Anyone Use Or Know About Winter Tires?

[bobs530i]

I just bought a 2001 530i sport this past year (june) and in july i bought a set of 16 wheels with winter tires (for a good price because of the time i bought them) and i was curious to see when other people decide to put on their winter wheels. I am in Michigan and we haven't seen any snow yet. I talked to the dealer and they told me wait till the 1st of december and use them as with the shortest amount of time you can. He told me that they were such a soft tire and they wear quickly. Well the only concern that i have is the one of if i wait to long and we get a inch or more on the ground i won't really be able to drive the car because of the sport tire. I previous owned a 95 m3 and i had it in the snow a few times and barely kept it on the road. So my concern more or less is it too early to do this? And in the end.. i would rather go through the tire quicker then end up in a ditch on my way to get the wheels put on.. or worse. Just some helpful info would be nice.

Thanks

[bobs530i]

any insight is appreciated.

[Bmw1990]

I also live in Michigan, and its snowing like a bitch right now. I have used Bridgestone blizzaks before and they are a very nice tire and dont cost that much. Since BMW's are RWD I would put some weight back there like sandbags or your regular wheels that u take off. I would put them on sooner or later, becuase the last thing u want is an unexpected snow and u aren't prepared. If I were u I would put them on right now.

[WOSBY]

I use a set of Blizzak WS-50 along with 4 50lb sandbags in the trunk of my 330i, and have not had a problem in the snow. I highly recommend it.

Wosby

[sean]

i live in boulder colorado right now. we just got dumped on last weekend i had my sport tires on and overnight i couldn't drive, it took me about 10 minutes of peeling out to get my car into my tiny garage to put the winter tires on and it was well worth it. without the winter tires i would have crashed my car on just my driveway, but i had to push it. i crammed two snowboards a pair of skis and two friends in my car and went to breckenridge to snowboard last sunday. it was snowing non stop for two days, on the way back it took me 4 hours to go 10 miles in stop and barely go traffic up a 7 percent grade. trust me the winter tires proved their worth that night, over all through the night there were 3 jackknifed semi trucks, and about 3 dozen other cars of all sorts stuck in the snow, and i never had a problem besides a split second of no traction before i got moving.

i guess in your case if it is getting cold enough up there for snow to form, it might be a safer option to just put the snow tires on now so you don't have to worry about it later. yes you can't drive as fast, but you can still drive fast enough to get a hefty fine. If you don't put them on now, put them on in the first sign of snow, just hopefully it won't snow before you get to doing it.