Why is the 1 Series so bad in the Snow??
Discussion
I am sure I am not the first one to post something like this, but I need to get it out of my system 
I've own\owned a few rear wheel drive cars, M3 Evo, supercharged Z4, but they behaved like 4x4's compared to the 123d. Even my 550kg Westfield had more grip in the snow. What's going on? Is it the diff, tyres........??
I was so p1$$ed off this morning, needed to get to work early and got it stuck basically pulling out the drive, had a tantrum then just had to abandon it. It's still not shifting just now. I don't think it's my driving style as I've always managed in other cars. Tyres still have 5-6mm.
Winter wheels\tyres would be ideal, but ends up costing £500-£600 for wheels and tyres, plus the car looks crap for 6 months.
I've own\owned a few rear wheel drive cars, M3 Evo, supercharged Z4, but they behaved like 4x4's compared to the 123d. Even my 550kg Westfield had more grip in the snow. What's going on? Is it the diff, tyres........??
I was so p1$$ed off this morning, needed to get to work early and got it stuck basically pulling out the drive, had a tantrum then just had to abandon it. It's still not shifting just now. I don't think it's my driving style as I've always managed in other cars. Tyres still have 5-6mm.
Winter wheels\tyres would be ideal, but ends up costing £500-£600 for wheels and tyres, plus the car looks crap for 6 months.
Edited by scz4 on Friday 6th February 19:28
What size tyres are on the 1 series? In snow the narrower the better, and I find that even 235/45/17 winter tyres on my M5 are struggling to find grip on icy and hard-packed snow. If you are running anything similar in size + them being summer tyres, I am not surprised that you are having problems.
scz4 said:
I am sure I am not the first one to post something like this, but I need to get it out of my system
I've own\owned a few rear wheel drive cars, M3 Evo, supercharged Z4, but they behaved like 4x4's compared to the 123d. Even my 550kg Westfield had more grip in the snow. What's going on? Is it the diff, tyres........??
I was so p1$$ed off this morning, needed to get to work early and got it stuck basically pulling out the drive, had a tantrum then just had to abandon it. It's still not shifting just now. I don't think it's my driving style as I've always managed in other cars. Tyres still have 5-6mm.
Winter wheels\tyres would be ideal, but ends up costing £500-£600 for wheels and tyres, plus the car looks crap for 6 months.
I reckon it's the runflats...I've own\owned a few rear wheel drive cars, M3 Evo, supercharged Z4, but they behaved like 4x4's compared to the 123d. Even my 550kg Westfield had more grip in the snow. What's going on? Is it the diff, tyres........??
I was so p1$$ed off this morning, needed to get to work early and got it stuck basically pulling out the drive, had a tantrum then just had to abandon it. It's still not shifting just now. I don't think it's my driving style as I've always managed in other cars. Tyres still have 5-6mm.
Winter wheels\tyres would be ideal, but ends up costing £500-£600 for wheels and tyres, plus the car looks crap for 6 months.
Edited by scz4 on Friday 6th February 19:28
rassi said:
What size tyres are on the 1 series? In snow the narrower the better, and I find that even 235/45/17 winter tyres on my M5 are struggling to find grip on icy and hard-packed snow. If you are running anything similar in size + them being summer tyres, I am not surprised that you are having problems.
245's on the 123d, M3 has 245's and the Z4 had 255, don't think that's it, of course it doesn't help. IN fact I had my M3 out on Wed night (with track day tyres on) and it still gripped better in the snow. Had one 2yrs ago.... truely dreadful in the snow (though I liked the car)
I put it down to
1. Hard Runflats
2. Absense of weight past rear wheels (tried loading the boot with heavy crap, but still no better)
4. Largish wheels / tyres (though it was only an SE on 16's)
Also had other rear drive cars, but none as bad as the 1 series in snow
I put it down to
1. Hard Runflats
2. Absense of weight past rear wheels (tried loading the boot with heavy crap, but still no better)
4. Largish wheels / tyres (though it was only an SE on 16's)
Also had other rear drive cars, but none as bad as the 1 series in snow
I must admit I was quite surprised at how crap my 120d was in the snow too - even the wife's MINI Cooper S performed better!
I found turning the DTC off made enough of a difference to get the car moving, albeit with lots of wheelspin, but any kind of incline bogged it down again - truly shocking level of traction. That said my 9 yr old son enjoyed my sliding the car around on an empty local carpark!
I found turning the DTC off made enough of a difference to get the car moving, albeit with lots of wheelspin, but any kind of incline bogged it down again - truly shocking level of traction. That said my 9 yr old son enjoyed my sliding the car around on an empty local carpark!
Edited by wobert on Friday 6th February 21:10
My 123d is no longer on runflats, it had ~60kgs of kit car diffs / mig welding equipment in the boot plus a full tank of fuel to weigh it down with the DTC off, but I still nearly got stuck in a virtually flat layby when turning round to avoid a big traffic jam, and the snow wasnt really that packed down at the time. I think its simply wide tyres (same as yours on 18" rims) for the weight on the back end that causes the issue.
Edited to add - actually I hadnt filled up at that point so was almost empty and I didnt really come across any challengine snow afterwards, so might have been better with the tank brimmed and another ~50kgs at the back.
Edited to add - actually I hadnt filled up at that point so was almost empty and I didnt really come across any challengine snow afterwards, so might have been better with the tank brimmed and another ~50kgs at the back.
Edited by LocoBlade on Friday 6th February 21:19
wobert said:
I must admit I was quite surprised at how crap my 120d was in the snow too - even the wife's MINI Cooper S performed better!
To be fair though FWD is generally better in the snow, you can use the front wheels to pull the car in the direction you want to go, turn to the left and 100% of the thrust is pointing in that direction because the steered wheels are also the powered wheels, so the car will generally follow whichever way you point the steering, vector thrust if you like! With RWD you can only actually push the car forward (or backwards) with the driven wheels so when cornering you're relying on lateral grip from the front wheels to redirect that thrust in a different direction. You also seem to get a slight pendulum effect (for want of correct terminology) where the RWD car pivots round the front end and the rear wheels try to overtake the front. With FWD that doesn't happen because its being pulled, not pushed.i will be very surprised if it's worse than my little E21 3 series in the snow (see profile for pic of car). had my scariest drive ever in the snow earlier which ended in me having to reverse for 1.5 miles in 45 very long minutes. i don't think there is much you can do to be honest other than get winter tyres. 4x4 would be useful. but how often do we have snow around here!!?
E21_Ross said:
i will be very surprised if it's worse than my little E21 3 series in the snow (see profile for pic of car). had my scariest drive ever in the snow earlier which ended in me having to reverse for 1.5 miles in 45 very long minutes. i don't think there is much you can do to be honest other than get winter tyres. 4x4 would be useful. but how often do we have snow around here!!?
where I live in N. Wales, we get at least 4-6 days of snow per winter - admittedly it only usually last a day or two each time.When my son who spends a fair amount of time in the mountains decided to get a 123d Coupe, an implication of the decision to go RWD was that snow tyres would be needed.
He spent £600 on Vredestein snow tyres for his One before taking it to the Alps for a couple of weeks. It was amazingly good in the snow. The electric locking diff helped (first push of the DTC button on his car, only available on the 123). You only have to look at the number of BMW's in the mountains to know that RWD cars are fine in the snow with the right tyres, and the 123 is no exception.
At the moment the snow tyres are in the garage waiting for his next trip to the Alps and he has to decide whether to have them put on tomorrow!
He spent £600 on Vredestein snow tyres for his One before taking it to the Alps for a couple of weeks. It was amazingly good in the snow. The electric locking diff helped (first push of the DTC button on his car, only available on the 123). You only have to look at the number of BMW's in the mountains to know that RWD cars are fine in the snow with the right tyres, and the 123 is no exception.
At the moment the snow tyres are in the garage waiting for his next trip to the Alps and he has to decide whether to have them put on tomorrow!
I've actually been mildly impressed with mine. Driven on some awful roads this week and got through fine. Small wheels though as its an SE.
The Mrs's 330 was dreadful though, had to abandon it about half a mile from the house on Monday night as she got stuck on a very small incline. I walked out to her and just couldn't move it, not fun having to walk back with her through a blizzard. Especially as she is neary 6 months pregnant and balance isn't her finest attribute at the momment!
This has been the one time I miss my saab, that was utterly brilliant on snow.
The Mrs's 330 was dreadful though, had to abandon it about half a mile from the house on Monday night as she got stuck on a very small incline. I walked out to her and just couldn't move it, not fun having to walk back with her through a blizzard. Especially as she is neary 6 months pregnant and balance isn't her finest attribute at the momment!
This has been the one time I miss my saab, that was utterly brilliant on snow.
No problems here with a 118d on 17" alloys (dynamic pack) same width front and back, same as come as standard on the 125i
a fair bit less torque than the 123d though...
ETA: RE050 Bridgestone runflats here, with 13000 miles wear on them
a fair bit less torque than the 123d though...
ETA: RE050 Bridgestone runflats here, with 13000 miles wear on them
Edited by texasjohn on Saturday 7th February 09:49
You know I didn't think mine was that bad. It did once try and steer itself out of a side road without any steering input from me but otherwise not to bad.
I've got non-RFT's fitted, so not sure if that made any difference.
Regarding the e-diff on the 123d Coupe (and the 135i I think), does anyone know if this is available on the 123d in hatchback form?
I've got non-RFT's fitted, so not sure if that made any difference.
Regarding the e-diff on the 123d Coupe (and the 135i I think), does anyone know if this is available on the 123d in hatchback form?
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