Suggestions needed for winter wheel/tire setup.

[masab321]

Hey Guys. I am looking for a winter wheel/tire set up for my F82. My preference is a 18” squared setup. I want black/graphite wheels. I looked at the tirerack and options are very limited there. Unfortunately the OEM BMW winter wheel package does not come with black wheels.

Can someone suggest wheel make/models based on my preference? And what about winter tires. I heard about Michelin Alpine. Any other good winter tires? I won’t be driving in snow as it’s not my daily driver.


Thanks

[arrivederci]

I did an Apex EC-7, 19x9.5 ET22 for the winter setup. 19" square.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...&postcount=237

[SYT_Shadow]

I've used the Michelin PA4 winter tires many years in M cars and they're wonderful, on dry pavement they feel like regular tires and they handle snow quite well

For winter setups I'd use Bimmerworld TA5R wheels. Apex is also a solid choice.

[masab321]

Originally Posted by arrivederci

I did an Apex EC-7, 19x9.5 ET22 for the winter setup. 19" square.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...&postcount=237

These are some awesome looking wheels. Where did you order these from? Did you ordered them already mounted with tires and TPMS?

Thanks

[arrivederci]

Wheels, TPMS, and black valve stems directly from apex...

https://www.apexraceparts.com/

Then I went to a local tire shop (discount tire) for my tires, balance, etc. I did Hakka R3 tires and I'd probably go Michelin PA4 next time around. These are too soft and squishy for dry roads.

Those TA5R wheels look great too!

[espressoo]

If you need/want a 18" setup stock 513M wheels are probably your best bet. I see the desire to go with a square setup so you can rotate your wheels/tires to prolong their life but a staggered setup might be better. With a winter setup you want a narrow width tire to cut thru the snow. It's harder to get a narrow square setup without giving up rear traction. And don't forget an F8x is still a 400hp RWD vehicle. Often times in the winter you're not constantly driving thru the snow. It's more cold weather driving. If you go too narrow in the rear you're not going to have the best traction when it's not snowing outside. 255 rear is pretty skinny but often the choice for those in really snowy states. I ended up going with 255/275 all season tires for the winter as like you I don't plan to drive in the snow, just cold weather.

[masab321]

Originally Posted by espressoo

If you need/want a 18" setup stock 513M wheels are probably your best bet. I see the desire to go with a square setup so you can rotate your wheels/tires to prolong their life but a staggered setup might be better. With a winter setup you want a narrow width tire to cut thru the snow. It's harder to get a narrow square setup without giving up rear traction. And don't forget an F8x is still a 400hp RWD vehicle. Often times in the winter you're not constantly driving thru the snow. It's more cold weather driving. If you go too narrow in the rear you're not going to have the best traction when it's not snowing outside. 255 rear is pretty skinny but often the choice for those in really snowy states. I ended up going with 255/275 all season tires for the winter as like you I don't plan to drive in the snow, just cold weather.

Thanks for your advice. I live in Northern WV and the weather is very similar to DMV area. So as you said most of my drive will also be on dry winter days. Which all season tire would you recommend for a staggered set up?

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by masab321

These are some awesome looking wheels. Where did you order these from? Did you ordered them already mounted with tires and TPMS?

Thanks

I did the same. Got mine from this member couple years back

Winter wheel/tire setup https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1529710

[espressoo]

Originally Posted by masab321

Thanks for your advice. I live in Northern WV and the weather is very similar to DMV area. So as you said most of my drive will also be on dry winter days. Which all season tire would you recommend for a staggered set up?

I have Continental DWS06 tires. Great in wet and cold weather. Haven’t driven them in snow and don’t really plan to. Tread wear is rated pretty good as well.

[fknlo]

If you absolutely won't be driving in snow I wouldn't go with a snow tire. Something in the performance all season realm would probably be more than adequate.

[Prossx]

Morgantown averages 28 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. Denver area is 60 inches of snow per year with low ave humidity. Morgantown's ave humidity is pretty low in winter, thus I'm guessing you don't have a snow to ice issue generally, and your ave snowfall isn't all that much. All things considered you don't need a square/ winter tire setup - total overkill for your local conditions. Mimic your summer wheel setup with all season tires and you'll be pretty happy aside from those warmer Fall/Winter days when you wish you had all the performance of your summer setup. My experience has been Goodyear g-Force Comp 2 A/S good handling for an A/S tire but shitty straight line traction (non-flexy sidewalls but compound doesn't hook up all that well), and Conti Sport Extreme Contact DWS has excellent ride comfort (flexy sidewalls), not great handling, but pretty damn good straight line traction. I think that most folks would go with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ which may not be quite as good in snow/ice but is such a superior overall A/S tire that many run them year round for their longevity and price with a small sacrifice in warm weather ultimate performance.

[agentrnge]

I also keep mine out of the snow/salt, but still drive on dry winter days. I went with Mich Pilot Sport A/S 3+, on Apex 18" SM-10s for my cold weather setup. I have the DWS06 on my e38. They are a little soft for my taste, and wouldn't want them on an M3.

[IVM3]

I'm very happy with the michelin pilot sport a/s3+ in cold, but dry weather. Traction is pretty good overall with a 255/275 setup on 8.5" wide front and 9.5" wide rear wheels. I considered a square setup but decided the loss of rear traction wasn't worth it (if I went with narrower wheels), and i also didn't want a wide 9.5 inch front wheel during the occasional snow conditions

[Pittz1]

What cold weather tires if you dont drive in snow. Just low temps and rain?

[quikM2]

went with Zito wheels, found them on the forum, rotary forged light weight with nice styles, got a full package with tires mounted and balanced so nice to skip that step and a really great price. they had the PA4's etc but I went with the sotozero3's as while the PA4's did better on ice and snow handling the sotozero3's are almost as good as a summer tire in the cold and dry and if you have the option to leave the M3 in the garage when it's nasty out then the cold dry traction is king for me.

As to the apex ec-7 i've had them before on my M2 and they were an awesome rim - I didn't get them this time around as they wouldn't clear my Carbon brakes. I went with the xice3 tires with that setup and they were much better in ice and snow than the PA4's etc. and I didn't think you lost too much overall so if it's a daily driver no matter the weather and you get a lot of snow/ice I would go with the the Xice3.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by quikM2

went with Zito wheels, found them on the forum, rotary forged light weight with nice styles, got a full package with tires mounted and balanced so nice to skip that step and a really great price. they had the PA4's etc but I went with the sotozero3's as while the PA4's did better on ice and snow handling the sotozero3's are almost as good as a summer tire in the cold and dry and if you have the option to leave the M3 in the garage when it's nasty out then the cold dry traction is king for me.

As to the apex ec-7 i've had them before on my M2 and they were an awesome rim - I didn't get them this time around as they wouldn't clear my Carbon brakes. I went with the xice3 tires with that setup and they were much better in ice and snow than the PA4's etc. and I didn't think you lost too much overall so if it's a daily driver no matter the weather and you get a lot of snow/ice I would go with the the Xice3.

For sure if you are going to drive in lots of snow/ice the Xice3 is a lot better than the PA4. The PA4 is definitely oriented to the performance spectrum!
What impresses me most of the PA4 is how it will get you through blizzards but then in a dry day you can't tell you have winter tires on at all

[masab321]

Originally Posted by IVM3

I'm very happy with the michelin pilot sport a/s3+ in cold, but dry weather. Traction is pretty good overall with a 255/275 setup on 8.5" wide front and 9.5" wide rear wheels. I considered a square setup but decided the loss of rear traction wasn't worth it (if I went with narrower wheels), and i also didn't want a wide 9.5 inch front wheel during the occasional snow conditions

What type of wheels do you have with this set up?

[masab321]

Originally Posted by espressoo

I have Continental DWS06 tires. Great in wet and cold weather. Haven’t driven them in snow and don’t really plan to. Tread wear is rated pretty good as well.

I am also leaning towards the all season tires now as I do not plan to take the M out in snow. We don't get too many snow days. it's mostly dry winter days. What kind of wheel set up do you have with Conti DWS 06? 18" or 19" ?

Thanks

[masab321]

Originally Posted by Prossx

Morgantown averages 28 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. Denver area is 60 inches of snow per year with low ave humidity. Morgantown's ave humidity is pretty low in winter, thus I'm guessing you don't have a snow to ice issue generally, and your ave snowfall isn't all that much. All things considered you don't need a square/ winter tire setup - total overkill for your local conditions. Mimic your summer wheel setup with all season tires and you'll be pretty happy aside from those warmer Fall/Winter days when you wish you had all the performance of your summer setup. My experience has been Goodyear g-Force Comp 2 A/S good handling for an A/S tire but shitty straight line traction (non-flexy sidewalls but compound doesn't hook up all that well), and Conti Sport Extreme Contact DWS has excellent ride comfort (flexy sidewalls), not great handling, but pretty damn good straight line traction. I think that most folks would go with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ which may not be quite as good in snow/ice but is such a superior overall A/S tire that many run them year round for their longevity and price with a small sacrifice in warm weather ultimate performance.

Thanks for such a great explanation. It totally makes sense !! What type of wheels do you have with your all season set up?

[Tacoma]

We get more snow in Toronto (average of 48" of snow downtown according to Wiki) than Morgantown's 28", but my experience with the F80 is that it's just adequate in snow/ice even with snow tires (Bridgestone Blizzaks). Toronto has few hills and valleys, generally a flat city, but if there's even a slight incline, you're going to be slipping and sliding trying to go up that "hill" if you lose momentum in the middle of it. For example, I was caught in mild (about 2-3" but very quickly) snow last year and had to stop in the middle of one of those slight inclines and was DOA. I had to wait for traffic to clear and turn around to find another road.

IMO, all season tires are about compromise, it does everything mediocre and nothing well. Having winter tires is about safety in reducing risk that you could get stuck or into an accident, so why not get proper tires that does the job right than to compromise? You can get performance winter tires such as Michelin Alpins or Dunlop Winter Sports, etc., where they get you better handling but are proper tires for winter/snow/ice. Don't forget, it's not just about getting moving but it's also about stopping. Proper winter tires provide shorter stopping distances that keep you from hitting that object or person. Again, it's a matter of safety and IMO you shouldn't compromise on safety.

Also, check with your insurance company, you may get a discount for getting snow tires (we do here). insurance companies know the value of having proper snow/winter tires. My 2 cents.

[summilux]

From snowy Ottawa here. I use 18" BBS SR with Michelin X-Ice. Works great in snow storms and on icy/slushy areas. No hooning but pretty good.

[Prossx]

Originally Posted by masab321

Thanks for such a great explanation. It totally makes sense !! What type of wheels do you have with your all season set up?

APEX ARC-8 19x9.5" ET22 Silver Wheel 20.95lbs
APEX ARC8 19x8.5" ET35 Hyper Silver APEX ARC-8 Wheel - Profile 1 - 20.45lbs

They are a bit more difficult to clean than the 437s, but look great.