M3P owners using summer tyres in Winter

[MrBadger]

Another advantage of a winter tyre package is that, especially if going for similar spec, is that in many occasions you have a spare tyre in case you get a flat, even if someone has to bring one out to you from home.

Add in the fact that tyres will not need replacing so often, the actual price difference between a winter/cold set and 'summer' set is actually very little. So the total extra cost probably comes down cost of 4 rims and TPMS sensors.

We kept our winter set on for iirc around 5 months this year, so thats almost doubling the lifespan of the summer tyres. So even though it didn't snow for us, that was still a considerable amount of time when performance wise, that winter tyres were in their best temperature operating range.

Swapping tyres over twice annually also allows the brakes to be given a quick once over and brush down at the same time.

A winter tyre is for cold weather and not just for Christmas...

 

[Dangerous Fish]

Have a look here at the stopping distances on a skid pan and tell me summer tyres are OK to use when the temperature is close to freezing point and you're driving on a road with a low grip surface. All season/winter tyres are not just about traction and grip on snow and ice. They are better all round at low temperatures and in standing water/slush.

 

[AnthonyLR]

If I wanted to buy some new 18" wheels for my prospective winter tyres to live on what would everyone recommend? Not worried about looks per se.

 

[JS77]

If I wanted to buy some new 18" wheels for my prospective winter tyres to live on what would everyone recommend? Not worried about looks per se.

And perhaps also a suggestion if one was concerned about looks

 

[Jonny Ringo]

The benefit of winter tyres is only relevant in low temperatures, below 7 celsius, depending on were you live/drive will be a massive influence in how beneficial they would be. As I live in the south east and on average we only get a handful of days below 7 degrees I have decided it isn't worth it. Also when the Beast from the East does hit the South East there is no point trying to drive as 99.9% of the other cars will be on the wrong tyre and chances are some noddy in a Range Rover will just slid into you! Remember 4x4 does not give you grip when aquaplaning on ice.

 

[Adopado]

@KennethS @Adopado, you have given me pause for thought.

When I read threads discussing choices, people seem to choose smaller wheels for those tyres too. Anyone know why?

I believe the availability of winter tyres is limited for the 20 inch wheels at present, so that's one reason ... this may have changed one year on?. Also it's useful to have a bit more sidewall due to increased likelihood of hitting hidden potholes. Smaller wheels, all other things being equal, are generally lighter and cheaper. People save some cosmetic winter damage to their 20 inch OEM rims and are less likely to damage their new winter wheels. Those of us already on 18s can just have the tyres swapped on the original rims... and the Aero covers (love 'em or hate 'em) are absolutely brilliant at keeping a lot of the winter slush/salt/muck at bay ... they make the wheels a breeze to clean! (Of course the standard 18s don't fit a Performance due to calliper clearance but there are 3rd party 18s that do fit.)

 

[Adopado]

As I live in the south east and on average we only get a handful of days below 7 degrees I have decided it isn't worth it.

If looking at max daytime temperatures I'm sure that's the case. If looking at temperatures when leaving for a work commute at 7.00am I would think even in the south east there are going to be many many days when it's 7 or below. (I'm not saying that means everyone has to have winter tyres ... there's lots of different circumstances so it's always going to be a judgment call.)

 

[Avendit]

Have a look here at the stopping distances on a skid pan and tell me summer tyres are OK to use when the temperature is close to freezing point and you're driving on a road with a low grip surface. All season/winter tyres are not just about traction and grip on snow and ice. They are better all round at low temperatures and in standing water/slush.

Great video and winters really are better. Buuuut, if you can bring yourself to reduce your speed and drive carefully on the 3 occasions it actually gets to ~0 and you need to drive each year, you can save a fair bit.

as @VanillaAir_UK said, they are almost cost neutral over the long term, but the upfront pain is considerable :-(.

My hope is to last until the PS4's need replaced, then put something more winterish on them and get a set of EV01+'s for the summer. If anywhere in the UK carries them.

 

[Jeeves]

Hell fire and damnation, I thought I was past buying more bits for this car.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

Great video and winters really are better. Buuuut, if you can bring yourself to reduce your speed and drive carefully on the 3 occasions it actually gets to ~0 and you need to drive each year, you can save a fair bit.

as @VanillaAir_UK said, they are almost cost neutral over the long term, but the upfront pain is considerable :-(.

My hope is to last until the PS4's need replaced, then put something more winterish on them and get a set of EV01+'s for the summer. If anywhere in the UK carries them.

I think the surprising thing about that video though is the stops were from just 30mph. If that was on a motorway or DC and the cars were travelling at 50 maybe, just think how much further they would have gone and how big the difference would then be between a summer tyre and a winter one.

In the last few years I can only remember driving on snow for maybe 3 or 4 days total, so I'm not going to try and justify winter tyres on that basis, but in cold, wet conditions they are a massive benefit particularly if you're comparing them with the PS4S as fitted to most M3Ps.

 

[Adopado]

Thank you, very helpful. May I ask what you have to shop for in terms of precise sizes to be compatible with an M3P?

The sizing for 18s is 235/45 (on all M3 Models). This gives (approximately) the same overall wheel tyre circumference as running 20s with 235/35. (The reason the tyre/wheel looks like it fills the wheel arch more on the Performance is a combination of the car being slightly lower and the visual impact of the wheel element... not because it's bigger or wider.) I'm sure people have come up with their own variations but that's how it goes according to the official car spec.

 

[Adopado]

Hell fire and damnation, I thought I was past buying more bits for this car.

!!!
...or put it in Chill and drive around like granny! (apologies to any grannies reading this )

 

[Adopado]

Great video and winters really are better. Buuuut, if you can bring yourself to reduce your speed and drive carefully on the 3 occasions it actually gets to ~0 and you need to drive each year, you can save a fair bit.

You're quite right ... a bit of care can greatly help the situation, and relieve the pocket! However, I'll just point out that Edinburgh (where I believe you are) had 6 nights in August (yes, August, tragic I know) when temperatures dropped to 7c or below (5c lowest) ... just saying ... !!!

 

[MrBadger]

The benefit of winter tyres is only relevant in low temperatures, below 7 celsius, depending on were you live/drive will be a massive influence in how beneficial they would be. As I live in the south east and on average we only get a handful of days below 7 degrees I have decided it isn't worth it. Also when the Beast from the East does hit the South East there is no point trying to drive as 99.9% of the other cars will be on the wrong tyre and chances are some noddy in a Range Rover will just slid into you! Remember 4x4 does not give you grip when aquaplaning on ice.

We live in the south. In the mild winter last year, we covered approx 3600 miles between 1st Nov and 1st March. Of them, approx 2900 miles (80%) worth of trips had an average trip temperature of 10C or below including 1300 (45%) that were at 7C or below.

 

[Jeeves]

@KennethS has been kind enough to put me in touch with the seller of the winter wheels on his car. He’s delighted with them, and the photos look great. Anyone else bought from the same person?

 

[Gatsojon]

I bought these wheels off a member here and wrapped them in some winter rubber. Always had winter package since switching to BMW from VAG in 2010. No regrets and costs are not too bad as I’ve always been able to sell them on to recover a little.

 

[Obliter8]

Also a big thread here: Winter wheels which itself ahs another thread embedded within!

 

[AMP_it_up]

And perhaps also a suggestion if one was concerned about looks

TSportline TST Flow Forged 18* wheels ($1240) - these are very similar in looks to Tesla 20" wheels on the M3P. I used these last winter fitted with Goodyear Ultragrip Performance+ winter tyres and they were perfect.

To all those people who think winter tyres are not necessary in the southern half of England, I live near Oxford and have seen winter temperatures as low -17 Celsius, which is well below the minimum operating temperature of Michelin PS4S summer tyres (-7C) fitted as standard to M3P.

 

[ThrustSSC]

I started the winter on the stock 20" summer rubber on my M3P+. Then it started sliding around the place a bit - my commute is country roads, I should add. So I got some 18" rims from Gavin Wallace (mentioned above, I believe) and put CrossClimate+ rubber on them.

Yes, I could have coped on the stock rubber. But the CrossClimate+ rubber was eye-openingly good. It was significantly better than the stock rubber once temperatures fell below 8-10degreesC or so. A good investment.

And the 18" rims gave me a bit more protection from kerbing than I had with the 20" stock rims when parking/manouevring in the dark and wet!

 

[spon88]

+1 for the rims from Gavin Wallace. I have the 18s which are designed specifically to accommodate the brake calipers of the M3P. I have CrossClimate+ on them and I didn't bother changing back to the stock 20s over summer. More forgiving ride and much less susceptible to pothole damage than the 20s . Couple of grands worth of stock wheels and tyres stored in the garage which won't be doing anything until next April when I may give them another airing