Firstly I am glad to be back. Sold my 528i last year and bought a new domestic to save $$ gas etc... I couldn't stand it anymore. Lol. Yesterday I picked up a lightly used 535i with M Package. I am in heaven...

This car came with Yokohama RFT Ice Guards with 80% tread left. I live in Vancouver and we get a lot of rain. The traction control is going off all the time. Acceleration and around corners, etc.... I am shocked that newish winter tires would be so slick in rain.

Chatting with a buddy we came to the conclusion that warm weather is possibly the cause for these tires to be so slippery. I heard that if it is warmer than 7 degrees winter tires are useless? . I am buying all season performance tires. But trying to decide if I should hold on to these Yokohamas for the winter?

Any ideas or tire experts that can enlighten me?

 

Winter tires are usually soft so if you accelerate hard you will cause the tires to slip, winter tires are not performance tires. Get some all season tires or some summer tires and use the winter tires only in the winter.

 

Winter tires don't do well in rain, since they were not designed for rain but snow and , ice. You are aquaplaning in the rain since the tread not designed to evacuate water, but grip in snow.

For Vancouver winters, you will be fine with a performance all season and maybe you can sell off the winter tires, especially if you don't expect to venture into the mountains in the winter..

The real answer, however, for your conditions is Nokian WG3's. Then you can venture into the mountains at any time of the year.

Salut, Bob P.