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[adk749]

Okay, my second post (i am well on my way to becoming an addict)...

1) How many people are swapping out their tires for snow tires during the winter months? Is it a pain in the butt? Do you use the same OEM rims for both sets of tires or do you use different rims for your snows?

2) Are the all seasons on the 128i any good in the the snow? I live in Northern NJ and we get a few storms each winter - can I run with all seasons all year long or will I have to swap them out for snows?

As always, any and all advice is appreciated! :thumbup:

[PA135i]

I wouldnt use all seasons where you live.
I live near Philly and tho we have had some mild winters.. this year was not the norm.

Most people buy an extra set of rims with "winter tires" already mounted on them. It is easy then to swap them around December 1. Remove 3rd week in March. Hope that helps.. good luck

[topvega]

Originally Posted by adk749

Okay, my second post (i am well on my way to becoming an addict)...

1) How many people are swapping out their tires for snow tires during the winter months? Is it a pain in the butt? Do you use the same OEM rims for both sets of tires or do you use different rims for your snows?

2) Are the all seasons on the 128i any good in the the snow? I live in Northern NJ and we get a few storms each winter - can I run with all seasons all year long or will I have to swap them out for snows?

As always, any and all advice is appreciated! :thumbup:

I had to get snow tires for my G35 in the winter months and the 135 is even more powerful so I will be doing the same for it... 4 tires on 4 rims and a can of fix a flat and a pump in the trunk... the good thing is snow tires for the 135 are less then half the price I had to pay for the G... I also live in Jerzey by the way... Central Jersey Ocean county

[EINS]

Michigan reporting in.

I have wheels and snow tires for my GTI and they have worked great so I'll be doing the same thing for the 135i.

-Jeff

[nautilus]

Twin Cities here... just did my first winter in MN (lived in NYC/NJ prev.) and my old car (FWD Volvo S60) wasn't bad but for the 128, blizzaks mounted on a separate set of wheels is what I'll be doing this November for sure!

[BMW Dreamer]

YAH, with RWD you NEED real snow tires. All-season tires are no comparison to a real good snow tire. FWD cars can use all-seasons in the winter because THEY ARE FWD.

[Cuz5150]

For your safety and mine, please do get the proper tire combo for the winter. A big reason why im keeping the Quattro, so i can dodge/avoid/go around idiots that slip and slide on a 1/4" of snow! People go on a panic around here when the white stuff starts to hit the ground.

Four wheels and 4 blizzaks tires. I would shop for them now. They can be had on the cheap. Check the tire rack if you want new. Also check other other BMW forsale forums many people sell them as they relocate to warmer climates around the country. Used can be had for very very very low prices too.

[mtla4]

even an awd or 4x4 needs snow tires

[HeyMoe53]

My first winter with the Focus (sport model with 50-series tires) was mild. The next one hit hard and early, and I had to do something.

I bought Blizzaks and four cheap steel wheels. I actually "downsized" from 205/50/16 to 195/60/15 (same diameter) to get a narrower tire, for better bite in snow.

The installation of the winter wheels and tires meant the end of aggressive cornering, but the car was great in winter weather. Never a worry.

So, if I were buying a rwd car, I would definitely go the winter wheel/tire route. The car looks kind of geeky in this mode (unless you decide to fork over for alloys to go with the snow tires), but I didn't care, since I laughed at the weather.

I won't be buying snows when I get a 1er, because I intend to keep the Focus!

[740i325e135i]

YES...YES and YES for all 3 of my baby's... I live in NJ too and put them on in Nov. off in March. Got steel wheels for the snow's and even studs on one of my cars, which are still allowed between Nov. and Mar...

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by mtla4

even an awd or 4x4 needs snow tires

Really? My 4x4 Tundra didn't have snows. But I guess the All terrain T/A KO's with a 4.10:1 posi helped.

[Dan203]

We don't get a ton of snow around here, but I'll probably buy a set of winter tires/wheels towards the end of the summer. Not sure if I want to drop the $ on a nice set of alloy wheels that make the car look nice, or if I'll cheap out and get steel wheels, but either way I'll get a good set of winter tires. (don't want to wrap my $45K car around a tree by cheaping out on tires)

Dan

[gyrfalcon]

Originally Posted by Jeff1962

Really? My 4x4 Tundra didn't have snows. But I guess the All terrain T/A KO's with a 4.10:1 posi helped.

Yea...All terrains are pretty much equivalent to snows. I have had my 4x4 Tracker driving forest trails in 8 in of snow no problem with AT tires.

[Endre]

Originally Posted by gyrfalcon

Yea...All terrains are pretty much equivalent to snows. I have had my 4x4 Tracker driving forest trails in 8 in of snow no problem with AT tires.

An AWD, RWD and FWD all have the same problem when it comes to stopping! All cars need good winter tires where you have winter weather.

For answering the question, yes i have a winter setup with oem rims. (live in Norway so good winter tires are important!)

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Endre

An AWD, RWD and FWD all have the same problem when it comes to stopping! All cars need good winter tires where you have winter weather.

For answering the question, yes i have a winter setup with oem rims. (live in Norway so good winter tires are important!)

^True. Winter tires aren't just for snow either. The winter rubber provides far superior grip in the dry and wet in and around freezing temps vs. summer rubber. Summer rubber is dangerous in cold temps, and of course in the snow it doesn't work at all. It'll hold on to snow in the treads and you may as well be driving with slicks.

[Dan203]

Are the "all season" tires that come standard on a 128i (or optional on a 135i) good for winter driving? I was thinking I might be able to find someone looking to upgrade the stock wheels/tires on a 128i and just pick up the whole set for winter driving. I like the BMW style wheels, but they're like $400/ea if you buy them new from BMW.

Dan

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Dan203

Are the "all season" tires that come standard on a 128i (or optional on a 135i) good for winter driving? I was thinking I might be able to find someone looking to upgrade the stock wheels/tires on a 128i and just pick up the whole set for winter driving. I like the BMW style wheels, but they're like $400/ea if you buy them new from BMW.

Dan

That's a good alternative, especially where you live. If you live where it snows alot or stays below freezing for the bulk of the winter then it's best to get true high quality winter tires.

[Dan203]

I'll drive my wife's AWD Subaru Legacy when it actually snows, so all I have to worry about with the 135i is cold, and possibly a little icy, roads in the winter months. Do you think the "all season" tires that come with the 128i are good for that?

Dan

[adk749]

Do they make snows that fit on the OEM rims for the 128i or 135i? Or are you forced to put them on nasty steel rims? Part of what I hate about snows is that I would have to drive around with crappy rims for three months. Any thoughts/suggestions?

[Lester]

My 135 will never see snow tires, chains or road salt!!! It will get parked, and that is when I take public transit to work. Luckily that doesn'y happen for more than a week or two per year here in Vancouver.

It is not just so much that I don't want to drive in the snow. I am from Northern BC, where the roads are covered for 6 months per year. It's just that there are so many people here in Vancouver who have no experience driving in the stuff. There is also no law compelling people to use snow tires in the city. So you have complete morons driving around the hills of Vancouver with summer tires, thinking the way to get moving is to use more gas pedal. I don't want some idiot in a Dodge Caravan with balding summer tires running into my nice 135i.

I wonder what the 135 is like in the snow? Even with snow tires, that is a lot of hp at the rear wheels to control on a slippery surface. Has anyone tried DTC?

[IDBMW]

I do not use snow tires on my BMW but I have a 4x4 Tacoma that I put Michelin X-ICE on. The X-ICE was the first sipped winter tire I have used and found it wore down really quickly. In the past I used studded tires, I think studded tires are a little better in snow and ice but they are really noisy. If I were to put snow tires on my BMW I would get 17” wheels with sipped winter tires and do the change out at the beginning and end of winter. I think low profile snow ties to match the 18” wheels would be expensive and unnecessary if you could even get them. BTW it is cheaper to buy a second set of wheel with winter tires than have the tires remounted at the beginning and end of winter.

[days-like-this]

Originally Posted by adk749

Do they make snows that fit on the OEM rims for the 128i or 135i? Or are you forced to put them on nasty steel rims? Part of what I hate about snows is that I would have to drive around with crappy rims for three months. Any thoughts/suggestions?

When I was just in getting my tires rotated on my Touareg I asked about snows for the 18" 135i wheels. At this point Blizzak and Nokian didn't have a snow for it, but the guy indicated that one might be coming out.

The problem is that November to March is a lot of months. So I want a nice looking rim. I'd like oem or aftermarket with oem centercaps? I need to educate myself on what fits. Can't wait to see what everyone goes with.

I plan on getting rid of my current SUV, but I think I may pick up a 2-3 year old Jeep Wrangler for the super snow days (the deep stuff).