Tire change necessary for Portland winter?

Rusty Shackelford · 11-04-2006, 12:57 AM

I'm curious if we in the Northwest need to change out performance tires for all season ones since it is so mild here. Is it worth buying an all season set for the random few days where there is snow or ice on the ground? What does everyone else do? The 335i I'm going to order with the sport package will have 18" performance RFT on style 162 rims. Bad idea to keep them on all winter?

tommithy · 11-13-2006, 12:29 PM

I don't plan on changing tyres.

Ghunger · 11-13-2006, 01:42 PM

You will have serious issues if it does snow and you try to drive on ice or compact snow. They really do have almost zero grip. If you can stay home or use another car for those times you'll be fine. If you don't want to change your tires for winter weather all-season tires will probably work fine in the northwest all year round. I wouldn't want to rely on summer tires if I didn't have other options for getting around in snowy/icy weather.

tommithy · 11-13-2006, 02:26 PM

I personally have other transportation (Land Rover) so I don't plan on changing tyres but even if I didn't have a 4wd car I wouldn't change tyres. It snows/ices so infrequently it's not worth the cost.

brocken · 11-14-2006, 12:47 PM

I'm debating the same thing. I just picked up a 328i w/ sport package and I'm trying to decide if I should swap out the RFT's for a good all season tire. Not so much for snow but for the rain we get and the cold temps.

obLu · 11-15-2006, 03:49 PM

I didn't have much trouble with the potenza RFTs the first winter I had the car. I even took delivery when it was snowing. But this year, now that the tires have 16k on them, I'm having serious traction issues. Especially wet braking. (I've never had a bridgestone that had good wet traction though)

I still plan to put max perf summer tires on, but it'll be a tire known to have good wet traction.

E91AWD · 02-26-2007, 12:01 PM

Do you plan on driving the car to go skiing?

Rusty Shackelford · 02-26-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badnews

Do you plan on driving the car to go skiing?

I probably won't use it to go skiing - although it would make for a nice ride.

I attempted to get around when we got some snow in January and it was comical - I was getting absolutely nowhere with the 18" sports package tires. Couldn't even make it out of my subdivision. I grew up in Iowa and my first car was rear wheel drive - so I'm used to dealing with snow - but with these tires all I could manage was to spinout the wheels. Oh well, maybe next winter I'll consider a winter set.

Loving the car in general - everything I hoped it would be.

11-04-2006, 12:57 AM	#1
Rusty Shackelford Enlisted Member 3 Rep 33 Posts Drives: 07' 335i Sedan - Sport, Prem Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon iTrader: (0)	Tire change necessary for Portland winter? I'm curious if we in the Northwest need to change out performance tires for all season ones since it is so mild here. Is it worth buying an all season set for the random few days where there is snow or ice on the ground? What does everyone else do? The 335i I'm going to order with the sport package will have 18" performance RFT on style 162 rims. Bad idea to keep them on all winter?
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11-13-2006, 12:29 PM	#2
tommithy Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 286 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 335i Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, WA iTrader: (0)	I don't plan on changing tyres. __________________ E90 335i, Sparkling Graphite, Black Dakota leather, Burlwood trim, 6MT, ZSP, ZPP, PDC, Comfort access, heated seats, Navi w/iDrive, Production finished 10/6, Delivered 11/22/06.
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11-13-2006, 01:42 PM	#3
Ghunger Major 52 Rep 1,024 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (0)	You will have serious issues if it does snow and you try to drive on ice or compact snow. They really do have almost zero grip. If you can stay home or use another car for those times you'll be fine. If you don't want to change your tires for winter weather all-season tires will probably work fine in the northwest all year round. I wouldn't want to rely on summer tires if I didn't have other options for getting around in snowy/icy weather. __________________ 330i Monaco Blue, Terra /w aluminum trim, SP, PP, CA, PDC, Nav, Folding Seats, Sat Prep European Delivery Blog Picture Gallery
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11-13-2006, 02:26 PM	#4
tommithy Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 286 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 335i Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver, WA iTrader: (0)	I personally have other transportation (Land Rover) so I don't plan on changing tyres but even if I didn't have a 4wd car I wouldn't change tyres. It snows/ices so infrequently it's not worth the cost. __________________ E90 335i, Sparkling Graphite, Black Dakota leather, Burlwood trim, 6MT, ZSP, ZPP, PDC, Comfort access, heated seats, Navi w/iDrive, Production finished 10/6, Delivered 11/22/06.
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11-14-2006, 12:47 PM	#5
brocken Captain 34 Rep 616 Posts Drives: X3MC Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (5)	I'm debating the same thing. I just picked up a 328i w/ sport package and I'm trying to decide if I should swap out the RFT's for a good all season tire. Not so much for snow but for the rain we get and the cold temps.
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11-15-2006, 03:49 PM	#6
obLu Major 50 Rep 1,159 Posts Drives: 330i 6MT ZSP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kirkland, WA, USA iTrader: (1)	I didn't have much trouble with the potenza RFTs the first winter I had the car. I even took delivery when it was snowing. But this year, now that the tires have 16k on them, I'm having serious traction issues. Especially wet braking. (I've never had a bridgestone that had good wet traction though) I still plan to put max perf summer tires on, but it'll be a tire known to have good wet traction.
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02-26-2007, 12:01 PM	#7
E91AWD Lieutenant 16 Rep 448 Posts Drives: BMW 2007 328xiT Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon iTrader: (1)	Do you plan on driving the car to go skiing?
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