Wide snow tires

[OVERKILL]

So, due to the transmission issue with the 328i, I've decided to just park it and drive the M5. Something I didn't ever see myself doing, but oh well, *expletive* happens.

Wife won't give up the Expedition, and I'm not going to fight with her over it, it just isn't worth it.

So, I bought the only winter tires shown for my car on Tirerack, the Blizzak LM-60's. I've heard they are excellent tires and they get a very good rating.

My concern isn't the tire, but the size. Due to the wheels on the M5, I'm rocking 275/35/18 snow tires (on the back, front tires are 245/40/18's)...... That's a wide snow tire. My assumption is that this is going to affect the bite the tires have, regardless of how good they are.

Anybody have any experience in this department? My buddy Andrew, who has a 2000 and runs his every winter IIRC has the same tires and says it performs fantastic in the snow. But my concern is that his version of fantastic and mine may be different. The Expedition is incredible in the snow, so that's my benchmark....

Thoughts? Input?

 

[Corvette Owner]

Wide tires, rear wheel drive, and high powered engine is NOT a good recipe for good handling in the snow. You also don't have much ground clearance. It would not be my choice for a "winter snow car".

My Corvette gets parked in snow, my Murano (4wd) goes in snow !

I know you asked only about the snow tires, but I added my 2 cents worth.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I moved to California about 28 years ago, I was in Minnesota back in the mid 80's. I had 1992 Toyota Supra with OEM 225/60-15, it was terrible on snow. I changed 195/70-14 Pirelli P7 all-season and the car was driven on 8-10" snow without drama.

If you must drive M5 in winter months, you should get -1 or -2 tire/wheel combo. I think snow tire works best on snow with narrower width.

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
You also don't have much ground clearance.


+1

IMHO, that is going to be the real issue your going to have. It's all fun a games until you have to hit a side street unplowed with 8+inch tire ruts dug into the snow from other drivers.

Bottoming out would not be to hard to do. . .

Pack a shovel!!!!

O, and we are not going to feel bad for you that you *HAVE* to drive an M5.

 

[OVERKILL]

Tell me about it

The saving grace is the DSC. However, it actually has MORE ground clearance than the 328i. My sister has no problem with her 330i in the snow, she's riding on some Xice2's. But she doesn't have 400HP either.........

This isn't my choice, really. I don't have the time to fix the 328i right now, I'm far too busy with work. And I'm not paying to have it fixed because the car isn't worth enough to me to bother. My wife will go ballistic if I take the truck, and I'm not buying another vehicle and paying the insane insurance to cover her on it (I pay around 7K a year to have her covered on the three vehicles currently......) so my options are a bit limited.

Basically, I'm driving the M5 so that I don't have to hear about driving the truck. I'd rather keep my relationship with my wife in the green and drive the car (it will definitely be getting sprayed now......) then take the truck and have to come home to her chewing my ear off.

It is what it is I guess

 

[JC1]

Wider tires won't cut through the snow that well. Can you go down to a 225 width and look funny in an M5? I'm sure from the side that it will look like you don't have rear wheels.

Is the M5 your daily driver? Sounds like you need to get a friend in the Tranny business and get the 3 series repaired.

Regards, JC.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: JC1
Wider tires won't cut through the snow that well. Can you go down to a 225 width and look funny in an M5? I'm sure from the side that it will look like you don't have rear wheels.

Is the M5 your daily driver? Sounds like you need to get a friend in the Tranny business and get the 3 series repaired.

Regards, JC.


Yes, M5 is the daily.

The car has huge brakes, winter wheel choices are limited. Current wheels pretty much require the size I purchased.

 

[rg200amp]

I never really understood why wide tires are bad in the snow.

I know it is a widely excepted concept. One that I am in no way questioning. I trust the good people up north who deal with major snow know what they are talking about.


It's just, coming from the JEEP/Offroad way of looking, I would buy the biggest/widest tires that would fit on my rig.

The general thinking was the more surface area you have the more "bite/grip" you will have.

One would think that wider snow tires would provide more "bite".

What's the technical reason for wanting a thinner footprint?



My Jetta has a normal small sedan tire, so it's not to thick.

FWD/ELD/ESP/ABS/Manual Tranny/Like New "thin footed" All-Seasons:

BRING ON THE SNOW!!!!!!!

 

[xxch4osxx]

Why does it cost so much for her on your insurance?

 

[JC1]

Here's some info from motor trend.

http://www.motortrend.com/womt/112_9903_tire_myths_and_reality/viewall.html

Myth: Wide tires provide better traction under all weather conditions. In fact, putting oversize snow tires on a car delivers better snow traction.
Fact: The opposite is actually true. Wide tires tend to "float" on deep snow, and the tread lugs never have a chance to "dig" through to the road surface to gain traction. Narrow tires are a better option in deep snow. The tire acts similarly to a knife cutting through butter; the blade works best when using the narrow edge to push through the butter rather than the wide flat side of the blade.


I really like the M5. I would be keeping it off the snowy roads and enjoying it for the next 20 years.

Regards, JC.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL


This isn't my choice, really. I don't have the time to fix the 328i right now, I'm far too busy with work. And I'm not paying to have it fixed because the car isn't worth enough to me to bother.


I cant imagine snow tires were cheap. Plus wheels and mounting, and the time... wow, Im sure youve spent a thousand dollars.

How much could the repair possibly be? The M5 will be a compromise in the snow, more so than the 328 IMO, even if the electonics get it through. But what bothers me more is the salt/sand/cinder damage to the car.

You could do a lot of repairs for the cost of the snow tires. An 00 328i is in no way worthless. and will be worth a lot more repaired.

 

[Corvette Owner]

My Corvette has 275/40-18 back tires and 245/45-17 front tires (roughly the same as your M5). Even with snow tires, the 3 inch ground clearance does the car in. You turn into a snow plow in even light snow (over 3 inches).

I can't believe your M5 has much more than 5 inches ground clearance? That's not very heavy snow in Canada !

 

[gathermewool]

My wife bought me a winter driving course in NH last winter. A porsche there did reasonably well on wide tires (I don't recall the size, but they appeared wider than the 225mm tires I was rocking.) He was, however, the only person on the course who spun out...twice, and without really driving aggressively. Conversely, I was able to maintain traction, even while in boost (dedicated winter setup + AWD.)

For reference, I swapped out my 245/40R18 rims/tires with a dedicated 225/45R17 snow setup. The AS tires I ran on the stock rims the previous winter (really bad winter with a lot of snow and ice) were down right dangerous in comparison to the snow tires - the difference was pretty amazing, actually.

I was able to find the one-season-old package on one the Subaru forums last Fall for $450, picked up. I'd suggest you figure out what wheel size and offset will clear your brakes and find something narrower and with more side wall.

 

[RiceCake]

When off-roading in mud or soft terrain, it tends to be soft very deep, so having narrow tires is useless because they'll never find a surface to plant on. You want wide tires for that so the vehicle doesn't press down into the surface and can ride on top of it. Off-roading is done at low speeds anyhow and the surface is uniformly loose, so traction is almost irrelevant. Just staying atop the surface is the name of the game.

Driving on snow with narrow tires usually means it can depress a few inches through soft snow and put more force per square inch onto the snow/tarmac, since you're driving on paved roads regardless. Unlike off-road terrain you know if you push down deep enough you'll be putting weight onto snow supported by asphalt, and the more you can compress that the harder it becomes and the easier to bite into it it becomes. Undoubtedly, driving on very deep, loose snow you would want wide tires, to avoid sinking to the chassis in it, but if that happens on surface streets, consider staying home...its likely nobody will make it to work anyhow without a dogsled if that is happening.

I'd consider getting winter rims, and putting narrow tires on, that way you can just swap between sets for summer and winter which tends to be cheaper anyhow. If you want to do this with your stock rims you're somewhat SOL because it will naturally call for a very wide tire. If studded tires are legal where you are, thats when I'd consider using them.

 

[Corvette Owner]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
My wife bought me a winter driving course in NH last winter. A porsche there did reasonably well on wide tires (I don't recall the size, but they appeared wider than the 225mm tires I was rocking.) He was, however, the only person on the course who spun out...twice, and without really driving aggressively. Conversely, I was able to maintain traction, even while in boost.

For reference, I swapped out my 245/40R18 rims/tires with a dedicated 225/45R17 snow setup. I was able to find the one-season-old package on one the Subaru forums last Fall for $450, picked up. I'd suggest you figure out what wheel size and offset will clear your brakes and find something narrower and with more side wall.


You also have 4 wheel drive, that is a BIG difference !

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
My wife bought me a winter driving course in NH last winter. A porsche there did reasonably well on wide tires (I don't recall the size, but they appeared wider than the 225mm tires I was rocking.) He was, however, the only person on the course who spun out...twice, and without really driving aggressively. Conversely, I was able to maintain traction, even while in boost.

For reference, I swapped out my 245/40R18 rims/tires with a dedicated 225/45R17 snow setup. I was able to find the one-season-old package on one the Subaru forums last Fall for $450, picked up. I'd suggest you figure out what wheel size and offset will clear your brakes and find something narrower and with more side wall.


You also have 4 wheel drive, that is a BIG difference !


Got me before my edit.

 

[SLCraig]

For what you probably spent on those winter tires, you could have just bought a $500 car to drive in the winter.. I probably would have.

 

[Corvette Owner]

Check out his statement on insurance, he is paying $7,000 just to insure his wife ! Insurance must be crazy expensive in Canada !

I pay almost 3/4 less to insure all my cars for me and my wife !

 

[eljefino]

Even if you need huge rims to clear the brakes you might be able to go taller than 45 series if you have clearance. More sidewall is always a good thing and your contact patch will get longer, which will help against sliding sideways.

Plus the taller gearing will cut your power, useful.

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
Check out his statement on insurance, he is paying $7,000 just to insure his wife ! Insurance must be crazy expensive in Canada !

I pay almost 3/4 less to insure all my cars for me and my wife !


+1!!

I pay $150 a month for myself and THAT is high since I live in Philadelphia and my young age.