E30 Zone

I've finally parted ways with and served my E46 318ci so the E30 is currently our only car. As it will be getting a bit of use over the winter months I'm debating whether to purchase some winter tyres.

Has anyone had any experience of these on an E30? If so did they make any noticeable difference? 205/55/15 winter tyres seem to be non-existent so would a set of 14s be a better bit as there appears to be better tyre selection for this size?

I bought some Vredestein SnowTrac 3 and in the wet they are superb, can't wait for the snow now!

I bought a spare set of 14" wheels for the car to put them on and got 185/65/14 at £58 a corner from 'camskill' dot 'co' dot 'uk'

Everyone says 14's better for the snow

I was having a look at the Vredesteins as they seem quite a decent price. I've used their Sportrac 3's on both E30s and E36s and been impressed.

When it comes to winter tyres, you don't want width, which is why 205/55R15s will be very hard to find. The official winter tyre was a 185/65R14, so that the weight of the car pushes down through the snow.

I run Vredestein Snowtrac tyres over here, because our winters are a little more severe They ploughed happily through 18 inches of snow on the autobahns last Christmas

I've used an E34 with winter tyres - huge difference. It ploughed (sorry, terrible pun, I know!) through last winter's weather without any difficulty..

I have a set of these tyres I was thinking of selling. I fitted them to a 2nd set of wheels for my M3, drove it maybe 50 miles in the snow but since then it has become a garage queen so I wont be using them again.

You can have them for £175 or £200 all in shiped if your interested.

Regardless if you get these of me dont go out and buy 4-5mm used ones, they only work to around 4mm which is why there are loads of part used ones for sale as they are not legal in Germany etc any more.

Invoice below.

Item No.: R-159954
Item: Hankook OPTIMO 4S H730 195/50 R15 82H M+S marking (AS)
Quantity: 4
unit price net: 55.57 GBP (65.30 GBP brutto)
-----------------------------------------
Total amount net: 222.30 GBP
Transport and delivery costs net: 0.00 GBP
-----------------------------------------
Total amount net: 222.30 GBP
17.5 % VAT 38.90 GBP
-----------------------------------------
Total sum: 261.20 GBP
=========================================

get some spare bottletops and keep them in the garage over the summer. Bottletops only fetch scrap value anyway.

Morat wrote:get some spare bottletops and keep them in the garage over the summer. Bottletops only fetch scrap value anyway.

I had a set a couple of years ago but I sold them on eBay when I upgraded to 15" BBS. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

The Sportracs its got on it now were OK in the snow last year - far better than whatever Korean Ditch Finders were fitted to my E46 anyway. They were abysmal and left the car practically immobile for a month.

Vredestein Snowtracs and 14s sounds a plan.

Black_Potato - Thanks for the offer but I'm going to get a set of 14s and just swap them over with the BBS as our climate dictates.

I've got a spare set if the 80s soul lounge is anywhere near York

Spare set of 14's FTW! I have a set of steels with winter tyres waiting for my E34

I used steelies on mine too, but I heavily recommend putting a dab of copper grease around the lips of the wheel where it sits on the brake disc. I had to batter one of my wheels off with a club hammer this spring and buckled it badly, since it rusted solid to the disc.

Bear in mind that's not just the -30 degree nights that diable remembers, but the amount of road salt you use in the UK.

I bought a spare set of 4 x 14" BBS, in pretty sorry state for £60, tidied them up with a Dremel and had them powder coated in black = winter wheels

And my 15" silver for spring summer and autumn, sorted! Best of both worlds

Morat wrote:I've got a spare set if the 80s soul lounge is anywhere near York

Thanks for the offer but andyp has kindly sorted me out with a set.

Does BMW recommend a specific size tyre for winter tyres? I'm finding references to 175/70/14, 195/65/14 and 195/60/14?

i got a set from a zoner, yet to try them out, you watch we wont get any snow now

Alex wrote:i got a set from a zoner, yet to try them out, you watch we wont get any snow now

Head to the Alps!

Most forecasts indicate we're in for quite a cold time over winter so I expect they'll prove their worth. Once temperatures dip below 7 celsius they're meant to be superior to summer tyres.

Once temperatures dip below 7 celsius they're meant to be superior to summer tyres.[/quote]

Exactly right - the compound of winter tyres is specially formulated to remain flexible and pliable at those temperatures, at which point summer tyres are more affected by the cold so go harder. Basically the winter tyre grips better as the high silicon content in the rubber and well as the 'sipes' (small grooves in the tread blocks) mean that there is more flexibility.

I lived in Germany for 5 years and had Michelin Alpins on my E92 M3 and Bridgestone Blizzaks on my E46 M3 CS and E92 335d Coupe, as well as the missus' 123d. Both were excellent and really, genuinely, made a difference not only in deep snow and ice, but also during cold temperatures.

Just my tuppence worth!

darkchild wrote:

Morat wrote:I've got a spare set if the 80s soul lounge is anywhere near York

Thanks for the offer but andyp has kindly sorted me out with a set.

Does BMW recommend a specific size tyre for winter tyres? I'm finding references to 175/70/14, 195/65/14 and 195/60/14?

There the right sizes. 175/70/14 would be best on snow. Imagine the ride comfort on 70 profile tyres.

Heres some Goodyear Ultragrip 8's which are one of the best winter tyres on the market.

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m94b0s719p793 ... R14_84T_TL_

I've bought some Dunlop Winter 4D's

Blitz wrote:There the right sizes. 175/70/14 would be best on snow. Imagine the ride comfort on 70 profile tyres.

Heres some Goodyear Ultragrip 8's which are one of the best winter tyres on the market.

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m94b0s719p793 ... R14_84T_TL_

Cheers Mo

They seem to be very highly regarded from the reviews I've read so I've ordered a set.

^^ I've just bought a set of those in 175/70R14. Gonna get them fitted at the wkend now the temp is bouncing around 7oC during my commute to work.

Bring on the cold!

febuary/march it will probably snow its been slowly getting more colder/hotter over the last few years,

Had the 175/70/14 Goodyear Ultragrip 8's fitted yesterday. The car looks hilarious on such skinny rubber but bring on the snow! Only driven a few miles so far but they seem nice and quiet and the steering is ridiculously lighter compared to the 205/55/15 Vredesteins I've got fitted to my BBS. Looking forward to seeing how it copes over winter.

7 degrees? Sounds like perfect temperature for summer tyres to me! Fit the winters now and they will just wear out faster, I wont go anywhere near mine until there is snow on the roads

Idearly the day. Score the snows on the roads Dan.