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[Govenator]

Hi everyone. New guy here, I've been reading reading for a while but haven't posted anything until now...

I wanted to get some feedback on the way my car handles now that I've put snow tires on. I've had my 135 for about a year, and just went from the original set of 18" Bridgestone Protenza's to Blizzak LM-25 RFT's (205/50R17) mounted on 17X7.5 Sport Edition wheels. (It's the recommended tire rack winter kit.) I do a lot of highway driving and I've started to notice the car just doesn't track like it used to. It doesn't pull or anything, but it just doesn't have that same driving on rails feel that it used to with the summer tires. I find myself doing lots more tiny steering adjustments, especially at higher speeds. It's not driving poorly by any means, but it used to feel fantastic...like riding on a low flying cruse missile . Now, with the Blizzaks's it's just not the same.

I'm thinking about taking it back to the dealer for an alignment check even though it's not pulling, just to make sure. What do you guys think? Is this just part of the trade off with winter tires? Alignment issues? Or maybe it's because the 205's are much more narrow than what I had?

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by Govenator

Hi everyone. New guy here, I've been reading reading for a while but haven't posted anything until now...

I wanted to get some feedback on the way my car handles now that I've put snow tires on. I've had my 135 for about a year, and just went from the original set of 18" Bridgestone Protenza's to Blizzak LM-25 RFT's (205/50R17) mounted on 17X7.5 Sport Edition wheels. (It's the recommended tire rack winter kit.) I do a lot of highway driving and I've started to notice the car just doesn't track like it used to. It doesn't pull or anything, but it just doesn't have that same driving on rails feel that it used to with the summer tires. I find myself doing lots more tiny steering adjustments, especially at higher speeds. It's not driving poorly by any means, but it used to feel fantastic...like riding on a low flying cruse missile . Now, with the Blizzaks's it's just not the same.

I'm thinking about taking it back to the dealer for an alignment check even though it's not pulling, just to make sure. What do you guys think? Is this just part of the trade off with winter tires? Alignment issues? Or maybe it's because the 205's are much more narrow than what I had?

You posted this yesterday when the wind was really strong and blowing cars all over the road. I was making tiny adjustments all day too with 225/45/17 Dunlop Winter Sports. We rarely get that much wind. Your car will drive a lot straighter today.

[Govenator]

I was afraid it was a characteristic of the blizzaks. I've noticed it for a while, but man, it was bad yesterday with all that wind. I think I'll play around with the pressure a bit before getting the alignment checked to see if that helps. Thanks for the replies!

[Thaddy]

Keep in mind you're going from a tire with VERY stiff and short sidewalls to a tire that has:

1. deeper tread
2. softer tread compound
3. taller sidewalls
4. softer sidewalls

All four of those traits are great to have in the winter but will result in less precise steering response, especially at higher speeds.

[Govenator]

Originally Posted by Thaddy

Keep in mind you're going from a tire with VERY stiff and short sidewalls to a tire that has:

1. deeper tread
2. softer tread compound
3. taller sidewalls
4. softer sidewalls

All four of those traits are great to have in the winter but will result in less precise steering response, especially at higher speeds.

Oh well, I guess the good news is that it helps me appreciate just how nice a good set of performance summer tires can be. The sad part is I've only seen a dusting of snow so far so I haven't even had a chance to play in the snow with the blizzaks.

[jarcara]

I put the Blizzaks on my car after researching and talking to the dealer and friends who recommended them. I am very disappointed by the tread squirm. It was bad on the highway, it was a bit windy but I was constantly moving the steering wheel to maintain a straight path. It was like they would be sliding out from under you while driving straight. I put 800 miles on on them going from Milwaukee to Spooner WI for the weekend. Snow handling was incredible, very surefooted and nice riding. The squirm either dropped a little or I just got better at handling it but made for a stressful drive. I bumped pressures by 4 Lbs each to try to get more stiffness. It was odd as all the articles I read did not talk of tread squirm as an issue on this tire. I was considering the pirelli, Micheline or the dunlops (consumer reports had an article). I matched them to the factory rims so I could keep my same rims and TPMS. Since I had the tired installed at the dealer before I took ownership (shipped from Tire Rack) I have not experienced the great handling of the summer tires. Looking forward to March/April to get the others on.

[italia4]

I just racked up a few hundred miles on the same setup. I find them to be much, much better in the cold weather (we've had many days in the 20's) than the stock tires. I felt like I was driving on rocks with the stock tires, and was pretty much sideways when driving in the one snow fall we had.

I'm much more confident now, the car is more sure footed and rarely slides around corners. I highly recommend the setup. (my driving is mostly backroads).

[M_Anthony]

Tire squirm will be there no matter which winter tire you get, just in varying amounts. Even the best of them will feel soft and squishy compared to a good summer tire, that's just the nature of the beast.

The deep tread blocks that are so necessary to get you through snow & slush become, on dry tarmac, the equivalent of riding around on little rubber fingers (think of a french tickler or something like that). The siping on the tread that ensures you get good handling on packed snow also lends itself to squirming. Combine all of that with soft sidewalls and you have a tire that simply will not perform like a summer tire.

Take it easy, drive slower than you normally would. They don't have the corner traction that summers do, and they're not rated for high-speed driving other.

Also, not sure how many miles you have on them, but they do need a few hundred to feel stable on dry roads. My winters (Conti Extreme Winter) feel substantially better now that they have around 500 mi on them, compared to the first weekend I had them on the car.

As others have said, an alignment will not help you here, unfortunately.

[mryakanisachoad]

My 135 handles better with squared 225's pirelli winters than it does with those god awful Dunlap run craps.

[Dackelone]

+1 to what TrackRat said.

The Blizzaks are a good winter tire, especially when its really cold outside. Like under 20's' F! But they do have alot of thread squirm. Feels like driving on rubber bands.

I realy prefer the Dunlap M3's winter tires. Although on my 135i I have the Goodyears that BMW uses for its winter package. Both tires have really good high speed performance. No wiggle or quirm with them. But in deep snow (7 inches plus & realy cold temps) the softer Blizzaks would be better I think.

Dackel

[MA128]

I returned Blizzaks to tire dealer after one week and got full credit toward Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds. I chose to give up 10% to 20% snow capability in order to recover 80% of the feel of my summer tires. The Dunlops are excellent in cold, on ice, on packed snow, and with <3" of new snow.