luigi524td

While I "snoozed" someone else was able to (finally) able to buy the new xi wheels and tires that had been out there for months.

Now that summer is over my thoughts are drifting or sliding to what my options are - I have the 18" sport w/summer RFTs:Any thoughts?

Any dormant sellers of wheels (wheels/tires) for the xi?

RobertB

When I lived where it snowed (Iowa, on the hilly banks of the Mississippi), I had a separate set of rims/tires for winter. It wasn't that hard to change them out myself, and I was always secure when the forecasters were incorrect. I also used winter tires, not all seasons: Blizzak LM-25's. They were pretty decent on dry pavement in the winter. No SUV with all-seasons could keep up with me on snow/ice (if you get ice, you really want winter tires).

Here's my winter rim setup (sorry, I sold them a few months ago now that I live in Alabama):
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?autocom=ga...si&img=4807
(those are cheap style 71 knockoffs)

Remember the offset on a 530xi is almost the same as an E46 (which is the same as the E90, I think). That gives you a fair amount of wheel choices. My winter rims and tires were the same size as my summer setup (245/40-18).

luigi524td

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm in So. NJ so for any chance of heavy snow I'll keep the e60 parked and take my wife's Rav4 AWD. But I hear than the UHP summer tire set-up craps out in temps below 40. That is more likely to happen for 2-3 winter months than a snow storm.

RobertB

The snows are almost never that bad where I was in Iowa. The plows come out as soon as it starts snowing and stay out. I probably never went through more than 8" of snow (but it sure was FUN).

If it helps - the 18" summer UHP RFT's that came with my xi ran fine down to 15 degrees - that's as low as it got while I was driving down here last winter. I did get the usual overnight flat spots...

luigi524td

Your winter driving experience with the UHP RFTs does help ... thanks!