So far is your X5 SUVs capable of traversing snowy streets?

[NVRfollo]

Originally Posted by Baunton

NVRfollo 18" ! England would be at a standstill. Any pictures?

sorry. too busy snowblowing and cursing to take pics. ended up being 30". the roads were cleared out by morning since there was a travel ban the night before so the plows did a great job of clearing the main roads. the back roads are different story. i will be interested to hear from the guys in downtown boston where there is no place to move all the snow.

[midlifecrisis]

Originally Posted by Dash52

I also live in Long Island....Pirelli 19" Scorpion all weather were pretty decent with smart driving. Up and down hills no issue. (better up hill)

I have the same tires on mine and I agree. I'm pleasantly surprised with the Scorpion Verdes, but I'm very careful with turning and braking. The compression braking effect of the diesel engine really helps, as well.

I've always used Blizzaks during the winter, but figured I'd try to save a few bucks this year. I've got snows on two other cars in case I lose confidence in the Pirellis. There's no substitute for real winter tires, but these aren't bad. (I wouldn't dream of driving on summer performance tires in snow - almost completely worthless and extremely dangerous, no matter what vehicle they're mounted on.)

[chrisny]

Sorry guys, not sure how anyone can be disappointed in how summer performance tires perform in the winter. I can understand, somewhat, being disappointed in all seasons, but everyone should know by now, all seasons are no seasons, especially in 2 feet of snow and single digit temperatures.

[eyeloveteeth]

Originally Posted by tek_tez_LI

Is it all-weather or "Ice & Snow" tire?

all weather

[SUV55]

36" where I am in central MA. Didn't take out the X5 even with Blizzak LM80s.

[Baunton]

Originally Posted by SUV55

36" where I am in central MA. Didn't take out the X5 even with Blizzak LM80s.

SUV55 3' OMG.
Is your F15 in a garage or under three feet of snow? Pictures would be great.

[DBV1]

So, is the X5 not the greatest SUV in snow, even on 4 or 5 inches of snow with all seasons? Seems like most of the comments on snow driving are not very good. I always put snow tires on my cars, but usually even with snow tires they are good, snows just make them even better.

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by DBV1

So, is the X5 not the greatest SUV in snow, even on 4 or 5 inches of snow with all seasons? Seems like most of the comments on snow driving are not very good. I always put snow tires on my cars, but usually even with snow tires they are good, snows just make them even better.

blame the tires, not the car…… Also, not all all-seasons are created equally either. I once slid repeatedlty from 5 mph trying to stop in an X3 with good-year all-seasons in an inch of snow. The tires had plenty of tread but were a year and a half old. Car had maybe 12,000 miles on it, plenty of life left on the tires, they were just crap and way too hard for cold temps. Ordered a winter setup the minute I got home.

Most of the comments saying their X5's weren't very good in the snow were from people with SUMMER tires trying to drive in the snow, or with mediocre all-seasons. Those with quality all-seasons seem pleased, and certainly those of us using winter tires in the winter are plenty happy with our snow performance.

All goes to expectations. I suppose if I expected perfect snow performance from crappy tires or tires meant for warm weather, I would be disappointed too when that didn't happen . Personally, I wouldn't wear leather soled dress shoes on a snowy sidewalk and not expect to slip and have my feet get cold.

With proper tires, all BMW's with x-Drive are very good in the snow. The X5 is no exception. Stands to reason it is probably the best of the line-up, given the weight and ground clearance.

[eyeloveteeth]

to piggy back this thread, it would be helpful to hear what set up you guys do have. I am throughly confused on Tirerack, as they only offer an 18" option if you choose the 50i and click winter.

I have no real experience with buying rims, and maybe that's just a sign that I should buy the winter set straight from BMW. But, what have y'all done? Is there a size that's no good? I know the wider the tire, the bigger the contact patch to hydro plane.

But like, do we keep the sizes staggered or go with the same size all around?

I care less about looks and more about maximizing my safety 4 months a year. (I'm in VA and i know it doesn't snow too bad, but the ppl here drive like shit)

[lapa]

The F15 is performing extraordinary in all winter conditions, BUT it is all depending of what tires you have on. We don't even have to discuss how it performs in full winter climate with 20+inch 315mm summer tires on (or any size summer tires for that matter). But that goes for ALL cars.
Using all seasons is definetly a compronize but of course better than summer tires. If you are driving in heavy winter conditions you will have to go all in: studded tires of good brand and quality. This is a big thing in the nordic countries and all motor magazines are testing winter tires every year. The winners the last 3 years are Nokian hakka 7/8 and ContiIceContact.
With them guys on your F15 you will have a VERY capable car!

[Taran.J]

Seattle has been a treat this year. My plan is to run the 467M's for the remainder of the year which should bring the thread wear quite low for my yearly milage.

Then replace the 467M's tires with winter tires for next year and have the VMR as a dedicated daily set up for the rest of the year.

[aas5]

Originally Posted by eyeloveteeth

to piggy back this thread, it would be helpful to hear what set up you guys do have. I am throughly confused on Tirerack, as they only offer an 18" option if you choose the 50i and click winter.

I have no real experience with buying rims, and maybe that's just a sign that I should buy the winter set straight from BMW. But, what have y'all done? Is there a size that's no good? I know the wider the tire, the bigger the contact patch to hydro plane.

But like, do we keep the sizes staggered or go with the same size all around?

I care less about looks and more about maximizing my safety 4 months a year. (I'm in VA and i know it doesn't snow too bad, but the ppl here drive like shit)

I am not a pro but here's what I was told when I was looking to get a winter set up:

- don't go with anything larger than 19', the smaller diameter the better. I didn't want to go from my 20'' summers to 18'' so I went with 19''
- staggered setup is not recommended - the narrower tires perform better in snow so go with the same four tires for the car

I got separate rims with the winter tires as it eliminates the need to swap the tires on the same rims (more time consuming, more expensive unless you do yourself, and risk damage to the rims). Now I just go to BMW, pay $70 and they swap my winter set to the summer set and back twice a year.

My set up is:

TSW Nurburgring RF 19-9.0
Vredestein Wintrac Extreme with TMPS

Keep in mind I drive the previous generation x6 so these may not fit. I used them on both 5.0 and M.

[eyeloveteeth]

Originally Posted by aas5

I am not a pro but here's what I was told when I was looking to get a winter set up:

- don't go with anything larger than 19', the smaller diameter the better. I didn't want to go from my 20'' summers to 18'' so I went with 19''
- staggered setup is not recommended - the narrower tires perform better in snow so go with the same four tires for the car

I got separate rims with the winter tires as it eliminates the need to swap the tires on the same rims (more time consuming, more expensive unless you do yourself, and risk damage to the rims). Now I just go to BMW, pay $70 and they swap my winter set to the summer set and back twice a year.

My set up is:

TSW Nurburgring RF 19-9.0
Vredestein Wintrac Extreme with TMPS

Keep in mind I drive the previous generation x6 so these may not fit. I used them on both 5.0 and M.

yeah, i've always had summer and winter sets on most of my cars. Just very confused by the way tirerack made their suggestion, and then the commentary on the forums.

I agree, 20" winter tires are kind of silly.

[NVRfollo]

Originally Posted by eyeloveteeth

yeah, i've always had summer and winter sets on most of my cars. Just very confused by the way tirerack made their suggestion, and then the commentary on the forums.

I agree, 20" winter tires are kind of silly.

go with the smallest diameter and narrowest wheel possible for your winter setup. you want a small diameter wheel so you can have a larger sidewall to give you some cushion for the potholes. it is better to take out a tire than the rim and suspension. you want a narrower wheel since they are better for cutting through the snow/ice rather than sliding on top. you also have a choice of performance vs studless winter tires. this choice is up to how bad you anticipate your snow will be. if you have a lot of snow and often, get studless. you will lose some handling on dry roads but they are better in snow and ice conditions. if you live in deep eternal winter, then studded tires like the nokians are the way to go.

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by eyeloveteeth

I am throughly confused on Tirerack, as they only offer an 18" option if you choose the 50i and click winter.

Wonder if that is a glitch on their site. There are 18, 19, and 20" options if you put in a 35i instead of 50i. The 50i M sport comes with the exact same 19" wheels as the 35i M sport (I think the same holds true for x and lux lines), so not sure why it would show any difference. I would try calling them.

[BostonRocket]

I've got 275/40-20 Pirelli Scorpion Ice and Snow tires (Porsche OEM) going on the truck tomorrow. I'll let you all know how it is.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by chrisny

blame the tires, not the car…… Also, not all all-seasons are created equally either. I once slid repeatedlty from 5 mph trying to stop in an X3 with good-year all-seasons in an inch of snow. The tires had plenty of tread but were a year and a half old. Car had maybe 12,000 miles on it, plenty of life left on the tires, they were just crap and way too hard for cold temps. Ordered a winter setup the minute I got home.

Most of the comments saying their X5's weren't very good in the snow were from people with SUMMER tires trying to drive in the snow, or with mediocre all-seasons. Those with quality all-seasons seem pleased, and certainly those of us using winter tires in the winter are plenty happy with our snow performance.

All goes to expectations. I suppose if I expected perfect snow performance from crappy tires or tires meant for warm weather, I would be disappointed too when that didn't happen . Personally, I wouldn't wear leather soled dress shoes on a snowy sidewalk and not expect to slip and have my feet get cold.

With proper tires, all BMW's with x-Drive are very good in the snow. The X5 is no exception. Stands to reason it is probably the best of the line-up, given the weight and ground clearance.

This is the best comment I've read all day, Chris .

My brother's '11 X3 had brand new OEM all seasons on 18" wheels, and they handled horribly. It was the worst SUV I've ever driven in the snow; it slipped so much. My '04 FX35 with All-Seasons on OEM 20" wheels handled way better. Our '14 MDX with 19" Continental Cross Contact LX2 handled the best even at high speeds in snow. So, yes, tires make a huge difference.

I get my car hopefully back Friday, and we are getting more snow right now and some more Sunday. I'll let everyone know how the 22" Delinte D8s handle.

[barcelona]

Originally Posted by opasha

This is the best comment I've read all day, Chris .

My brother's '11 X3 had brand new OEM all seasons on 18" wheels, and they handled horribly. It was the worst SUV I've ever driven in the snow; it slipped so much. My '04 FX35 with All-Seasons on OEM 20" wheels handled way better. Our '14 MDX with 19" Continental Cross Contact LX2 handled the best even at high speeds in snow. So, yes, tires make a huge difference.

I get my car hopefully back Friday, and we are getting more snow right now and some more Sunday. I'll let everyone know how the 22" Delinte D8s handle.

Good stuff! Of course the wrap is more exciting than the snow.

[MattBianco]

I knew this would come in handy one day. Below, a snapshot from the survey in my footnote that has bugged many of you. With 119 responses, I'd say the feedback is directionally accurate, but will never be precise.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by MattBianco

I knew this would come in handy one day. Below, a snapshot from the survey in my footnote that has bugged many of you. With 119 responses, I'd say the feedback is directionally accurate, but will never be precise.

I wish this survey was a dual survey that also showed wheel size/tire type (all-season, winter, or summer performance). Then it would be much better to see how those results fared.

[SUV55]

Originally Posted by Baunton

SUV55 3' OMG.
Is your F15 in a garage or under three feet of snow? Pictures would be great.

Nice and safe in my garage. I will take some pics. Taking the X5 to VT in a light/mod snow event tomorrow. Will let the forum know how the Blizzaks do. Curious how good the grip will be with V rated high performance snow tires. My winter set up is non-staggered 19s.

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by opasha

I wish this survey was a dual survey that also showed wheel size/tire type (all-season, winter, or summer performance). Then it would be much better to see how those results fared.

You are suffering from having to live with the work of amateur survey designers (yours truly, with the help of others here), and trying very hard to keep questions to as few as possible. Still, it provides general feedback as to how owners feel about overall suitability for driving in snow conditions.