Just experienced SNOW w/ Conti summer tires!
04-08-2009, 05:05 AM
#11
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My Ride: 2005 (01/05 Build) Titanium Silver Metallic 530i, Black Dakota Leather Interior w/Dark Poplar Wood Trim, Cold, Premium & Sport Packages, Steptronic, Bluetooth
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Glad you made it out unscathed...now when will this winter'esque weather go away? (no snow here thank goodness but I'm still having to use my cold weather options...bleh)
04-08-2009, 06:08 AM
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My Ride: 2004 530i
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ouch glad you are ok, it seems every year I get caught changing to my summers too early and end up going through a snow storm in my summers and its never pretty.
04-08-2009, 06:26 AM
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My Ride: 2008 Space Gray 550i, Light Poplar Wood, Anthracite Head Liner, Sport Package, Sport Automatic Transmission, Cold Weather Package, Front Ventilated Comfort Seats in Black Nasca Leather, NAV, HUD, Active Steering, Comfort Access, Night Vision, Lane Deviation Warning, Active Cruise Control, Heated Rear Seats, Folding Rear Seats, Power Shade w/ Rear Side-Shades, Rear Air Bags, Logic 7, HD Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, iPod/USB Adapter. Car in BMW Body Shop, estimated completion 01/24/07.
Well, I don't mean to minimize the challenge of snow with any rear-wheel drive car, and especially one with summer tires one... BUT -- I'm the exception I guess. I have a 1+ year 550i with the original tires on, and came home from Portland two weekends ago, to about 3" of snow on our hill and snowing hard. Our hill has two little stretches of about 7% or so, each for maybe 200 yards. Plus, at my driveway, it's a 90-deg hard left up an additional slope through the gate.
At the two slopes I got just a bit of a run, but at my driveway of course, I couldn't due to the turn and the need to allow the gate to completely open, so it was slow going... but I kept my momentum forward as much as possible, and I climbed the slopes in each case without a problem. I was SURE I would need to back up at the driveway at least and get a straight-run up the incline, but I didn't. By the way, I had DTC turned off to allow me to control power to the wheels, and was careful to not spin too much, but just enough when needed to keep forward progress.
Needless to say, I was extremely pleased with these nearly-worn-out Conti's.
At the two slopes I got just a bit of a run, but at my driveway of course, I couldn't due to the turn and the need to allow the gate to completely open, so it was slow going... but I kept my momentum forward as much as possible, and I climbed the slopes in each case without a problem. I was SURE I would need to back up at the driveway at least and get a straight-run up the incline, but I didn't. By the way, I had DTC turned off to allow me to control power to the wheels, and was careful to not spin too much, but just enough when needed to keep forward progress.
Needless to say, I was extremely pleased with these nearly-worn-out Conti's.
04-08-2009, 06:28 AM
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My Ride: 545iSMGSilver GrayAuburn Dakota LeatherLogic 7 Premium SoundSports Package
Wow glad you made it back ok. its scary not to have traction when you want it... drifting aside... 
But brings back memories of a 745 that I saw stuck at the entrance of Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe... he was on his summer tires and he was literally just sitting there spinning his tires going no where... everyone with non-summer tires had to go around him... I felt embarrassed for him.
But brings back memories of a 745 that I saw stuck at the entrance of Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe... he was on his summer tires and he was literally just sitting there spinning his tires going no where... everyone with non-summer tires had to go around him... I felt embarrassed for him.
04-08-2009, 08:33 AM
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My Ride: 2008 Alpine White 550i Sport, Cream Beige Interior, 6-Sp Manual - retired 9/2011
Originally Posted by juris335' post='840305' date='Apr 8 2009, 08:55 AM
Doc - It wasn't those tires that gave you trouble. You were only a few days back from the islands and my guess is you experienced a "mid-west snow mental blocking" event and just forgot how to drive in the snow...
04-08-2009, 08:44 AM
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My Ride: 2008 Alpine White 550i Sport, Cream Beige Interior, 6-Sp Manual - retired 9/2011
Originally Posted by -Mike-' post='840482' date='Apr 8 2009, 12:38 PM
Should of kept the xi!!!!! 
04-08-2009, 01:15 PM
#18
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Isn't it funny how every year people come on to the various forums and wonder if they can get by with summer tires in the winter.
People just don't understand that the chances of your car moving up any incline is slim to none with any snow. Once you stop your done.
People just don't understand that the chances of your car moving up any incline is slim to none with any snow. Once you stop your done.
04-08-2009, 01:27 PM
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My Ride: 2004 545i TITANIUM GREY II on Black Dakota Lthr, Comfort Seats, Sports PKG, Premium PKG, Active/Dynamic Drive, NAV, Winter Package.
I removed the RFT last week and installed the new Good Year Eagle F1 Asymmetric on the 124s after my 19" 128s nightmare. We also had some light snow in Toronto but the F1s were fine nothing like what you experienced with the Contis. Glad you are alright.
Originally Posted by DrLev99' post='840146' date='Apr 8 2009, 01:55 AM
Well, it snowed about an inch tonight....the icy, pellet-type stuff, and I was at work with my 19" summer tires with 172's. Needless to say I got to experience just how inept Conti summer tires are in the white stuff.
I didn't expect much, but I expected a lot better than what I got. I was literally sitting on a level area in the work parking lot, spinning my tires and going NOWHERE! DTC and DTC totally off...and I couldn't move an inch. Once I got moving, the DTC/DSC really saved my ass, because the car was fishtailing like crazy without it.
I am amazed that I even got out of the lot from work at all...had to back down and get some momentum to get up the hill. My pucker-factor was never so high.
Luckily the roads cleared a few miles from work, but I never was so scared driving home. I really missed my 3D Wintersports, which came off weeks ago. I should have known that it always snows once in April up here. 
I didn't expect much, but I expected a lot better than what I got. I was literally sitting on a level area in the work parking lot, spinning my tires and going NOWHERE! DTC and DTC totally off...and I couldn't move an inch. Once I got moving, the DTC/DSC really saved my ass, because the car was fishtailing like crazy without it.
I am amazed that I even got out of the lot from work at all...had to back down and get some momentum to get up the hill. My pucker-factor was never so high.
Luckily the roads cleared a few miles from work, but I never was so scared driving home. I really missed my 3D Wintersports, which came off weeks ago. I should have known that it always snows once in April up here.
04-08-2009, 02:31 PM
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My Ride: 2011, X6 Hybrid . Alpine White , every option. 20" Conti' NON runflats,OEM trunk spoiler , LUX V3 AE's , HP Thunder Fogs , custom front bumper reflector delete........
Had the same experience in my E39 , came very close to hitting the curb.The car started sliding sideways from a complete standstill !! 