Tire Recommendations '95 530i

[530iBall]

I may need to replace my front tires this month should they fail inspection. I'm currently running Yokohama AVS dB decibels 225/60R15 95V. I've been pleased with the handling although the fronts seem to wear a little more on the outside edges.

Question #1 - Can anyone recommend a good all-season tire? I live in Philly and yes, this car doesn't do well in the snow - I know I need snow tires and some weight in the trunk for it to ever do that. I'm more concerned about the other 330 days when there isn't any snow.

Question #2 - What's the general opinion about 4-wheel alignment. Myth or necessity?

Thanks everyone.

[Hector]

17" wheels. Opinions very. Check out these posts from others and myself.

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=3704

If you don't do all 4s then at least do the front wheel alignment but I'd do all 4 of them and start with a clean slate.

[tim s]

i have a set of dunlops right now & they suck. good handling, but they will not stay balanced, they only have 6000mi. & are 75% gone. i have a small shake i did not have with my blizzacks. i live near pottsville, pa. in the mountains & i had no problems getting around in the snow last year even before i got the blizzacks. i will most definitly buy blizzacks again. my local stealer suggested michelin or conti's. i have a set of m3 rims that i intend to mount next spring with conti's after removing the snow tires. the first thing i did before mounting the blizzacks last year was a 4 wheel alignment, sure enough it was out enough to cause bad wear patterns. it does seem to take much to through out an alignment.
tim s.

[chamilun]

your Yokohamas are recommended by many bmw shops.

im running them now and they wear and last well. only a pirelli may be better, and not by much

[Elekta]

Michelin xgt's: great, safe, all season, warranty...and yes they're worth the extra money

[tim]

I have the Michelin Pilot XGT's, and I like 'em well enough on my stock 15" basketweaves. (You can stop laughing now!). Although they're rated for 40k mi, I'd be surprised if they last 20k. That said, they give a good OEM style ride and are pretty quiet for their grip. We don't see much snow here in Dallas but I have to assume that they would suck for snowy driving.

As far as snow- most who have experience recommend a dedicated set on dedicated rims. The issue is width, and there's no tread design that's going to make a 225mm width tire act like a 185. But the thinner the tire and the deeper the tread, the better it's going to be on snow.

[Elekta]

I have the Michelin Pilot XGT's, and I like 'em well enough on my stock 15" basketweaves. (You can stop laughing now!).

What's to laugh...that's my set up exactly...must be a Texas thing

[tim]

What's to laugh...that's my set up exactly...must be a Texas thing

Your car is bitchin'

The nerviness is due perhaps to wheel envy. So many guys on the board have sweet wheel setups that I'm almost embarrassed to admit my lowly stock setup (although I'm certainly not disappointed, mind you, with the performance)

[Hector]

want wide tires and yes deep treads for snow. For worn out tires, you want the best tires with the deepest tread in the rear (contrary to what many believe.) That way, when the car does skid, the rear doesn't swing much when you brake because the front of car is heavier and will serve as pivot... otherwise it's gonna be bye bye... Another thought, you can decrease tire pressure to the low 20s psi to accomplish relatively good snow grip.

To avoid hydroplaning on the other hand, you do want the tires to be as thin as possible. The worse combo for a car in wet conditions is wide tire section width and a lightweight vehicle. That's just begging for trouble. Wider tires, however, are only better for wet traction if no hydroplaning is involved, that is, for speeds below 50 mph. Wet traction can also be improved by increasing tire pressure to cut through water better, and suppressing the bouyant force which is the cause of hydroplaning.

I have the Michelin Pilot XGT's, and I like 'em well enough on my stock 15" basketweaves. (You can stop laughing now!). Although they're rated for 40k mi, I'd be surprised if they last 20k. That said, they give a good OEM style ride and are pretty quiet for their grip. We don't see much snow here in Dallas but I have to assume that they would suck for snowy driving.

As far as snow- most who have experience recommend a dedicated set on dedicated rims. The issue is width, and there's no tread design that's going to make a 225mm width tire act like a 185. But the thinner the tire and the deeper the tread, the better it's going to be on snow.

[tim]

Last winter we had a pretty big ice/snow storm here in Dallas. I'm from upstate NY originally, and I happen to have a set of chains. I had to be the only guy on the road that day. Unless you're in a place where snow is on the road all winter long, chains are a pretty good solution to the occasional snow, without having to compromise too much tire performance during normal conditions.