BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (1M / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)
 





 

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      12-09-2010, 12:41 AM   #1
mac_powah
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Cool 128i snow driving review

Ok, so I really couldn't find much info to how the 1 handles the snow with all seasons. I finally got some snow to drive in and it wasn't terrible.
The rear end struggles at times to get grip while accelerating, but easy throttle and early upshifts greatly helped with traction. Pressing the dtc button once is essential, otherwise the car just doesn't know how to react. There are only 5500kms on my car, so I'm sure older tires wouldn't do as well. It actually hamdled better than I thought - but other drivers may not care for it - if you're not careful, she will understeer, then oversteer if you aren't gentle enough on the throttle. I will probably end up getting snow tires for peace of mind (we usually ont get that much snow in windsor). I am currently in barrie where they just experienced a snow storm, so there was anywhere from 1 to 5 inches on the road. It was particularily slippery in some areas, too. Hope this helps someone else that had the same questions I did!!!
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      12-09-2010, 10:32 AM   #2
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Thanks for the review.

I am running on winter tires and the handling is adequate. What I didn't expect is the added vibrations in cold weather, panels are creaking when accelerating. Also more rattles in the car as well.
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      12-09-2010, 02:08 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex_bm View Post
Thanks for the review.

I am running on winter tires and the handling is adequate. What I didn't expect is the added vibrations in cold weather, panels are creaking when accelerating. Also more rattles in the car as well.
^ This. Soo many new rattles now.

Driving in the snow isn't so bad, you just have to be easy on the throttle.
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      12-09-2010, 07:28 PM   #4
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excellent car in snow

I can say 100% that with snow tires and the dts/tcs on this car handles very very good in the snow. We just had the record amount of snow in london here over 100cm of snow in 2 days and I had to drive each day in it. My neighbourhood roads are complete sh@t right now, but this car goes right through the stuff. There are ruts, heaves and hollows from all the snow and the suspension keeps going no issues. I was at work and the car was burried under dirfts of snow, the parking lot plows went around my car. I dug out as much as I could, put the car in reverse and went right out of the mess. I turned the dts off and gunned the engine in a snow covered lot the car did complete doughnuts, put it back on no such thing. Don't get me wrong, this car is not x drive, but with SNOW tires (not all seasons) and dts this car is great. As matter of fact sort of fun to drive in my neighbourhood almost feels rally like having it slip around sometimes. Before this car I had fwd honda civics and mz3 and they would all spin tires (as all had no tcs) from stops, with this 128i you get a little spin but tcs takes over corrects it and way you go.
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      12-09-2010, 07:55 PM   #5
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Just to clarify for those who are unaware, DTC is actually a more dynamic (aggressive) traction setting. So you're allowing for more slip when DTC is on (DSC is OFF) compared to normal (no indicators on dash).

I drive with DTC turned on as well, though if I'm trying to get through some deep snow I'll leave it off for the moment. Also, any high speed driving (highway or anything above 40mph) I'll usually leave DTC off. I'm not trying to pull anything fancy and at that speed, if you lose traction on two or three tires, your chances of recovering from a spin on snow/ice aren't great.

A few days ago we had a snowstorm, I couldn't get my car up a hill afterwards. I started on the hill from a standstill (so no momentum) and was able to get up about 20 feet, but then the car just kept slipping. I turned it around and found another way, though that wasn't much fun to be honest.

Gotta be gentle on the throttle as others have said and you'll be okay. But go find an empty parking lot and take DSC/DTC off and have a great time
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      12-09-2010, 07:58 PM   #6
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Hi:
I'm on 16" Michelin Ice tires, and the car is great. I live in the snow belt. Tomorrow I must drive to Bracebridge, Saturday to Owen Sound, and Sunday to Orillia. Should be fun.

Jack
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      12-09-2010, 10:10 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by supraking View Post
A few days ago we had a snowstorm, I couldn't get my car up a hill afterwards. I started on the hill from a standstill (so no momentum) and was able to get up about 20 feet, but then the car just kept slipping. I turned it around and found another way, though that wasn't much fun to be honest.
Did you turn traction control all the way off? I know others have had more success moving the car uphill with DTC on but last year I found myself stuck at the bottom of a hill in fairly deep snow. It was very difficult to break free and get up the hill but the only way I could do it with traction full off.

Last weekend I was on some backroads after a fairly good amount of snow had fallen. A silver Integra was stuck AT THE TOP of a very large hill. I had to follow a G35 w/AWD up the hill, STOP, then start again and maneuver around the Integra. FWD, RWD, anyone can get stuck, the trick is to have the best winter tires and to use the throttle properly.

After the above two incidents I'm not that worried about driving up a snow covered hill unless it is covered in ice or the snow is well above the bottom of my car. For what its worth I've proven that this RWD car + winter tires is at least equal (maybe better) going uphill compared to an AWD G35x with the standard all season tire.
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      12-10-2010, 10:48 AM   #8
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you are offering a snow drive review with non-snow tires on...?
I'm going to write a movie review but I am blind
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      12-10-2010, 08:20 PM   #9
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Turning ON DCT will allow for quite a bit of wheel spin while at the same time never letting the car get into a full tail spin.

This car handles great in the snow.
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      12-11-2010, 10:42 PM   #10
mac_powah
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Dread1
Um...yes. This is the point. I was looking all over the interenet to see how crucial winter tires were for the 1series and could not find anything. I FINALLY had the opportunity to test the all seasons on the snow. Not that hard to figure out, really. It was the conditions that we are most likely to get in Windsor - 2 inches or less on the road at the most. She did just fine.
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      12-12-2010, 02:04 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dread1 View Post
you are offering a snow drive review with non-snow tires on...?
I'm going to write a movie review but I am blind
I had all traction on (i.e. NO indicators in the dash). It's going to dump 20cm today so I'm going to run some "tests" tonight with DTC and full traction on/off and see what I find easiest. I figured the built-in traction system would be best on snow but I could be wrong, it may just be optimized for tarmac (i.e. slipping on dry/wet pavement) rather than snow/ice.

I have Blizzak WS-60's, 205/50/17 all around. Lots of fun
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      12-12-2010, 06:58 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mac_powah View Post
Dread1
Um...yes. This is the point. I was looking all over the interenet to see how crucial winter tires were for the 1series and could not find anything.
There are tons of posts on this forum specific to the 135i, I'm sure there are a few for the 128i as well. Let me just put it to you this way: you were okay this time but you will always struggle a little bit in the winter with this car on the stock factory tires. I highly recommend spending an extra $1500 to get a set of dedicated winter tires and rims. It is a small investment to pay to help safeguard the lives of your passengers and let's not forget the amount of money you put into the car itself. Hitting a patch of ice and ramming it into a pole or guard rail will make you feel silly for not having spent the money. You will spend less time and effort concentrating on keeping the car on the road and thus can dedicate more time and effort to the other driving factors that allow for safety. Your stopping distance will also decrease which could mean the difference between being in a ditch or not, or rear ending someone.
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      12-12-2010, 07:13 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucky1 View Post
There are tons of posts on this forum specific to the 135i, I'm sure there are a few for the 128i as well. Let me just put it to you this way: you were okay this time but you will always struggle a little bit in the winter with this car on the stock factory tires. I highly recommend spending an extra $1500 to get a set of dedicated winter tires and rims. It is a small investment to pay to help safeguard the lives of your passengers and let's not forget the amount of money you put into the car itself. Hitting a patch of ice and ramming it into a pole or guard rail will make you feel silly for not having spent the money. You will spend less time and effort concentrating on keeping the car on the road and thus can dedicate more time and effort to the other driving factors that allow for safety. Your stopping distance will also decrease which could mean the difference between being in a ditch or not, or rear ending someone.
^++1
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      12-12-2010, 08:19 PM   #14
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Hi:
I drove today in some serious snow (128i, Michelin Ice tires), the car was great, but at about 77 in an 80 KM zone, a Ford Focus passed me like I was standing still. (Front-wheel drive, great tires, good driver?)
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      12-12-2010, 09:00 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by nikijack View Post
Hi:
I drove today in some serious snow (128i, Michelin Ice tires), the car was great, but at about 77 in an 80 KM zone, a Ford Focus passed me like I was standing still. (Front-wheel drive, great tires, good driver?)
Great for the Focus. Driving in snow is the opposite of racing: you want to be slower than the other guy tearing around the track. I wouldn't envy him for being able to pass you so fast in this case; trust me, at that speed even with better tires he won't stop as fast as you will when he needs to and that is what winter driving is all about.

So great tires, good driver? I think you were the more sensible one and thus the better driver, especially since you were close to the speed limit in the snow and thus to pass you so fast he was clearly going over it.
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      12-13-2010, 04:37 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucky1 View Post
Great for the Focus. Driving in snow is the opposite of racing: you want to be slower than the other guy tearing around the track. I wouldn't envy him for being able to pass you so fast in this case; trust me, at that speed even with better tires he won't stop as fast as you will when he needs to and that is what winter driving is all about.

So great tires, good driver? I think you were the more sensible one and thus the better driver, especially since you were close to the speed limit in the snow and thus to pass you so fast he was clearly going over it.
x2. It's not a race, you have nothing to prove to the people around you when you're on the road. You can enjoy your own car without worrying about the poor driving habits of others. And besides, he's in a Focus, you're in a 1er. Doesn't matter how fast he can go, you're going to have waaaay more winter fun in your RWD coupé
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      12-13-2010, 06:37 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by supraking View Post
x2. It's not a race, you have nothing to prove to the people around you when you're on the road. You can enjoy your own car without worrying about the poor driving habits of others. And besides, he's in a Focus, you're in a 1er. Doesn't matter how fast he can go, you're going to have waaaay more winter fun in your RWD coupé
Yeah, when the snow melts lets see how fast he is compared to the 1er.
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      12-16-2010, 12:25 PM   #18
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Well it finally had to happen, got the 128i stuck . After all the snow dump we had here in London and getting around no problem this happens. Backed out of the driveway slowly today so as not to hit any pedestrians hidden behind our massive snow mounts and I get hung up on a snow mount put at end of driveway by overnight plough. I didn't even see the mount about 1 ft high or so. Car would not budge, snow under the back end is lifting the car up somewhat and rear wheels ain't getting traction, cleaned away all snow as best I could, tried to rock the car 1st and then reverse, traction control on and off, no use, she is stuck. Gonna wait for some muslce power later to push it out. I guess as long as the car has forward or backward momentum of some sort you move through stuff, but if you get hung up or go real slow almost to a stop, well you are gonna get stuck.
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      12-18-2010, 07:15 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by dalrx View Post
Well it finally had to happen, got the 128i stuck . After all the snow dump we had here in London and getting around no problem this happens. Backed out of the driveway slowly today so as not to hit any pedestrians hidden behind our massive snow mounts and I get hung up on a snow mount put at end of driveway by overnight plough. I didn't even see the mount about 1 ft high or so. Car would not budge, snow under the back end is lifting the car up somewhat and rear wheels ain't getting traction, cleaned away all snow as best I could, tried to rock the car 1st and then reverse, traction control on and off, no use, she is stuck. Gonna wait for some muslce power later to push it out. I guess as long as the car has forward or backward momentum of some sort you move through stuff, but if you get hung up or go real slow almost to a stop, well you are gonna get stuck.
My neighbour's Honda Oddsyey minivan got stuck in the exact same situation. Little different in the sense that the rear wheels were stuck in the deep snow that was left by the plough and the front wheels are the drive wheels. Clearing away the snow and laying down some kitty litter on all the wheels enabled them to break free. Good luck.

Whatever you do, don't do this:



(oldie but a goodie)
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      12-27-2010, 09:16 PM   #20
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im nit going to bother reading the rest ofthis thread. but here it is.

we live in canada winters are important to get. plus when you get winters you can get some awesome dedicated sumers. kinda no brainer.
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