How Does the 135 do in the Rain/Snow?

shah269 · 11-05-2011, 10:18 AM

Jim,
Thank you for a very informative post.
It's funny I'm a mechanical engineer and I took RVD when I was at university and this is the first time in 10 years that I actually turned to that book....and it's all thanks to this car.

I agree with you, and to add further, more aggressive tires more suited for winter as well as all season tend to be louder as well due to pattern.

A great tule of thumb to determine the acoustics of your tire take three fingers and lay it on the tire. If it appears that the tire blocks line up with your fingers...she's going to be a loud.

Oddly I recall reading once that a form of the good year aqua tread tire with it's /|\ tire pattern was one of the quietest and most stable all around tire. But I recall this was only if the tires were truly square to the road but as soon as you included camber and caster they feathered horribly. And they had to redesign the tire to have a almost flat exit.

Tires are a complicated issue, feel and sound and confidence are all personal to all of us and we take them to heart.

mrgoochio · 11-07-2011, 09:31 PM

I drive a an '08 135i still got stock tires on it (18k miles so far).. If im driving up to snowboard (headed for big bear or mammoth) will chains be sufficient once I hit the snow? I'm in SoCal so I really don't think snow tires are necessary as I'd only be using them one or two weekends in a year.

Simsims · 11-07-2011, 10:22 PM

do remember, cornering/braking traction = tires, not awd/rwd/fwd.

Not the same stuff.

spmd11 · 11-07-2011, 10:51 PM

Just get the Continental Extreme Contact DWS. Tires are insane. We have em on all of our cars. 135 vert does great in light snow and ice with these tires...

ChuckD05 · 11-07-2011, 11:56 PM

i purchased my car used with continental DWS' ... they gripped good during the last two months, but they were in need of replacement... They did handle and grip way better than I expected...

I was up in the air about getting another set for the rear or go with a winter tire... I chose dunlowinter sports but after installing them I may still give these to the Mrs. for her 06 325xi and get another set of DWS' ..

I put the Dunlop winters on today, granted its 50 degrees out but the dry traction and feel of the car is compromised... I have another car as a beater thats awd so after another week or two I am going to decide on keeping these or giving them to the wife and get the DWS' again...

with the continentals I would not expect to drive the snow with no issue, but if you get stuck it should get you home.. but with a winter set I know you will be able to get to point a to b without much issue as long as you drive correctly... Previously had blizzacks on my old 370z and they did a insane job of getting that car around in snow..

KingOfJericho · 11-08-2011, 04:48 PM

Food for thought:

Evidently the pros go skinny.

litebulb · 11-09-2011, 01:32 AM

Hey guys, got 225/40/18 Michelin Pilot PA3 installed for the last month and so far they have been great in the rain. Handling is better then the run flats. Cornering about the same unless you push it due to the softer side wall. Ride is more comfortable. I'll have more of a review when we get some snow.

roo97ss · 11-09-2011, 11:35 AM

I had DWS on the 530xi, didn't use for winter yet, that's upcoming, but summer performance was nice.

I'm a summer/winter guy.

Here's an article testing all 3 types on wet/dry/snow

They should have also tested 'cold' where i assume the all season would out perform the summer tire...

http://www.insideline.com/features/t...vs-summer.html

spellbmw · 11-09-2011, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

With a good set of snow tires this car is a beast in the white stuff. I was consistently the first person at work last winter and we had several feet of snow. I would pass SUVs the whole way in. It's actually one of the better cars I've ever driven in the winter.

I run a square set up of Dunlop Winter Sport 3D's -- plowed through heavy, unplowed snow over Santiam Pass in the Oregon Cascade mountains in March while others were having to chain up; amazing traction.

BrokenVert · 11-09-2011, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Evidently the pros go skinny.

You see the road theyre on? I see asphalt beneath that snow. They go for skinny so that they can punch through to it.

KingOfJericho · 11-10-2011, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

You see the road theyre on? I see asphalt beneath that snow. They go for skinny so that they can punch through to it.

These cars are drifting the entire time. If they were poking through to the pavement they would not be able to do that. My buddy from work has MASSIVE tires on his jacked up wrangler and openly admits he is all over the place in the snow.

Guynamedsean · 11-10-2011, 09:45 PM

I have noticed that in the rain, my 135 often gets wet. In the snow, it sometimes gets snow on it.

JimD · 11-11-2011, 07:48 AM

A link to the edmunds test has been posted, here is the car and driver:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...or-all-seasons

Here is a short tire rack test report:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=116

Jim

11-05-2011, 10:18 AM	#45
shah269 Major 315 Rep 1,035 Posts Drives: 2009 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Jim, Thank you for a very informative post. It's funny I'm a mechanical engineer and I took RVD when I was at university and this is the first time in 10 years that I actually turned to that book....and it's all thanks to this car. I agree with you, and to add further, more aggressive tires more suited for winter as well as all season tend to be louder as well due to pattern. A great tule of thumb to determine the acoustics of your tire take three fingers and lay it on the tire. If it appears that the tire blocks line up with your fingers...she's going to be a loud. Oddly I recall reading once that a form of the good year aqua tread tire with it's /\|\ tire pattern was one of the quietest and most stable all around tire. But I recall this was only if the tires were truly square to the road but as soon as you included camber and caster they feathered horribly. And they had to redesign the tire to have a almost flat exit. Tires are a complicated issue, feel and sound and confidence are all personal to all of us and we take them to heart.
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11-07-2011, 09:31 PM	#46
mrgoochio 135i Coupe Owner! 46 Rep 1,009 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW 135i Coupe Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	I drive a an '08 135i still got stock tires on it (18k miles so far).. If im driving up to snowboard (headed for big bear or mammoth) will chains be sufficient once I hit the snow? I'm in SoCal so I really don't think snow tires are necessary as I'd only be using them one or two weekends in a year. __________________ 2008 BMW 135i Coupe Jet Black Sport Pkg. P1 Lemon Boston Leather High Gloss Black Trim Comfort Access System
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11-07-2011, 10:22 PM	#47
Simsims Captain 37 Rep 615 Posts Drives: 119/220 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ottawa iTrader: (0)	do remember, cornering/braking traction = tires, not awd/rwd/fwd. Not the same stuff. __________________ VO 1M - everything except sunroof RIP BSM 135i 2009-2011
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11-07-2011, 10:51 PM	#48
spmd11 Major 290 Rep 1,079 Posts Drives: 2020 X3MC Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (4)	Just get the Continental Extreme Contact DWS. Tires are insane. We have em on all of our cars. 135 vert does great in light snow and ice with these tires... __________________ 2020 X3MC, 2018 Porsche Macan, 2019 X3 3.0i, 2016 981 Cayman S
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11-07-2011, 11:56 PM	#49
ChuckD05 NeedsMoarBoost 42 Rep 528 Posts Drives: 08 135i / 06 e90 325xi Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 335i Mtech [10.00] 2006 BMW 325xi e90 [10.00] 2008 BMW 135i M-Sport [7.80]	i purchased my car used with continental DWS' ... they gripped good during the last two months, but they were in need of replacement... They did handle and grip way better than I expected... I was up in the air about getting another set for the rear or go with a winter tire... I chose dunlowinter sports but after installing them I may still give these to the Mrs. for her 06 325xi and get another set of DWS' .. I put the Dunlop winters on today, granted its 50 degrees out but the dry traction and feel of the car is compromised... I have another car as a beater thats awd so after another week or two I am going to decide on keeping these or giving them to the wife and get the DWS' again... with the continentals I would not expect to drive the snow with no issue, but if you get stuck it should get you home.. but with a winter set I know you will be able to get to point a to b without much issue as long as you drive correctly... Previously had blizzacks on my old 370z and they did a insane job of getting that car around in snow..
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11-08-2011, 04:48 PM	#50
KingOfJericho Major General 2452 Rep 7,341 Posts Drives: Yes Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CT iTrader: (1) Garage List 2010 135i Coupe [5.26]	Food for thought: Evidently the pros go skinny. __________________ The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Bimmerpost. 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude Hemi \| 2010 S4 Sold \| 2010 BMW 135i Retired \| 2006 Lotus Exige Sold Last edited by KingOfJericho; 11-08-2011 at 05:05 PM..
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11-09-2011, 01:32 AM	#51
litebulb Captain 68 Rep 627 Posts Drives: '09 E88 135i M-Sport/6MT/SGM Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (3) Garage List 2009 BMW 135i Cabri ... [10.00]	Hey guys, got 225/40/18 Michelin Pilot PA3 installed for the last month and so far they have been great in the rain. Handling is better then the run flats. Cornering about the same unless you push it due to the softer side wall. Ride is more comfortable. I'll have more of a review when we get some snow. __________________ \| Dinan S2=>MHD \| e46 M3 trans mounts \| Dinan CF CAI \| ER CP \| HKS SSQV4 BOV \| RB PCV Valve \| VRSF DP \| N55 MP \| BMW PE \| OC \| VRSF 7" FMIC \| UUC Evo3 SSK \| EBC GD Sport Rotors \| EBC Redstuff \| TRW F+R \| \| Whiteline KDT918 \| H&R Front Sway \| BMWP 313 \| MPSS 225/255 \| Scopione CF Rear Diffuser \| iCarbon CF Rear Spoiler \| P3 v2.1 Gauge \| Interior LED Retrofit \|
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11-09-2011, 11:35 AM	#52
roo97ss Captain 67 Rep 920 Posts Drives: M4, X6M, Tesla Plaid, MYP, Ram Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Delaware iTrader: (7)	I had DWS on the 530xi, didn't use for winter yet, that's upcoming, but summer performance was nice. I'm a summer/winter guy. Here's an article testing all 3 types on wet/dry/snow They should have also tested 'cold' where i assume the all season would out perform the summer tire... http://www.insideline.com/features/t...vs-summer.html __________________ 16 m4 vert, 18 X6M, 22 Tesla MYP, 21 Plaid, 17 Ram
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11-10-2011, 09:45 PM	#56
Guynamedsean Banned 31 Rep 193 Posts Drives: 2012 Carbon Black 650i M Sport Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: The Woodlands, tx iTrader: (0)	I have noticed that in the rain, my 135 often gets wet. In the snow, it sometimes gets snow on it.
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11-11-2011, 07:48 AM	#57
JimD Brigadier General 368 Rep 3,547 Posts Drives: 128i convertible Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lexington, SC iTrader: (0)	A link to the edmunds test has been posted, here is the car and driver: http://www.caranddriver.com/features...or-all-seasons Here is a short tire rack test report: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=116 Jim __________________ 128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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