Snow Question

330i (no AWD) with 1st season blizzaks on all four. How much snow can i reasonably expect to navigate through? Expecting 5 inches in the next couple of days and this will be the first (late) test of my winter set up. I am a volunteer EMT/Firefighter and i need to be able to get to the station. No other cars available.

If the snow reaches the body of your car then you may not want to drive it.
If you've never driven a rear wheel in the snow then just be careful - there is a lot of torque and that can spin you out of control

You'll be limited by ground clearance, as furby says....unless you drive lots of steep and/or long hills. Then you may have some issues with anything short of a studded tire.

I've got the xi version, and with Conti DWS's to boot (all seasons). The car handles beautifully in snow, but the issue, as you stated, is the ride height.

Anything more than 5 or so inches, and the car becomes the Ultimate Plow Machine. That's on an xi as well, which has a higher curb height. The grinding noise will drive you insane!

Drove a 67 Stingray Big Block from the Jersey shore to Wall St for 20+ years with no problems. Just watch the ground clearance & don't hammer the throttle or brake. Remember stopping is as hard as starting. Lots of 4X4 people forget that.

Also your traction control nannies can get weird in the snow so try to experiment with them on & off in a safe place like a big parking lot.

With Blizzaks, you're as good as it gets without AWD. Just keep moving and try not to come to a full stop. Basic snow driving - never stop unless forced to, don't do anything hard (braking or acceleration) and don't try to do anything fast. Smooth and gradual gets you almost anywhere.

Drove a '66 GTO through a lot of snow, and many other RWD cars, most of them with no traction control. A smooth driver who looks far, far ahead and plans his moves well in advance can go darn near anywhere.

Looks like we had some of the same cars. Had a Royal Bobcat 1966 GTO Ram Air TriPower 4spd with 3:90 Posi & a 1981 280ZX 6spd n/a convertible

Originally Posted by 8355adam

330i (no AWD) with 1st season blizzaks on all four. How much snow can i reasonably expect to navigate through? Expecting 5 inches in the next couple of days and this will be the first (late) test of my winter set up. I am a volunteer EMT/Firefighter and i need to be able to get to the station. No other cars available.

If you're a first responder, why didn't you get dedicated, studded snow tires? Are they allowed in your state? WHY COMPROMISE?

Firstly studded tires not allowed in va and to be fair we don't get that much snow and also we don't respond in personal cars but we obviously need to get to our stations.

I wouldn't worry about it. Ground clearance shouldn't be a big deal unless you're driving through snow banks. In that case, you shouldn't be driving anything at all if you're that stupid to think you can do it in anything short of a monster truck. Blizzaks are a good choice, though they seem to be a little more performance oriented as far as snow tires go but is still very capable. I've driven through 5 inches or more with my lowered G37 without any issues. I'm assuming you're on stock ride height. Traction and stability control will keep you pointing straight. Studs are only helpful in ICE. They are no more effective in snow than a dedicated snow tire. Check out TireRacks testing on studded vs non-studded tires. Besides studded tires are not comfortable at all and will destroy the roads in your area, hence why it's illegal in most states. Also, if going uphill, make sure you have enough momentum going up. Otherwise you will get stuck and possibly start sliding backwards. When going downhill, just take it easy, regardless of who's flying past you. You'll be laughing when their FWD car is up a curb or snow bank. Drive conservatively and you'll be fine.

or get a set of those steel wire cable chains, they work really well and you can drive them on dry pavement, just not recommended to for long or fast, depends on how far you have to drive for work too


Hondo

Originally Posted by SwissCheeseHead

I wouldn't worry about it. Ground clearance shouldn't be a big deal unless you're driving through snow banks. In that case, you shouldn't be driving anything at all if you're that stupid to think you can do it in anything short of a monster truck. Blizzaks are a good choice, though they seem to be a little more performance oriented as far as snow tires go but is still very capable. I've driven through 5 inches or more with my lowered G37 without any issues. I'm assuming you're on stock ride height. Traction and stability control will keep you pointing straight. Studs are only helpful in ICE. They are no more effective in snow than a dedicated snow tire. Check out TireRacks testing on studded vs non-studded tires. Besides studded tires are not comfortable at all and will destroy the roads in your area, hence why it's illegal in most states. Also, if going uphill, make sure you have enough momentum going up. Otherwise you will get stuck and possibly start sliding backwards. When going downhill, just take it easy, regardless of who's flying past you. You'll be laughing when their FWD car is up a curb or snow bank. Drive conservatively and you'll be fine.

++ Couldn't have said it better.

I've gotta take a pic of my car at my cabin sometime and post it.

Meanwhile, here's a pic of my Blizzak LM60-equipped 335d's tracks going up to our vacation house in E. WA. About 4" of snow, about 10% grade, about 2/3 up 100 yard gravel drive. Deer tracks.

Don't be this guy. Just taken by one of my friends heading to work this morning.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...count=1&ref=nf

Can't post pics yet (100 posts??) so I just linked the pic.