Initial Thoughts of Owning an X5M in the Winter

[SouthShoreM3]

All,

For starters not new to the BMW community, but new to the X5M family.

After years of various RS, S, and AMG SUVs I bought an X5M. Traded in my TTRS for a number of reasons. As small, light and as powerful as that car was I thought it would be no good in the snow. Not enough ground clearance, the massive amount of torque down low providing torque oversteer to the front wheels, etc. That little car was amazing in the snow. But anything above 6 inches and I had no ground clearance so ultimately I was in trouble. Growing up in New England my entire life I love the winter. I'm a big skier and look forward to the snow every year.

I was growing tired of the smaller car and needed something a bit bigger and more of a cruiser for my work as I drive a lot.

I have to saw, I was nervous as to how the X5M would handle. To date all I have is currently the VELOS TUNE (which is amazing after owning two other major brands), Dinan suspension and Dinan exhaust.

I went with conti DWS tires. Basically using these tires year round until I figure out what I want to do. The X5M was pre owned so the stock wheels and previous owner did not take great care of this car from the outside.

So last weekend we had our first major storm. My buddy and I were going Sunday morning to catch fresh powder in the mountains. We live south of the city. Received about 11 inches of snow and sudsy morning around 4:30 it started pouring rain. The highways were not plowed and flooded with rain and snow. The further north it turned into ice, with snow and slush underneath. Nasty nasty stuff. Then the further north it was over 15 inches of snow on unlaced highways.

The X5M took all these conditions like a champ. And I have to say the DWS did a great job with traction considering its not a hardcore snow tire.

The X5 M provides such amazing feedback in the steering wheel (without M button engaged) to let me know what is going on under the tires.

It was certainly dangerous driving and a ride that should take 2:15 minutes took over 3 1/2 hours (got stuck behind plows for 30 miles).

With the power this SUV has I am truly impressed with the Xdrive and this cars handling and feedback to the driver.

By the time we got to the mountain we had to stop on the highway several times because we went through a 30 degree temperature drop and everything was covered in a solid 1/2-3/4 inch of ice. I mean everything.

At times this SUV in the snow could carry speeds easily above 70mph if I wanted to without the slightest twitch. We did not go above 60mph and in the ice we were barely doing 35-45mph.

For those that question this SUVs true hard condition driving capabilities , which I was one. Has completely changed my mind.

The best part, it was comfortable and felt safe in that SUV the entire time even if something were to happen I knew I could trust my instincts and trust the X5M to correct the traction, slippage, sliding, etc.

I definitely would only drive in those conditions though using the paddles only to control the gearing and speed. If I put it in drive it would get into the highest gear an would feel a bit squirrelly if I wasn't using the paddles.

I am happy with my choice in getting this SUV. I would not of felt safer in anything other than a range rover. There were trucks and other American SUVs driving way too fast and up the road a bit later they would be in a ditch.

Yes it all depends on the driver as well in these conditions. But if a car isn't built to handle it and give the driver the feedback necessary through the wheel. Then definitely not worth driving in those conditions.

Sling was great (Although not CO, UT, ID, MT, etc..) it was a great way to start the ski season.

[theaudir8fan]

^ very much agree to this, it is my first season with the M in snow as well and so far it has proven more than worthy. I have a performance winter setup as configured by bmw on 298m with conti 4x4 winter contacts, while they are far from the best gripping tire, they do get the job done and i haven't got stuck anywhere.

One thing i find extremely entertaining is putting the car in M mode with MDM, this allow me to drift the car if i go a bit aggressive on the throttle and the car will side nicely requiring minimal countersteering almost like a rally style slide, and the tq vectoring with mdm sorts the car out very nicely when ending the slide and pretty much ensure the car won't spin out or slide too far into the curb.

with that said, leaving everything on, the car just drives as though all is well with the road. However my plan is to replace the conti with something better for the winter, will probably wait for the nokian hakka 8 SUVs when come out.

[MonacoJoe]

great review. thanks for taking the time.

I have the same set up tire-wise and this is my first winter. So far the conti DWS have been champs in wet/dry. Not sure about ice but ice is always best taken with extreme caution in any car.

Steering is one of my favorite aspects of the X5M...its very responsive and a solid feeling to the road (though its diminished some when you don't have the perf. summer tires on). I'd love to get a set of 21s for summer but can't find any that i like enough...maybe with the new x5 launched more options will be available that fit.

[SouthShoreM3]

Thanks guys. The conti DWS have definitely held their own. I am planning on doing the brembo kit up front. The unfortunate issue is the stock 20s won't clear. So I'm forced to go custom. Couldn't justify spending a ton of money on custom wheels right now just for them to get wrecked in the winter.

I want to go bigger like 21-22. The issue then becomes tires. There is nothing out there other than Pirelli asymmetrico. I have had these in the past on a G wagon I owned and I was less than impressed for our roads conditions here in MA.

But if I stay with a custom 20. I can throw PSS on come summer!!! Now having that incredible tire and a nice set of 20s. Or 22s which look amazing on this SUV and a tire I am not a fan of. I would stick with the 20s.

Time will tell though. Maybe Michelin will come out with bigger sizes in 2014.

[theaudir8fan]

btw, i don't think Michelin makes the PSS for our front, 275 only goes up to a 35 profile not 40

[SouthShoreM3]

No they don't make the 275/40 but I believe a 285/35 is close enough to work. I may be wrong.

[nabizzy]

texas never sees snow I wish it would snow here in houston so I could take this thing out onto the snow lol

[SouthShoreM3]

Babizzy,

Drives several hours north and west and you will see snow that an eastern skier's dream about!!

But also be happy your truck doesn't get salt and all major potholes from going hot to cold to hot to cold and causes horrible roads.

[330i zhp]

I have the DWS but haven't been able to try them in the snow really. We had one little slush storm last year and any car would have been fine

[Sylvan Lake V35]

I run the DWS on my X5M as well and we have got pounded with snow this year and I have no issues at all. I put on about 4x as many miles as the average person and in the last 10 years I have over 15 vehicles mostly 4x4 1/2 ton trucks and I am as confident in my X5M as I have been in any full size truck.

That being said, I have 275/40 20" studded nokian happilattas on my wife's X5 diesel and is unreal in the snow and ice i wish they made 315/35 20 I would have them on my M as well.

[SouthShoreM3]

The tire sizing for this X5M is tough. Not a lot of options.

I have owned contis for years. I love them as a brand and they make some great products.

Wish there were more high performance options though.

[Toneaero]

I agree with the OP. xDrive coupled with traction control is a great feature that I can trust my wife to drive safely with. You point the car in the direction of travel and it will take you there. The key is to turn on MDM or completely off so you can drift around corners (in a controlled environment of course).

Learned a new trick the other day to still drift with all the computer aids on. Since our traction control works in conjunction with steering angle, under steer into a corner while feathering the gas will get you a nice drift. Steer too much into the turn will cut engine power to keep you back "on track". [disclaimer: only in empty parking lots of course]

[dkreidel]

I have a square DWS set-up for summer on BBS 20", and use 19" 298M's with Pirelli Scorpion Winter for weather, well, like we've been enjoying the last month. I waited to the last minute (actually a little too long) as I got the X5M stuck going out of our "driveway" to the road. It was ice under about 18" of fresh powder and I just couldn't get up our hill out to road. I brought it back in the garage, swore a blue streak, went a got a plastic cup of Lagavulin and went back out and put on the snows. Like night and day, the damn thing simply drove up the hill like there was no snow.

I'll keep the winters on until April and then go back to the DWS.

Admittedly, the snow and ice in NW Montana is legendary but my Northern neighbor, Sylvan Lake V35, has similar interesting weather.

[theaudir8fan]

^ up here in Calgary, we get snowed on like crazy, than these couple of days that's warm, the roads are complete slush and dirt with rocks shooting everywhere

[SouthShoreM3]

Audir8fan sounds like that's super great for your paint and the rocker panels and fender flares!!! Yikes!!

Have a happy holidays all and a merry Xmas if you celebrate!

[theaudir8fan]

^ it really sucks, but there is no choice, i got paint protection film on all the panels up to the door molding trim, but there just isn't a way to get around it here. windshield rock chips are also a pita, girl friend's mom's new glk's windshield got cracked with in a week of being picked up

also happy holidays to everyone as well

[SouthShoreM3]

Tonearo what model year do you have to adjust the wheel power distribution? I have a 2011 and definitely cannot find that functionality on mine.

[SouthShoreM3]

Nevermind just found it under vehicle info! Ill have to play with thos

[Toneaero]

Originally Posted by SouthShoreM3

Nevermind just found it under vehicle info! Ill have to play with thos

I don't believe you can change the characteristics of the torque vectoring differential. Its just a neat info screen to show you whats going on when the roads are crap.

[SouthShoreM3]

I noticed that. Was playing wit it this morning driving up to the mountains to go skiing. Roads were crap. Quite interesting. Would be neat if you could alter it. Perhaps in the future!

[theaudir8fan]

I really wish there is a setting where we can just lock down the tq distribution, maybe 30f 70r just so that the car can do what I want and think from time to time

[enzoleo]

Spot on OP. When i was still in Boston, the x5m proved to be a very strong winter car and probably the fastest in the winter months. never had a problem driving in thick snow even with the stock Bridgestone runflats.