Are they good dedicated snow tires?

[lionfish]

What are your thoughts about using these as a dedicated snow tires on my 2011 x5 3.5i Sports edition.?

1)
X5 winter set - Style 209 OEM rims + Michelin Latitude Aplin runflats + tpms

Rim style #209 OEM rims 18" x5 stock wheels: 255/55/18 with the Michelin Latitude Aplin runflats + tpms

or

2)Pirelli Winter 240 Snowsport Tires
Size - 265/35 R 18 97V N3
Size- 225/40 R 18 97V N3

Which set would be better fit?


Any thoughts would be greatly apreciated. thanks

[Gregory34]

Should be great. Just make sure you're OK with the 18' look. 18' 19' 20' - all are OK as long as they're dedicated snow tires. In the worst of worst conditions, 18' may provide more traction than 20' but my real life experience with 20' Pirelli Scorpions this winter (including the New England blizzard a few weeks back) was outstanding. I REALLY had to try to get even the mildest slippage (in a parking lot, of course).

[Richard in NC]

+1 for the Pirellis. No issues this am in 3 inches. I even gassed it from an uphill intersection. Not one slip of a tire. Ran away fom a Jetta.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by lionfish

Which set would be better fit?

I disagree with the above posters. The first set is the only set that would fit. They are a stock size.

The second set have a rolling diameter approximately 15% different (they are much smaller). Do not use them.

There is nothing wrong with the Pirelli tires, I use Pirelli Scorpions myself and like them, but you should keep the rolling diameter the same. Reducing your ground clearance in the snow is going in the wrong direction, if you do want to change tire diameters.

You can use 18, 19, or 20 inch wheels, but these different diameter wheels are combined with lower profile tires in the larger diameters to ensure that the overall diameter remains about the same.

[Richard in NC]

Good catch on the wrong size for the Pirellis. I was using my iPod Touch to read earlier and missed the size.

[Ikendiken]

The Michelin Alpin HP was developed for BMW xDrive vehicles and comes with the snowflake and mountain symbol. They should make a good winter tire and I have them on my X6.

I don't know about the Pirellis, but the Michelin Alpin appears slanted more towards maintaining sporty performance in winter than mountain-goat-like snow traction. I've not yet driven these tires on snow to find out for sure.

[nom3rcy]

Check out the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 RFT.

I have them on my X5 and they perform absolutely brilliantly in the worst of conditions.

I've had them in deep snow, slush, freezing rain, ice, below zero temps, whatever, and they always have amazing traction.

[alvam]

Originally Posted by nom3rcy

Check out the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 RFT.

I have them on my X5 and they perform absolutely brilliantly in the worst of conditions.

I've had them in deep snow, slush, freezing rain, ice, below zero temps, whatever, and they always have amazing traction.

on the Blizzaks. I have them on my 335i xdrive and they work great.