[AndrewAZ]

I have never driven a car in the snow (only an SUV), even the rain is rare. But I will be put into a position that I will have to be in an area that has light snow for about 3 months of the year.. Do you think my 328i can handle the snow? I know the stock tires suck in the rain and I would have to get full snow tires. Or should I trade it in and get an X5. Just wanted to get some opines from the people that live up north.

[tintivilus]

Originally Posted by AndrewAZ

I have never driven a car in the snow (only an SUV), even the rain is rare. But I will be put into a position that I will have to be in an area that has light snow for about 3 months of the year.. Do you think my 328i can handle the snow? I know the stock tires suck in the rain and I would have to get full snow tires. Or should I trade it in and get an X5. Just wanted to get some opines from the people that live up north.

All-Season tires would be acceptable in rain or light snow, even with rear-wheel drive. It'll probably feel weird the first few times you drive in the snow, and you may find DSC intervening a lot until you get the feel for it, but you'll be fine.

You'll definitely be better off having dedicated summer and winter tires; If you do, you'll be in better shape than the zillions of people with all-season tires and front wheel drive, and probably better than some with AWD on all-seasons.

The best possible setup would of course be AWD on snow tires, but you're not likely to need it more than a few times in your life unless you drive in the mountains or live in an un-plowed area.

[gloster]

I live in the North. The BMW (and almost any sedan) is just fine in the snow. Yes, especially with rear wheel drive, it helps to have snow tires. All seasons will be ok, but if you have the sport package, you would need to get snow tires.

I have the sport package, so I have summer-only tires. I just ordered and received my winter wheels/tires. It's not a big deal. Welcome to snow country!

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by gloster

I live in the North. The BMW (and almost any sedan) is just fine in the snow. Yes, especially with rear wheel drive, it helps to have snow tires. All seasons will be ok, but if you have the sport package, you would need to get snow tires.

I have the sport package, so I have summer-only tires. I just ordered and received my winter wheels/tires. It's not a big deal. Welcome to snow country!

I don't think I'd like to use all seasons on a RWD car. AWD sure, but RWD I'd go for full on snows.

[markis64]

Get some snow tires, and you will be just fine. With all seasons and sport tires you will lose the back end almost every time you take off, until dsc kicks in etc. But with snow tires you can get much much better traction in take offs, hills, declines, turns etc. But dont forget the laws of physics, even awd/4x4's cant stop on ice too well haha

[FirstClass]

No four wheel stop, but we do get the special "slow the car the fuck down now it's slippy outside" button.

[RBP]

Even an X5 should get winter tires. In light snow conditions and with proper winter tires you should be fine. If the roads get icy frequently, then you'll probably join the rest of the RWD cars in spinning at every stop sign and stop light. Heavily snowed or icy hills are also too much for RWD. It's not so much snow as ice that causes the lack of traction. Winter tires are always required in cold conditions as it has the proper rubber compound to stay soft and sticky. Summer and even all seasons get too hard and don't have the tread to evacuate the snow and get a good grip on ice.

That all being said, I'm one of the silly ones that rank safety higher than the vehicle's ability to drift or handle corners on a race track due primarily to the fact that most of my driving is done on public roads and highways.

[AndrewAZ]

Originally Posted by markis64

Get some snow tires, and you will be just fine. With all seasons and sport tires you will lose the back end almost every time you take off, until dsc kicks in etc. But with snow tires you can get much much better traction in take offs, hills, declines, turns etc. But dont forget the laws of physics, even awd/4x4's cant stop on ice too well haha

I dont know if its just because I drive aggressively but in the rain my back end slides out all the time when turning.... Maybe some sand bags will help in the back?

[AndrewAZ]

Originally Posted by RBP

Even an X5 should get winter tires. In light snow conditions and with proper winter tires you should be fine. If the roads get icy frequently, then you'll probably join the rest of the RWD cars in spinning at every stop sign and stop light. Heavily snowed or icy hills are also too much for RWD. It's not so much snow as ice that causes the lack of traction. Winter tires are always required in cold conditions as it has the proper rubber compound to stay soft and sticky. Summer and even all seasons get too hard and don't have the tread to evacuate the snow and get a good grip on ice.

That all being said, I'm one of the silly ones that rank safety higher than the vehicle's ability to drift or handle corners on a race track due primarily to the fact that most of my driving is done on public roads and highways.

See this is what I am worried about.. It snows then the snow melts since its not that cold and you mostly get ice.

[tintivilus]

Originally Posted by markis64

Get some snow tires, and you will be just fine. With all seasons and sport tires you will lose the back end almost every time you take off, until dsc kicks in etc.

I had all-seasons on my E34 (no DSC/ASC/DTC/foobarbaz) and I made it through several Wisconsin/Illinois winters unscathed. It's not rocket science; you just need to take it easy when there's snow on the ground. I even went through a winter with P6000's without severe difficulty.

Regarding snow vs all-season tires: anyone who's saying you need snow tires in the midwest, especially with DSC, just likes the throttle too much. Would I prefer snows? Yes. Could I live without them? Sure.

Edit: If you could narrow down your "area that has light snow for about 3 months of the year" it might help. What state are we talking?

[wrickem]

I'll never drive a car in a winter where it might snow without snow tires again. I did a Bridgestone winter track event and the back to back difference between snow/ice tires and all seasons was night and day. Forget about summer tires, I got caught once in about .005 inches of snow with my old M3 with summer tires and was pretty much dead on the road. RWD BMW's are pretty dicey in the snow and ice but with a good set of grippy snow/ice tires, you'll do great.

[nmulax]

What area will you be in? "Light snow" depends on that individual's perception. 328i with snows is definitely fine; even all-seasons could work depending on what city you're in.

As for sliding all over in the rain. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but people in Phoenix have no effin' clue how to drive in the rain. There's no need to slow to 10 under when it's raining.
In my 330i, I need to turn off all DTC/DSC and really gun it to kick the back end out in the rain.

[markis64]

Originally Posted by AndrewAZ

I dont know if its just because I drive aggressively but in the rain my back end slides out all the time when turning.... Maybe some sand bags will help in the back?

I dont know if you were trying to be funny or be a dick, but regardless I had non snows with xi and then went to snows with the xi and the difference was night and day..

[AndrewAZ]

Originally Posted by nmulax

What area will you be in? "Light snow" depends on that individual's perception. 328i with snows is definitely fine; even all-seasons could work depending on what city you're in.

As for sliding all over in the rain. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but people in Phoenix have no effin' clue how to drive in the rain. There's no need to slow to 10 under when it's raining.
In my 330i, I need to turn off all DTC/DSC and really gun it to kick the back end out in the rain.

Northern Arizona, usually you get a snow storm and it melts then it gets down to freezing at night and you get ice then it melts and snows aging ect.


But yea people dont know how to drive in the rain.. Reason why a lot of people slow down is when it rains it rains hard here and the roads flood. I cant tell you how many times I have hydroplaned and almost lost it when not seeing a nice shallow flood spot while flying down the road.

But the 328i with the stock tires isnt really twitchy in the rain it just likes to slide and it does it smoothly. Then again thats just me cuse I am usually driving the hell out of the car.

[ska///235i]

awd with a/s tires are fine, but rwd,,,you should invest in snow tires

[kick]

Hell, I drove my E28 through two Canadian winters with TRX's on. You get really good at handling the car, but it's all about taking it easy.

[mmm def]

Originally Posted by AndrewAZ

I dont know if its just because I drive aggressively but in the rain my back end slides out all the time when turning.... Maybe some sand bags will help in the back?

You need to slow it down a bit son.

[gloster]

Originally Posted by FirstClass

I don't think I'd like to use all seasons on a RWD car. AWD sure, but RWD I'd go for full on snows.

Even though I said you can use all seasons, *I* personally wouldn't do it. I always put on snow tires. I probably should have said, "you can get away with all seasons" if you really feel the need.

[ejazbmw]

thats why I got XI I didn't want to worry about snow and crap because I know NJ winters can get crazy....

[ik999]

safety first I suppose


what are you going to do if theres a snow storm?

[tctic]

Originally Posted by tintivilus

I had all-seasons on my E34 (no DSC/ASC/DTC/foobarbaz) and I made it through several Wisconsin/Illinois winters unscathed. It's not rocket science; you just need to take it easy when there's snow on the ground. I even went through a winter with P6000's without severe difficulty.

Regarding snow vs all-season tires: anyone who's saying you need snow tires in the midwest, especially with DSC, just likes the throttle too much. Would I prefer snows? Yes. Could I live without them? Sure.

Edit: If you could narrow down your "area that has light snow for about 3 months of the year" it might help. What state are we talking?

+1. In my area, there's only light snow 2-3 times (max) per year and I do not have to climb slopes when it snows so I lived through last winter with only the stock Bridgestone A/S. Also, DSC really made it much easier to maneuver the car. If you drive with some sense and some care, DSC would be sufficient to correct minor slides around corners. If you live anywhere near slopes, get snow tires. With stock A/S, you'd have lots of trouble getting up ANY sort of incline.

As for stock A/S in the rain, yes they are easier to loose traction on the road. Moderate acceleration on flat ground at an intersection sometimes trigger DSC to intervene. Cornering at 20km/h (~12mph) when you are on road markings such as cross walks also triggers DSC to intervene. Probably the stock summer tires are better in the rain though.

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by AndrewAZ

I have never driven a car in the snow (only an SUV), even the rain is rare. But I will be put into a position that I will have to be in an area that has light snow for about 3 months of the year.. Do you think my 328i can handle the snow? I know the stock tires suck in the rain and I would have to get full snow tires. Or should I trade it in and get an X5. Just wanted to get some opines from the people that live up north.

Where will this "light snow" be? It makes a big difference. An inch or so here or there? Take it easy, the all-season with DSC will be fine - save the $$$. 4+ inches, and it stays around for a couple weeks? Go with the snow tires.

Either way, slow down.