255 tyres in winter

A

AndrewD1

Member
Hi all,

I'm a new "member" to the forum, but have used it as a good resource over the last couple of years that I've had my 2.5si - best source on the web for Z4 info in my opinion!

I need to drive the Z in winter this year so have been looking for suitable winter tyres. I wasn't planning on buying a new set of wheels, so was just going to replace summer tyres (225/40/18 front, 255/35/18 rear) with like for like winter ones. I read a lot about how it's better to have slimmer wheels in winter on the rear - but does anyone have direct experience of using 255's in the winter and how they performed?

Cheers,
A
 
A skinnier tyre will be better in the snow/slush as it will cut through better. Just depends how often you expect to be is snow/slush deep enough to need tyres that cut through it, yet shallow enough not to be higher than the front spoiler.

However, on a dry & very cold surface a wider tyre would be better as you'd get more contact area.

If I used winters on my MC I'd keep to OEM sizes and just put decent winters on them. However, I've only used summer tyres over the last 5 years, and haven't been stuck yet - although I do keep a set of (unused) sno-socks in the boot just in case (along with my winter 'emergency' kit of blanket, snacks, hand-crank phone charger, etc.).
 
Thanks mmm-five.

If it's forecast to snow then I'm not going to drive it basically. What I don't want is to be half way through a journey and find the car can't cope with an inch of snow / slush on hills. Most of the winter it should hopefully just be frosty conditions, so the wider tyre may be better as you say.
 
I had 255 rear winter falkens last year, worked a treat.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
 
aquazi said:
I had 255 rear winter falkens last year, worked a treat.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Did you have just the two rears or did you have all four winter tyres.
Would be very interested if it's worth just buying two good rears
 
my 2p

four equal tyres is much better
if the front and back have wildly different stickability you are asking to swap ends unexpectedly or out accelerate your braking and or steering.

in my somewhat corner crunching experience :)
 
Nanu said:
aquazi said:
I had 255 rear winter falkens last year, worked a treat.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Did you have just the two rears or did you have all four winter tyres.
Would be very interested if it's worth just buying two good rears
Click to expand...

I changed all 4.

IMO the cost of 225/40/18 falkens is under £100 each so its worth doing them all.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
 
My winter tires are 225 front and 255 rear and I've never had any problem getting around on snow or even ice... :driving:
 
As reguards to just putting 2 on, my dad put 2 on the rear of the jag (taxi) didn't get stuck anywhere. Bare in mind he only swapped them once he couldn't get anywhere on normals. My point is, on 2 occasions he couldn't stop goin down hills and as a last ditch effort he engaged the handbrake as all the braking force was going to the front summer tyres and causing abs to kick in and do nothing. Handbrake stopped the car dead both times. We were really sceptical about snow tyres until we tried them.
 
Thank guys. :thumbsup: Looks like change all four is the best option and leave them on say between Dec till Feb before changing them back. Is there any difference in things such as ride quality or road noise with the winter tyres?
 
road temp seven degrees or less.
november to april or later.

ime quieter as the compound is a bit softer but also less precise, same reason
 
Finisterre said:
road temp seven degrees or less.
november to april or later.

ime quieter as the compound is a bit softer but also less precise, same reason
Click to expand...

Thanks it looks like a no brainer
 
excellent, stylish.

We tend to orientals, Siamese: blue, lilac, sealpoint, chocolate, tabby, and once the most handsome Havana ever seen by humankind.

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38390&start=30



did anyone notice the colon, sophisticated eh?
:)
 
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