Experienced Aquaplaning! Attention...
 

I've just experienced an aquaplanning and want to share this. I've never trusted my driving but I did for my X5. I was driving at 140-150kmh in a very rainy day, while passing a bus I had saw the water accumulation. I had just braked (just touch it), and loose the control. I did not understand that, whether car is come to line with electronically or I made it. But after this I will never trust it again. I scared much. I own 2008 3.0 sd, in sport pack and 214"'s with 315/30 tyre's. Please be careful about this.

You only have to look at the width of the 214's tyres to know aquaplanning will be a problem, any sensible driver would drive according to the conditions, meaning in heavy rain or standing water slow down so as to let the tyres drainage drain the water as they should and the more tyre wear you have the slower you should go as the draiage channels will be reduced drematicly.

If you want to go fast in rain or snow, put some 205 / 18 M&S tyres on that are designed for the job then you would not have the ultimate handling due to their knobly tread patten.

As they say "its horses for courses".

Sorry, but I'll be the first to state the obvious.....

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT ?? Driving at 140-150kmh on a VERY RAINY DAY, passing a buss......

You will either get killed, or kill someone driving like that in those conditions.......

The fact that you came out of it ok, is lucky for you......

SLOW DOWN !!! IT"S RAINING !!!!!

OMG! You buy a vehicle like this and dont understand the basic principles of driving in the wet.
Your very lucky your X5 didnt mate with the bus in a pool of disaster my friend.

If its raining - slow down!!!!!
(idiot > under breath)

Thanks all.You're all right. I've been driving for 20 years,I know basic and advanced principles of driving too.I've been driving BMW for 5 years(3.20d,2006 x5 and 2008 x5.)Before them, I was driving Fiat Tipo 2.0ie. But, after driving BMW, I trusted car much more than myself. That is the problem. I've learnt my lesson very well.

FS990....

sorry if we appear harsh.... but what you wrote in laymans terms is just plain irresponsible driving.... A car can only do so much..... but it cannot perform miracles.... if you put a car, no matter how "good" it is, into crazy situations, you cannot trust it to save you every time....

In this case, I'd say the X5 has saved you from a serious crash, and, hopefully, given you a wake up call......

Drive Safely, stay alive, we'd hate to lose a member !!!

Have to agree with everyone here. That is almost 90 MPH, in dragster width tires, driving through visible standing water. You need to be careful.

My X5 is head and shoulders the best car I have ever owned for driving in the rain. It feels solid as a rock and I have yet to expereince any hydroplaning. The car can't defy physics though.

Living in an area that gets a fair amount of rain even with the best dynamics and handling the tires still need to be attached to the road for most of it to work.

What would be the "fastest" recommended speed for the 214 wheels with the Dunlop runflats to drive in rainy conditions?

I'm no expert with driving in the rain since I'm out in sunny California. In sedans with tires with less tire width. I've typically gone 60-70 with no problems. Would driving at these speeds be okay with a X5 with 214's?

Thanxs for the advice.

I would think there are far too many variables to be able to answer that question with any certain speed.