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Coupes & Convertibles BMW Z4 BMW Z4 Tires and Wheels
59 messages, Last post on Oct 01, 2009 at 12:08 PM
You are in the BMW Z4 Forum. Your Host is claires
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To deal with chicago winters, i do have a separate set of winter tires (for my 328i). It's not as necessary as i thought, and i could do without, but i do like the security, and it is helpful when i venture to winter wisconsin. My BMW is old enough that it has ASC instead of the superior DSC a z4 will have. I did fine the one heavy snowfall we had this winter, and in wisconsin when i still had my summer tires on. As noted above, ground clearance is likely to be the real issue. Last winter we had that one big snowfall, and i knew that if i stopped in my building's parking lot, i might get stuck, as there was close to a foot, so i snowplowed straight into the stall. Good fun. If you can tolerate missing a day or two of driving, and watching the forecast for predictions of serious snow, a z4 will be fine. dave
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Replying to: dhanley (Jan 31, 2006 2:31 pm) Bravo! I think a lot of people worry unnecessarily about RWD and the snow. Caution is always advisiable. Snow offers unique opportunities for thrills if you are keen to take them. |
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Replying to: dhanley (Jan 31, 2006 2:31 pm)  ck |
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Personally, i think snowfall is great, as it allows me to practice donuts and 360's without putting a lot of wear on my tires. IMHO, a lot of people fear RWD needlessly. I've heard a lot of people claim they'd never own a RWD car because it's "unsafe." There's been a lot of marketing put into FWD promoting this drivel. My bmw is better in the snow than my last two FWD cars. dave |
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I grew up in the snow belt (Erie, PA) and we still have a second home there. This is a mild winter so far, but it averages 110" of snow a year, which I believe is 2-3 times Chicago's level. I believe there would be a significant difference between the Z4 and 3 series convertible in the snow. My Honda S2000 came with Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position S02 tires. They are "W" rated and stick like glue to dry pavement, hydroplane fairly easliy on wet and freeze and glide on snow and ice. That car was undrivable on snow covered roads with the standard tires. I believe the Z4 OEM tires are a little less extreme than the S2000's, but I suspect they would exhibit some of the same characteristics. The 3 series, on the other hand, has all-season tires unless you get the sport package. Ground clearance will also be noticably less on the Z4 than the 3 series. I'd have a lot more confidence in getting by without snow tires in a 3 series. If you opt to try the Z4 with high performance summer tires, make sure your life insurance is paid up.
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jan 31, 2006 5:12 pm) I agree... if the Z4 comes with Summer tires, you'll have to get winter tires for Chicago, if you plan on driving it at all in the winter months.. Neither car is driveable in winter weather with the Sport Package tires... |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jan 31, 2006 5:12 pm) Well, I know my Miata with the sports suspension had Potenzas. Don't know what they were rated. I would not recommend it as a daily driver in the winter. But if the op has a truck, the Mazda would do in Chicago for the occasional spin. I don't think the Z4 would be all that more extreme. I am with Dhanley. I took the relatively mild Chicago winters as a chance to have a little unique fun. During regular driving, I kept the baby sitter on and took it easy with the accelerator. |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jan 31, 2006 5:12 pm) |
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Host, You may be right, that the Z4 comes standard with all seasons. I was going by the ones that I have seen - all with the sport package. Byt the way, has the Z4 been discountinued for 2006? - it's not listed in Edmunds BMW models list. Logic1, According to Edmunds, the Miata Sport comes standard with rather benign all season tires. And there are many "Potenza" tires that include all seasons. My Acura TL 6-speed came with Potenza summer tires that were drivable -albeit a little slippery - in the winter. But the Potenza "Pole Position" S02/S03 "W" rated summer performance tires that came on my S2000 are in a different league, and downright dangerous on packed snow in sub 25 degree weather. If the Z4 came with those kind of tires, snows would be a must. I doubt even the sport package 3-series comes with that type of dedicated summer tire. dhanley, I don't disagree. The point I was making was that I thought the stock 3-series tires would be more winter friendly than the stock Z4 tires. However, since I haven't been able to verify what the stock Z4 tires are, I may be wrong. It may indeed be the case that you only stray from all-seasons if you select a sport package on either. And I agree with your comments regarding RWD being unfairly criticized for winter driving. |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Feb 01, 2006 12:02 pm) 1st deliveries are scheduled for March.. |
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