Diamari's

ADarcy · #1 10-19-2009, 04:30 PM

Hi everyone,

I have an 06 4.4 with the Sport package, and the 19's w/Diamari's. I live in San Diego, CA and see about negative 3 days of rain a year, but I do enjoy going to the mountain's for skiing in the winter (maybe two trips a season).

I have been doing quite a bit of researching on tires (I exhausted the search button on this site) and I am wondering if these Diamari's can really be that bad? I have not gotten the chance to drive them in anything but sprinkler run off yet so I do not have first hand experience on the slip and slide that everyone talks about.

I will be driving up to go skiing in Lake Tahoe this winter and want to know if I should really be that worried about driving with these tires? It seems that if I was to drive within reason for the conditions they would do ok. Or should I really run out and get a set of winter tires for my wheels?

In my searching it seems that most people lived somewhere where a second set of tires would make sense.

Best,

Andy

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havi · #2 10-19-2009, 04:49 PM

During winter we have lots of snow where I live and I have driven diamari's in the snow. Do not recommend it for safety reasons. They're great on tarmac but in snow car with diamari's pretty much goes where the gravity takes.

Naz24 · #3 10-19-2009, 04:56 PM

not good at all in the snow. i would suggest switching to Toyo Proxes STII. they will give u all weather performance without going with "snow" tires.

i'm not positive if they make it for your size though...

faz · #4 10-19-2009, 06:22 PM

Andy, depending on the conditions when you get to lake tahoe, the roads may be totally clean and you may be all ok even with summer tires.

But... I moved to SF bay area from Ontario, Canada back in 2000. While in Canada, always drove on 4 season tires with no issues in snow conditions. In my 2000 Toyota Solara with 4 season tires on it, I drove to Tahoe and got stuck in the driveway at the first sprinkle of snow... I couldn't believe it... what kind of 4 seasons tires were these on my Solara anyway?

For the X5, I got Michellin Latitude Tour HP as they are designed (apparently) to do light snow as well. If I had any type of 'performance' tires on mine, I would not want to take it to a snow condition, as the hassle (and embarassment) of being stuck in a light snow especially in a 4x4 would not be something I want to deal with.

I suggest a second set of wheels with some better snow tires.

cmyX6go · #5 10-19-2009, 07:27 PM

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...aris-snow.html

AZX54.4 · #6 10-19-2009, 09:39 PM

If you have searched the forum than you for sure know that people STRONGLY advise on not using these tires in the snow. A summer tire uses different rubbers and compounds than a winter or all season tire. Summer tires are basically blocks of rubber under a certain temperature. They are useless in snow. I asked the same question as yours a month ago. I will NOT be taking my X in the snow with the Diamaris'

sprocket1200 · #7 10-20-2009, 01:57 AM

AZX, you should edit your post to add that 'summer AND ALL SEASON tires are blocks of rubber under a certain temperature'.

this would make your comments more correct and accurate. winter tires use softer compounds which help not only in the snow, but also in just the cold, as you have pointed out.

there are 'no season' tires that are using softer compounds and getting better rating in the winter conditions. of course, this comes at the expense of tire life and great rolling resistance.

AZX54.4 · #8 10-20-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprocket1200

AZX, you should edit your post to add that 'summer AND ALL SEASON tires are blocks of rubber under a certain temperature'.

this would make your comments more correct and accurate. winter tires use softer compounds which help not only in the snow, but also in just the cold, as you have pointed out.

there are 'no season' tires that are using softer compounds and getting better rating in the winter conditions. of course, this comes at the expense of tire life and great rolling resistance.

You are correct an all season can not be compared with a winter tire. However, there is a difference in the capabilities of an all season tire vs. a summer tire. I have driven my other X with 18 inch Michelin MXV4 plus' and they hook up pretty well in the snow (I also throw a set of chains in the trunk just in case). When I am talking about snow driving I am only driving in light snow.
On the other hand, from what I have read, the Diamaris' are absolutely useless in the snow. So I guess what my point is is that with an all season tire you are still capable of driving the car in snow conditions but with a summer tire such as the diamaris=trouble.

ADarcy · #9 10-20-2009, 11:41 PM

Thanks for everyone's input. It is quite clear now. I will not be attempting my drive on the Diamari's. I am just going to go ahead and swap the Diamari's for either the General Grabber UHP's or the Michelin Latitude Tour HP's.

The General Grabber's get great reviews on Tire Rack, but I can't find users with them on this site. Anyone have them?

Best,

Andy