Keith's 2016-2017 Winter Tire Guide

Rudy@tirerack · 10-04-2016, 01:03 PM

Keith's 2016-2017 Winter Tire Guide

When shopping for winter tires, it's best to find a tire that fits your specific needs. Much like when shopping for summer tires, some people are most concerned with getting the highest performance possible and nothing else matters. While others realize they do not need the "race" performance and would rather have a touring tire that will provide better ride quality and tread life.
This same logic applies to winter tires. There is not one single tire that will fit everyone's needs.

-If you live in an area where you do not see much snow, but still need a winter tire for the bad days, it would be best to look at the performance winter/snow category. These tires will handle very well on dry roads, but will still provide adequate traction in the ice and snow. These performance winter tires typically have higher speed ratings.
-If you live in an area where you wake up to fresh snow covered roads often or maybe are new to driving in the winter, you are going to want the absolute best winter traction. The studless ice & snow category is going to provide the best winter traction, but will give up some dry road responsiveness. When the going gets tough, these tires will give you the most confidence in bad weather.

In the performance winter category, here are some of the top performers this season. Click on each and it will take you to the details:

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4
Bridgestone Blizzak LM001

The Pirelli and Michelin have proven themselves and are currently the highest rated in this category. The Blizzak LM001 is brand new this season and while we expect it to be a class leader, we have not yet been able to test it.

Next up, for the people looking for the most winter traction and do not mind giving up some dry road handling, the studless ice & snow category is going to work best. Here are some of the top performers in this category:

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
Michelin X-Ice Xi3
Continental WinterContact SI

I personally use the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 on my vehicle because I feel this tire provides the best balance between winter traction, ride quailty, dry road performance and treadlife. If you are solely concerned with the best ice/snow traction, the Blizzak WS80 does have a slight advantage. The WinterContact SI is still a very good competitor, but is slightly behind the two leaders.

*All these are not available in every size. The size you are using may dictate which tires you can use. Many of the performance winter tires are available in the larger 18"-20" sizes, while the studless ice & snow tires are typically more popular in the 16"-18" sizes.*

Most people will not be installing their winter tires on until later in November or even December. Please know, certain sizes and models have limited availability and will sell out before the snow actually gets here so please try to plan in advance and order earlier rather than later.

Feel free to email me directly if you would like to go over your options or if you have any questions. Keith@tirerack.com will be the fastest way to get to me.

If you do order online, when checking out please be sure to reference "Keith/E90Post" as your previous contact. This is the only way the forum receives credit.

breezy25 · 11-01-2016, 05:39 PM

Keep us posted on any reviews with the new Blizzak LM001 !!! Gotta start planning ahead here in Denver

david in germany · 11-02-2016, 12:06 AM

I am happy I have my European selection. Both of my e90s got Conti ts810 V rated ssr tires that are amazing. My 118i got a fresh set of Conti ts850p non run flat and I could not be happier! Stateside selection is very limited for performance winter tires.

R99 · 11-02-2016, 05:24 PM

I wanted Conti's for this Winter...

However I need 225/40/18 and 255/35/18 - and Continental now only do a 850p for the front and a 830p for the rear - so they were out, as I wanted the same tyre on both axels.

I have ordered Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4's instead, as they do them in both 225/40 and 255/35.

I will update my thoughts once they are on!

Rocklicker · 11-21-2016, 12:33 PM

Questions!

1. I read in the 15-16 guide that the WS80 is now H-speed rated and much improved over old studless. I ran Xi2s on another performance car and hated the squirminess when new. Are these WS80s as good as older performance snows but with killer traction? The best of both worlds? Or are the LM001s closing the gap the other way?

2. 16" vs. 17". Assuming appearance is a non-issue, will the handling change notably between the two? A 16" setup is much cheaper but I don't want to sacrifice handling.

Sgop335 · 01-21-2017, 02:53 PM

Just purchased dunlop winter sport 245 40 17s. On sale. My 17 in winter set up is staggered altho 225 works for all.
Added keith bimmerpost

Rudy@tirerack · 01-23-2017, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sgop335

Just purchased dunlop winter sport 245 40 17s. On sale. My 17 in winter set up is staggered altho 225 works for all.
Added keith bimmerpost

Great! Looks like your order will ship out today. Thank you for referencing my name and the forum!

Sgop335 · 01-30-2017, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith@tirerack.com

Great! Looks like your order will ship out today. Thank you for referencing my name and the forum!

These dunlops are great winter performance tires, like the dry traction in cold.

nynyny · 09-01-2017, 02:51 PM

Has anyone run LM001's that can advise how they feel on dry road?

Weighing between LM001 and WS80... living in Southern NY with the occasional weekend trip up to VT

Don't understand how there are so few reviews on the LM's...

floydarogers · 09-01-2017, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nynyny

Has anyone run LM001's that can advise how they feel on dry road?

Weighing between LM001 and WS80... living in Southern NY with the occasional weekend trip up to VT

Don't understand how there are so few reviews on the LM's...

LM001 does have reviews on tirerack.com.
1) There is no 255/35R18 for a staggered fitment.
2) It's not a RFT
3) It's not as good as a snow tire as the WS80, which is $10 cheaper

dsjr2006 · 02-04-2018, 10:24 PM

Had the LM001 on a different vehicle and I thought they were better than the Michelin Xi3 in snow and on ice. They werent as great on dry pavement imo, felt soft than the Michelin. The Pilot PA4 Winters were my favorite in the e90xi.

TJMartin · 09-12-2018, 12:35 PM

Good afternoon,

I am the new owner of a 2011 335xi m sport, and wanted to know if I could use winter tires/rims from a non-m sport on this car?

Appreciate your input.

b92 · 09-18-2018, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJMartin

Good afternoon,

I am the new owner of a 2011 335xi m sport, and wanted to know if I could use winter tires/rims from a non-m sport on this car?

Appreciate your input.

As long as they're not 17" or bigger you will be fine. You should also use a square setup for winter, especially with xdrive.

_austism · 10-18-2018, 10:28 PM

Question for whoever can answer.

I'd be looking to buy tires off of Facebook market place to save some money and put them on my stock wheels. The wheels are 17x8 and came with 225 45 17 tires. What is the max tire size I could fit on my wheels and still fit in the wheel well without rubbing on an e90? If it matters, I have an 06 330xi. Found a set of 225 55 17 Blizzaks on FB... would these work or be too big?

Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Bfurrow95 · 10-19-2018, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _austism

Question for whoever can answer.

I'd be looking to buy tires off of Facebook market place to save some money and put them on my stock wheels. The wheels are 17x8 and came with 225 45 17 tires. What is the max tire size I could fit on my wheels and still fit in the wheel well without rubbing on an e90? If it matters, I have an 06 330xi. Found a set of 225 55 17 Blizzaks on FB... would these work or be too big?

Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Those should fit fine as long as you haven't lowered your car any.

e92_Marra · 11-04-2018, 07:10 AM

I have purchased a 2011 320d m sport e92

the commute to and from work is bad during the winter months with debri, snow, ice etc

I'm looking for some decent winter tyres but no idea which manufacturer / brand to go for.

any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Blue335IS · 01-11-2019, 03:54 PM

Hi all,

Just found out that the 19" wheel option on my 335IS doesn't allow for snow tires. Any advice on what to do that won't cost me thousands? The way I understand it I have to buy new 18" rims and just swap them out in seasons.

Thanks for any advice.

Marc

RMNB · 07-24-2019, 05:54 PM

If I have 8.5 front-19s and 9.5 rear-19's // 335xi, what snow tires could I purchase? I don't see anything on tirerack.

I know you're suppose to be square, smaller wheels, not xi but in my situation who offers a snow tire that would fit my staggered set? What tire size?

10-04-2016, 01:03 PM	#1
Rudy@tirerack Moderator 133 Rep 281 Posts Drives: rudy@tirerack.com Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: 1-800-428-8355 EXT 4664 iTrader: (0)	Keith's 2016-2017 Winter Tire Guide Keith's 2016-2017 Winter Tire Guide When shopping for winter tires, it's best to find a tire that fits your specific needs. Much like when shopping for summer tires, some people are most concerned with getting the highest performance possible and nothing else matters. While others realize they do not need the "race" performance and would rather have a touring tire that will provide better ride quality and tread life. This same logic applies to winter tires. There is not one single tire that will fit everyone's needs. -If you live in an area where you do not see much snow, but still need a winter tire for the bad days, it would be best to look at the performance winter/snow category. These tires will handle very well on dry roads, but will still provide adequate traction in the ice and snow. These performance winter tires typically have higher speed ratings. -If you live in an area where you wake up to fresh snow covered roads often or maybe are new to driving in the winter, you are going to want the absolute best winter traction. The studless ice & snow category is going to provide the best winter traction, but will give up some dry road responsiveness. When the going gets tough, these tires will give you the most confidence in bad weather. In the performance winter category, here are some of the top performers this season. Click on each and it will take you to the details: Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 The Pirelli and Michelin have proven themselves and are currently the highest rated in this category. The Blizzak LM001 is brand new this season and while we expect it to be a class leader, we have not yet been able to test it. Next up, for the people looking for the most winter traction and do not mind giving up some dry road handling, the studless ice & snow category is going to work best. Here are some of the top performers in this category: Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 Michelin X-Ice Xi3 Continental WinterContact SI I personally use the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 on my vehicle because I feel this tire provides the best balance between winter traction, ride quailty, dry road performance and treadlife. If you are solely concerned with the best ice/snow traction, the Blizzak WS80 does have a slight advantage. The WinterContact SI is still a very good competitor, but is slightly behind the two leaders. All these are not available in every size. The size you are using may dictate which tires you can use. Many of the performance winter tires are available in the larger 18"-20" sizes, while the studless ice & snow tires are typically more popular in the 16"-18" sizes. Most people will not be installing their winter tires on until later in November or even December. Please know, certain sizes and models have limited availability and will sell out before the snow actually gets here so please try to plan in advance and order earlier rather than later. Feel free to email me directly if you would like to go over your options or if you have any questions. Keith@tirerack.com will be the fastest way to get to me. If you do order online, when checking out please be sure to reference "Keith/E90Post" as your previous contact. This is the only way the forum receives credit.
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11-01-2016, 05:39 PM	#2
breezy25 Private 6 Rep 85 Posts Drives: '07 335xi e90 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	Keep us posted on any reviews with the new Blizzak LM001 !!! Gotta start planning ahead here in Denver __________________ '07 e90 335xi \| Pro-tuned Cobb AP \| VRSF Catless DPs \| Dinan rebuilt turbos \| SPEC Stage 3 Clutch & SM Flywheel \| UUC Evo 3 SSK \| M3 Conversion Bumper \| CF M3 V-style Lip \| 19" bespoke Rotorary Forged AG M621s \| H&R Street Performance Coils \|GT Haus Meisterschaft Exhaust \|
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11-02-2016, 12:06 AM	#3
david in germany Lieutenant Colonel 732 Rep 1,819 Posts Drives: 118i, 335i and 328i Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Mannheim Germany iTrader: (2)	I am happy I have my European selection. Both of my e90s got Conti ts810 V rated ssr tires that are amazing. My 118i got a fresh set of Conti ts850p non run flat and I could not be happier! Stateside selection is very limited for performance winter tires. __________________ 2009 118i Monaco Blue "Maximillion" 2009 335i Saphire Black M Sport "Leopold" Cobb stage 2 aggressive tune, Mishimoto FMIC, Cobb charge pipe, Cobb catted down pipes, Forge diverter valves, BMS inlets and DCI, Cyba scoops and M Individual Audio retrofit and M3 gauge cluster retrofit. 2011 328i Titan Silver M Sport "Franzel" <--Wife's car
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11-02-2016, 05:24 PM	#4
R99 Banned 1103 Rep 2,597 Posts Drives: 2016 330d F31 Touring Join Date: May 2013 Location: England, United Kingdom iTrader: (1)	I wanted Conti's for this Winter... However I need 225/40/18 and 255/35/18 - and Continental now only do a 850p for the front and a 830p for the rear - so they were out, as I wanted the same tyre on both axels. I have ordered Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4's instead, as they do them in both 225/40 and 255/35. I will update my thoughts once they are on!
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11-21-2016, 12:33 PM	#5
Rocklicker Private First Class 51 Rep 100 Posts Drives: E91 6mt Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Drizzletown, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 328xi Wagon [0.00]	Questions! 1. I read in the 15-16 guide that the WS80 is now H-speed rated and much improved over old studless. I ran Xi2s on another performance car and hated the squirminess when new. Are these WS80s as good as older performance snows but with killer traction? The best of both worlds? Or are the LM001s closing the gap the other way? 2. 16" vs. 17". Assuming appearance is a non-issue, will the handling change notably between the two? A 16" setup is much cheaper but I don't want to sacrifice handling.
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01-21-2017, 02:53 PM	#6
Sgop335 Colonel 668 Rep 2,074 Posts Drives: 07 335i e92, 08 535i Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	Just purchased dunlop winter sport 245 40 17s. On sale. My 17 in winter set up is staggered altho 225 works for all. Added keith bimmerpost __________________ 335i e92 TPC 19Ts
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09-01-2017, 02:51 PM	#9
nynyny Second Lieutenant 65 Rep 204 Posts Drives: 2011 335i xDrive E92 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Has anyone run LM001's that can advise how they feel on dry road? Weighing between LM001 and WS80... living in Southern NY with the occasional weekend trip up to VT Don't understand how there are so few reviews on the LM's...
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02-04-2018, 10:24 PM	#11
dsjr2006 Captain 159 Rep 848 Posts Drives: '01 E39 540iA, '09 E90 M3 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Metro Detroit iTrader: (1) Garage List 2010 BMW 335i [0.00] 2001 BMW 540i [0.00]	Had the LM001 on a different vehicle and I thought they were better than the Michelin Xi3 in snow and on ice. They werent as great on dry pavement imo, felt soft than the Michelin. The Pilot PA4 Winters were my favorite in the e90xi. __________________ E90 M3 DCT LCI \| E90 LCI N54 M-Sport(retired) \| E90 Technical Docs download: http://j.mp/bmwe90docs *good read, very detailed.
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09-12-2018, 12:35 PM	#12
TJMartin Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 2011 335xi M-Sport Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Minneapolis, MN iTrader: (0)	Winter tires for 2011 335xi m sport Good afternoon, I am the new owner of a 2011 335xi m sport, and wanted to know if I could use winter tires/rims from a non-m sport on this car? Appreciate your input.
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10-18-2018, 10:28 PM	#14
_austism New Member 3 Rep 21 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330xi 6MT Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Lancaster, PA iTrader: (0)	Question for whoever can answer. I'd be looking to buy tires off of Facebook market place to save some money and put them on my stock wheels. The wheels are 17x8 and came with 225 45 17 tires. What is the max tire size I could fit on my wheels and still fit in the wheel well without rubbing on an e90? If it matters, I have an 06 330xi. Found a set of 225 55 17 Blizzaks on FB... would these work or be too big? Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks! __________________ E90 N52B30 AWD Give me a follow on Instagram: @_austism
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11-04-2018, 07:10 AM	#16
e92_Marra 15.1 Seconds Santa Pod 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW e92 M Sport Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Cumbria iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW [0.00]	New owner Tyres ?? I have purchased a 2011 320d m sport e92 the commute to and from work is bad during the winter months with debri, snow, ice etc I'm looking for some decent winter tyres but no idea which manufacturer / brand to go for. any help would be gratefully appreciated.
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01-11-2019, 03:54 PM	#17
Blue335IS Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: LeMans Blue 335IS Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Monroe, CT iTrader: (0)	Need snows for my 2011 335 IS 19" wheels Hi all, Just found out that the 19" wheel option on my 335IS doesn't allow for snow tires. Any advice on what to do that won't cost me thousands? The way I understand it I have to buy new 18" rims and just swap them out in seasons. Thanks for any advice. Marc
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07-24-2019, 05:54 PM	#18
RMNB Lieutenant Colonel 370 Rep 1,652 Posts Drives: 2021 M440xi BSM Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	If I have 8.5 front-19s and 9.5 rear-19's // 335xi, what snow tires could I purchase? I don't see anything on tirerack. I know you're suppose to be square, smaller wheels, not xi but in my situation who offers a snow tire that would fit my staggered set? What tire size?
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