Drove in the snow this week.... Wow

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01-28-2006, 04:34 AM

#21

dgjk

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My Ride: 2006 530xi. Deep green with beige interior. 6 speed manual. Premium package.

I have noticed a definite rear bias over 4wd from people in Europe.
I do not want to offend anyone but I am going to give a theory.
Driving conditions in bad weather are differnet in Europe becasue the roads are different.

Using your rear tires to drive and steer the car is quite fun - but in the US where many of us do our daily driving, it is not on isolated back roads by yourself but in traffic where any loss of control is dangerous. steering with your rear wheels is dangerous. Also, lots of highways, and though no autobahn - losing grip at 60mph provides little time for recovery in traffic.
I guess my opinion of the winter drivers in for example - Finland (no offense) - is snow covered hilly roads that you travel on at 45mph with no traffic

AWD is better. I can get anywhere with RWD/snows - Did it for years - but the control is not nearly as good

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01-28-2006, 06:23 AM

#22

tcoz

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Quote:

Originally Posted by strobeguy' post='230640' date='Jan 27 2006, 04:05 PM

I had an unfortunate situation where predicted rain turned out to be snow. I would have taken our SUV out of town but want a smooth 4 hour ride. As it turns out my 545 with sport package absolutely SUCKS in the snow. I have lived in the northeast all my life and know how to drive in the snow. The car with sport package with brand new (free) runflats got stuck on a slight incline which caused me to hold up traffic. Lost what little traction it had while crawling in traffic and was a bear to get started when at a complete start. I never could imagine a car being so bad. I have 2 4x4s which are daily drivers and should have read the weather a bit better. I can't imagine anyone having to drive year round in this car with bad weather.

Just be sure that you place the blame on the tires and not the car. Driving most any car in snow/ice with summer performance tires, much less RFTs is absolutely verboten.

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01-28-2006, 08:37 PM

#23

realtyman

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I got stuck last week! First time ever wih my 545 (2 winters). There was around 6-8 inches of unplowed snow on my street. Even with 4 snows I got nowhere!! It took me almost 20 minutes to get past the front door of my house.

As long as the roads are plowed I think the E60 is great. The 50/50 weight distribution makes the car quite balanced & predictable.
If only it had a Limited Slip Diff.

Then I could have some real fun.

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01-29-2006, 12:36 AM

#24

ats77

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My Ride: MY RIDE is DA real .-) HAMANN 5 aka BLACK MAMBA born on 16/06/2005/delivered on 05/08/2005 as following: 530dA (steptronic), Black II (JET), leather Dakota auburn black, mapple trim, head-up display, dynamic drive, active steering, adaptive xenon headlights (auto levelling) with headlight washers, alarm, comfort seats with massage function, advanced A/C, big compartment armrest, aux-in, MP3, Logic 7, Radio PRO, CD in-dash+cd changer, power rear sunshades, rear airbags, park distance control, auto dimming folding mirrors, smoking package, shiny shadow line (individual), fold down rear seats, ski bag, sport suspension, run flats on ï¿½116-styleï¿½ rims (Good Year NCT5+), cup holders, debadged, fire extinguishers, additional permanent power outlet, BMW coat hanger, trunk release button (installed by Hobi), GPS tracking device and a big thx 2 Iceman. Mods done: ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN FRONT APRON Including ellipsoid fog lights Item-No.: 10 060 110 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN REAR SPOILER Item-No.: 10 060 130, ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN HAMANN ALUMINIUM PEDALS For cars with manual gearbox Item-No.: 80 099 100 81,00 For cars with automatic transmission Item-No.: 80 099 120 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN FOOT REST In aluminium For left-hand drive vehicles Item No. : 80 099 122 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN HAND-BRAKE LEVER In aluminium For left- and right-hand drive cars Item No. : 80 099 216 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN Idrive of alu (sorry this is the only one in the World) but you can have it in carbon fiber , ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN EXCLUSIVE FLOORMAT SET In black with HAMANN logo in silver For left-hand drive cars Item-No. : 80 060 120 For right-hand drive cars Item-No. : 80 060 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN COVER FOR OIL FILLER CAP In aluminium Item-No.: 80 099 117 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN SPORT REAR MUFFLER 4 TAILPIPES Sport rear muffler with four round stainless-steel tailpipes ( ï¿½ 76mm ) Item-No.: 50 060 111 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN new add-on for M pack rear with diffusor for quad pipes -AVAILABLE NOW (http://forums.e60.net/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=30630&st=0#entry332409) ï¿½ ///M steering wheel w Pegasus logo (this will be also changed to three spoke sports) ï¿½ ///M pack rear ï¿½ HAMANN ECU upgrade 265 HP 608 Nm. most improtant: ï¿½real and working like a charm forumsbuy real LED tails and PIAA 4700k fogs!!! for HAMANN full front apron you need H3 ï¿½ CustomAngels, Angel Eyes Brighter than stocks 10X, WHITE & (REd for shows). ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN LIGHT-ALLOY WHEELS DESIGN EDITION RACE 20" Ultra-light forged 3-pieced light-alloy wheel, Cross-spoke-design,Spider in black, titanium, screwing,polished flange DIMENSIONS : 9.0 J x 20 FA Item No.: 91 207 315 10.5 J x 20 only RA Item No.: 91 207 625 Recommended 20" Complete Wheel Set DESIGN EDITION RACE I went with most aggressive Combination A.10 FA 9.0 J x 20 / RA 10.5 J x 20 with tires: FA 245/30 ZR 20 / RA 285/25 ZR 20 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN LOWERING KIT 4 progressive sport springs Lowering by approx. 40 mm FA, 20 mm RA Item-No.: 20 060 125 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN TIRE - PRESSURE CHECK SENSOR SYSTEM ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN SIDE SILLS Item-No.: 10 060 120 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN REAL CF ROOF SPOLIER Item-No.: 10 060 235 ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN AIRBAG SPORT STEERING WHEEL 3-SPOKE Three-spoke design w their SMG paddles (For assembly O.E. airbag in exchange) ï¿½ Authentic HAMANN sports mirrors (all functions) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and of course !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! E60.net Clings Still to do list;-): ï¿½ Our Hobi's camera system from : ww.switchchange.com). ï¿½ Individual leather interior (auburn+auburn alcantara)... and drive with sheer drivin' pleasure ... until 2009/2010 F10 comes or E60 possibly a 540d V8 diesel early in 2009 badly juiced!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter530i' post='230644' date='Jan 27 2006, 11:08 PM

that is why we use good winter tires in winter.... especially with rear wheel drive....
however I must admit E60 on snow is nothing pleasant...
I'm definitely checking for weather constantly to avoid heavy snow rides even with the best winter tires.
But I must admit that with good winter tires and the great E60 electronics one would probably did not get stuck in uphill like you have............... trust me it was mostly due to your summer tires.

Next to a valley a smaller one but still... we got stuck so any directions I turned the wheel the e60 wanted to slide down, then I said ok give a try switched off all dsc etc. and then It came out the rpm was 3-4000 but it came out straight and smooth that was 30-40cm snow.

I have driven back all way to Bxl in snow through Germany and you know they are not always on time to clean so I used to overtake in the inner lane not cleaned, I just try to not accelerate btw changing lanes... and no probs only once a bit wanted to swurf but I did not let her

I think it is fun on ice and snow.

As you said Peter we need good high quality tires, mine are Hankook icebear w300 225/50/r17 V -I tried in -10 w 230 no snow of course, it is a cool tire no probs

PS. what do you think of that 'snow socks' it is advertised all places ridiculous??

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01-29-2006, 02:38 PM

#25

tab545

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My Ride: #1: 2004 545i; 6-speed manual; Sport Package; Mystic Blue with a gray leather interior and Anthracite wood; CWP; Logic 7. #2: 2010 535xi Touring; Automatic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realtyman' post='231270' date='Jan 28 2006, 11:37 PM

Then I could have some real fun.

I have Dunlop WinterSport M3s, and my car is quite fun in snow, really quite capable as long as you drive it intelligently. Chicago had a really heavy snow earlier this season, and off on the side of the highway were the Corvettes, 745s, Porsches that didn't have winter tires. I'm sure they were mad at their cars, just as you were; but hopefully they got fresh tires the next day and will be fine.

Without snow tires, I am sure it would be rotten, but I always knew I should keep it correctly shod. Be careful of phrases like referring to its "natural state:" In the US we are so accustomed to all-weather tires, that we don't really think about the fact that this car is sold with aggressive summer rubber on it -- but the car's "natural state" is when it has appropriate tires, which I'm afraid means two sets. You could get winters and leave them on all year, but I think you'd miss your summer slicks.

The one thing the car can't do is get higher off the ground. In very deep snow, it starts to plow snow in front, and then get a cushion of snow beneath the belly. So the only times I'm worried in my car is when there are deep ruts, and icy ones make a scraping noise!

A Jeep Liberty or Dodge Dakota had better be good in snow. They are also sold with all-weather tires, so they have tires for the situation.

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01-29-2006, 02:59 PM

#26

paasan

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"All-season" or "all-weather" tyres aren't especially good on snow, and are absolutely not good for use in the summer - pretty useless tyres IMHO

They just seem like a messy compromise.

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01-29-2006, 03:41 PM

#27

mihusky

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Spent my first winter in western Michigan with 125 inches of snow with summer tires on my 3er. I was all over the road but no surprise there. The AWD 3/5er certainly give you good traction with all-seasons but I suspect they would suck also if they had summer tires on. Can't underestimate how summer tires are bad for winter regardless of whether it were RWD/AWD/FWD.

The main reason I did not get an e60 AWD is the V8.

I wasn't going for six-cylinder just so I could have somewhat better traction in winter (not a good compromise for me). So...not much to debate from my personal situation. I just slap on the Dunlop Wintersports and I'm good to go.