what make/model tires do you guys use for winter?

This is my first winter with a Bimmer. I've been checking out the differences between performace winter tires and studless snow/winter tires.

i know Bridgestone blizzaks LM-60 or WS60 are popular but Ive also wondered if the new Michelin pilot PA4 are worth the extra $$$ ($250 for 4)

I am expecting cold temps for 4 months and snow/ice for one week/year average.

What do you guys use for the winter...???

dunlop wintersport 3ds.

the blizzak WS series will be squishy on dry roads compared to the LM.

The last 4 winters: Dunlop Wintersport M3 DSSTs and Wintersport 3D (goflat).

This winter: Pirelli Sottozero Series II 240.

from what you describe (1 week or so of snow and ice, and the rest cold) i would go with a performance snow.

two of the top contenders are the bridgestone lm60 and the dunlop wintersport 3D.

the lm60 will be biased to snow performance (its the same tread pattern as the ws60, just without the tube multicell)

the 3d would be biased toward dry and wet road performance.



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I use Blizzak WS series. I deal with the squish on the dry to get the go in the snow. YMMV.

I do agree with Orient that VA would seem to indicate a performance snow rather than a snow/ice tire.

I have a staggered set up on my Summer's at the moment but there are very few winter tires including the BS LM60s and the 3Ds that have both 225/40 for the front and 255/35 for the back. Since the rear rim is only 0.5 Inch wider and will accept a 225/40 should i change to a sqaure set of 225/40 all round?

Originally Posted by 8355adam

I have a staggered set up on my Summer's at the moment but there are very few winter tires including the BS LM60s and the 3Ds that have both 225/40 for the front and 255/35 for the back. Since the rear rim is only 0.5 Inch wider and will accept a 225/40 should i change to a sqaure set of 225/40 all round?

recommend going with a tire and wheel set-- the cost of mounts and balances will cover the cost of the rims within 2.5 years. going with 17s will cut the cost even more

runflat mount and balances run about 120-140, twice a year.

plus you wont subject your factory rims/tires to mount dismount damage, potholes, and sand/salt

Oh, you're swapping tires on the OEM rims then?

I'm getting new tires as well this month, but I was planning on going with just Continental DWS's, and swapping my current Conti SSR RF's with them. OEM wheels as well. I figure I'll probably sell the car before I swap to new tires...

I'm pretty sure Im going to use the OEM rims and swap the tires. My reasoning is that i am moving to non-run flats for the winter and also next summer season. So i am spending money on a donut. I just dont have all the money in the world to buy new tires, rims just or winter and a $350 donut. Maybe when i have saved some extra i can take the next step and get some dedicated winter rims. So is it fine to go with thinner tires on the back for winter, i heard this may even be beneficial in slick conditions?

Originally Posted by 8355adam

I'm pretty sure Im going to use the OEM rims and swap the tires. My reasoning is that i am moving to non-run flats for the winter and also next summer season. So i am spending money on a donut. I just dont have all the money in the world to buy new tires, rims just or winter and a $350 donut. Maybe when i have saved some extra i can take the next step and get some dedicated winter rims. So is it fine to go with thinner tires on the back for winter, i heard this may even be beneficial in slick conditions?

We have the same car, pretty much, and I'm doing exactly what you're doing, swapping out the RFT's on my OEM rims, and putting in (probably) new Conti DWS Non-Run Flats. I read they do excellent in rain and sleet, as well as snow in general. Pretty good for dry also. But I'm not buying until the end of the month, looking at all options.

Originally Posted by 8355adam

I'm pretty sure Im going to use the OEM rims and swap the tires. My reasoning is that i am moving to non-run flats for the winter and also next summer season. So i am spending money on a donut. I just dont have all the money in the world to buy new tires, rims just or winter and a $350 donut. Maybe when i have saved some extra i can take the next step and get some dedicated winter rims. So is it fine to go with thinner tires on the back for winter, i heard this may even be beneficial in slick conditions?

If you expect to be driving in snow (and it seems you don't) you want thinner tires, as they don't tend to ride up on the snow as much. OTOH, most of the world drives with same-width setups, and it shouldn't hurt you, assuming the tires you select are capable of being properly mounted on your (assumed) wider rear rims.

The cost of mounting and balancing will surely not be higher than a whole new set of rims over 5 years? Ive seen places that do it for $15 per wheel. which is $120 per year. Which is about even against a set of cheap rims over period of 5ish years. Since my rims are 7 years old they are not quite in the same condition as brand new ones even though i take good care of them. So Im not too concerened about possible damage to them with moutning and remounting. In an ideal world yes i would but new rims but i just dont have the money for that right now. I need to keep some back for the inevitable cooling system failure now im at 83K miles :-)

Originally Posted by 8355adam

The cost of mounting and balancing will surely not be higher than a whole new set of rims over 5 years? Ive seen places that do it for $15 per wheel. which is $120 per year. Which is about even against a set of cheap rims over period of 5ish years. Since my rims are 7 years old they are not quite in the same condition as brand new ones even though i take good care of them. So Im not too concerened about possible damage to them with moutning and remounting. In an ideal world yes i would but new rims but i just dont have the money for that right now. I need to keep some back for the inevitable cooling system failure now im at 83K miles :-)

Guaranteed it will be higher over 5 years. You're ignoring the higher cost of 18" snow tires versus 17". In addition, if you've found a place that is mounting and balancing a tire for $15 a pop, I'd bet one of my kids (OK, the one I don't like) they're using old-style equipment that's going to leave your BMW rims looking like you've been polishing curbs with them, regardless of how they look now.

A fast run on TireRack:
4 LM-60 tires in 225/40-R18 = $808 + $60 mount/balance at cheap place = $868
4 LM-60 tires in 225/45-R17 mounted and balanced on inexpensive rims (no TPMS) = $1132.

Difference = $264.

You would be ahead of the game after the second year. And a $264 savings this year doesn't seem big enough to fix the cooling system.

Originally Posted by 8355adam

The cost of mounting and balancing will surely not be higher than a whole new set of rims over 5 years? Ive seen places that do it for $15 per wheel. which is $120 per year. Which is about even against a set of cheap rims over period of 5ish years. Since my rims are 7 years old they are not quite in the same condition as brand new ones even though i take good care of them. So Im not too concerened about possible damage to them with moutning and remounting. In an ideal world yes i would but new rims but i just dont have the money for that right now. I need to keep some back for the inevitable cooling system failure now im at 83K miles :-)

check with the cost by the size. 18" 35 and 40 series tire mount and balances will cost more.
you also run the risk of bead damage with the repeated mounts and dismounts. and also tire sensor damage.
i dont know that i would trust a $15 dollar mount and balance vs a hunter touchless mount/dismount and a roadforce balance. but if you're on a budget... i can almost guarentee you you'll come away with rim damage-- the proper equipment is expensive, a hunter gsp 9700 and a proper touchless tire changing machine.

if you're comfortable with that, then go for it, but in the long run, its a wash financially.

...and there i was thinking "oh yeah, i'll just throw a couple winters on to see me through"! so much to think about!

Originally Posted by 8355adam

...and there i was thinking "oh yeah, i'll just throw a couple winters on to see me through"! so much to think about!

when i got my 01 i was like, oh, cool, high performance tires! how bad could it be in the snow

then reality sunk in

If you're on all seasons already don't bother with performance snows.

Im on Micheline Pilots that are very worn and need to be changed regardless.... Thought about all seasons but i figured that a set of winters will last me through until i sell the car X years down the road and will probabaly just about break even of 2x all season replacements vs 1xset of summer tires adn 1x set of winters. leaving me with the performance benefits of both.

Originally Posted by 8355adam

Im on Micheline Pilots that are very worn and need to be changed regardless.... Thought about all seasons but i figured that a set of winters will last me through until i sell the car X years down the road and will probabaly just about break even of 2x all season replacements vs 1xset of summer tires adn 1x set of winters. leaving me with the performance benefits of both.

if you see only very light snow, take a look at the conti DWS. 50K mile treadlife warranty. very good snow performance for an all season

Originally Posted by 8355adam

Im on Micheline Pilots that are very worn and need to be changed regardless.... Thought about all seasons but i figured that a set of winters will last me through until i sell the car X years down the road and will probabaly just about break even of 2x all season replacements vs 1xset of summer tires adn 1x set of winters. leaving me with the performance benefits of both.

I have a buddy with an '09 M3. He got tired of the summer/winter wheel swap (when he had an e46 330ci), so opted to go with the Michelin PS2 all-seasons.
He's very happy with them. He just tries to minimize on-road-time when it's snowing.

Snows are awful to drive except in the snow, they feel squishy and squirmy on dry roads and have weak grip on wet roads. Unless you are really likely to get snow, there is NO performance benefit from them other than on the one or two days all winter when you may be forced to drive in the snow.

Originally Posted by 8355adam

Im on Micheline Pilots that are very worn and need to be changed regardless.... Thought about all seasons but i figured that a set of winters will last me through until i sell the car X years down the road and will probabaly just about break even of 2x all season replacements vs 1xset of summer tires adn 1x set of winters. leaving me with the performance benefits of both.

Originally Posted by 8355adam

This is my first winter with a Bimmer. I've been checking out the differences between performace winter tires and studless snow/winter tires.

i know Bridgestone blizzaks LM-60 or WS60 are popular but Ive also wondered if the new Michelin pilot PA4 are worth the extra $$$ ($250 for 4)

I am expecting cold temps for 4 months and snow/ice for one week/year average.

What do you guys use for the winter...???

Continental all-season. Rarely have a problem but I do avoid deep snow. I'm retired so if it's really bad I stay home (but my agency has had work-at-home for at least a decade so it would not have been a problem even if I was still employed).

Conti DWS. Few snow events in MD/VA.

Dunlops winter runfflats (3D?)

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