Haven't encountered winter tyre conditions yet this winter other than the aftermath of an incredible hail storm in Bristol last week. However perhaps worse weather is to come so I have been having some thoughts:
My 123d requires 17" wheels minimum due to the size of the brakes, the BMW option offers 17" alloy wheels exactly the same as those fitted to our 120i fitted with Bridgestone Blizzak, 205/50 R17 runflats for £1540.
This would be an investment that would last a few winters (and could provide nice new wheels for the 120i at a later date).
However the 120i can take 16" wheels and there is a steel wheel option fitted with Goodyear ULTRA GRIP, 195/55 R16 runflats for £800 or non runflat for £640.
So going for the steel option for the 120i would mean that I could get four 205/50 R17 winter tyres fitted to the 120i's alloys to use on the 123d during the winter. Total cost for both cars being around £1200 plus the cost of swapping the summer tyres back on in the spring and again the winter tyres back on next winter.
Any thoughts?
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yeah, use the 1200 quid to buy a winter holiday.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 20 Dec 11 at 11:49
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>> yeah, use the 1200 quid to buy a winter holiday.
>>
That only lasts one winter ... and might not be as much fun as the 123d in the snow ...
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Z, you'll need more than that for a weeks skiing staying at a decent hotel. Have you seen the cost of a lift pass in the 3 Vallees these days?
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Only mad men go somewhere cold in winter.
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Bloomin heck - the 17" Tommies from BMW for the X1 cost around 800 quid !
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...and BMW swap them around free of charge !
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>> Bloomin heck >>
Yeah they offer 17" steels for the X1, must be a different fitting, offset etc.
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Sell the BMW and buy a car which works in winter
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Your BMW Dealer is having a laugh with those prices. I've just had a new set of 17" BMW alloys with Bridgestone 225 runflat winter tyres fitted by the local BMW dealer to my new 335d company car for 1,000 Euros.
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>> Your BMW Dealer is having a laugh >>
That's the BMW website, I haven't asked the dealer yet, might be worth trying a couple of dealers to see if there is a deal to be had.
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I think buying winter tyres at the end of December/start of January is a terribly clever idea.
Guaranteed bargains....
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>> Guaranteed bargains....
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That has been on my mind, there has been no need for them yet this winter though if it looks like we will get a month or so of "harsh" weather in Jan (unlikely), Feb or March I will get some use out of them this year and have them ready for next.
Last edited by: Cheddar on Wed 21 Dec 11 at 00:25
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My tuppenceworth, is don't bother this winter.
Manage as best you can (get a couple of cwt of sandbags ready to throw in the boot when needed), then source suitable wheels and tyres during the summer when at their cheapest.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Wed 21 Dec 11 at 01:55
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The dealer in Sutton Coldfield is advertising a set of winter wheels and tyres plus storage for your summer wheels.
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I've never bothered with winter tyres in 19 years of driving, and that includes driving for a living,
The only reason I've "invested" in winter rubber now is (A) because of the last few winters, and (B) because of where we live now :(
My tyres (bought from Mytyres) cost me 400 sovs fitted, but the jamjar needed new tyres anyways,
So it all comes down to you really Cheddar - do you have easy access to roads that are gritted?
Do you have to venture out during the ice age?
Is £1000 + a lot of money to you, or just petty cash :)
Are we going to have another brutal winter etc., etc., etc..
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I totally agree with Dog. The only reasons we have them is that my wife works for a 24/7 organisation where not turning up with her shift compromises the organisation she works for, she has a sense of duty and responsibility (not least to the people she works with) - she would say not being able to come home is more of a worry though ! We have made a lifestyle choice and live in the country with a very poor and corrupt local authority, who basically can't be trusted to do anything*
* Not alone in my view - the only directly Government controlled council in the UK.
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A farmer told me this winter will be dry with average temperature and insignificant snow. (In the midlands)
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If you go by wisdom of the crowd route, we are unlikely to see big freeze this winter.
Probably my all season tyres won't get a chance to show their excellence :-(
But for RWD cars, it is probably a good idea to fit proper tyres as they dance in very little snow.
Last edited by: movilogo on Wed 21 Dec 11 at 09:55
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>> as they dance in very little snow.>>
Which can be fun ...
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>> So it all comes down to you really Cheddar - do you have easy access to roads that are gritted?>>
Our drive and the 1/4 mile to the main ish road are the main prob, though the lanes around here are often not cleared gritted.
>> Do you have to venture out during the ice age?>>
No frankly.
>> Is £1000 + a lot of money to you, or just petty cash :)>>
A grand, no more than a good night out ;-)
>> Are we going to have another brutal winter etc., etc., etc..>>
Probably not.
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>> The dealer in Sutton Coldfield is advertising a set of winter wheels and tyres plus
storage for your summer wheels.>>
All BMW dealers offer that it seems.
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So BMW dealers now realized that RWDs are PITA in snow?
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Now i've had some sleep i have a better suggestion, again do nothing this winter save have some sandbags ready for the boot, i assume your current tyres are very good tread wise, if not you could bring forward this solution...
During the summer buy some good quality snowflake marked all seasons when the right tyre at the right price comes up, fit them as full time replacements next November.
If the current tyres are still useful, either keep them for fitting when its time to sell or put them on ebay.
Sorted at little or really no cost.
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>>Sorted at little or really no cost. >>
The problem is that the standard tyres are 215/40-18 (f) and 245/35-18 (r), they cost at least £200 and £250 respectively as a winter tyre hence over £900 and then the cost to change back again. Whereas a set of wheels would be an investment for the future.
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But for the winter tyres, you would surely fit 17" rims. Or is that not an option?
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>> But for the winter tyres, you would surely fit 17" rims. Or is that not
>> an option?
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Yes though GB was proposing winter tyres on the current rims.
The 123d (and also 130i and 135i) need 17" min due to the size of the brakes, the 120i (and all other 1s) can take 16" wheels and there is a steel option at a reasonable price as per my first post.
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>> So BMW dealers now realized that RWDs are PITA in snow?
Sort of - they have realised that RWD + snow = profit opportunity.
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Strongly suspect the majority of drivers who qualified fewer than 30 years ago have never driven anything with RWD when they get their first BMW. Anyone older than that won't be quite so phased by a bit of tail wagging in the winter. ( Some of us rather enjoy it in a silly old flatulant sort of way )
:-)
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I had that thought Humph. I nearly put 'contemporary driving skills' into the equation but I didn't want to offend Cheddar.
The Morris Oxford I had in the kneehills of the Pennines 35 years ago was good for practice on a wet roundabout, never mind snow.
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>> I had that thought Humph. I nearly put 'contemporary driving skills' into the equation but
>> I didn't want to offend Cheddar.
>>
I have fond memories of traversing the Surrey hills in my Dolomite Sprint in the heavy snow falls of the early 80's, also drifting around icy roundabouts on the A30 heading for Hatton Cross to get the Tube in to London during rail strikes.
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Have you considered snow socks?
They will get you to the better gritted roads. Keep in the boot and forget until needed.
My neighbour, a Consultant, fitted them to his big Merc and made it to work 40 miles away every day last year.
We got the snow bad and our village ground to a halt for normal cars.
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I was going to suggest that myself actually ~ www.autosock.co.uk/
Just means having to fiddle about with them - especially when they're wet and full of slush :(
Last edited by: Dog on Wed 21 Dec 11 at 22:36
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Autosocks were recomended in another thread, the problem is taking them on and off if snow and ice is patchy.
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>> So BMW dealers now realized that RWDs are PITA in snow?
They always did. In other countries you've been able to get AWD BMW 3 and 5 Series for ages. They didn't think there was a market here for them. Leaving it to Audi (and a few VW, Skodas). I'm not talking SUVs.
Soon you will be able to get a AWD BMW saloon/estate in the UK.
For cold weather, even AWD isn't good enough - hence winter tyres being needed in some countries/regions after a certain date.
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>> Soon you will be able to get a AWD BMW saloon/estate in the UK.
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RHD conversion was the issue I understand, I assume the new 3/5 have been designed accordingly.
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>> Your BMW Dealer is having a laugh with those prices. I've just had a new
>> set of 17" BMW alloys with Bridgestone 225 runflat winter tyres fitted by the local
>> BMW dealer to my new 335d company car for 1,000 Euros.
>>
Is that a BMW Germany offer, and can you post up a link, please?
Mercedes do a similar thing and the same deal is available in the UK, although the wheel style options available are quite limited. For 17" sizes they're dearer than the BMW prices though.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Sat 24 Dec 11 at 12:28
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BMW winter tyres conundrum - Zero
