Michelin PSS and snow...

[Maniac]

So I can officially confirm that Michelin PSS and even the lightest snow produce proper turtles head scenarios. My first encounter with RWD and summer tyres as I've always had mixed season tyres before. Its interesting.

I turned around half way to the office today after a number of turtle head moments on even the lightest throttle. ...and before you say 'winter tyres'.. I'm not paying £350 a tyre nor buying a complete set of wheels and tyres for the odd day this happens. I can work from home, that'll do me.

The number of other shunts I saw on the way though, lots, plus an Audi A5 on an incline/exit ramp... sliding around, big queue of very worried cars behind it. It never managed to get to the top. I did, at about 3mph with no sudden movements!

Funny to reflect on, pappy pant time when it started sliding around at the lightest touch.

 

[Crusoe]

Need an m diff makes it a lot more predicable, esp systems in the snow on summer tyres just make things worse when they start grabbing brakes.
25kg bag od builders sand in the boot helps too

 

[pvr]

Cheaper to buy a winter beater than a set of wheels for the E89

The old Polo I had did wonders in the snow :lol:

 

[Sae]

...brave man to even consider venturing out on PSS

 

[Nictrix]

My wife took ours to work this morning.
No gritters had been out and was about 2-3 inches of snow.
She said she hated the feeling of not being in control and she is taking it home early.
Its still on Potenza runflats.

 

[Maniac]

Well the new Merc should be here soon and as that's a family car I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and get winters for that. While I don't want to spend on seldom used tyres for the Z, if the Merc slid about with the other half driving, well lets just say that would cost me more in ear ache so the winter tyre spend would seem a good option!

 

[pvr]

Keep an eye on eBay, for my X5 the whole lot was about £500 once I sold the SE 18" new tyres which were on the wheels when I got them.

 

[Crusoe]

Winters do make a huge difference, have them on my wife's 1 series and even after 15k miles and five winters they still grip miles better than new summers. Paid for themselves in wear saved on spinning summers and quite fun to throw around when the grip is consistent, much better ride too.

 

[NeilP]

Keep an eye on eBay, for my X5 the whole lot was about £500 once I sold the SE 18" new tyres which were on the wheels when I got them.

This.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Winter-tyres-Alloy-wheel-255-60-17-BMW-M-/191481114717?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Rims_Car_Wheels_ET&hash=item2c9529f05d

 

[TitanTim]

That's why I used to leave the zed in garage over winter even though peeps took the piss :roll: , has to be better than ending up in a ditch. Cheap alloys and all seasons on the Z3 keeps me moving

I imagine the Merc being rear wheel drive with summers will be just as bad so I would factor in some winter shoes as part of the deal

Tim.

 

[Maniac]

Not a bad idea Tim, but I think as I've managed 20% off list on a car that's only been out a few months that might be pushing it. I'll ask the question though

 

[pvr]

I asked the question with my X5 and got the "great deal on these winters, only £4k".

Hmm, will pass thanks.

 

[Maniac]

I asked the question with my X5 and got the "great deal on these winters, only £4k".

Hmm, will pass thanks.

I suspect given they'll be in the garage longer than on the car, after market wheels and tyres will be the route as I don't expect much more from Mercedes given the deal I got. drive the deal, plus end of month, plus delivery for their March targets got me a deal I'm happy with. Once its here the weather may well have improved. If not, off to eBay I go to have a look.

 

[pvr]

I got mine in the summer from an SE model (new) who had upgraded to M sport wheels (the same as mine). He had not realised he could use them for winter wheels, so when I came in my X5 to pick them up he wondered why I wanted them.

He did look a bit sheepish when he realised that he could have done the same, so I picked them up for £350 for a full set of unused alloys. Use them for 4 months in the year so keeps the wear on my summer wheels / tyres down and I don't care if I have to drive through deep snow without knowing if there is a pot hole underneath.

 

[TitanTim]

Think I will be taking the plunge next winter as not really likeing a car sitting in the garage that I'm paying a monthly PCP on I suppose the bright side is you're wearing the summers out less

Tim.

 

[lux]

What was that noise Tim? I think I might have been the penny dropping!
You kept the old zed immaculate for the current new owner, rather than driving it or keeping it yourself.

 

[StevenH72]

What was that noise Tim? I think I might have been the penny dropping!
You kept the old zed immaculate for the current new owner, rather than driving it or keeping it yourself.

This is one thing I never understood. Tim's Z3 was the winter beater. But the car he is in effect leasing for the mid-term was treated like a baby....odd.

Anyway, with the Merc, I had a couple of slides last week, both at innocuously low speeds which did worry me a bit. They're not great in the snow / icy conditions. I'll be grabbing winters for mine.

 

[ronk]

Think I will be taking the plunge next winter as not really likeing a car sitting in the garage that I'm paying a monthly PCP on I suppose the bright side is you're wearing the summers out less

I hate to tell you but your tyres will be to throw away long before their worn out even if they're stored properly!

 

[TitanTim]

What was that noise Tim? I think I might have been the penny dropping!
You kept the old zed immaculate for the current new owner, rather than driving it or keeping it yourself.

This is one thing I never understood. Tim's Z3 was the winter beater. But the car he is in effect leasing for the mid-term was treated like a baby....odd.

Anyway, with the Merc, I had a couple of slides last week, both at innocuously low speeds which did worry me a bit. They're not great in the snow / icy conditions. I'll be grabbing winters for mine.

It's not odd at all, as many find if you want a set of BMW winter wheels and tyres your talking over 1700 quid which I didn't want to fork out at the time so took the cheaper route of aftermarket wheels and tyres for a fraction of the cost for the Z3. I didn't fancy putting aftermarket alloys on the M135i with it being on a PCP etc. I bet there's a fair few owners with redundant cars in the bad weather or use a more suitable car. Nothing to do with babying the car.

Tim.

 

[lux]

Never had winters on either of my zeds and both used as my daily. Having said that if there is more than an inch of snow on the roads and I need to get out I use the wifes Q5 (with normal tyres on).
Went home lunch time today with the roads lightly covered in snow and had no problems at all (traction kicked in a few times) but I only have to travel less than 2 miles.
I keep some snow socks in the boot in case I'm out and about when it really snows to get me home but otherwise just drive sensibly when its freezing.
Winter tyres pfft!