Snow Tires
 

y hello thar --

Um, so I haven't been around for a while, and lots of stuff's been going on. All good stuff. :) But before I even attempt to catch anyone up on that, I've got a question!

After two episodes of driving on icy/slushy neighborhood streets, I've realized that all-seasons are pretty useless on an E34 in true winter weather. Of course, for the three days that it ever seems to snow around here, A/S tires might be fine; after all, I did make it to school and back. Eventually. But pretty soon I'm going to have to be places regardless of the weather. Short of buying a Jeep for $50, I think real winter tires are in order. I picked up a set of wheels yesterday and now it's time to look at rubber.

I read a lot of older threads on various snows. My main concerns are being able to get through moderate accumulations of snow on side streets, and dealing with the occasional icy patch that pops up in the city. Any suggestions from people with experience?

Hankook Icebears for cheap snow tires with a high speed rating and somewhat better longevity as a result.

Otherwise, the Dunlop/Bridgestone, etc. Q rated snows are your best bet.

I like both the icebears and the V-rated Dunlop Winter M3's.

I use these as a snow tire. They work well in light snow conditions and clean out very well. :D

I don't know if they're in a size that'll fit your BMW.

The selection in my tire size (205/65/15) is a little different from those of more typical "modern" BMWs. There aren't any M3s available at Tire Rack, although I see WS-60s, some Blizzaks, some Contis, and a few others. Hmm...

I put Hankook Icebears from Discount Tire on an e30 and they seem to work just fine.

Alex

I have the ice bears. They are fine...

But in terms of wear, I mounted them on 11/19, and I just checked the rears and the tread was super low. I will measure the exact depth and report back.

I don't know exactly how many miles I've put on them, but I drive 10 miles each way to work, and haven't gone on that many long trips. Then again, I do drive with the throttle floored as often as possible... but still.

Well, Discount Tire doesn't show me any Icebears in my size. In fact, their only option for me is the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2. Weird.

Yikes! The super-gooey Blizzaks I had when in Mpls lasted me 2 winters, and there was still over 50% tread left.

I've noticed that about you New Yorkers. The throttle is an on/off switch. Even if you only need to move a few feet. Foot to the floor, and then planted deeply back into the brake pedal to keep from running into the car in front of you. Car ends up rocking back and forth wildly as the suspension tries to regain its composure. :)

:rolleyes: