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      01-15-2007, 04:13 AM   #1
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Snow

Ok, we've not had any snow here.... yet, but just wondered what people think on how their E90/E92 handles in snow. I remember the Z4 was just completely awful ... with all the traction control features enabled, it just basically kept stopping the wheels from spinning, but it never moved at all Is the E90/E92 any better?
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      01-15-2007, 04:49 AM   #2
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Not an owner until March but i believe that when driving in snow you should turn traction control OFF, drive slowly and the wheels will spin a bit, giving you a small amount of grip.
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      01-15-2007, 06:10 AM   #3
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Just drove a bit in the snow with 17" REVO. The REVOs are not a performance winter tire, so they suck for regular handling, but they worked just great in the snow we just had. I didn't need to turn off my DSC (turn on the DTC?). Car felt surprisingly sure-footed, and that's with me coming from an Audi.

I do have two 70 pound bags of sand in the trunk.
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      01-15-2007, 02:07 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer
Ok, we've not had any snow here.... yet, but just wondered what people think on how their E90/E92 handles in snow. I remember the Z4 was just completely awful ... with all the traction control features enabled, it just basically kept stopping the wheels from spinning, but it never moved at all Is the E90/E92 any better?
I've had some 'interesting' experiences with my 330i in the snow- have a look here.

Viv
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      01-16-2007, 04:32 AM   #5
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Interesting story Viv. I know what you mean about the car braking each side of the car in order to try and get traction back. You were quite brave to drive in those conditions. I think I would have either just left the car at home and got the train, or phoned work and said I would be 'working at home'

G.
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      01-16-2007, 03:13 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer
Interesting story Viv. I know what you mean about the car braking each side of the car in order to try and get traction back. You were quite brave to drive in those conditions. I think I would have either just left the car at home and got the train, or phoned work and said I would be 'working at home'

G.
Hi Z4.

With active steering, the car can keep a straight line far more easily, with 'harder' braking, especially in the wet/ice &/or snow, because it tries to do whatever it can (reducing engine power, individual wheel braking, applying opposite lock or combination of all 3), to keep the nose in the right direction, & yes, it works!

I actually quite enjoyed the drive that morning- it justified my faith in the car's abilities.

However, having sports tyres & suspension in snow &/or ice is a pain- I would have been in more trouble if I hadn't have 'loaded' the boot with weights- it certainly stops the rear wheels from spinning as much.

All the best.

Viv
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      01-16-2007, 10:19 PM   #7
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lots of snow here

We get lots of snow here and the car drives really well. On side streets that haven't been plowed (say with 6 inches), the car will slow down to void wheel slip. Sometimes I can get thru the thicker stuff quickly and just keep going. If the whole street is that way, I turn off the traction control . I have an XI so I don't have to do this very often.
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      01-17-2007, 11:29 AM   #8
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It was snowing in North Yorkshire on my way home this evening.
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      01-17-2007, 02:07 PM   #9
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A bit of sleet here at the moment, but nothing to stop progress

I like Viv's suggestion about checking out the cars behaviour in a quiet carpark "it would probably be an idea to try turning the car in a quiet icy car park"
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      01-17-2007, 02:59 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer
A bit of sleet here at the moment, but nothing to stop progress

I like Viv's suggestion about checking out the cars behaviour in a quiet carpark "it would probably be an idea to try turning the car in a quiet icy car park"
It would make the XR3i 'street racers' in Tescos car parks up & down the country stare in disbelief!

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      01-17-2007, 03:02 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vivekk
It would make the XR3i 'street racers' in Tescos car parks up & down the country stare in disbelief!

Viv
That thought made me laugh out loud!
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      01-18-2007, 04:52 AM   #12
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Z4,

Like you I had an awful time in my Z4 the first time I went out in snow. My problem was basically caused by my road being particularly shaded (hence the sun never burnt the ICE away) and very slightly uphill.

The solution was basically to turn DTC and DSC OFF and pull away in second gear.

The traction system in your car will simply mean that you'll go no where, because as soon as it senses ANY amount of slippage it will intervene. In this instance you're going to need some wheel spin to actually get you moving. It's a case of your feet doing a better job than the electronics!

Just to clarify though, that once I did actually get moving (and we're talking 2-3 inches of compacted ICE here) I obviously switched all the electronic nannies back on!
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      01-18-2007, 05:03 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NathanJT
Z4,

Like you I had an awful time in my Z4 the first time I went out in snow. My problem was basically caused by my road being particularly shaded (hence the sun never burnt the ICE away) and very slightly uphill.

The solution was basically to turn DTC and DSC OFF and pull away in second gear.

The traction system in your car will simply mean that you'll go no where, because as soon as it senses ANY amount of slippage it will intervene. In this instance you're going to need some wheel spin to actually get you moving. It's a case of your feet doing a better job than the electronics!

Just to clarify though, that once I did actually get moving (and we're talking 2-3 inches of compacted ICE here) I obviously switched all the electronic nannies back on!
Yeah - thats exactly what happened! It basically just stopped the rear left wheel, then the right, then the left and so on. Every so often the car would kind of wriggle about a bit before getting its composure back. Due to other cars/objects close by, I didn't want to turn DTC/DSC off just in case the whole thing went into a spin and I ended up turning 180 degrees.
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      01-18-2007, 07:09 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vivekk
It would make the XR3i 'street racers' in Tescos car parks up & down the country stare in disbelief!

Viv
I once got a right ticking off from the police for practicing handbrake turns and donuts in a supermarket carpark in my ford cortina.

We also had a beachfront carpark that got covered in a mixture of sand and sleet in winter ... it was ultra slippy and you could pretty much drift from one end to the other.

Misspent youth .... couldn't afford an XR3i though. I did consider fitting twin webber carbureters to my 1.6cc cortina though
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      01-18-2007, 09:24 AM   #15
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No snow, but I took my car for a swim this morning. My country road to work was flooded at one point and no way to turn around. There were several cars parked on the other side of the 'ford' wondering what to do. I had no choice so I just drove through it and kept the revs hi. Would have felt pretty dumb if she stalled, but came through just fine.

For all its annoying intervention the traction control does keep me from ending up in the hedge on that same road as it is very slippery when wet and covered in mud. It'd be fun if it wasnt so narrow on the slippy patches.
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      01-18-2007, 09:35 AM   #16
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hmmm - often wondered about driving through water, especially if its deep. I thought if you kept the revs high then it would try and suck more air in... increasing the chances of sucking water into the engine... ??
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      01-19-2007, 03:12 AM   #17
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Z4,

It's more about the back pressure on the exhaust killing the engine because the air can't get OUT!

I think if you're that deep in the water that the air intake is submerged then you need to worry about other more important things than the car!

Just make sure you never change gear when in water, the back pressure can cause the exhaust to suck water up, and into the cylinders!
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      01-19-2007, 04:09 AM   #18
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NathanJT, that makes more sense now!
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