M3 snow

[Gadaffi Duck]

Hi guys

After prev years horrors in snow and ice on standard wheels / tires
I intend getting winter ones this year. My thinking was to go to the
Scrapper to get narrower steel rims and put winters on them so I can
Readily swap when needed. What's the opinion? Would the rims go on ok?

Cheers tim

[rassi]

E46 M3? You still need 17" i believe to clear the front brakes. Narrowest tyres would be 225 all round.

Something like this http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-6007-e46-m3-styl...

Be aware of the different offset front and rear

[Stingercut]

The rears on M3's can be a bit tricky dimension wise. I got some mint M3 OEMs for a good price and put winters on. They will also hold their value better when you want to move them on.

[Eastern boy]

I was speaking to a customer the other day that bought a set of 19 inch replicas including tyres for about £800 i think. But there are a couple of tyre manufacturers making 19 inch snow tyres now dunlop and pirelli i think, non run flats around 700 a set???

[Big E 118]

Eastern boy said:

I was speaking to a customer the other day that bought a set of 19 inch replicas including tyres for about £800 i think. But there are a couple of tyre manufacturers making 19 inch snow tyres now dunlop and pirelli i think, non run flats around 700 a set???

Michelin Alpins are made in various sizes for 19inch wheels, just got a set on my M3. Price wise they were just over £1,300.

[AndrewO]

I swapped over the 19" polished for a set of 18" M3 wheels each winter

The exercise was mainly about not getting salt on the polished rims than anything else. Picking up the std 18" was quite easy, 255/40/18 and 225/45/18 I think

[istoo]

Stingercut said:

The rears on M3's can be a bit tricky dimension wise. I got some mint M3 OEMs for a good price and put winters on. They will also hold their value better when you want to move them on.

i did exactly the same, stepping from 19 to 18s made the tyres a couple of hundred quid cheaper immediately! And i would say the ride is actually better.
I also looked at 17's then find the offsets to be correct was proving a nightmare, also was concerned about clearing thecalipers, not measured the rear discs but they dont appear to be much (any) smaller than the fronts!

[danzltiu]

I got a spare set of standard wheels and put Vredstein Wintrak on them. Snowed avernight in Feb and woke up to about 7 inches. First 200 yards is all up hill. Went through it no bother. I was amazed at the difference they made.
regards
Danz

[Stingercut]

^^ very reassuring. If it snows & ices up there is surely nothing more scary than driving along narrow off camber country roads or elevation changes.

[0836whimper]

My old M3 in the snow. Went from being unable to move on a flat driveway to being able to easily deal with snowy hairpins in the Peak District.

[Stingercut]

^^^ love it. The tyres look so cool too.

[Gadaffi Duck]

Thanks for the feedback, chaps.
Sounds like an option but I tell you what-
I've researched getting a set of scabby rims
(No puns thank you) and some winter rubber
Which seems to amount to £1200. -£1500 .
I can get a freelander, which has 12 month's mot
And insure it for less. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place
But that's no contest. I'm not pranging my m3 in the snow, plus I can join an unpopular
Stereotype group!
Tim

[l34052]

Gadaffi Duck said:

Thanks for the feedback, chaps.
Sounds like an option but I tell you what-
I've researched getting a set of scabby rims
(No puns thank you) and some winter rubber
Which seems to amount to £1200. -£1500 .
I can get a freelander, which has 12 month's mot
And insure it for less. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place
But that's no contest. I'm not pranging my m3 in the snow, plus I can join an unpopular
Stereotype group!
Tim

I only have an older '99 323 but do agree with you on the issue of wheel/tire prices when you can buy an older disco or freelander for the same and it will be much more capable.

[ATM]

You could buy some cheap winter tyres. I have nankang tyres on my audi - yes its not a bmw - and these cost about 100 per corner. A cheap winter tyre will be far superior to the best summer tyre once temps get down.

[Guyr]

l34052 said:

I only have an older '99 323 but do agree with you on the issue of wheel/tire prices when you can buy an older disco or freelander for the same and it will be much more capable.

Do you have to pay road tax, insurance, servicing for the winter tyres.....?

Properly bought a set of used wheels and new tyres will cost well under £1k and the tyres in fact cost nothing in terms of consumed cost since they save wear on the summer tyres.

[kis]

l34052 said:

Gadaffi Duck said:

Thanks for the feedback, chaps.
Sounds like an option but I tell you what-
I've researched getting a set of scabby rims
(No puns thank you) and some winter rubber
Which seems to amount to £1200. -£1500 .
I can get a freelander, which has 12 month's mot
And insure it for less. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place
But that's no contest. I'm not pranging my m3 in the snow, plus I can join an unpopular
Stereotype group!
Tim

I only have an older '99 323 but do agree with you on the issue of wheel/tire prices when you can buy an older disco or freelander for the same and it will be much more capable.

IMO a rear wheel drive car on winter tyres will be quite a bit more capable than a 4x4 on summer tyres when it's snowing

[0836whimper]

kis said:

IMO a rear wheel drive car on winter tyres will be quite a bit more capable than a 4x4 on summer tyres when it's snowing

That's my experience, especially stopping as a 4x4 on summers is a liability with the extra weight.
Feel much more confident in the M3 in the snow with winter rubber on.

The other thing is that a set of wheels with winter rubber on hardly depreciates if you bought the rims 2nd hand in the first place, if you sell seperately when you sell your car you get most of your money back.

Depends on how much you drive your car, if I commuted in winter then a second car makes more sense. I don't though.

[Stingercut]

Hope I'm wrong but ive just been chatting to a Pilot who said its supposed to drop to -15 deg C in a few weeks

[Gadaffi Duck]

[quote=Guyr]

Do you have to pay road tax, insurance, servicing for the winter tyres.....?


Yes. I live on an obscure island in the arctic and it has rules that state any tyre must
have tax, insurance, servicing, plus you have to give it expensive private education. So there

[ATM]

Gadaffi Duck said:

Guyr said:

Do you have to pay road tax, insurance, servicing for the winter tyres.....?

Yes. I live on an obscure island in the arctic and it has rules that state any tyre must
have tax, insurance, servicing, plus you have to give it expensive private education. So there

I think you should move. That sounds crazy.