Thread: Winter tires
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Old 11-15-2017, 01:21 PM   #39
equ
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i
Posts: 9,580
Quote:
Originally Posted by rumatt View Post
I have no experience with audi's or subaru, but last winter I found my BMW '06 xi wagon on x-Ice 3's to be just awesome. It clawed up anything. Twice I went out mid-storm just for fun and I was as confident as could be.

The scariest part was braking. The confidence in acceleration left me disappointed in my ability to stop.

What were the scenarios where you felt it was lacking? Trying to get un-stuck (while parked, etc.. Something I never tried) or handling issues while moving?
I didn't have a bad experience with my 06 330xi (that I had to get rid of after it got rear-ended, hard). It did a few VT ski trips and a few storms. It did well clawing up in a straight line.

My bad xi/xdrive story is from '11 335xi (car was under warranty and 25k miles or so, no malfunction suspected). I simply could not get into an icy parking spot, trying all possible nanny levels (on/partial/off). I had decent tread alpin pa3's on it. Then after many tries, I gave up and a Mini Cooper FWD with all-seasons promptly took the spot. Maybe it was an edge case, maybe they fit better between the ice piles. I don't care, the car was spinning diagonally, one front and one rear wheel with little forward traction.

That, and the floaty feel xi's have as the engine and thus the whole car is raised over the front driveshafts.
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