iversonm

What are the advantages of the all seasons over the snows?

JSpira

Much much much better handling in the typical cold, dry weather we have.

iversonm

Not to sound skeptical, but I tried this approach with some Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S tires. However, this tire was much more performance oriented, and I tried them in the stock sizes.

I was quote pleased with the performance of my LM-25s that I used for the last two years.

Are you going to use 225/50R17s?

I'm curious, as my climate is indistinguishable from New York's.

BMWSTL

You may not, but I will.

All season tires are a compromise. Winter driving needs winter tires.

A winter tire performance compromise is to use higher performance winter tires. Dunlop D3's or Bridgestone LM25's are excellent performers. Use them and you'll be fine on dry and great on wet, snow or ice.

Lou

JSpira

Interesting.

If I use LM 22s, Bridgestone told me to use 225/50/17, which is the stock size for the car.

What was your experience with the Pirellis?

JSpira

Agreed although LM-22s are what fits the 5ers on 17" wheels apparently. But there are different types of winter driving (lots of snow and ice, very cold temperatures under say -8? or so on a regular basis v. average NYC temp. of 1?C with only one or two snowstorms per year.

Last year I couldn?t even put my winter tires on until early January since it was too warm in December.

iversonm

My rationalization for getting them was as follows. I live 2.4 miles from my business, on an island about 1/4 the size of Manhattan. It's a bedroom community with a total of 2 traffic lights. I don't need to contend with rush hour, or need to be able to commute in all conditions, but only get home exercising reasonable caution.

Southeast Michigan is not very snowy, averaging 35-45 inches a year or so in the form of 4 or 5 significant events. Unlike Buffalo or Cleveland (75-150 inches per year) we're on the west side of the lake, so lake effect snow is rare. I also live in the warmest region along Lake Erie, and see much less snow than the northern suburbs.

I found the Pirelli's to perform very well in cold, dry conditions, but struggle in more than a dusting of snow. The tread pattern combined with the wide widths made the car immobile in snow, and only marginally better than summer tires.

My biggest obstacle was the street I live on. As a minor street, it is generally plowed 12 hours after a snowfall, and they never salt the street. So, I found the last 1000 feet to my house to be a harrowing experience, and I got stuck on a couple occasions. Even worse, in a cold snap, packed snow and ice would build up, making it difficult to traverse for a week or so at a time.

The LM-25s had no issues with these conditions, and outperform the X3 with all seasons.

Again, I think these tires are barely all season tires. They have a soft compound that is effective in cold weather, but are not suited to snow or ice. They would be perfect in a place like Atlanta or perhaps Washington, D.C.

My caution to you is to not think about the average condition, but the worst condition you may encounter; that's where you will have a problem.

sirch

In Colorado I'm going with a set of #166 18x8 rims all around with Nokian RSI or there really long name tire in a #4 studed. I may also get a set of BMW chains, but the problem with our winters is not with the tires per say but the amount of snow. If there is 1ft of snow or more on the ground no matter what tire I put on the snow will only be wedged under the car lifting the tires off the ground. In Colorado they also tend to only plow the highways and it is not uncommon for them to close the highways in heavier snow falls, thank god I only have a one mile commute to work.

JSpira

Understood. Since I telecommute a lot anyway, I guess part of my thinking is that I'll just stay in if it's more than a dusting. But I think I'll probably go with the Blizzaks anyway.

iversonm

I don't think you'll be disappointed by this decision. I found that not having reliable transportation to be very limiting and frustrating.
It's easy to say I won't travel if it snows, but reality often doesn't agree.