E70 Winter tire package?
 

I know I know, summer isn't over yet, wanted to get a jump on getting a winter set up for my 07 e70...any suggestions? blizzaks and steel rims?

thanks! :)

You'll have better selection if you wait a few months. Tirerack and other places like that don't stock up until the fall.

Blizzaks are fine, however, different models have differnt offerings so you'll need to figure out what you need.

Steel wheels.....I'm not sure they make them big enough, largest I've ever seen are 16in, but that was a while ago and frankly I don't keep up with steel wheels. I'd would just buy an inexpensive set of alloys.

Go on ebay, get some replica BMW rims, and you'll be good to go.

let me recommend the pirelli scorpion ice & snows over the blizzacks though :) they work incredibly well.

Or get a set of used genuine BMW wheels off eBay. The standard E70 rims often come up as owners upgrade to Y-spokes or third party bigger sets and they tend to be reasonably priced. That's what I plan on doing once I settle on a vehicle to buy.

Look for the genuine BMW E70 winter package (wheels and tires). I bought mine new but you might be able to find used.

I don't recommend going steel...

(209 18" with Dunlop Grandtrek WT M3, 255/55)

I'll keep an eye out, full set of 209's with tires from the dealer is 3,100ish.

I run 20 in Pirelli Scorpion's on replica 300M rims - look great and handled last year's snow up in Maine without issue.

How are the e70's in the snow stock? (just picked up an 08 3.0 last month) I used to run a full change over set on my previous car and was hoping that with AWD and a decent all season m&s I wouldn't need another set. Is it just personal preference, or are you risking you bumpers driving with all seasons?

They work fine in regular driving and normal snow conditions. In heavy blizzards and snowfall over 8 inches, you're SOL. I also think the tread life on it matters big time.

When I first ran my stocks, it went through the first season's storms with no issues (up to 10 inches), this past year, with heavier snow fall (20 inches), it was useless.

If you live in a metropolitan area with snow plows, you don't need dedicated winter tires. No season tires and AWD drive will do just fine to get you going in 3-4in of fresh powder and stopping from slow speeds is fine.

I would say 90% (random number) of the people driving a FWD sedan have never heard of a winter tire and would never change over from season to season and they get by just fine.

If you have summer's go to the tirerack site and build a package. Much cheaper and just as good as any dealer suppliled package.

I'm not sure sure all-year tyres are ok even a 4x4 during the winter. Even if the authorities deal with snow well during the winter, there's still slush/black ice etc. The other half skidded out on a roundabout last year in our X3 and hit another car (parked on the outside). She wasn't going fast but it was ~6am in the morning and she was likely the first on the roads. Mind you, London's been pretty unprepared for any kind of real 'winter' weather so I'm planning on getting winter tyre sets for both of our cars.

While all-seasons will be decent, they won't perform great either. I guess it's also dependent on your region. Here in the northeast you need a good set of winter tires if you want to safely drive around with some kind of peace of mind. In my experience i love Blizzies

I ran Blizzack WS50's on my FWD Altima but that was out of necessity. 1. I couldn't get out of an intersection if it had to, 2. on snow cover highways when you changed lanes the back end would hang up on the slush between lanes and surprise you with an uncontrollable spin. Did that on day 3 of owning it! The blizzacks made the car very drivable regardless of the conditions with the exception of ice but at that point everyone is screwed! If the X handles lane changes without the wibble wobble of the backend I think I'm fine running stocks, then again, it does pave the way for nicer summer rims...hmmmm:genius:

New Hampshire doesn't treat roads down the the pavement in most storms they just keep the excess off the roadway unlike Mass where they carpet bomb the roads with salt and calcium chloride and kill everything in site. RIP to my last two cars because of excessive corrosion!

My answer to this is mainly how you drive. If you drive like I do on the open roads, you need the best tires on your car at all times -- that's why I need to switch my wheels every spring and winter. If you drive more "normally", then the all seasons should be fine.

And FYI, I think the X5 handles better than any other SUV there (with the right tires on). I have easily kept driving, in the winter, where so many other SUVs and AWD drive vehicles have been stuck on hills in VT and NH...

Which tire rack rims are you guys running? Don't want to get something that's gonna get cracked driving (3rd row aka no space saver spare :( )

Running 20" BMW Style 214 reps and X6M reps on my and my wife's X5 with Michelin Alpin snow tires. 20" 275s all around. From Ray at wheeltechtuning.com. TPMS installed.

custom wheels items - Get great deals on chrome rims, custom rims items on eBay Stores!

Having dedicated snows was a no brainer for me since the 20" summer tires are a death wish in the snow. I would never drive the truck with my son in it during the winter with the summer tires.

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Any idea what type of casting process etc they are using? I'll probably have to email them, want to make sure I won't crack a rim driving over the sh*t roads I drive on daily.

No idea, but neither my wife nor I had any issues this last winter and we have some crappy roads on our way to work. They have been doing tons of work on the water mains along the roads so they were especially bad this year.

Good luck.
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