[Ring]

Love driving my bimmer, but am really wrestling with what tires to buy. Car's a 99 528i (yes, rear wheel drive). I live on the front range of Colorado where winters are horrendous snow (white-outs, ice on the road, soft fluffy stuff on the roads - all of it) and warm sunny 60 degree F days - all in one week. Often within days of one another.

Plus, I drive weekly to the mountains to ski.

I need an all season tire that will handle the worst of winter driving while accommodating dry roads as well. I'd get winter tires, but am concerned about dry-braking for most of the warm winter days we get.

I am onsidering Nokian WR G2. They're super expensive, but if they're worth the extra I will spend it. My mechanic tells me good things about them. Does anyone have winter driving experience on rear wheel drive with these tires.

I used to have a standby Subaru for bad winter conditions, but money's tight and I don't need to be maintaining 2 cars.

 

[cubed]

cross poster here - apologies - but I am a true believer in Nokian WR G2's. Have them on my X3 and love them year round. They are definitely a little softer than the std tires that give you the crisp driving that you undoubtedly love in your BMW. However in the harsh-riding X3 this is a good thing. That said -- they are really excellent at everything: recent 2 feet of snow, ice storms, rain -- all excellent. They do not give you a squirmy ride btw - as do many dedicated snow tires. You will not regret buying them. What you might consider is moving up one inch in wheel diameter to minimize the sidewall if you get them. This is what I did -- went from 17 - 18 inch wheels and put on the Nokes. Handling remained the same overall.. Good Luck!

 

[tim330i]

You'll get more help here, thread moved.

Tim

 

[Ring]

BMW 528i & Nokian

Thanks for feedback, cubed

 

[[email protected]]

Dry braking and corning is actually no problem for a good "performance" winter tire like the Dunlop Winter Sport 3D or Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 and either of these would be much better in snow than an all-season tire. I'd lean more towards a dedicated snow tire if you're looking for a tire that you're going to run in the winter only and take off in the spring. Unlike Nokian, Michelin and Dunlop are sold nationwide so their prices are generally much better and replacements more readily available should you get a nail or flat tire.

Winter http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AB2&url=/winter/index.jsp

 

[cubed]

Have spent full winters driving both Dunlop Winter Sport and the Nokian WR G2. The Nokian is better in all forms of severe weather (by a wide margin) and as good as a dry performance tire compared with the Dunlop. Cant comment on the Michelin. The OP stated he wants one tire that will handle a wide range of conditions which occurr within days of eachother. Switching to dedicated snows is not what he wants. I have had three sets of Nokes and never had a problem with availability -- and I did have to replace one. Additionally Nokians are produced in a far more environmentally friendly manner with a more eco-friendly rubber compaound. No, Nokians are not sold thru Tirerack, but the internet is a very very big place, and they are available thru many other sites. Tiresbyweb.com is one. Also available locally at many tire retailers who know about good severe weather tires.

Gary, no offense, but your remarks seem somewhat self-serving.

 

[bmw_n00b13]

I run Hakkapellitas on my 528. They're awesome, and make my mom's Michelin XIce tires look pretty bad. The downside is that they get really soft at temps as low as 10 degrees Celsius. I've driven in snow 3" deep without a problem--it was like driving on loose gravel, not snow.
I can't comment on the all-weathers. They sound like a decent compromise for your warmer days.


Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse typos and lack of links.

 

[dms540i]

I run Nokian WRs in the winter and they are without a doubt the best winter tires I have ever had. You will not regret purchasing a set.

 

[cubed]

agreed -- but the WR and WR G2 are different. The G2 is of newer design. I have had both. I think the WR is maybe a tad better in rain, while the G2 is a better dry driving tire. The G2 seems better to me in really bad snow. Cant go wrong with either. Get the XL load rated ones that are VR speed-rated. Not too many makers make this combo in a sever-weather rated tire. Nokian does

 

[kyfdx]

I had Nokian WRs on a Honda CR-V.. Granted that's not a high-performance car, but they were H-rated, and I thought they were at least as good in the snow as the high-performance Dunlop or Goodyear winter tires that we've had on our 3-series (plural).

They were actually better all-season tires than the crappy OEM all-seasons that came on the CR-V.. it was a real win-win-lose proposition.. Lose? Expensive... lol.

So, on a '99 528i, I'd vote for the Nokians, if you are running all-seasons, anyway.. It's worth a shot...

If it turns out that you think you need better snow performance, you haven't lost anything.... you can still get winters and run the Nokians the rest of the year (but, I don't think that will happen).

 

[CrashTestDummy]

I posted my experience with Nokian WRG2 tires on my '06 325 and MDX in a different thread. Here is a link:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5810371&postcount=5