Winter Tire Rant

freeman727 · 12-27-2012, 01:31 PM

Hi All. We just had our first major snow storm in Binghamton. This is also my first winter here. I previously had a 2003 330i zhp w/ Blizzaks which worked like a champ even going up snowy inclines. With my Dunlop Wintersport 3D's on today I couldn't even make it out of my driveway which had 3-4 degree incline.

I will definitely change over to Blizzaks when these tires are done.

ChrisK · 12-27-2012, 01:39 PM

Wow I'm surprised. The Dunlop Wintersport 3D's are highly rated on the M3.

freeman727 · 12-27-2012, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Wow I'm surprised. The Dunlop Wintersport 3D's are highly rated on the M3.

Ya, I had a forum member pm me to tell me how happy he was with them. I am riding staggered 18/235 and 18/245. Do you think the staggered setup is the blame?

DiavelM3 · 12-27-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Wow I'm surprised. The Dunlop Wintersport 3D's are highly rated on the M3.

+100000
I have the Wintersport 3D's and they're working great this winter!! I have about a 25-30 degree incline on my driveway and I'm running a square 18" setup

Superfly_M3 · 12-27-2012, 02:15 PM

that car is filthy

New colour: Dirt Grey

pbonsalb · 12-27-2012, 02:28 PM

They are not as good as a jiggly hardcore Blizzak WS70, but you would hate the WS70 on the M3 even if you could get a size that fits. I run 3D in 235/255 18s on my 08M3 in NH and they are OK although I will concede the car is not as good in the snow as 16 inch WS70 would be on a 330i. Maybe the OP's snows are overinflated for snow use.

freeman727 · 12-27-2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

They are not as good as a jiggly hardcore Blizzak WS70, but you would hate the WS70 on the M3 even if you could get a size that fits. I run 3D in 235/255 18s on my 08M3 in NH and they are OK although I will concede the car is not as good in the snow as 16 inch WS70 would be on a 330i. Maybe the OP's snows are overinflated for snow use.

Good thought. What pressure do you run your tires?

baba louey · 12-27-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeman727

Ya, I had a forum member pm me to tell me how happy he was with them. I am riding staggered 18/235 and 18/245. Do you think the staggered setup is the blame?

I'm happy with my 18/235 and 18/255 3D's. I run them at factory spec pressures, 35 and 36 psi. The car isn't as good as my A4 Quartro but it is acceptable here in the Great White North.

DBH · 12-27-2012, 07:33 PM

I've run the Dunlop 3D's for a couple of years with no issues - that's good.

I have 235/40ZR-18 all around at 40psi. You just have to remember that they don't have the same grip as summer tires in dry conditions.

I've also found that the M3 doesn't "plow" very well if there is more than about 4 inches of the white stuff on the ground.

phlliphethe · 12-27-2012, 08:43 PM

Maybe the OP's snows are overinflated for snow use.

HeartMD · 12-27-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiavelM3

+100000
I have the Wintersport 3D's and they're working great this winter!! I have about a 25-30 degree incline on my driveway and I'm running a square 18" setup

You car looks like it has some camo on it on the second pic

skins333 · 12-27-2012, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiavelM3

+100000
I have the Wintersport 3D's and they're working great this winter!! I have about a 25-30 degree incline on my driveway and I'm running a square 18" setup

badass!!

nuespeedgti · 12-27-2012, 09:34 PM

i run 3d's no issues, like someone else mentioned already ws60 would be better but thats a snow tire not winter performance tire.

paradocs98 · 12-27-2012, 09:50 PM

I had the previous generation, the Wintersport M3, on my '05 545i several years back and they worked well here in the 'burbs of NYC in the snow. Are your 3D's brand-new, or did you get them used? If they have three seasons on them, their snow traction may be kaput. If they're brand-new and you just put them on a couple of days ago, they might not have worn off the tire mold release compound yet and so might be a bit slick initially until you get a couple hundred miles on them.

JAIM3 · 12-27-2012, 10:33 PM

I'm happy enough with my Wintersport 3Ds (staggered on OEM 18s, 10mm narrower than OEM summer spec). I haven't had to use snow tires before, but I'm glad I had them yesterday.

I had a 120 mile drive that took almost 5 hours. I saw a bunch of cars disabled on the road, including many that sped past me. AWD doesn't mean you can't still skid off the road, Audi Q5 driver.

It wasn't a pleasant drive by any means, but my car handled just fine. I was curious to see where the traction limit was, but I didn't want to find out and end up like those other cars.

As far as dry conditions go, winter tires certainly are very different from summer tires. I was surprised at how differently the car handled.

signes · 12-27-2012, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiavelM3

+100000
I have the Wintersport 3D's and they're working great this winter!! I have about a 25-30 degree incline on my driveway and I'm running a square 18" setup

A black diamond level driveway, I've got to see that...

OP, the Dunlops are pretty good but as others have said they aren't as good as a pure ice/snow tire like the WS70, Hakka R, or similar. They are a compromise tire but should be more than enough to handle the situation you describe. Was it icy underneath the snow?

DiavelM3 · 12-28-2012, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by signes

A black diamond level driveway, I've got to see that...

Haha! Thats how we roll here in Colorado. We ski\snowboard black diamond mountains and come home and do the same thing on our black diamond driveways

Zzhou · 12-29-2012, 07:48 PM

my 3D tires worked great last winter in the snow here at Indiana.

M3SQRD · 12-29-2012, 07:56 PM

I'm also running Winter Sport 3D's in 235/255 18" sizes on my M3 and have had no issues with them in winter driving conditions.

12-27-2012, 01:31 PM	#1
freeman727 Private First Class Drives: 2010 E90 M3 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 167 iTrader: (0)	Winter Tire Rant Hi All. We just had our first major snow storm in Binghamton. This is also my first winter here. I previously had a 2003 330i zhp w/ Blizzaks which worked like a champ even going up snowy inclines. With my Dunlop Wintersport 3D's on today I couldn't even make it out of my driveway which had 3-4 degree incline. I will definitely change over to Blizzaks when these tires are done.
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12-27-2012, 01:39 PM	#2
ChrisK Brigadier General Drives: 2011 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: IL Posts: 4,679 iTrader: (4)	Wow I'm surprised. The Dunlop Wintersport 3D's are highly rated on the M3. __________________ 2011 E92 M3: AW/BLK • DCT Europäische Lieferung am 6. August 2010

12-27-2012, 08:43 PM	#10
phlliphethe New Member Drives: bmw Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: see you body Posts: 7 iTrader: (0)	Maybe the OP's snows are overinflated for snow use. __________________

12-27-2012, 09:50 PM	#14
paradocs98 Major Drives: 2011 E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: May 2009 Location: NY Posts: 1,224 iTrader: (0)	I had the previous generation, the Wintersport M3, on my '05 545i several years back and they worked well here in the 'burbs of NYC in the snow. Are your 3D's brand-new, or did you get them used? If they have three seasons on them, their snow traction may be kaput. If they're brand-new and you just put them on a couple of days ago, they might not have worn off the tire mold release compound yet and so might be a bit slick initially until you get a couple hundred miles on them. __________________

12-27-2012, 10:33 PM	#15
JAIM3 Enlisted Member Drives: AW E92 M3 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 35 iTrader: (2)	I'm happy enough with my Wintersport 3Ds (staggered on OEM 18s, 10mm narrower than OEM summer spec). I haven't had to use snow tires before, but I'm glad I had them yesterday. I had a 120 mile drive that took almost 5 hours. I saw a bunch of cars disabled on the road, including many that sped past me. AWD doesn't mean you can't still skid off the road, Audi Q5 driver. It wasn't a pleasant drive by any means, but my car handled just fine. I was curious to see where the traction limit was, but I didn't want to find out and end up like those other cars. As far as dry conditions go, winter tires certainly are very different from summer tires. I was surprised at how differently the car handled. Attached Images

12-27-2012, 02:15 PM	#5
Superfly_M3 Captain Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 885 iTrader: (0)	that car is filthy New colour: Dirt Grey

12-27-2012, 02:28 PM	#6
pbonsalb Major Drives: 08 E90 M3, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Concord, NH Posts: 1,205 iTrader: (3)	They are not as good as a jiggly hardcore Blizzak WS70, but you would hate the WS70 on the M3 even if you could get a size that fits. I run 3D in 235/255 18s on my 08M3 in NH and they are OK although I will concede the car is not as good in the snow as 16 inch WS70 would be on a 330i. Maybe the OP's snows are overinflated for snow use.

12-27-2012, 07:33 PM	#9
DBH Second Lieutenant Drives: 2011 M3 E92 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SE PA Posts: 279 iTrader: (0)	I've run the Dunlop 3D's for a couple of years with no issues - that's good. I have 235/40ZR-18 all around at 40psi. You just have to remember that they don't have the same grip as summer tires in dry conditions. I've also found that the M3 doesn't "plow" very well if there is more than about 4 inches of the white stuff on the ground.

12-27-2012, 09:34 PM	#13
nuespeedgti Captain Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Rehoboth, MA Posts: 717 iTrader: (3)	i run 3d's no issues, like someone else mentioned already ws60 would be better but thats a snow tire not winter performance tire.

12-29-2012, 07:48 PM	#18
Zzhou Lieutenant Drives: 2012 E92 SSII ZCP DCT Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: West Lafayette,IN/Shanghai,China Posts: 520 iTrader: (0)	my 3D tires worked great last winter in the snow here at Indiana. __________________ AA Green Filter/AA Pulley/AA catless X-pipes/AA signature exhaust/AA TUNE/TMS studs/Project Kics R40/AD08/Vorsteiner GTS5 Bumper/LUX H8

12-29-2012, 07:56 PM	#19
M3SQRD Colonel Drives: E92 M3s, R56 Cooper S Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: EC Posts: 2,359 iTrader: (2)	I'm also running Winter Sport 3D's in 235/255 18" sizes on my M3 and have had no issues with them in winter driving conditions.

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