12-16-2020, 10:37 PM | #1 |
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Michelin winter tires a fail
This evening in the NY metro area and suburbs we’re getting our first major snowfall in three years. I was looking forward to putting my performance winter tires to use on the M2C—Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4s in 245/265, mounted on the stock wheels. But coming home from work in 4 or so inches of fresh snow was much more of a challenge than it should have been. The car struggled for traction, getting sideways very easily with the slightest throttle, and nearly got stuck at a stoplight on a slight incline. I made it home to my driveway, where I promptly got stuck before making it into the garage.
I’ve had multiple BMWs over the years as daily drivers, all doing just fine in snow with winter tires—E46 330Ci, 545i, E60 M5, E90 M3. All rear wheel drive, all with a decent amount of power. And they did a solid job in winter conditions with performance winter tires from Dunlop (Winter Sport 3), Pirelli (Sottozero), and Bridgestone (Blizzak). But the M2C on the Michelin Pilot Alpins was a fail today. What’s been the experience of other forum members?
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12-17-2020, 08:00 AM | #3 |
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Sorry to hear. Have vikingcontact7 drove to work this morning in NYC, lots of unplowed areas, drifts or deep ruts. Decent traction except when highsided over deep drift/rut but slowly powered out.
Definitely why I went with studless winters... don’t need the false confidence of performance snows. |
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12-17-2020, 08:41 AM | #4 |
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To be perfectly honest, I don't expect the M2 to be any good in the snow, regardless of the tires. But that's just me. If we had real Winter's here, I'd buy a car for that.
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12-17-2020, 10:03 AM | #5 |
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12-17-2020, 11:41 AM | #6 |
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12-17-2020, 03:20 PM | #8 | ||
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Yep--mounted correctly.
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Good thought, but no, they have a couple thousand miles on them from last season. My first pucker experience with release compound was with a brand-new set of Nitto NT01s on my M3 several years ago on track. The first few laps felt like an ice rink!
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12-17-2020, 03:50 PM | #9 | |
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That said I have not tried the Pilot Alpin PA4 -- currently have the Sottozero 3, previously have run Winter Sport 3s, Blizzaks and Hakkas (and something else). |
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12-17-2020, 03:57 PM | #10 |
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Sucks they aren't working out.
I run Blizzaks in traction mode. No really issues getting around in the snow. |
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12-17-2020, 04:10 PM | #11 | |
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12-17-2020, 07:44 PM | #12 |
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Paradocs, running square 235/35 on 9x19 apex rims. Yes they’re stretched a bit. But don’t look horrible.
I have to drive in bad weather no matter what and I’ve depended on narrow real snow tires. RWD just needs appropriate driving precaution and comfort with sliding around and some devil may care attitude. My old WRX was a joy in snow but I gotta say found the m2 handing is reasonably predictable w traction control on, and doesn’t feel like cars overtly plotting a crash and openly trying to kill me-like my s2000 did during winters. Last edited by Brokenbones; 12-17-2020 at 07:51 PM.. |
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12-18-2020, 03:23 PM | #14 |
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New to M2C and winter
Hi everyone. I made an account as I just recently bought an M2c 2019 and stumbled upon your thread. I've been kind of dealing with the same issue. I really don't want to swap wheels, I want to keep OEM wheels on with some winter tires. I ordered the same tires as you, 245/35/19 in the front and 265 in the rear, PA4s, but I had rubbing on the front fender on the front. So... I'm considering getting 235s for the front as the tech at NTB said they'd fit. However, after reading this thread I'm considering Blizzak's. What sizes should I get for OEM wheels? Sorry if this constitutes thread jacking, but I can't make my own thread yet, have to reply to one first. Anyways, thanks for the help.
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12-18-2020, 03:39 PM | #15 |
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I found the traction control not as good as without traction control on at least two situations back when I drove mine in the snow with winter tires. Did you try it with traction control off?
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12-18-2020, 09:00 PM | #16 |
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I went with 255/35 square Vikingcontact 7's on OEM rims... was a little worried about the stretch at the rear before I bought them. But its not as bad as I was expecting...
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12-19-2020, 12:20 PM | #17 | |||||
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Thanks for the info.
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12-20-2020, 08:53 PM | #18 |
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Heh, I said how the PA4 were absolute garbage a few years back and got flamed. They are pretty useless in anything more than an inch of snow. I opted for Nokian Hakkas this go around and hoping I have a better experience :P
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12-20-2020, 10:16 PM | #20 | |
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12-21-2020, 10:00 AM | #21 |
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Alpins are made for parts of EU that require winter tires be mounted but rarely get any snow. So you can still drive 250kph on the autobahn when it's dry and above freezing.
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12-21-2020, 10:25 AM | #22 |
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I've never had a M car do well in the snow.
In 1996, I had an E36 328. It drove fantastic in the winter with snows. In 1997, I traded the car for an E36M3. Same tires and it sucked in the snow. I think it has to do with the transmission programming and how the torque is applied. But I'd be worried about the oil cooler and hitting a chunk of frozen snow. Not sure how our friends up north manage but guessing they have way more winter driving experience than I ever will. |
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