M3 in the ice and snow

[MRV99]

Chicago has had an bit of ice and snow. Since this is my first winter in the m3 I just wanted to post my feedback. Like every BMW I do/have owned, winters are installed. The one thing I can say is the LSD makes a huge difference in driving in the snow. I had a 375rwhp 1990 mustang(w/ LSD) in high school and could drive that thing sideways all day long. I have read the "I had the DSC off threads" and was always cautious. I can say this, the M3 has no issues in the snow and is very easy to control. With both rears driving, you can easily control the car with much greater precision than a std rear. I spent hours upon hours over the years in 545/550 in the snow and it was unpredictable. If you have a M3 and your worried about the snow, don't be(as long as you have a good set of winters)

The DSC was off during the inspiration of this thread

[Da M3nace]

Originally Posted by MRV99

Chicago has had an bit of ice and snow. Since this is my first winter in the m3 I just wanted to post my feedback. Like every BMW I do/have owned, winters are installed. The one thing I can say is the LSD makes a huge difference in driving in the snow. I had a 375rwhp 1990 mustang(w/ LSD) in high school and could drive that thing sideways all day long. I have read the "I had the DSC off threads" and was always cautious. I can say this, the M3 has no issues in the snow and is very easy to control. With both rears driving, you can easily control the car with much greater precision than a std rear. I spent hours upon hours over the years in 545/550 in the snow and it was unpredictable. If you have a M3 and your worried about the snow, don't be(as long as you have a good set of winters)

The DSC was off during the inspiration of this thread

Good to hear.

[mose121]

I used to drive my 95 e36 M3 track car in the winter with snow tires and it was still good in the snow with no traction control of any kind due to the LSD. My 2010 135i M Sport with "e-diff" DSC has a very hard time getting me up steep hills that the e36 M used to go right up with little hesitation. Looking forward to driving the e92 M3 in the white stuff.

[jpan08]

I have an e36 M3 with snows on them and I thought that handled great in the snow. Completely blown away by the e92 m3 in the snow. It's almost too easy to control in the snow.

[pbonsalb]

I have an E36M3 and E90M3, both on snow tires for the winter and agree the E90M3 does great in the snow. The traction control is much more sophisticated. Of course, you can turn it off and have a lot of fun (great way to relatively safely learn skid and drift control and it is easy on your car and tires).

[happos2]

I drive mine in the snow as well, no problem really. Gotta be careful when pulling into parking lots and other roads where the plow didn't turn because of the snow berms and the M3's low clearance (though other cars have to worry about this as well so not much of a difference). I leave traction control on most of the time. I 'plead the fifth' other times.

[robbiedawg]

how would an m3 be in the snow without winter tires? i have michelin pilot pss's.would it be as bad as i think,or is it decently controllable? we get so little snow here that it's not worth getting winter tires.

[Nicname]

Originally Posted by robbiedawg

how would an m3 be in the snow without winter tires? i have michelin pilot pss's.would it be as bad as i think,or is it decently controllable? we get so little snow here that it's not worth getting winter tires.

I would think twice. After I've been driving with stock continentals and ran into a situation last night, I'm contemplating at least getting all seasons.

[swartzentruber]

Originally Posted by robbiedawg

how would an m3 be in the snow without winter tires? i have michelin pilot pss's.would it be as bad as i think,or is it decently controllable? we get so little snow here that it's not worth getting winter tires.

You can make out okay with summers in the cold as long as the road is dry (maybe down to 30 or so). Snow though makes summers almost completely undriveable. If you have summers on and it snows, stay home (and if you can't, arrange alternative transportation).

Like the OP, I too was pretty impressed with the M3 in snow (with snow tires on, of course). Frankly, I couldn't tell much difference between it and my former car, a 335xi, other than taking off from a stop, when the back would get a little squirrely. Frankly, I'm still not sure I'm all that fond of driving the M3 in the snow, since I'm worried about other drivers, but I have no doubts about being able to get around in a few inches of snow.

[averrec6262]

I was thinking about picking up a pair of winter tires because I can hardly make it out my driveway sometimes when it is icy. A few weeks ago there was ice rain while I was driving and my car got stuck going up a slightly pitched hill because the wheels just kept spinning haha

[happos2]

Snow doesn't equal ice.

[j2m]

Originally Posted by robbiedawg

how would an m3 be in the snow without winter tires? i have michelin pilot pss's.would it be as bad as i think,or is it decently controllable? we get so little snow here that it's not worth getting winter tires.

When my car was stock ZCP's + PS2's I drove a bit but the PS2's have ZERO grip on ice and provide little traction in snow.
I got stuck a couple times trying to get out of parking lots with a slight incline and covered in ice. I actually needed to have a couple guy push me out
I run the Blizzak's and those things have crazy grip in snow but obviously sacrifice performance.

[cposk]

I had trouble getting into the driveway with PS2's in like an inch of powder... Last time I'll have that car out in the snow.

[swartzentruber]

Originally Posted by j2m

I run the Blizzak's and those things have crazy grip in snow but obviously sacrifice performance.

Minor point, but Blizzak is Bridestone's brand name for their whole line of winter tires, and they come in a variety of lines of snow aggressiveness. I have the Blizzak LM-60, a performance winter, which isn't good in deep snow (which we rarely get in Chicago, at least this side of the lake), but provides decent dry performance and much better wet performance than the more extreme "ice and snow" winters, such as the WS-70. Match the tires to the conditions. If I'm the Charlotte person worried about needing to drive in the rare dusting of snow situations, maybe just run an all-season in the winter. For those with frequent snows but little accumulation (and needing to often drive on wet roads from melted snow), pick a performance winter. Finally, if you live somewhere that regularly gets multiple inches of snow, pick the snow and ice winter (or leave the M3 at home, and drive a winter beater, since ground clearance is only a few inches).

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Like any other car one needs to exercise caution ... all will be fine.

My first and second M3 (e46 and a e82) have seen snow, snow tires are a must and as said caution and you be fine. Car handles well.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Like any other car one needs to exercise caution ... all will be fine.

My first and second M3 (e46 and a e82) have seen snow, snow tires are a must and as said caution and you be fine. Car handles well.

[TerryBM3]

Originally Posted by MRV99

Chicago has had an bit of ice and snow. Since this is my first winter in the m3 I just wanted to post my feedback. Like every BMW I do/have owned, winters are installed. The one thing I can say is the LSD makes a huge difference in driving in the snow. I had a 375rwhp 1990 mustang(w/ LSD) in high school and could drive that thing sideways all day long. I have read the "I had the DSC off threads" and was always cautious. I can say this, the M3 has no issues in the snow and is very easy to control. With both rears driving, you can easily control the car with much greater precision than a std rear. I spent hours upon hours over the years in 545/550 in the snow and it was unpredictable. If you have a M3 and your worried about the snow, don't be(as long as you have a good set of winters)

The DSC was off during the inspiration of this thread

This is comforting news, but I don't know if I can jump on board fully. My buddy put winters on his e90 M3 in VT and I can tell you that hills (up or down) and frozen over areas were difficult to weather. Fresh powdered areas were a bit easier, but again the hills got to the car. Our other mutual friend with an e90 335i Xdrive with winters was a completely different story. Now that thing can eat up some serious winter weather.

[Savage_M3]

I run Dunlop Wintersport 3D and I am quite happy so far. I was out yesterday morning a day after the blizzard in Boston and it had more than adequate grip...

[swartzentruber]

Originally Posted by TerryBM3

This is comforting news, but I don't know if I can jump on board fully. My buddy put winters on his e90 M3 in VT and I can tell you that hills (up or down) and frozen over areas were difficult to weather. Fresh powdered areas were a bit easier, but again the hills got to the car. Our other mutual friend with an e90 335i Xdrive with winters was a completely different story. Now that thing can eat up some serious winter weather.

Yes, hills are one area where a RWD vehicle, even with snows, will tend to be at a significant disadvantage to an AWD or even FWD vehicle. An M3 with snows will make it through just fine in many winter conditions, but areas that get deeper snow or are fairly hilly would tend to push you toward another car (at least when needing to drive through those conditions). I don't think issues with "frozen over areas" have much to do with the car, though, that's more a function of tires. Ice is difficult for any non-studded tire, regardless of number of drive wheels.

As mentioned previously in the thread, I had a 335xi, and so far I haven't noticed that much difference in my typical winter conditions with similar snow tires (fairly flat, <=4" snow, performance winters). I'd mainly give the edge to the AWD car in starting off and taking full turns (i.e. 90 degree). I would certainly also expect the AWD car to be better on hills, but most of the Chicagoland area is pretty flat.

[shendrick]

I will tell you that PS2s, even with lots of tread are completely NG in any amount of snow (even 1"). Even with DSC off I got no where on a slight incline - and this is even with some blacktop showing through 1-2" of off and on crud. Even once back in my completely clear driveway (which is uphill) the PS2s couldn't shed the snow that was packed into them and all the back end wanted to do was go sideways. A complete fail. Don't even bother to think about play time in the snow because all you're going to do is be calling for a tow.

[happos2]

Originally Posted by M3RD

Like any other car one needs to exercise caution ... all will be fine.

My first and second M3 (e46 and a e82) have seen snow, snow tires are a must and as said caution and you be fine. Car handles well.

Oh, the elusive and rare E82!!!!

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by happos2

Oh, the elusive and rare E82!!!!

See what you have to look forward to when you get to be my age missed the "9" by one on my keyboard, guess I have to get glasses and start looking at the keyboard a bit more ... then you know what I had in mind to say ...

Let's not give BMW any ideas and come out with another model designation