Winter Tyres - My experiences

[Charles]

Given the current inclement weather, there are a number of threads springing up about winter tyres - including one of my own talking about the acquisition of winter tyres and 17" wheels.

As such, I thought it might be helpful to start logging my experiences with the new rubber to assist other forum members with their deliberations.

Over the last week I have been driving around in cold, yet dry, conditions. Grip, braking control and steering response all feel much improved but the real test has arrived this evening.

The AuPair returns from Germany and I have to collect her from Oxford later this evening. In preparation, given that we currently have 2cm of the white stuff all over this part of Oxfordshire, I ventured out to try the tyres.

Try as I might I was unable to induce a slide, slip, spin or any manner of traction issues that I know I would have experienced with the Pilot Sports. Only once did the ABS kick-in but that was in response to a particularly firm stamp on the brake pedal and even then the car stopped quickly and in a straight line. So far so good - as they say - but the real test will be later this evening.

More news to follow but early indications are that my decision was an incredibly sound one.

[B10BRW]

early indications are that my decision was an incredibly sound one.

Only to be expected Charles

[Charles]

Well, I'm just back from picking up the AuPair and I have a grin from ear to ear.

Conditions out there are abysmal but I had no problems with traction and braking. I can't say "at all" because there were a couple of moments when a slide started but a tiny correction and the tyres gripped and everything was fine.

Biggest issue with the snow - which is now 3 inches - is that the front spoiler resembles a snow plough.

More importantly, however, my advice to anyone not sure about the benefit of winter tyres is to stop hesitating and get on with it. I can't understand why I didn't invest several years ago.

PS Thanks Brian

[olli]

Glad to see another convert. Winter tyres have made the difference for me as long I can think back.
Not only in snow (but especially there) but all wintery conditions.

Don't forget Charles, the ideal point to change them for new ones is when the go below 4mm, as they will lose a lot of their winter ability when too low in tread.

[Duncan]

If I had just "picked up" an au pair I'd have a pretty big grin too.

Should have left the old tyres on and got stuck in the car overnight

ha ha

[Charles]

Tee Hee Duncan

[Geoff]

After last night it looks like the "winters" were an inspired decision Charles
Are you psychic or what

[thomas v8]

Well, I'm just back from picking up the AuPair and I have a grin from ear to ear.

Conditions out there are abysmal but I had no problems with traction and braking. I can't say "at all" because there were a couple of moments when a slide started but a tiny correction and the tyres gripped and everything was fine.

Biggest issue with the snow - which is now 3 inches - is that the front spoiler resembles a snow plough.

More importantly, however, my advice to anyone not sure about the benefit of winter tyres is to stop hesitating and get on with it. I can't understand why I didn't invest several years ago.

PS Thanks Brian

Charles, if you get bored ploughing the snow in Oxfordshire, you could allways make your way down to Essex LOL.

Good decision you went for the winter tyres, wish I had now

[Charles]

Forgot to mention an amusing anecdote from last night. As I was heading up St Giles in the centre of Oxford last night the lights changed to red and I gently came to a halt.

A group of students walked by and one of them said "He's got an ALPINA, he's got no chance of getting going again"

Ten seconds later I was able to wind down the window and shout out "Watch this!" as I moved away without any issues at all.

His response - "Respect!"

[pmjt]

Charles - sorry I may have missed this in an earlier post but, what size / type of wheels did you buy and what tyres did you fit?

I think I'm going to have to get a set for our B3S touring and my M5

TIA

Philip

[Charles]

Philip,

I went for 17" Style 44 BMW alloys (seondhand refurbs on eBay) fitted with Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 tyres (225/45R17 91H) with pressures set at 2.5bar (f) and 3.1bar (r)

HTH

C

[pmjt]

Thanks Charles,

I went for 17" Style 44 BMW alloys (seondhand refurbs on eBay)

Did you need to worry about offsets? Are the Style 44 for the E46 touring anyway?

Just tried ebay and no style 44's (I know nothing about OEM BMW wheels ) - are these any good?:

http://tinyurl.com/yca3qcq

fitted with Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 tyres (225/45R17 91H) with pressures set at 2.5bar (f) and 3.1bar (r)

What's your thoughts about when to take them off? The B3S is really due new MPSII's and I was thinking of having the wheels refurbed at the same time - could I run a winter tyre into the spring / March or is it going to be too warm for the tread?

Thanks again for the recommendation - going to start looking for some wheels today

Philip

[Charles]

Hi Philip,

Not sure about the wheels you were linking to - Olli would be the better person to comment on offsets - but try these for size.

These are the same as I got for my car and they are original spec E46 wheels (which would probably have been on the donor car before ALPINA swapped them for their own.

As for duration, it depends on how the spring arrives but I will be making a judgement in early March based on average temperatures and if they are regularly above 7-8C then it's time to switch to summer rubber. In the meantime, I am planning some refurbishment work on my wheels so that they are shiny come the better weather.

HTH

C

[olli]

There is no difference between offsets for the various body shapes. All the same across the E46 range (and Z4 and very close with E36 and Z3)

The style 32 radials you have linked to will fit perfectly fine, but you will have to use staggered tyre setup, 225/45/17 front and 245/40/17 rear, which again is perfectly fine.

My winter tyres usually go on late November and come off anytime in March, depending on the weather. Running them until March is not the slightest problem at all, as temperatures are still perfectly fine for a modern winter tyre. I just wouldn't run them into the summer, although with the standard UK summer, this could be debated, too.

[pmjt]

The style 32 radials you have linked to will fit perfectly fine, but you will have to use staggered tyre setup, 225/45/17 front and 245/40/17 rear, which again is perfectly fine.

Thanks for this Olli - so with the Type 44 wheels that Charles linked in an earlier post, I don't need to run them staggered? Just 225/45R17 91H front and back.

Much appreciated all

P