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      11-06-2012, 07:54 AM   #23
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My 335i rode fine in the snow with a winter setup, and that is a Germany winter. You'll be fine if you get a dedicated winter setup.
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      11-06-2012, 08:07 AM   #24
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if you are expecting to drive in fair amount of snow (an inch or more), get yourself a set of winter tire, spend the $700-$800, it could save your live
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      11-06-2012, 08:09 AM   #25
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there are lots of people who say RWD sucks in the snow. none of them run winter tires.
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      11-06-2012, 08:33 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avocet View Post
there are lots of people who say RWD sucks in the snow. none of them run winter tires.
I think youre right. Once you have driven AWD with winter tires RWD DOES suck though.
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      11-06-2012, 08:46 AM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avocet View Post
there are lots of people who say RWD sucks in the snow. none of them run winter tires.
Sounds about right! Also not many people invest in some winter driving training, especially with RWD. It's always easier to just go with AWD to correct years of bad technique.
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      11-06-2012, 08:49 AM   #28
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Originally Posted by 335BBS View Post
Okay? are you kidding. There are all kinds of videos proving winter tires stop WAY shorter than all season tires on snow AND cold pavement. You are going to go through two (at least ) sets of tires in the life of your car so why not make one of them winter so you don't put people around you at risk.
The amount of ignorance around here (not you) in regards to winter driving is appalling. It's simple. If you're in a cold environment, regardless of moisture content, you get winter tires. Not "All" seasons. Also, it doesn't matter if you have FWD, AWD, or RWD. Every car has four-wheel stop. People forget about this.
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      11-06-2012, 08:50 AM   #29
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just bought my dedicated winter set
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      11-06-2012, 08:58 AM   #30
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Originally Posted by kbryce View Post
This will be my first time driving a RWD car through the winter

I do most of my driving in upstate NY and we often get a good amount of snow.

i haven't bought winter tires/wheels and just plan on putting the stock msport wheels with all season tires back on this weekend

anyways, does anyone go through the winter with their stock wheels/tires? is it terrible?

I know someone with a land rover lr4 that they aren't using and i could take that, but i don't want to be making two car payments if i don't absolutely need to.

edit: I also have msport so my car has LSD - if that makes a difference
I see a few BMW spinning tires at green lights during every Boston winter, I can tell they dont have snow tires. If you have RWD, get snow tires or get a AWD. Snow tires will help you stop shorter and the AWD will help with accelaration in the slippery stuff. AWD with snow is the best of both worlds.
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      11-06-2012, 09:22 AM   #31
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Originally Posted by Philz BMW View Post
Buy an SUV. Drive it when it snows.
*Phbbt*. An SUV with crappy tires just gives you a better view of what you're crashing into.

Cornering ability and stopping distance depend on traction. Traction depends on the tire's ability to grip what it's sitting on. Body style is irrelevant. AWD, limited slip, and traction control are great to help you *go* but do nothing to help you *stop*. Anti-lock brakes help maximize the *use* of your available traction, but cannot give you winter tire traction from summer tires.

Last edited by gpb; 11-06-2012 at 09:29 AM..
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      11-06-2012, 09:58 AM   #32
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Keep in mind also that your RWD vehicle was designed in a country with a cold and snowy climate. If it was an issue, it wouldn't have been RWD.
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      11-06-2012, 10:11 AM   #33
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wow I wasn't expecting so many responses.

Thanks a lot for all the help.

someone made a good point about endangering the people around me, which i'm more worried about than the condition of my car.

I'll likely invest in winter tires or just drive the Land Rover to switch it up.

I just don't want to buy tires, have them put on, then have another winter like last with one day of snow.
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      11-06-2012, 10:21 AM   #34
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You absolutely need winter tires if you are RWD in a winter climate. Depending on the weather you might be able to barely get through winter with all seasons but it is a big safety risk. With 4 winter tires and RWD you will be much better off.

And anyone that has any kind of sport package with performance tires will be helpless whenever it snows. Dangerous actually.
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      11-06-2012, 10:33 AM   #35
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It was pretty funny when one woman wanted to purchase SUV because she thought it was safer in snow, and moreover she didnt even know that some SUV are actually FWD and not AWD. When I told her that it would be much cheaper and better for her to buy snow tires, she thought I was full of shit....

Had another person looking for a car and they also thought ONLY SUVs have AWD, they were pretty surprised when I told them many sedans and coupes have AWD too
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      11-06-2012, 10:39 AM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpb View Post
*Phbbt*. An SUV with crappy tires just gives you a better view of what you're crashing into.

Cornering ability and stopping distance depend on traction. Traction depends on the tire's ability to grip what it's sitting on. Body style is irrelevant. AWD, limited slip, and traction control are great to help you *go* but do nothing to help you *stop*. Anti-lock brakes help maximize the *use* of your available traction, but cannot give you winter tire traction from summer tires.
+1...snow tires also required for SUVs. it's crazy how many people drive SUV's and AWD cross-overs in snow on all-seasons. I'm installing my wife's snow tires this week on her MDX.
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      11-06-2012, 10:59 AM   #37
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The right answer is winter tyres from a good firm like Nokian, Michelin, Continental, Gislaved etc. They have good grip on ice and snow. It is actually cheap and good insurance for winter driving. Don't go cheap.
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      11-06-2012, 11:32 AM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbryce View Post
I just don't want to buy tires, have them put on, then have another winter like last with one day of snow.
This is definitely the biggest misconception about winter or "snow" tires, that their only benefit is traction in snow and other frozen precipitation. Their real (and most important advantage, unless you're living in Calgary or some other place that's covered in snow for most of the winter) is cold weather traction and braking. Ambient temps under 45f will give a dedicated winter tire a decided advantage (I've found this to be closer to 50f, especially when compared to dedicated summer-only tires), and ambients around freezing or below just make summer-tire use dangerous. All-seasons are bordering on dangerous around freezing as well, and this is without any precipitation entering the equation.

In your area I'd imagine the aggregate ambient temps hover around 40f and below from late Nov-March and beyond, you'd be much safer on winter tires. Costs would be roughly similar to running an all-season with a tread-life of 300-400, as you'd be splitting duty and running each system for half a season.

I'm in Seattle and have ambients around 45f for most of the winter with a very occasional snow event, having winter tires is safer even in that environment, and when I want to go to the mountains or a snow event happens, I'm able to get about.

I just put a set of the new Dunlop Winter Sport 4Ds on the E91, I have yet to see how they perform in precipitation but they're amazing in the dry at 55f and below. Very difficult to tell that they're a winter tire, they handle amazingly well (though I do have 225/40/18s). I have the Winter Sport 3Ds on a FWD Saab 9-5 Aero wagon, and those are amazing tires as well.
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      11-06-2012, 11:41 AM   #39
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Even the worst winter tire is much better the best all season/ summer tire. Studies have shown that below 7 celcius winter tire grip exceeds that of the all season/ summer.

The old saying...all season = no season. Also, as some members have already mentioned, SUV/ RWD/ AWD means nothing regarding winter driving ability. The 4 patches of rubber on the ground is what makes your car accelerate, turn, and stop. Don't compromise those 4 small patches.

Changed my tires to winter last weekend, sister-in-law last weekend, and waiting for delivery of wife's winter tires/ wheels (for Merc SUV).
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      11-06-2012, 11:41 AM   #40
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IMO there is some use to AS tires, its when you temps are 30-40s and no snow. In this case good AS tires would probably be better fit then dedicated snow tires due to more aggressive performance tread. Some winter tires dont have winter tire tread, those are good too for minimal to no snow conditions.

I'll be switching to winter tires soon too, I am just not a fan of driving on winter tires in 50s

Last edited by Kolyan2k; 11-06-2012 at 11:50 AM..
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      11-06-2012, 12:15 PM   #41
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alright, i'll be buying winter tires this week.

are winter rims that much better than stock? is it worth getting them too?
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      11-06-2012, 12:22 PM   #42
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Only reason to get rims is convenience when swapping back and forth each season. Tirerack.com has some pretty good winter wheel/tire packages.
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      11-06-2012, 12:28 PM   #43
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If you can afford it, skip the all-weather tires. They are really not as good as the name suggests. Winter tires by Michelin, Pirelli or even a cheap-ass brand are so much better. The Michelins are the most quiet ones, important if you drive a lot of (high speed) autobahn... But not sure whether you get to set your cruise control at 100mph in upstate New York (when the road are clear of snow and ice of course...).
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      11-06-2012, 01:00 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbryce View Post
I just don't want to buy tires, have them put on, then have another winter like last with one day of snow.
This is why AWD are so popular in the snow belt states.
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