Geesh, the one year I skipped buying blizaks this winter and we have these blizzard-like snow storm today, and my ole '05 530i couldn't even make it onto a unshoveled entrance to the highway. So I took local streets.

Then I get to my destination, and the parking lot wasn't shoveled and I got stuck again, whereby my ole BMW couldn't make it into the parking lot without blizzaks!!

I've come to the realization that I better keep the ole bimmer in the garage 'til the blizzard condition passes and they plow all the streets and driveways 'cause the ole bimmer without blizzaks just can't be safely driven in the snow!!

 

We all learn, some times the hard way :-)

 

What was the tread condition of the tires that your 'ole Bimmer DID have? It seems that you should have been able to get at least some traction.

I happen to like Blizzaks myself, but NO tire is going to give you traction without decent tread depth.

 

I'm watching the weather channel now...looks brutal up your way!

 

Weather was brutal, I just gotta sit it out!!

Thread on tired is good, tires not even a year old, just not blizzaks.

I remember some 5+ years when I had blizzaks on the bimmer, I was just through all the snow banks without any difficulty, but that was after the snow already stopped.

Today, I was driving in the 2 hours before the snow ended, it was light snow, but still snowing, and without blizzaks, it was uncomfortable!!

Conclusion: Bimmers need bizzaks on them for the snow!!

 

I'd revise that to say: "Bimmers need xDrive if you want to drive confidently in the snow."

When I had my '97 528i with snow tires, I still hated driving it in the snow. I LOVE doing it in my 530xi!

 

I never had any trouble driving through snow in my E30 325iX, and I had it lowered with H&Rs

I did get stuck one time about 100 yards from the house. the streets were covered in about 7 inches of snow, and my little lowered bimmer simply ran out of ground clearance. I never mounted Blizzaks on that car, but I always put a bit of ballast in the trunk to help out.

Anyhow, good luck up there. Swapping 'driving in the snow' stories are fun sometimes. I live in FL now, so I don't have to worry about that anymore.

 

Agreed about the value of winter tires. Even with AWD, A/S tires are horrible, as I discovered on a G35 and the xi. Blizzaks are good, but Nokian R kick a$$ on snow and ice Nokian Hakkapeliitta R

Nokian R + X-Drive + DTC + JB4 + pedal mashed =

 

PCY, I just canceled my visit to my supplier in Somersworth, NH because of that snow storm! I guess once it calms down a little I'll head up that way for a few days.

 

We got the same Snow or almost as you up Staters. Did in N. E. I just dug out today. I also just got the BBS and new WS70 Blizzak 17" * 50* 225s on my 550i. Had a 530xi three yrs ago but didn't get any snow tires. What I want to ask is do these new WS70 Blizzaks really grip. Ice and packed snow is in front of my house but have no interest in trying them on it now. But when I go Ice Skating tomorrow maybe I'll take her out.