted on separate wheels? If so did you have the sensors put in the new wheels as well?

[BillionPa]

yes, I got wheels just for the tires, as the labor to remove the tire and install a different tire is about the same price

also that allows me to have thinner tires on 17" wheels, which are much better for snow traction than the summer size in a winter tire

I did get the TPMS sensors, but only because I had the money at the time, would probably not do again, and just check the tires more often

[geko29]

I went with the LM-60s also, and they're fantastic in the snow--WAY better than my wife's RX350 with AWD on Dueler Alenza AS tires. I definitely didn't want run-flats. The last time I got a flat tire while I was away from home was 14 years ago. If it did happen again, I'd just call BMW Assist.