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I live in a lake-affect snow belt that recently got nearly 200 inches of snow in one winter, so I am a believer in winter tires. Moreover, in the 20 years living here, I traditionally used Bilzzaks of one form or another. However, now I am using Continental and General winter tires. Frankly, both are less expensive and, on xdrive BMWs, both are great on snow and ice. It's my understanding that Bridgestone was one of the first manufacturers to use winter rubber compounds, so the Blizzak was truly superior to other brands at the time. Currently, almost all manufacturers use similar rubber and, per Consumer Report testing, Blizzak is no longer at the top of heap. Given the X3's clearance and AWD, most brands will function fine. Just keep mind that the narrowest winter tire (meeting the car's specs) work better. I recognize that wider wheels and tires provide a fashion statement befitting a BMW, but in bad-weather driving, one quickly realizes that going and STOPPING on slippery pavement is the object of having winter tires.
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