Which winter tires for a Bimmer?

I've been winter tire hunting. Every dealer I visit is hawking a different
brand, and I have yet to find a site that rates or reviews winter tires.

Then again, more than one carries Bridgestone Blizzaks. I've heard both
good: "they're the best winter grip, their technology's way ahead of
everybody else", and bad: "the special grip layer is very thin, wears off
after just one season, after which they're no better than regular all-
seasons".

I've also been shown Toyo, Kumho and Michellin.

Which brand would you recommend?

Kevin

Unless you are expecting conditions where after a snowfall the snow remains
on the roads for any appreciable length of time, AND you are going to be
driving on SNOW-not plowed roads, snow tires are a waste of time and money
AND actually reduce traction under these conditions. Snow tires are for
driving ON SNOW, and for that they are great. Blizzaks are very good because
they are grippier, but not on snow, on cold plowed roads. The snow treads
are also good in the white stuff. Since they address both issues, they are
probably the best around, but as you have found out, they are only effective
for one season.


"Kevin Oberle" > wrote in message
7.142...
> I've been winter tire hunting. Every dealer I visit is hawking a
> different
> brand, and I have yet to find a site that rates or reviews winter tires.
>
> Then again, more than one carries Bridgestone Blizzaks. I've heard both
> good: "they're the best winter grip, their technology's way ahead of
> everybody else", and bad: "the special grip layer is very thin, wears off
> after just one season, after which they're no better than regular all-
> seasons".
>
> I've also been shown Toyo, Kumho and Michellin.
>
> Which brand would you recommend?
>
> Kevin

In article io.net>,
tech27 wrote:
>Unless you are expecting conditions where after a snowfall the snow remains
>on the roads for any appreciable length of time, AND you are going to be
>driving on SNOW-not plowed roads, snow tires are a waste of time and money
>AND actually reduce traction under these conditions. Snow tires are for
>driving ON SNOW, and for that they are great. Blizzaks are very good because

Not true. Winter (not snow) tires are designed to be used in lower
temperatures. It means that the material is softer and provides more
traction than summer tires which stiffen in low temperatures.

>they are grippier, but not on snow, on cold plowed roads. The snow treads
>are also good in the white stuff. Since they address both issues, they are
>probably the best around, but as you have found out, they are only effective
>for one season.
>
>
>"Kevin Oberle" > wrote in message
. 97.142...
>> I've been winter tire hunting. Every dealer I visit is hawking a
>> different
>> brand, and I have yet to find a site that rates or reviews winter tires.
>>
>> Then again, more than one carries Bridgestone Blizzaks. I've heard both
>> good: "they're the best winter grip, their technology's way ahead of
>> everybody else", and bad: "the special grip layer is very thin, wears off
>> after just one season, after which they're no better than regular all-
>> seasons".
>>
>> I've also been shown Toyo, Kumho and Michellin.
>>
>> Which brand would you recommend?
>>
>> Kevin
>
>


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\ / http://charm.zag.si/eng/, email: "name dot surname AT zag dot si"
X ASCII ribbon campaign against HTML in mail and postings.
/ \ I'm a .signature virus. Copy me to help me spread.

Blizzaks are very good because
> they are grippier, but not on snow, on cold plowed roads. The snow treads
> are also good in the white stuff. Since they address both issues, they are
> probably the best around, but as you have found out, they are only effective
> for one season.
>
Rubbish!
I have had Michelin Alpins on my wife's Maxima for 3 seasons (soon to
be 4th), and they have always performed wonderfully. Besides enhancing
driving safety, they save the factory alloys from winter salt.
I have Blizzaks on my E39 and they are going on their 4th season. The
OE summer tires, Dunlop 2000s, are absolutely banana peels in the
winter---if snow is even PREDICTED they start sliding. The Blizzaks
allow me to maintain my usual pace without drama in the curves.
It is important to note that the Blizzaks have changed over the years.
I had the original version when they first came out on my Accord. They
were very soft and noisy, and would wear quickly if you drove much
over 75 mph, yet I managed over 3 seasons with them. But the latest
versions wear better and are rated for higher speeds. I expect about
15-20K miles from mine.

Matthew

> Unless you are expecting conditions where after a snowfall the snow
> remains on the roads for any appreciable length of time, AND you are going
> to be driving on SNOW-not plowed roads, snow tires are a waste of time and
> money AND actually reduce traction under these conditions. Snow tires are
> for driving ON SNOW, and for that they are great. Blizzaks are very good
> because they are grippier, but not on snow, on cold plowed roads. The snow
> treads are also good in the white stuff. Since they address both issues,
> they are probably the best around, but as you have found out, they are
> only effective for one season.


Hmmmm................ try to tell that to all the poeple in Scandinavia
driving on winter tires winter after winter, i simply cannot get to/ from
work in the Scandinavian winter without (or at least my E46 would slide off
the road many times every winter)

The best winter tires for "real" scandinavian winter is spiked tires (like
Gislaved Nord Frost) but they tend to make a lot of noise on dry roads - i
drive Gislaved Soft Frost w/o spikes and they normaly last 3-4 winters (i
throw them out when they have around 3-4 mm left)

A test made in Finland shows that used winter tires are working almost as
new ones down to the point where there is 3-4 mm left. Spiked tires can be
driven down to 2-3 mm, there where wery (almost none) difference form a new
winter tire and one worn 50% down.

<<top posting corrected>>

> "Kevin Oberle" > wrote in message
> 7.142...
>> I've been winter tire hunting. Every dealer I visit is hawking a
>> different
>> brand, and I have yet to find a site that rates or reviews winter tires.
>>
>> Then again, more than one carries Bridgestone Blizzaks. I've heard both
>> good: "they're the best winter grip, their technology's way ahead of
>> everybody else", and bad: "the special grip layer is very thin, wears off
>> after just one season, after which they're no better than regular all-
>> seasons".
>>
>> I've also been shown Toyo, Kumho and Michellin.
>>
>> Which brand would you recommend?
>>
>> Kevin
>

"tech27" > wrote in message
.verio.net...
> Unless you are expecting conditions where after a snowfall the snow
> remains on the roads for any appreciable length of time, AND you are going
> to be driving on SNOW-not plowed roads, snow tires are a waste of time and
> money AND actually reduce traction under these conditions. Snow tires are
> for driving ON SNOW, and for that they are great. Blizzaks are very good
> because they are grippier, but not on snow, on cold plowed roads. The snow
> treads are also good in the white stuff. Since they address both issues,
> they are probably the best around, but as you have found out, they are
> only effective for one season.


Fits off Kevin, don't listen to anything "tech27" above said about not
needing winter tires. It's complete rubbish based on the "snow tires" of
the 1970's. Modern winter tires should be a *requirement* for driving
anywhere that the temps will drop below freezing on a regular basis in
winter. They are made from a softer compound that will not harden as much
as summer or all-season (some say no-season) tires and will provide superior
performance even on dry roads when the mercury dips.

Here's the scoop on the Blizzaks. Read for yourself:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Compa re1=yes

-Fred Wills

Kevin Oberle > wrote in message . 97.142>...
> I've been winter tire hunting. Every dealer I visit is hawking a different
> brand, and I have yet to find a site that rates or reviews winter tires.
>
> Then again, more than one carries Bridgestone Blizzaks. I've heard both
> good: "they're the best winter grip, their technology's way ahead of
> everybody else", and bad: "the special grip layer is very thin, wears off
> after just one season, after which they're no better than regular all-
> seasons".
>
> I've also been shown Toyo, Kumho and Michellin.
>
> Which brand would you recommend?
>
> Kevin

Take a look at www.TireRack.com. You'll probably find it cheaper to
buy your tires in Canada, but the reviews of winter and snow tires are
outstanding. Read about the distiction. You probably can use winter
tires, and you will get several seasons out of them. Check out the
Dunlop Winter Sport M3 in particular.

Kevin Oberle > wrote in message . 97.142>...
> I've been winter tire hunting. Every dealer I visit is hawking a different
> brand, and I have yet to find a site that rates or reviews winter tires.

www.tirerack.com Read about them, call the toll free number and
discuss your needs with them, and then buy from them. You won't
regret it.

> Then again, more than one carries Bridgestone Blizzaks.

I spent several years on Blizzaks and, IMO, they ain't the be-all and
end-all of winter tires. Fairly low speed ratings and too 'squishy'
for my taste. That said, there are newer models out now than when the
highest speed rating was a 'Q'. A lot of manufacturers have brought
out H- and V-rated winter tires so my selection is much wider than
when the only affordable ones were the Pirelli WinterSport 210s.

> Which brand would you recommend?

Again IMO, the Dunlop M3 offers about the best combination of features
for the money. We use them on our Jaguar X-Type. Even with AWD and
traction control, it was downright treacherous on the OEM 17"
Pirellis. The 'Minus One' 16" Dunlops make it a 'snow monster'. Got
them at ... well, you know.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Not affiliated)

One word : HAKKA PELITA!!!

*the* best winter tire bar none.

period.

no ifs ands or buts.

On 20 Oct 2004 19:03:04 GMT, (KoKaineBoy) wrote:

>One word : HAKKA PELITA!!!
>
>*the* best winter tire bar none.
>
>period.
>
>no ifs ands or buts.

Yes, but you can go too far, too. The best snow tire will seriously
degrade your dry-road traction and handling.

I've been running Dunlop Winter Sports. They say it's what BMW
recommends...