X6M in the snow without a winter set??

[zaha]

My winter set for the X6M is coming in December 15th at my BMW dealer however it has started snowing today in lovely Toronto.

Can I drive with the summer set up or will I kill myself trying?

[TTBear]

Originally Posted by zaha

My winter set for the X6M is coming in December 15th at my BMW dealer however it has started snowing today in lovely Toronto.

Can I drive with the summer set up or will I kill myself trying?

Don't do it!!!

Summer performance tires in the winter (especially like we get up here in Canuck-land) are the devil incarnate. Below 5 degrees Celsius or so, the rubber on the summer tires gets really hard (think of a hockey puck on each wheel - that's the kind of grip you'll have).

Just yesterday, I drove my Mom's Lexus GS300 AWD with the summer performance tires on it. It was crazy. I don't know how anyone gets anywhere trying to use summer tires. I was sliding EVERYWHERE with minimal braking or acceleration.

Dedicated winters will be a life saver. Also, the car is NO fun sliding around uselessly - it is an exercise in frustration.

AND, you might avoid a law suit - I've seen a couple of people sued successfully for hitting someone else, when they were on summer tires

spend the extra coin on winters.

As an aside, i can vouch for the BMW OEM winter set up. With it on, grip is INCREDIBLE.

[LDitty]

DONT DO IT! i almost killed myself last winter with the summer/performance setup on my 335i.The small dink above the driverside rear quarter panel was a such a painful reminder that when i got the X6 with 19's bc the 20's have the performance set up.

[991GT3]

^^^^^^+1000

[IUandUofM]

Somewhat screwed we are here in the US ... can't get the BMW Winter Tire Package yet (but you can get it in Canada and in Europe I think) ... my dealer said the manufacturer for the set was in Cleveland Ohio, but are still awaiting approval to allow US distribution ... but "might" get the ok to ship them here by the end of December.

Not to mention, I can't find anyone that has the 315 Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow RFT for the rear tires ... hmmm.

[chonko]

I have been driving my X6 with summer tyres and I have to admit it is tough, but I am managing well.
BTW just moved up north to the Calgary area.

[alanchsu]

You will get killed, and kill someone too.
I paid extra money to get winter tires set.
Get on ebay, you can find some good deal.

[charcoalwan]

with winter tires on i still feel the slide.. u would kill urself and others driving with summers on .. consider other ppls lifes ... its goona cost u and sorry is not gonna cut it

[zaha]

Thanks for the words of advice
To make it clear, I did order the 298M from BMW and I am just waiting on them cause they are not in stock. I get them next week. However, it has started to snow and wanted to see if I should try out the car for a few short rides. Either way, I will have to to the dealer to swap them out so I have to make it there on the summer set. Or do I have to get towed there?

[charcoalwan]

i would say get it tow there .. u never know whats gonna happen on your way there .. just for example if some1 runs into u and caused an accident . u think thier insuuance company would just pay up or tries to nail u with ur tires ?

[TTBear]

Originally Posted by zaha

Thanks for the words of advice
To make it clear, I did order the 298M from BMW and I am just waiting on them cause they are not in stock. I get them next week. However, it has started to snow and wanted to see if I should try out the car for a few short rides. Either way, I will have to to the dealer to swap them out so I have to make it there on the summer set. Or do I have to get towed there?

Don't take it to the dealer to have them installed. Do it yourself - with a floor jack and a good torque wrench, it will take you half an hour (make sure you have a breaker bar to loosen the lug nuts, and also make sure you coat the hub with a very thin layer of anti-seize, to make it easier to remove the wheels in the spring time).

A good floor jack and torque wrench are good investments anyways, if you don't already have them.

If you must go to the dealer, allow LOTS of time, and drive like your tires are made of out teflon, and you're on a road coated with grease

Don't tow the car, whatever you do (or did you mean flat-bed it??). If you tow, you still have to brake....

In the springtime, alternatively, you could come to visit us when it thaws, bring your summer set up, and we could swap them over here

[Kojak]

google "abominable snowvan" for a fun description of x6 in the snow, I think on summer tires

[Jaijai]

my X5 doesnt slip and slide even with the summer 20" sport maxx tires...not sure how much snow you guys are driving on!

[zaha]

So.. I have been very careful after everyone's advice.
My winter set is being installed Thursday morning. There has not been that much snow in Toronto but I have taken my car out a few times and tested it on snow patches and in -2C weather and it was fine. It slipped just a little bit but it was much better than I thought it would be. I think once there are 5-10cm of snow on the ground the snowshoes will help but I can see it being possible to go winters with the summer sets in parts of the world that don't have insane Canadian winters.

I will post my thoughts on the 298M set from BMW next week. I have seen pictures and I think they will look pretty good

[X6M Highway Bandit]

I have x6m with summer tires and I must tell you that you will regret driving your monster will slide like a 5 yr old learning to ice skate for the first time. I drove today to pick up my wife in washington dc snow and almost crashed it. buy snow tires quickly. best of luck