Winter Tire suggestions?

[Cab325i/540i]

My wife is now driving the 95 540i, and I'm going to be buying snow tires for it for this winter (we live outside of Boston). She's never had a RWD car, nor anything even remotely close to this much power. It's also a bigger car than she's used to. So she's a little nervous about driving this car in the snow, and I believe in having the right shoes on the car for the snow anyway. Anyway, I have the Blizzak WS-50 snows for my E30, and I just loved them in the snow, but not so much when it wasn't snowing. On my car, I don't mind changing over to the all-seasons when it hasn't snowed in a while and won't for a while, but I'd rather not do that for both cars all the time.

Tire Rack has a couple different recommended tires in 225/60-15, the WS-50 and Pirelli Winter 210 Snow Sport. They also have several different brands in an 205/65-15 (WS-50, Dunlop Graspic DS-2, Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice, Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2, and Michelin X-Ice). I think I'm leaning towards the WS-50, just because I have had good experience in the snow with those on the E30, but the E34 is a different animal.

Anyone have good/bad experiences to relate with any of the listed tires? Should I go down to a 205 width for snows, or is 225 a good snow size for this car?

Thanks.

[Mr Project]

I have Michelin Arctic Alpin Sports for the Jetta. They were actually pretty nice in the dry/wet, and good in the snow. Not as good as Blizzaks in the snow, but so much better in the dry that I would have chosen them again.

I've driven on Blizzaks once or twice, and I have a cheapo set of Firestone Winterfires that I ran on the RX-7. I've never tried any of the others....

[JonE]

Blizzak's work great on my 535i here in Minnesota. Not sure I'd consider anything else now that I've tried them. I always add at least one or two 40lb. bags of rock salt in the trunk as well. I think the size is the usual 225 15 in.

[632 Regal]

Im running the Conti-Extream tractions, year round tires look pretty aggressive for winter.

[Tiger]

Trust me... Nokian Hakkapelita is what you want.

[632 Regal]

Trust me... Nokian Hakkapelita is what you want.

[Cab325i/540i]

Trust me... Nokian Hakkapelita is what you want.

I've heard that brand before, but not seen them for sale on Tire Rack, which is where I usually buy tires. Do you have a source for them, where I could check them out?

Thanks for your response.

BTW, my wife only has about a 3-mile commute, and my ice racing will be done in my E30. So she won't have to be climbing the Swiss Alps in this car in the winter!

[DaCan23]

Ditto - I have Michelin Pilot Artic Alpins and love them... Blizzaks can be a little squirrly if ya get a warm winter day...

[jjg43]

My wife is now driving the 95 540i, and I'm going to be buying snow tires for it for this winter (we live outside of Boston). She's never had a RWD car, nor anything even remotely close to this much power. It's also a bigger car than she's used to. So she's a little nervous about driving this car in the snow, and I believe in having the right shoes on the car for the snow anyway. Anyway, I have the Blizzak WS-50 snows for my E30, and I just loved them in the snow, but not so much when it wasn't snowing. On my car, I don't mind changing over to the all-seasons when it hasn't snowed in a while and won't for a while, but I'd rather not do that for both cars all the time.

Tire Rack has a couple different recommended tires in 225/60-15, the WS-50 and Pirelli Winter 210 Snow Sport. They also have several different brands in an 205/65-15 (WS-50, Dunlop Graspic DS-2, Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice, Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2, and Michelin X-Ice). I think I'm leaning towards the WS-50, just because I have had good experience in the snow with those on the E30, but the E34 is a different animal.

Anyone have good/bad experiences to relate with any of the listed tires? Should I go down to a 205 width for snows, or is 225 a good snow size for this car?

Thanks.

[Tiger]

3 miles is still 3 miles of possible sliding and stopping... There should be a local dealer near you... Usually the stores for the Nokians are at the area of states where extreme winter is experienced.

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/index.html

I buy my tires from Tire Racks too... but for snow tires... I will go anywhere to buy Nokian.

Ice Racing? Then how come you don't know about Nokian... I would say majority of ice racing is done with Nokian Hakka tires.