[nyalpine90]

DTC activated is helpful driving in the snow?

[FSociety]

Originally Posted by Want the thrill

Just got 20" here in Michigan yesterday and they didn't plow our roads. The X3 had no problem going through it. I have non-run flats (Continental Extreme DWS).

Continental DWS here too!
Best bang UHP a/s , day and night difference than our stock cheapyear LS2 lol

[woodchuck1]

Originally Posted by ehomedi

Hello. We just had maybe 20" of snow in Chicago and I plowed my driveway and then the blizzard whipped maybe 8" back onto my driveway. I attempted to leave my driveway and it took me 3 hours to get the car out even with 3 adults there to help. There was no snow really around the car even or at the bumpers. The wheels just kinda spun or didn't move. I'm wondering if anything may be wrong with my car or if anyone else is having issues with their X3 in snow. Thanks!

Was this you? (LOL) http://www.theonion.com/articles/nei...struggl,37917/

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

DTC activated is helpful driving in the snow?

At slow speeds/when encountering deep mud or snow, it can be helpful to disable stability control (to allow wheel spin). In general, particularly at speed, I'd leave all the nannies on.

[Roundown]

OP- I drove from Vermont to NYC yesterday in a pretty healthy amount of snow. On a set of 19" Dunlop Winter Sport 3Ds the X3 was plenty competent. In fact, I found myself stuck behind plow trains a couple times and got off/quickly back on the highway to get ahead of them!

Getting ready for the trip... I had zero issues moving through ~1ft of snow (about 1/4 mile).



Better shot of the winter set up (Plasti-Dip'd O.Z. Supertourismos)



About 45 miles in...



We were making good time... the rear hatch can attest...

[nyalpine90]

CSURF

nice color and wheels

[kozzi]

20" 310M staggered set up with OEM PZero performance tires and have no issues running around in the white...even after the 10" we just got. I turn the nannies off to get out of deeper snow / plow walls and even though it gets a bit fun and squirrely at times, I have little traction issues...unless I power slide on airport runways

IMO, once you get to the areas of serious snowfall, a dedicated winter setup is a must.

[nyalpine90]

performance tires are all season?

i thought they were summer tires

[Sarsippius3rd]

Originally Posted by kozzi

20" 310M staggered set up with OEM PZero performance tires and have no issues running around in the white...even after the 10" we just got. I turn the nannies off to get out of deeper snow / plow walls and even though it gets a bit fun and squirrely at times, I have little traction issues...unless I power slide on airport runways

IMO, once you get to the areas of serious snowfall, a dedicated winter setup is a must.

i wasn't brave enough to leave my 20" Pzeroes for the winter. Got myself 18" Blizzaks for the winter. I must say that the winter tires are definately a must. The last couple of snow storms here in CT, my car drove incredibly well. great traction on the road.

[kozzi]

I'm not a tire expert but BMW calls the OEM 20" setup as:

"20" M Double Spoke wheels - style 310M with performance run-flat tires"

Here is a close up of the front. Is it really a performance tire or summer tire? IDK

[nyalpine90]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...cturer=Pirelli


DAM...

according to tirerack it seems like summer tires

245 40 R20 is summer tire

PZERO NERO is all season

if you had 245 40 ZR20 would be all season

Kozzi becareful man, its dangerous to drive in cold weather with summer tires.

[kozzi]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...cturer=Pirelli


DAM...

according to tirerack it seems like summer tires

245 40 R20 is summer tire

PZERO NERO is all season

if you had 245 40 ZR20 would be all season

Kozzi becareful man, its dangerous to drive in cold weather with summer tires.

Thanks for the heads up. I drive slow in heavy snow and the ass has slide out a few times but nothing crazy yet. At the snow meet last week, the dash lit up crazy and all the TC nannies really help keep it under control. It was a lot of fun turning all that off but realize it's dangerous and a lot of space is needed to mess around. I really should make space for a winter setup.

[nyalpine90]

def get a set of winter tires and rims, dont mess up those 310s

[mge92]

Driving on the 310M with summers in winter is just asking for a hurting! Better change those Kozzi!

[bagekko]

Still no response from the OP as to what tires he has... dk if all the replies helped him and he ran off...

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by kozzi

20" 310M staggered set up with OEM PZero performance tires and have no issues running around in the white...even after the 10" we just got. I turn the nannies off to get out of deeper snow / plow walls and even though it gets a bit fun and squirrely at times, I have little traction issues...unless I power slide on airport runways

IMO, once you get to the areas of serious snowfall, a dedicated winter setup is a must.

Yikes! Get some winter wheels ASAP!

[Canadian eh!]

Originally Posted by cSurf

Yikes! Get some winter wheels ASAP!

Ditto

Those tires are hockey pucks in cold weather...... Slip sliding away!

If you need to emergency stop or turn, you are done.

They would have trouble proving it, but Pirelli also does not warrant against tire cracking which can be caused by this compound being used in cold weather.

"The P Zero Run Flat is a Max Performance Summer self-supporting run-flat tire developed for the drivers of sports cars, sports coupes and high performance luxury sedans looking to combine the know-how derived from 100 years of Pirelli motorsport experience with the convenience of temporary extended mobility in the event of complete air pressure loss. Used as Original Equipment on Mini Cooper S and BMW 7 Series sedans, the P Zero Run Flat lineup includes selected additional replacement tire sizes for other vehicles. Pirelli’s warranty does not cover tires that develop compound cracking due to use in ambient temperatures below 45° Fahrenheit (7° Celsius), so the P Zero Run Flat, like all summer tires, is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice."

[PX3]

Originally Posted by kozzi

20" 310M staggered set up with OEM PZero performance tires and have no issues running around in the white...even after the 10" we just got. I turn the nannies off to get out of deeper snow / plow walls and even though it gets a bit fun and squirrely at times, I have little traction issues...unless I power slide on airport runways

IMO, once you get to the areas of serious snowfall, a dedicated winter setup is a must.

Hey kozzi,

Nice wheels!
You say you have a staggered setup, does that mean you have 275 rears on?

Cheers

[kdog26372]

I'm in Chicago too and have the all season's on 19 inch msport rims and can agree with the original poster. This things sucks in alleys. Took 20 minutes to get into garage the other day. Can't handle the 6 inch ruts in the alley. Turned off traction and tires just spin and spin. Have to rock back and forth to get momentum to get over a paltry 6 inch snow rut. Total joke. Stock 1/2 worn ( not bald) all seasons are just terrible. I'd say snow tire or replace with Continental DWS as those are the only all seasons that are truly all season that I've ever used.

[lbjgh]

I got my X3 stuck in 10" of snow... even with new winter tires.

The car has 8" of clearance and as soon as the snow gets packed under 'er you are screwed. ...proof below.

Didn't take much external help to get 'er out but she wouldn't move under her own steam.

[Upstate_X3]

I love shots like this of our X3s, showing the cars are not just for use on dry pavement. So many folks think that because they are BMWs there only look good.

I had followed some co-workers out to lunch one day and they decided to take an alternate route back to the office through farm fields and ditches. They figured I'd never follow them, they were very surprised I powered right past them when they got stuck. They were in a Suburban - I so loved the irony.

Originally Posted by lbjgh

I got my X3 stuck in 10" of snow... even with new winter tires.

The car has 8" of clearance and as soon as the snow gets packed under 'er you are screwed. ...proof below.

Didn't take much external help to get 'er out but she wouldn't move under her own steam.

[lbjgh]

hehe, I didn't learn my lesson either.

I was screwing around this morning in the snow... tomorrow's drive to work is going to be 'lumpy' because of all the snow packed into my rims.