hmmm..first winter snow and not too happy.. - Page 4

x5pdx · #1 12-09-2010, 05:30 AM

I have the same Dunlops on 18s. They ran very good when new, but after 3 seasons and 25k miles on them, they are starting to slip. I had no problems the first two seasons through any snow or ice.

ardidi · #2 12-09-2010, 10:19 PM

I have a dedicated winter set in the recommended 255/55-18 size, of Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 4x4s. I was able to get around with no problem even when over 2 feet of snow dropped on Ithaca continuously for 5 days in February/March.

The only bad experience I've had in snow was when I was driving on 1/2" of snow with the stock 20" wide ass summer tires when I first got the X5, before my winter set had arrived. I was responding to a car accident as a FF/EMT, and I thought for a split second I was going to become part of the accident when I was pulling up on scene...

I definitely looked like this:

switchman · #3 12-10-2010, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by user1000

Hey Guys,
i recently got a 2005 X5 4.8 and i love that car. Sounds like a beast, handles like a sports car and has all the toys for me to play with.

Just got a great set of winter tires, dunlop grandtrek WT M2 on original BMW 18's but the truck is not acting the way it should.

I drove a navigator, hummer h2 and gmc envoy before. With winters, they were like a tank on the road. Now the X5 is ok, but nothing exceptional in the snow. It feels a little skiddinsh when it comes to stopping on a road with a little bit of snow.

Am i doing something wrong? bad tires? i spoke to a couple of X5 owners when filling up and most of them said theirs also dont handle that amazing on the road...

Any insight would be appreciated.

That's odd that you experience poor handling, must be the tires.

I only have 18' and have had the conti DWS for 'bout 6 months. On the way back from Montreal last October, went up Smugglers Notch and its was around 30 deg. F and snowing climbing up 4k ft. DWS gave the X extremely nice ride and handled the twisty road well.
Must be the pairing and sizing thats gives the edge.

X5rolls · #4 12-11-2010, 09:00 AM

Pirelli Scorpions on stock size 20's here and I drove through last years very deep snow with no issues. Very confident in the 4.8is in the snow. All seasons I tried 2 years previously (Michelins - same stock sizes) were not nearly as good in the snow. No surprise there but snow tires were not available in stock size 20's back then.

reyxlp · #5 12-12-2010, 02:01 PM

It's all about wheel width size and tires.

I once ran Bridgestone Blizzak WSxx on a rear wheel drive sports coupe for a winter and took the car out in the middle of a storm (I was young, stupid and curious, lol) after a foot had already fallen and had no problem (except having to pull over to clear the snow out of the air intakes on occasion...!) where some SUVs were getting stuck.

In my humble opinion, the right dedicated winter snow tires and a narrower wheel width should get you excellent traction in snow in the X5. I run Continental DWSs on my 4.8is with factory OEM rims and get pretty decent snow traction, driving with some basic common sense -- and that's just an all-season tire.

joeboch348 · #6 12-12-2010, 02:54 PM

did you lock in the hubs?? just kidding. i have a set of factory 17" wheels and tires for winter. i think the 18's and 19's have too wide a footprint for snow. you can ebay a set pretty cheap from some of our southern beemers. i got mine for $500 (4 wheels and tires) shipped with brand new tires on them.