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[saury316]

So trying to decide between two winter tires for Pittsburgh (hilly, slucshy, sometimes icy, its really messed up)
My current wheels are 16" stock in my 325. So which one do you guys recommend??

So...
Option A
16" Bridgestone Blizzack LM-22 RFT and ASA J3 wheels = $1043 (incl Shipping)

Opten B
17" Dunlop Winter Sport M3 DSST and ASA J3 wheels = $1163 (incl shipping) - $50 rebate = $1113.

Is the Dunlop better than the Bridgestone??

[Tierfreund]

Who cares what tire is better ?

What matters is that 16inchers look silly on the E90. While you´re at it, get yourself some 17 or 18inchers for summer as well.

[saury316]

I do.....lol.....these are the first winter tires i've gotten...i don't know if there is anything bad with getting the 17" as oppossed to 16". Also...some people said the Blizzak wear out faster...that only half the tread is designed for winter...and the other half is just basic all-season...

[Bimmerista]

Originally Posted by saury316

I do.....lol.....these are the first winter tires i've gotten...i don't know if there is anything bad with getting the 17" as oppossed to 16". Also...some people said the Blizzak wear out faster...that only half the tread is designed for winter...and the other half is just basic all-season...

Blizzak will be a superior pure snow/slush/ice...crap on the street tire. However, it is very loud on dry pavement; it does wear out faster than other tires. TOYO tires have good reputation, however, I went with the Dunlop M3 DSSTs because their winter traction is excellent (my wife runs the M2s - same thread pattern, no run flat) and they handle very well in the dry.

So it depends what you are looking for - if you want extreme safety in extreme conditions, get the Bilzzak. If you want excellent all-around winter performance, get the M3s.

PS, smaller diametre tire is better for winter so your 16' (assuming that you would run 205s) are better than 225s (M3s on 17'-what I am running).

[saury316]

Originally Posted by Bimmerista

Blizzak will be a superior pure snow/slush/ice...crap on the street tire. However, it is very loud on dry pavement; it does wear out faster than other tires. TOYO tires have good reputation, however, I went with the Dunlop M3 DSSTs because their winter traction is excellent (my wife runs the M2s - same thread pattern, no run flat) and they handle very well in the dry.

So it depends what you are looking for - if you want extreme safety in extreme conditions, get the Bilzzak. If you want excellent all-around winter performance, get the M3s.

PS, smaller diametre tire is better for winter so your 16' (assuming that you would run 205s) are better than 225s (M3s on 17'-what I am running).

With Pittsburgh erratic weather...I was leaning towrds the Dunlops more and more....its just that we either have really slushy icy days or really dry days...its even snowed in end of April....
I wish DUnlop had come out with tires in 16" with RFT but they havent

How much did you get them for with wheels?

[Bimmerista]

Originally Posted by saury316

With Pittsburgh erratic weather...I was leaning towrds the Dunlops more and more....its just that we either have really slushy icy days or really dry days...its even snowed in end of April....
I wish DUnlop had come out with tires in 16" with RFT but they havent

How much did you get them for with wheels?

I got them in Canada from Tiretrends with M5 replica mags for $2,000 Canadian (including sales tax-which would not apply to you - 7%).

However, I know that Tire Rack sells them on ASAJ3 wheels (five spoke, also look good) and those cost total approx $1,000 US transport included (you can go on their site and price it).

[saury316]

I already have (check the first post)

[Bimmerista]

Originally Posted by saury316

I already have (check the first post)

Right- O

(sorry)

[poldim]

Originally Posted by Bimmerista

PS, smaller diametre tire is better for winter so your 16' (assuming that you would run 205s) are better than 225s (M3s on 17'-what I am running).

Does everyone say to get a smaller diameter because the width usually decreses with diamater?

Or are there some other reasons that its better to have a smaller diameter winter tire?

[Tierfreund]

Originally Posted by poldim

Does everyone say to get a smaller diameter because the width usually decreses with diamater?

Or are there some other reasons that its better to have a smaller diameter winter tire?

Wheel diameter is irrelevant for winter characteristics. Tire width is relevant. The slimmer tire will be better in winter. But since you´ll need 225mm wide tires for the E90 in either 16 or 17inch width, you might as well go for the 17´s.

The only effect the wheel diameter will have is the lower sidewall of the 17´s. A higher sidewall tends to flex a little more therefore providing slightly better grip on soft surfaces, but the effect is so marginal (and RFT´s add so much sidewall stiffness anyway....) it can be ignored.

The smaller diameter wheel has a slight performance advantage because it ususally is slightly lighter and it mass is concentrated closer to the center so it has less rotational mass. So you might get slightly better acceleration performance on a dry pavement with the 16´s. But again, that effect is marginal.

As for the choice on wether to run 16 or 17 on your winter setup, if both combos have the same tire width, it´s a matter of cost and looks. The bad weather performance will be similar.

[sebby]

Would it be true to say that the higher side walls of the 16’ winter tire will save my sport suspension package when hitting potholes in the street (I live in Montreal, Canada, and all our streets are covered with potholes).

Regards,

seb

[Tierfreund]

Originally Posted by sebby

Would it be true to say that the higher side walls of the 16’ winter tire will save my sport suspension package when hitting potholes in the street (I live in Montreal, Canada, and all our streets are covered with potholes).

Regards,

seb

Yes, but not by much.

[uhaulball]

hi im pretty much a nub to the entire wheel/tire scene. i am wondering if my stock 159 wheels with all-season run-flats will run well in winter conditions if i have a 330xi. Do i need winter-tires or are the all-seasons fine.

[espo]

Originally Posted by uhaulball

hi im pretty much a nub to the entire wheel/tire scene. i am wondering if my stock 159 wheels with all-season run-flats will run well in winter conditions if i have a 330xi. Do i need winter-tires or are the all-seasons fine.

I'm running the stock A/S in Buffalo.... Make your own conclusions from that.

[poldim]

I went with 18" Blizzaks....

[BMW0]

Originally Posted by saury316

So trying to decide between two winter tires for Pittsburgh (hilly, slucshy, sometimes icy, its really messed up)
My current wheels are 16" stock in my 325. So which one do you guys recommend??

So...
Option A
16" Bridgestone Blizzack LM-22 RFT and ASA J3 wheels = $1043 (incl Shipping)

Opten B
17" Dunlop Winter Sport M3 DSST and ASA J3 wheels = $1163 (incl shipping) - $50 rebate = $1113.

Is the Dunlop better than the Bridgestone??

Well, Bridgestone is the primary leader in performance tires in Japan, F1, and even worldwide. Dunlop has its share of tire technology and know how over decades of research and development, but Bridgestone just has alot more of each (technology & know how). Sorry if this seems a bit simple and straight forward, just trying to get the point across effectively.

[poldim]

Well put.

[Dante]

Originally Posted by BMW0

Well, Bridgestone is the primary leader in performance tires in Japan, F1, and even worldwide. Dunlop has its share of tire technology and know how over decades of research and development, but Bridgestone just has alot more of each (technology & know how). Sorry if this seems a bit simple and straight forward, just trying to get the point across effectively.

Dunlop invented air filled tyres in 1888, so who has more know how then...

I would go for the 17" with Dunlop, we have them on our e60 and they do very well overall.

[saury316]

sorry for the delayed heads up..but I decided to go with the Dunlops...they had better dry weather rating which I feel Pittsburgh gets its fair share of, and better tread wear.
But honestly if you want to talk tire technology and F1, you should be looking at Michellin for tires not Bridgestone...and I would have been if they had a runflat winter tire that fit...

[CnoteMD]

I have the Dunlop Winter M3 (runflat) on my car. Even though it has snowed about 3 times so far I have yet to drive in the snow with these tires (most of my driving is on the weekend).

However, under normal weather conditions (ranging from 15-50 F), I have been very impressed with the ride. The grip is similar to the all-season tires (of the same size) I had on my previous VW Jetta. Sure it doesn't grip as well as the summer tires, but as the weather cooled off they didn't have much grip anyway.

Even though I don't have any real snow experience with these tires, I have been very impressed so far.

[uhaulball]

from those choices, i'd go with the dunlop

[ToddL]

Originally Posted by Tierfreund

Wheel diameter is irrelevant for winter characteristics. Tire width is relevant. The slimmer tire will be better in winter. But since you´ll need 225mm wide tires for the E90 in either 16 or 17inch width, you might as well go for the 17´s.

Actually one can run 205/55/16's on the 325i, which would clearly be a superior foul weather setup when compared to 225/45/17's.