Winter Tires in NYC?

[tcd223]

So I'm expecting delivery around Christmas time, and I'm debating about getting a set of winter tires/rims. I'm on the fence and wanted to know if any other NYCers throw winter shoes on their cars. If I do go with winter tires, i was thinking of doing 225/45R17's on all corners and mounting them on rims that aren't going to break the bank.

I've never bothered with winter tires on my 328xi, because the stock all seasons were more then adequate for the 5 days of snow I've driven through in the last 3 years.

Picture of the 328xi @ orchard beach in the snow two years ago is linked below if anyone cares. There are a few more too if you browse around.

http://cinycphoto.deviantart.com/art...ift-4-78204729

[acivick]

Yeah, I have some relatively inexpensive Sport Edition wheels similar to the OEMs and 17" Dunlop Winter Sport 3D's for the cold months. The stock performance tires turn into hockey pucks in the winter and can make driving more hazardous even in dry cold weather.

I was going to get Blizzaks, but at the time the Dunlops had a rebate and offered similar performance. Can't say I am disappointed with them. You should talk to Gill@TireRack, he'll treat you right.

[BrokenVert]

I actually threw my winter shoes back on 2 days ago. I have Pirelli 240 Sottozeros on the stock wheels. They are winter performance tires. ie they are made for handling at freezing temps.

Although they do carve a nice line through the snow.

[tcd223]

Gotcha, I'd rather not destroy the new car a few days into ownership. I was looking at the Dunlop tires on tirerack. There was the winter package already built for like 1,200 or 1,400 with the TPMS sensors in them. Acivick, did you bother getting TPMS sensors for your winter setup?

I don't think I want to buy staggered tires and put them on the 261M rims. How do the staggered winter tires work out for you, BrokenVert?

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by tcd223

I don't think I want to buy staggered tires and put them on the 261M rims. How do the staggered winter tires work out for you, BrokenVert?

They work really well .Since we dont get daily snow here on LI I think the best option is to go for a more performance oriented setup in the winter, with the ability to carve through the snow, rather than a dedicated snow tire that I will use 2 days out of the year, tops.

So the staggard setup is the best idea for getting your power down to the road IMO.

[acivick]

I got them with the sensors. Probably don't absolutely need them, but I figured they'd help avoid some annoyances. Just looked at the "Preferred" package on Tire Rack and it's $1000 or $1200 with TPMS, so it's your call.

I didn't bother to go staggered on the winter setup, since I know I wasn't really going to do very spirited driving in the winter. You also can't really rotate staggered tires, so they'd get worn quicker. In the summer, I think that's an acceptable tradeoff for better performance, but in the winter, not so much.

Also, to quote Tire Rack, "A wide, low profile or large tire has to "plow" a wide path through snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire, the easier you can get through snow." What BrokenVert says is true, but for the few days with appreciable snow on the ground, you might have a slightly more difficult time. Again, it's your call if you want to get them based on most likely scenario (little to no snow most of the time) or on the occasional outliers.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by acivick

I got them with the sensors. Probably don't absolutely need them, but I figured they'd help avoid some annoyances. Just looked at the "Preferred" package on Tire Rack and it's $1000 or $1200 with TPMS, so it's your call.

I didn't bother to go staggered on the winter setup, since I know I wasn't really going to do very spirited driving in the winter. You also can't really rotate staggered tires, so they'd get worn quicker. In the summer, I think that's an acceptable tradeoff for better performance, but in the winter, not so much.

Also, to quote Tire Rack, "A wide, low profile or large tire has to "plow" a wide path through snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire, the easier you can get through snow." What BrokenVert says is true, but for the few days with appreciable snow on the ground, you might have a slightly more difficult time. Again, it's your call if you want to get them based on most likely scenario (little to no snow most of the time) or on the occasional outliers.

Ohh I should mention that I have an SUV to drive on the snowy days.


And what you say id true as well. I went with a staggard set up because I want the ability to do things in case I want to do them.

For instance my winter tires have a speed rating of 140MPH. Im never driving that fast in the winter.

I guess im just an overachiever.

[tcd223]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'm going to go with the tirerack winter package sans TPMS sensors and just watch the pressures myself like I did before the advent of technology. I never had a TPMS on my Jeep and never was off by a psi or two with a pressure check every week or two.

BrokenVert, I'd hardly call that "overachieving" lol. Seeing as how you're car is broken in and how infrequently we get snow around here there is some sense in having the potential to drive in a spirited fashion during the winter months. Frankly, if I still had the Jeep or access to another SUV, I'd go with the same setup.

Acivick, yea I read that on tirerack too and just thought they were trying to justify selling such skinny tires for a 135i. But one thing has me confused. When it comes to tire rotation I've read its ok to rotate, as per the manufacturer, the stock tires on my 328xi from side to side but never fore to aft. I expected the same to be true with whatever tires I put on the 1er and that would be fine with a staggered setup.

[acivick]

Not sure why you wouldn't want to do a front to back rotation on the xi. Maybe something with the AWD system? Doesn't make sense to me otherwise.

[dkommor]

I bought a set of Blizzak LM 25 RFT 205/50/17 on all corners. I won't mount them up until mid November. Read great things about them although I'm not crazy about the run flats but a flat in the snow would suck.

Peace

[JeremyR]

I didnt put winter tires on last year. 95% of the days it was just fine as we did not have a lot of snow. The other 5% were bad (scary is probably the better word as I was spinning my wheels in 2nd every time I tried to start from a stop) enough that I am definitely going to put on winter tires/rims this year. Probably going with 17" sport edition a7s with the dunlop performance winter tires.

[ptack]

I'll be putting the Dunlop Winter Sport 3Ds back on the stock wheels soon. You definitely need snows if you have to drive the car in winter conditions. They actually ride better than the crappy runflats which are soon to go to the trash.

[tcd223]

Yea, definitely going to invest in some winter rubber. Just need to get some winter rims to mount it on.

[tbhag]

Few quick questions for the fellow 1'ers out here:
1) Are you guys equipping your 128i's with winter tires?
2) If so, which ones?
3) When is the best time to do this (end of November)? and
4) Where are you guys storing your all-season tires? I have a bit of a space issue in my apartment, and I'd rather avoid having to get storage space just for my run flat tires for a few months.

I guess I have been struggling with the need to even get winter tires, given the relatively mild winter we had last year. Furthermore, the reason I ask is that BMW Manhattan is offering winter tires at $301/each or tires + rim package at $578/each -- Neither cover labor costs. Also, the may or may not offer storage - I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Thanks!!!

[tcd223]

Not sure how well the all seasons on the 128i, the Goodyears I assume, compare to the Continentals on my 328xi, but I've never switched to dedicated winter tires over the course of my lease. And I'd feel the same way even without the all wheel drive, I never had trouble coming to a stop on anything but ice.

Hopefully it'll be another mild winter and we won't have to deal with snow in the first place.

[acivick]

All seasons are good, unless doing extended drives up north or in the mountains. Either way BMW packages are double what you would pay for aftermarket ones, so I wouldn't go that route.