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      12-13-2011, 06:12 PM   #67
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pulled the trigger on a set of low-cost aluminum wheels (so when she bends one on a pothole it won't cost an arm and a leg, and so the stock wheels don't deal with salt) and a set of 17 inch 60 series blizzaks. with TPMS, mounting/balancing, shipping no tax (love that), and a rack to hang the summers up im out of there for under $1500US.

watch it won't snow this season..
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      12-13-2011, 06:30 PM   #68
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Blizzaks have a couple of different types of snow tires iirc, the lm series and the ws series. The WS are the best snow and ice tire, but give up a bit on dry roads. The LMs are Blizzaks "performance" snow tire and are good on dry roads and give up a bit of snow ice grip to the WS series. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/bridge...tone-tires.jsp
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      12-13-2011, 07:17 PM   #69
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Ok, just to stir up this slightly derailed thread a bit ...
I see "snow tires" and "Winter tires" being used as if there's a difference. And, perhaps there is. If so, what is the difference? Same thing with winter wheels. Huh?

Keep in mind I'm from California, I don't live in snow territory, but can get to places that measure it in feet, not inches, in about 3 hours. Main roads are either plowed or closed. They use no salt, only sand on the plowed roads.

All-season with traction-aid devices (i.e. chains) is all I expect to need here, but you folks dealing with snow constantly ... what're the differences?
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      12-13-2011, 07:59 PM   #70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fedinand View Post
Blizzaks have a couple of different types of snow tires iirc, the lm series and the ws series. The WS are the best snow and ice tire, but give up a bit on dry roads. The LMs are Blizzaks "performance" snow tire and are good on dry roads and give up a bit of snow ice grip to the WS series. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/bridge...tone-tires.jsp
I went with the WS70's - and the NY/NJ area can thank me because now, there will be no snow this year.
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      12-14-2011, 09:13 AM   #71
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Two good tests:



http://www.insideline.com/features/t...vs-summer.html
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      12-14-2011, 01:39 PM   #72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Razel View Post
Ok, just to stir up this slightly derailed thread a bit ...
I see "snow tires" and "Winter tires" being used as if there's a difference. And, perhaps there is. If so, what is the difference? Same thing with winter wheels. Huh?

Keep in mind I'm from California, I don't live in snow territory, but can get to places that measure it in feet, not inches, in about 3 hours. Main roads are either plowed or closed. They use no salt, only sand on the plowed roads.

All-season with traction-aid devices (i.e. chains) is all I expect to need here, but you folks dealing with snow constantly ... what're the differences?
Faced with a similar situation (being in CA, and questioning the worth of dedicated snow tires), I chose to go with the best all-season tire, and keep two sets of chains in the back just in case. I tossed the factory LS2s and went with the Continental DWS, which was head and shoulders over other A/S tires in the Tire Rack's testing. Two sets of these fit in the cubby under the cargo area very neatly, and are there just in case I get snowed in somewhere where the DWS can't work and need them. I did a test fit, and they go on very quickly and easily. However, the first drive in snow leads me to believe the chains will never come out of their cases again. The DWS are an order of magnitude better than the LS2.

I did briefly consider a second set of wheels with Blizzaks, but it just didn't make sense - From SF to snow country is ~three hours, 2.5 of which is through the Central Valley.
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      12-14-2011, 02:29 PM   #73
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Originally Posted by Le Chef View Post
My wife has an aging mother who lives about 6 hours north from Chicago in deepest darkest Michigan. If she needs to travel on her own up there for an emergency in the dead of winter I'm more than happy to have paid for the winter wheel and tire set for her and my peace of mind.

I've spent the last 10 years putting winter wheels and tires on 911's and being easily capable of driving around the outside of slithering SUV's mounted with all season tires in icy and snowy conditions. It's a matter of what you personally believe is important and whether you can see a return on that expenditure.
Yours is an argument I can agree with almost entirely. Safety of family and friends is without question a huge priority. I do, however, feel so inclined to remind you that a person's inability to shell out cash for something is not their rejection of soundness of such an argument. If I personally believe that snow tires are important and I can and have seen it as a viable expenditure, that does not mean I can automatically place it into my budget notwithstanding of my other financial responsibilities. I would so much rather not take the risk of going snow tire-less, but I also remember that I chose snow tires on my last car because it was a low-to-the-ground station wagon that came with much lower profile summer performance tires, and this is an SUV with at least 75% more ground clearance and all season tires. I'll agree--the difference between snow tires and all seasons is not negligible, but in snowy, urban and suburban locales, you'd have to be a complete ignoramus to let yourself spin wildly out of control with all seasons on a continuously adaptive, AWD-equipped SUV (unless, of course, you find yourself staring at the car you're about to hit with a questionable amount of time to steer yourself to safety--but that's a different discussion). I personally believe that those idiots shouldn't drive cars as nice as these, but I am comforted by the notion that natural selection is a self-fulfilling prophecy I can trust.

And if any of you feel uncomfortable driving in certain conditions, remember that you can elect to leave your car in the garage until conditions clear. Nobody is forcing you to drive your car; it is expensive and, more importantly, the people with you are invaluable.

No disrespect, by the way. I completely agree with you, Le Chef, but I wanted to bring that to the attention of this thread. You are not the only one who has made that claim, and I understand what you're getting at.

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      12-14-2011, 02:42 PM   #74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richardew View Post
My rims aren't fugly and the vehicle doesn't handle like it's driving on jello. In fact, Z rated tires below 32F handle like riding on jello. They don't grip at all.
That's because you went and bought BMW aftermarket rims which are specially designed to match the aesthetic of all the cars they sell. There's a significant premium associated with market research and design teams. Tire Rack isn't going to give you that kind of "panache-spec."

In all seriousness, though, they do look great. Definitely a nice distraction from a salt covered vehicle, something I'm not looking forward to this winter.

Just curious, though--I found these wheels on Tire Rack but without BMW labels. Are these the ones you've fitted? If so, I bite my tongue. How did you get the BMW hub center?
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      12-14-2011, 02:43 PM   #75
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Thanks - that's a very good point - it's often that people will say "Do I need to spend the money?" You provide another alternative.

Having watched from a bus window earlier this year how poorly equipped many drivers were when the blizzard hit Chicago you can only wish they had stayed at home as you suggest rather than make a mess of it and block a major artery with their abandoned cars.
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      12-14-2011, 02:56 PM   #76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Chef View Post
Thanks - that's a very good point - it's often that people will say "Do I need to spend the money?" You provide another alternative.

Having watched from a bus window earlier this year how poorly equipped many drivers were when the blizzard hit Chicago you can only wish they had stayed at home as you suggest rather than make a mess of it and block a major artery with their abandoned cars.
God forbid that should happen again this year I may purchase a monster truck out of spite and drive over everyone else. Talk about ultimate traction.
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      12-14-2011, 05:49 PM   #77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by juddholland View Post
How did you get the BMW hub center?
Many of the wheels that Tirerack sells can be fitted with a BMW center cap. $15/wheel.
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      12-14-2011, 05:51 PM   #78
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Originally Posted by 02420X3 View Post
Many of the wheels that Tirerack sells can be fitted with a BMW center cap. $15/wheel.
Good to know! Thanks. Sorry about that, Richardew.
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      12-14-2011, 08:27 PM   #79
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FYI: Amazon sells various versions of the BMW center caps including BMW OEM models. There are some very nice ones for as little as $35 for a set of four.

You do have to be sure of the wheel bore size since they come in 65, 68 and 70mm sizes.

See: BMW Wheel Caps

Also available are some beautifully made domed-alloy stick-on versions that can be applied over the usual aftermarket cap that is supplied with the wheels.

Amazon calls these "decals" but they are actually very nicely made, adhesive-backed metal cap "covers" and work fine.

Also available is the "too cool for snow tires", "M" version (as a complete cap).
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      12-15-2011, 02:39 PM   #80
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When I first moved from Tennessee to Alaska, I drove the Al-Can highway at the end of August/Early September. I hit snow coming into Whitehorse, on my (at the time) M-sport summer tires. It took me two days to finish what should have taken less than one, and I was white-knuckle praying every time I hit an incline or curve. I ended up buying a set of dedicated winter wheels/tires almost immediately after making it to Anchorage, and even with those, I had to really be wary of the throttle.

When an x-drive CPO became available at the local dealer, I jumped on it. I still run my winters, even though the OEM all-seasons are ok. Buy winters if your area has snow regularly!
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      12-15-2011, 11:51 PM   #81
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Interesting thread. Like always, filled with 50% top gear guys who ALWAYS demand the best. And the rest of us who just live in the real world with budgets and compromises. This is how it works in Minnesota winters. On EVERY snowy day all winter your x drive, traction control, all season tire equipped X3 BMW will be easily up to the challenge. No problem. Of course you will STILL have to be an good driver, alert, tuned in. But forget the snows UNLESS you:
1. Live in the mountains with near daily snowfalls.
2. Work at a ski area and commute five times a week.
3. Need the best always and no expense is too much ever.
4. Tend to worry about worst case scenarios regarding danger to your loved ones.
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      12-16-2011, 04:01 PM   #82
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these look pretty good with the centers..
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      12-16-2011, 04:10 PM   #83
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have to admit, the videos showing the testing between all seasons and dedicated winter tires were pretty compelling... this set of blizzaks with wheels is relatively cheap - not run-flat so yeah gotta have a small spare or in my case a conti comfort kit in the unlikely event (don't jinx it!) of a flat..
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      12-16-2011, 05:53 PM   #84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmazet View Post
have to admit, the videos showing the testing between all seasons and dedicated winter tires were pretty compelling... this set of blizzaks with wheels is relatively cheap - not run-flat so yeah gotta have a small spare or in my case a conti comfort kit in the unlikely event (don't jinx it!) of a flat..
problem? or just don't use the tpms for non-run-flats anyway?
"The ContiComfortKit combines a powerful, high-volume, 12-volt air compressor, integral pressure gauge and a latex liquid tire sealant packaged in a compact, lightweight unit that's easy to store in the vehicle. (Kit is 9.5"W x 7"H x 3.75"D.) This product's sealant may interfere with the tire pressure monitoring sensors on vehicles with direct TPMS, possibly leading to error prompts and incorrect pressure readings. Use of this product on direct TPMS vehicles could also result in damage to the tire pressure sensor inside the wheel. Please contact your sales specialist at Tire Rack for more information."
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      12-17-2011, 11:43 AM   #85
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marmik View Post
Interesting thread. Like always, filled with 50% top gear guys who ALWAYS demand the best. And the rest of us who just live in the real world with budgets and compromises. This is how it works in Minnesota winters. On EVERY snowy day all winter your x drive, traction control, all season tire equipped X3 BMW will be easily up to the challenge. No problem. Of course you will STILL have to be an good driver, alert, tuned in. But forget the snows UNLESS you:
1. Live in the mountains with near daily snowfalls.
2. Work at a ski area and commute five times a week.
3. Need the best always and no expense is too much ever.
4. Tend to worry about worst case scenarios regarding danger to your loved ones.
I am so sorry to take exception to your reasoning for NOT fitting winter tyres to an X3 (or any other vehicle) unless one complies with any of your serials 1 - 4.

The well proven facts are that all vehicles operating in countries with an ambient temperature below 7 degrees C, benefit from the implementation of Winter Tyres.
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      12-17-2011, 12:24 PM   #86
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Disingenuous?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marmik View Post
Interesting thread. Like always, filled with 50% top gear guys who ALWAYS demand the best. And the rest of us who just live in the real world with budgets and compromises.
i think our worlds are just different - it's not a case of superiority of one over the other but having different priorities. But post rationalizing your decision and implicitly criticizing others, based on an arbitrary set of rules seems a bit disingenuous.
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      12-17-2011, 01:38 PM   #87
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marmik View Post
Interesting thread. Like always, filled with 50% top gear guys who ALWAYS demand the best. And the rest of us who just live in the real world with budgets and compromises. This is how it works in Minnesota winters. On EVERY snowy day all winter your x drive, traction control, all season tire equipped X3 BMW will be easily up to the challenge. No problem. Of course you will STILL have to be an good driver, alert, tuned in.
i have a hunch municipalities and the state of minnesota do a pretty good job with plowing. my experience is that the more snow an area gets on a routine basis, the more geared up they are to plow it properly. it's the border regions that really have trouble - enough snow to create dangerous conditions routinely, but not so regular that local and state gov'ts are willing to budget serious money to deal with it properly.

another issue is local meteorological variation. before i moved to ct i never experienced an ice storm. they are a regular feature of winter here. at least once or twice a year you wake up to a world of beauty: every twig and branch glistens, coated with a quarter inch of ice. then you have to go somewhere...
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      12-17-2011, 01:42 PM   #88
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Chef View Post
i think our worlds are just different - it's not a case of superiority of one over the other but having different priorities. But post rationalizing your decision and implicitly criticizing others, based on an arbitrary set of rules seems a bit disingenuous.
+1 The posters who live in winter climates and don't buy winter tires have all sorts of excuses and rationalizations.
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