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      01-18-2013, 09:09 AM   #1
Horsey
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Anyone been playing in the snow in their X3s?

Just asking ...

Last time I tried to drive out of London when it was like this to go an have a play I got stuck behind all the drivers who's cars either wouldn't move or drivers who seemed incapable of driving once there was a hint of snow ...

... in that situation a 4x4 doesn't help.

I guess what you really need is a monster truck to drive over them!
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      01-18-2013, 09:41 AM   #2
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I left work early to beat the weather. My X3 (on normal tyres) was like a greyhound on an ice rink.

If you don't have winter tyres then don't expect to be able to use the steering wheel or the brakes!
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      01-18-2013, 09:45 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swamp View Post
I left work early to beat the weather. My X3 (on normal tyres) was like a greyhound on an ice rink.

If you don't have winter tyres then don't expect to be able to use the steering wheel or the brakes!
Normal tyres meaning summer or all season?
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      01-18-2013, 09:50 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shagkie View Post
Normal tyres meaning summer or all season?
Summer!

We only get a few days' weather like this each year at most.
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      01-18-2013, 10:26 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swamp View Post
I left work early to beat the weather. My X3 (on normal tyres) was like a greyhound on an ice rink.

If you don't have winter tyres then don't expect to be able to use the steering wheel or the brakes!
Another user undermining the belief that AWD is invincible in the snow.

Tyres, tyres, tyres!

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      01-18-2013, 10:37 AM   #6
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What have others experienced on OEM runflats - drivable in the snow?

When I say drivable, I mean competently...a lot of times people overblow the need for winter tires when some common sense + all seasons will do just fine in a few inches of snow/ice. Is that the case here, or does the car literally not move without winter tires?

Not referring to summer tires at all in the above question.
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      01-18-2013, 10:59 AM   #7
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Yip, been "playing" recently. Quite a bit of snow in Vienna and the surrounding hills lately. Stepping a little too early and a little too much on the loud pedal and the rear is nicely loose, can drift around a little w/o ESP coming on. But electronics seem to put a limit on how much power goes to the wheels. Still nicely stable when you don't force it. Fun is also picking parking lots with lots of packed deep snow, where you see others struggle to get in/out. No issue whatsoever with the X3; only getting out is uncomfortable since you might end up in snow knee-deep. All on Dunlop winter tires.
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      01-18-2013, 12:29 PM   #8
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Winter tyres on mine and it was awesome earlier in the snow. Our road is untreated and on a hill which would normally present some serious issues but it pissed it. We've got about 15cm here I think.

Enjoyed seeing people struggling to get out of their drives as I drove past . Massive improvement on the last time I ventured out in snow in my last car (Golf GTI) on low profile summers (that trip was abandoned after about 20 meters!)
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      01-18-2013, 12:50 PM   #9
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Yes, please check my topic on the pic/video gallery.
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      01-18-2013, 12:54 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rory breaker View Post
What have others experienced on OEM runflats - drivable in the snow?

When I say drivable, I mean competently...a lot of times people overblow the need for winter tires when some common sense + all seasons will do just fine in a few inches of snow/ice. Is that the case here, or does the car literally not move without winter tires?

Not referring to summer tires at all in the above question.
Interested in knowing also. Car will be here with all season run-flat in the middle of winter. Not sure if I need to get winter shoe or can I live with all-season run-flat?
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      01-18-2013, 01:19 PM   #11
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Thumbs up here for Nokian WR2. 6mm and no issue with steep inclines of either fresh or compacted snow.
Tried the same hills with a M class (shush) running 4x4 continental contact m&s 3mm and as expected it was useless.

HDC works very well, just a little unnerving when you 1st use it.
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      01-18-2013, 03:17 PM   #12
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my wifes highlander never has had winter tires and awd and is awesome in the snow. teh bmw awd must be configured differently. by the same token I had a chevy silverado p/u that was unbelievalbe in the snow. I had a tundra that was horseshit four wheel dr or not
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      01-19-2013, 03:06 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swamp View Post
I left work early to beat the weather. My X3 (on normal tyres) was like a greyhound on an ice rink.

If you don't have winter tyres then don't expect to be able to use the steering wheel or the brakes!
It's good so many left early - meant journey home at normal time was light of traffic

If you made it behave more like German Sheppard out for walk - the steering and brakes work much better Cynically wonders whether to sell more winter tyres + wheels if BMW went out of their way to find worst tyres for snow or just programmed over eager abs/DSC. My E83 X3 on all season M&S had no trouble on snow in UK
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      01-19-2013, 08:50 AM   #14
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I am thoroughly unimpressed with the x3 fitted with Pirelli winter rubber.

I'm chocking it up to the crappy Pirelli tires which do not have aggressive tread blocks resulting in better dry handling but terrible snow covered condition handling.

Anyway, I did have occasion to turn off the traction control the other night to let the car "step out" a bit.... lots of fun.
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      01-19-2013, 10:34 AM   #15
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I found the Pirelli all-seasons ok as long as the snow wasn't to deep or too slushy -- were I to live in a place with little snow, I wouldn't be too concerned and would likely have kept them. During the drive I had in some serious snow with these tires, the front had lateral movement and the tail came out a few times during my one drive (8-10 in. deep in sub-freezing temps). I'm very impressed with the Michelin Alpin runflat winter tires. We've had a lot of snow this winter and the car handles well and grips well.
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      01-19-2013, 02:22 PM   #16
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As you can see in this video, all-seasons are no match to even studless winter tyres.



So it all comes to the question: how much risk are you willing to take? In order to save costs and trouble.

However, buying an expensive car like BMW X3 it seems a bit nonsense to then save costs on tyres...
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      01-19-2013, 03:17 PM   #17
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There's also the hassle of changing them twice a year. I always purchased separate Winter wheel/tire sets with my RWD vehicles and changed them myself. I've done perfectly fine in New England Winters with all seasons on several cars with FWD or AWD. It really depends on the tires and how careful you are. I also won't go out in a blizzard if I don't have to. No doubt a dedicated set of snows is superior. However, all seasons can do an adequate job when you're careful. Having said that, I'll see how it goes with the 19" Goodyear Eagle LS2's that came on my M-Sport x35i. As an aside, I don't find these tires to be punishing at all. Maybe it's the adjustable suspension I have (in Comfort Mode at the moment). It's actually smoother over bumps than my outgoing C300! That might change as I get some miles on them (only 90 mi racked up so far ).
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      01-20-2013, 05:55 AM   #18
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We only get snow in London two days a year.

It's pretty hard to justify getting winter tires just for that.

Mind you, in a few years if the weather continues to change it may be worth it ... or a boat!
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      01-20-2013, 07:32 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodion View Post
As you can see in this video, all-seasons are no match to even studless winter tyres.

trying to recall how many miles I have done on sheet ice in UK - I don't think it is very many
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      01-20-2013, 07:36 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Horsey View Post
Mind you, in a few years if the weather continues to change it may be worth it ... or a boat!
I am not sure we see much different snow levels than we did 25 years ago
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      01-20-2013, 12:18 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyTheHand View Post
trying to recall how many miles I have done on sheet ice in UK - I don't think it is very many
Yes just like Vancouver, kind of ridiculous how people in our climate are sucked into buying winter tires for all wheel drive vehicles. We have had a total of 3" of snow this year and that may be it for the rest of the winter...better to get a tire that handles the rain better here for the other 360 days a year. The last few winters we have averaged 3 or 4 inches total of snow and average temperatures of about 5 degrees Celsius.....
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      01-20-2013, 01:24 PM   #22
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It's simple: the X3 like most AWD vehicle are best with snow tires in the winter. I drove mine through a blizzard at midnight in VT last winter and was able to pass semis using an unplowed lane.
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