Now that we have lots of snow on the ground, I just want to give and update on driving my X3 35i. The car is equiped with the original goodyear A/S tires 245/45 x19 (square). I have approx 10,000 kms.
The feel of the tires in 4 to 5 inches of snow and on slippery roads was suprisingly good. Braking was good probably not as good as a dedicated snow tire but still it was good.
This is the first winter for these tires and while I am satisfied that I did not upgrade to winter tires, by next winter they will show significantly more wear and really would not be suitable for heavy winter driving.
The all wheel drive is a real winner