[kaishang]

I now like the idea of getting a set of full winter tyres (as opposed to all season tyres).

But I don't like the idea of steel wheels and I don't like the 17" alloy wheel Pirelli Sottozero RFT option from BMW, because it costs over £1400.

What are my options? I'd like to keep my current tyre size to avoid insurance problems: 225/45/17

I'm ok with aftermarket alloys.

[Baby Dave]

So you like winter tyres and you like aftermarket alloys which is best,there's only one way to find out..........FIGHT

[ddogg35]

Originally Posted by Baby Dave

So you like winter tyres and you like aftermarket alloys which is best,there's only one way to find out..........FIGHT

good one!!

[G82Dude]

Hilarious that BMW want us to spend £1,400 on some wheels and tyres for our car (for a few weeks' use), when £500 will buy you a runabout to do the same job and you don't care about it!

[parapaul]

Originally Posted by kaishang

What are my options? I'd like to keep my current tyre size to avoid insurance problems: 225/45/17

I'm ok with aftermarket alloys.

I don't understand You don't want the insurance problems of changing tyre sizes, but you're happy to add aftermarket alloys?

You've got the same options as everyone else:

1. Buy winter tyres. Take to fitter and have them fitted to your exisiting wheels. Store summer tyres. Cost: £500ish, but you'll have to change them back in spring, and pay again for fitting. And again next winter. And again the spring after.

2. Buy winter tyres. Buy cheap alloys (aftermarket or OE). Have winter tyres fitted to alloys. Swap wheels for the winter, store original alloys with tyres. Cost £1000ish, but much easier to change back in spring, and you're then set up for future winters.

3. BMW winter tyres/steel wheels option. £1400. Possibly includes storage, but not guaranteed.

[F31-340i]

You can do it quite cheaply, but now (with snow everywhere) is not exactly a buyers market.

My Falken 439s were about £90 each a few years back, but similar 17"s are now around £170 on mytyres. Supply & demand I guess.

My rims were cheap reps that were £100 for all 4. Ebay is littered with suitable E36, E46 etc. wheels that have E90 compatible offsets.

[MB London]

Just take it easy and brave the weather. I would imagine 99% of people dont change their tyres and most people seem all right. Obviously there will be accidents in these conditions, but I would imagine a lot of them would have happened regardless of what tyres were on the car.

[RCUK]

supply and demand beyond belief!!

Kwik fit sold 2000 sets of winter tyres last yr... so far this yr they sold 30000!

Apparently they are having trouble getting sizes in - my mate is one of their marketing directors and he said they arent even doing adverts for them anymore.

BMW in snow is awful. WIfe is out in the prius absolutely fine, but caled to say loads of BM's and Merc's parked everywhere - and only 2 inches of snow.

[no_ball]

3-4 inches of snow this morning already in West Midlands, time to have some fun this afternoon in the vreds....

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by uke92dude

Hilarious that BMW want us to spend £1,400 on some wheels and tyres for our car (for a few weeks' use), when £500 will buy you a runabout to do the same job and you don't care about it!

A £500 car is likely to fail on you and is unlikely to save your life in a serious accident.

[chris330D]

+1 been out this morning and driven past 4 abandoned cars. We have a Yaris as well as the E91 and the BM on winter tyres is way better than the Yaris. Just been down to Asda, car park near empty, drove staright in, did our shop and drove straight out. 4" of snow. Last year would not have got in the car park never mind out!

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by RCUK

BMW in snow is awful. WIfe is out in the prius absolutely fine, but caled to say loads of BM's and Merc's parked everywhere - and only 2 inches of snow.

BMW and winter tyres a dream..... BTW where is that Prius getting it's braking from in the event of needing to stop? There is no comparison for braking summer vs. winter tyres.

Let's be clear here, it is not just traction, but control and stopping power, which EVERY car and 4X4 has in common.

The truth is, we've got away with the wrong tyres over the years, but this weather is really a wake up call. Cars and tyre technology have marched on, and in the UK we've forgotten that winter can bite. We are ill prepared for even 2" of snow.

Driving smaller cheap cars on summer tyres, is a 'psuedo safe' approach to be honest. We may get away with situations, but our safety margin is greatly reduced.

HighlandPete

[ALF_E90]

My choice was to get a set of 17x8 genuine BMW wheels on Ebay second hand, and just choose a set of non-runflat winter tyres to suit in 225/45/17. Vredestein Wintrac Extremes and Nokian WRG2's caught my eye as both are decent in non snow/ice winter conditions. I've ended up saving around £400 on the BMW-supplied option but I'd have saved more if I had bought before mytyres.co.uk rocketed the price for winter tyres (no-one else I tried has any). However, I only just got the car so I couldn't buy in the autumn...

Ironcially my tyres are delayed by snow but I'm looking forward to getting them on. Some may see them as OTT but I drive a lot for work (up to 1k miles a week) and don't particularly want to be stuck miles from home.

It is not just BMW's that are useless in snow, the A4 2.0T FWD I had previously was utter rubbish. I had a Passat V6 once with full-time 4WD but on summer tyres it was pretty useless in the snow - no good being able to get moving if you can't stop/steer.

[F31-340i]

Its funny how things have changed.

I offered these winter tyres & wheels for sale last year - and didn't get a single enquiry for over 4 months (but maybe the battered alloys put people off). When someone asked in Jan 10 it was too late as I'd got a new job where it turns out I have needed them.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296736

I would have probably sold them all back then for £200. I think they would sell fairly easily/quickly at the moment at that price.......

[SteveC]

my car was stuck at home for 3 weeks while I drove a rental Renault fwd.

Made my mind up to buy winter tyres for this winter. In summer I called my insurance company to check what was necessary. £170.00 extra to fit winter wheels according to the call centre. Wrote to head office telling them what I wanted to do and they amended my policy for free.

In early September I bought a 2nd set of staggered M-Sport 18" wheels that are fitted standard to my car and set about finding winter tyres. Mission impossible... not in those sizes.

Sold the 18" wheels and bought a lovely set of brand new 17" 339 style wheels with standard 225/45/17 on both axles. Started calling around for Winter tyres. I wanted RFTs so again it proved really difficult. Finally e-Tyres came up with Continental Winter Contact RFTs and after a 3 week wait for the tyres to arrive from Germany, Chris the e-Tyres fitter arrived and transformed my car from Bambi on Ice back to a BMW.
Yesterday we drove into a local car park...got out and literally could not walk one step it was so slippery...glass smooth ice. Got back into the car, backed out and drove away without any wheelspin or traction control. The car is literally transformed. Motorway speeds the car feels planted although the first day, the steering was lighter but that's since changed once the tyres bedded in. All in all I'm deleighted with their performance and so glad to be free of the anxiety every time it snows

[hmi1750]

I wish I had bought some for one of our cars.. with almost 2 ft of snow I have been going very very slow.. but coming to a stop is tricky and need to keep distance as well as knowing when to turn the traction control off! The BMW is now tucked into the garage! It won't move on the snow with the old summer tyres I have on it.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by SteveC

In early September I bought a 2nd set of staggered M-Sport 18" wheels that are fitted standard to my car and set about finding winter tyres. Mission impossible... not in those sizes.

You don't really want staggered winters, even the BMW winter sets remove any stagger. M cars winter sets are same width front and rear too.

4 x 8J rims all round at ET34 with 225 width tyres would be the best way to go.

Originally Posted by uke92dude

Hilarious that BMW want us to spend £1,400 on some wheels and tyres for our car (for a few weeks' use), when £500 will buy you a runabout to do the same job and you don't care about it!

I don't think that really adds up, there's some many extras hassles to buying another 'cheap' car... tax, insurance, MOT, paperwork, somewhere to park it, breakdowns etc etc. and its all dead money. Gone.

It makes much better economic sense buying winter wheels (maybe not BMW ones), no extra hidden 'costs', they're all yours and you only use one set at a time. You can sell them on too when the car goes.

Originally Posted by MB London

Just take it easy and brave the weather. I would imagine 99% of people dont change their tyres and most people seem all right. Obviously there will be accidents in these conditions, but I would imagine a lot of them would have happened regardless of what tyres were on the car.

Statistically you might be right, although i'd say a lot of accidents would be avoided with winter tyres on as the braking distances on wet tarmac (let alone snow) are so much better.

But you could argue the same for using bald summer tyres in summer - you'll be OK, just take it easy in the wet

[ALF_E90]

My decision was based on the fact I drive a lot for work and am often hundreds of miles from home - not ideal if it then dumps down, however careful you are trying to be. My close is also on a slope and never treated and I'm sick of being stuck here...

Hadn't really considered the insurance angle as I'm using a BMW-recommended size (225/45/17 V) on BMW wheels (17x8 all round - mu normal 18" wheels are staggered) so they can go jump, but perhaps I should just tell them - in an "I'm telling you" sort of way, not a "how much are you going to rip me off" sort of way...

Edited to add - the 17's were very close to the brakes on the front, but OK (they are the coupe SE style 185's).

[Tunna_uk]

3 words :WINTER TYRES RULE !
had mine on since clock changed, so confident in their ability now, never been stuck at all, we have had some serious snow and ice here. Was -11 last night and -5 today, roads are lethal around here, but the car just grips and goes.

Must admit tho, I was out late last night and just had to go and have a play in the deserted tesco car park..... doughnuts easy with DTC on. not so easy with DSC and DTC all off. !

Maybe some would say over confidence is creeping in now, I need to calm down, the last 3 times I drove into the street flicking it sideways on purpose. Bloody big kid !

[ed335d]

Tunna, you sound just like me.

My Mrs thinks I'm getting too confident!

[Tunna_uk]

Originally Posted by ed335d

Tunna, you sound just like me.

My Mrs thinks I'm getting too confident!

I bet yours is fun with almost twice the power of mine

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by Tunna_uk

I bet yours is fun with almost twice the power of mine

Oh yes! Actually look forward to going out in the snow

Has anyone actually commented on how good winter Tyres are?