[Manco]

Hey guys,

I will be driving my M2C this winter but have no idea what set of tires I should be using.

Since I live in Sweden the temperatures will pretty much always be below 0 C and the roads wet and/or covered in snow/ice. Should I opt for studded tires or non studded? I've always used studded tires in the past but those were for a Mazda 3 with 165 hp, not an M2C with 410 hp...

I'm planning on using the same wheels for both summer and winter. But if you could recommend me alternative wheels, I'm all ears.

Also, if you prefer to drive another car during winter, cool. Please keep that opinion to yourself, I don't want this thread to go off topic.

Best regards
Manco

[Ratcher]

How much snow? I have been to the Alps with Michelin Alpin PA4 and was very well impressed. I've used them in 245/265 and 235/235 and in your case with more snow I would always go 235/235. If it snows *a lot* I think you have to go studded.

I used BMW's 641M wheels with the 235 tires.

[Manco]

It's quite unpredictable. Most of the time it won't be any snow on the roads. But over a night we can get multiple inches of snow that then takes a few days/a week to melt. Icy roads is more common however than snowy roads.

Do you know if the Pilot Alpin comes with studded option?

Also 641M is 19" right?

Thanks!

[m2ss]

I have the following:

Hakkas on the 128 for snow (very good)

X-Ice on the M2 LCI for snow (quite good)

PA4s on the M2C for cold dry (very good, not so much on snow)

[Manco]

What dimensions are you running on the X-ice and PA4?

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by Manco

What dimensions are you running on the X-ice and PA4?

I believe the X-ice are 18/245 square.

The PA4s are 19/245/265 and they are superb in cold/dry.

I used the PA4s on my 911s.

[Ratcher]

Originally Posted by Manco

It's quite unpredictable. Most of the time it won't be any snow on the roads. But over a night we can get multiple inches of snow that then takes a few days/a week to melt. Icy roads is more common however than snowy roads.

Do you know if the Pilot Alpin comes with studded option?

Also 641M is 19" right?

Thanks!

641M is 19" but you can also buy 640M in 18", in case you have the blue brake kit.

I don't have experience over multiple inches of snow, I really think then you need dedicated snow tires, but PA4 held very well with the bit of snow I encountered.

[Manco]

Originally Posted by Ratcher

641M is 19" but you can also buy 640M in 18", in case you have the blue brake kit.

I don't have experience over multiple inches of snow, I really think then you need dedicated snow tires, but PA4 held very well with the bit of snow I encountered.

Sorry I meant centimeters* not inches. To be honest I'm more worried about braking distances on icy roads, than the snow itself. It's common here that roads are wet during the day (not slippery, just wet), then freeze during the night so the roads become icy and slippery in the mornings.

I have the same brake kit as you do so 18" is a no go.

[Fred Conoway]

If you are most worried about ice, you cannot beat a studded tire. I don't have any experience with studded tires on my vehicles, but looking at test data when comparing a studded tire to a standard snow tire, the results are pretty amazing. There's a very good review comparing studded to non-studded tires on the Tyre Reviews YouTube channel. Can't seem to find the video at the moment, but it's well worth a watch!

[Maynard]

Studded Hakkipalittas. There is no substitute. The improvement over unstudded winter tires is about as much as the gap between all-seasons and winter tires.

I run them on my winter 228x (F22 version, not that FWD Cooper knockoff). The studs have a suspension system so they retract on dry pavement - dry traction is comparable to other dedicated snow tires (cornering and braking, but I don't think I've ever had them to threshold/ABS on dry pavement). But on ice they are worlds better. I've gotten 4 seasons with only 2 studs lost, most still with some of the grip-tips left (and with 2 light seasons of not as much snow as usual, so I assume higher wear on them); will be repolacing them this winter. We get a fair amount of patchy black ice, and you don't get the option to stop and put on chains for that - coincidentally got an ice storm the day I first installed them, and on the short drive home I passed 2 cars spun into the guardrail, one of them a state trooper.

Only drawback is the performance sound (I kind of like it, and it gets pedestrians to scoot out of your way a little faster at crosswalks). And you probably can't get the exact correct sizes - go a little narrower rather than wider.

[Manco]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Studded Hakkipalittas. There is no substitute. The improvement over unstudded winter tires is about as much as the gap between all-seasons and winter tires.

I run them on my winter 228x (F22 version, not that FWD Cooper knockoff). The studs have a suspension system so they retract on dry pavement - dry traction is comparable to other dedicated snow tires (cornering and braking, but I don't think I've ever had them to threshold/ABS on dry pavement). But on ice they are worlds better. I've gotten 4 seasons with only 2 studs lost, most still with some of the grip-tips left (and with 2 light seasons of not as much snow as usual, so I assume higher wear on them); will be repolacing them this winter. We get a fair amount of patchy black ice, and you don't get the option to stop and put on chains for that - coincidentally got an ice storm the day I first installed them, and on the short drive home I passed 2 cars spun into the guardrail, one of them a state trooper.

Only drawback is the performance sound (I kind of like it, and it gets pedestrians to scoot out of your way a little faster at crosswalks). And you probably can't get the exact correct sizes - go a little narrower rather than wider.

What dimensions are you running?

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by Manco

What dimensions are you running?

I run them on my F22 (no salt for the M2) so it has 18" wheels, I think I"m on 225's all around. IIRC the Hakki 10's come in a 235/40-19 that would probably work, you'd have to check diameter (these would really do a number on that inner fender liner).

[Brokenbones]

run continental viking 7 235/35/19 square. they are pinched but cuts through snow nice.
great in ~4 inches of snow, good in packed snow/slushy ice, decent on ice.
never ran studded tires

[Manco]

Just wanted to give an update.

I opted for Michelin X-ice snow with 255's in the front and 265 in the rear.
The tireshop I bought the front tires from recommended 255's in the front because the standard 245's didn't offer much of alloy protection compared to standard summer tires. They had a customer before me with his M2 change out his 245's for some 255's so hence why they recommended the 255's for me.

Since I bought them we have had a lot of snow and ice here in Stockholm and honestly I never thought I would see a winter this bad here, however the tires have been working absolutely beautifully. Very good grip in snow and wet conditions. Sure they don't perform as well on ice as studded tires but for a non-studded tire they impressed me. Road noise isn't that bad either so overall, I highly recommend these tires.

This was my first winter with a sportscar and I realized that at the end of the day, how you plan your driving and how "calm and smooth" your driving is will ultimately be the majoring factor in risk reduction.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Manco

Just wanted to give an update.

I opted for Michelin X-ice snow with 255's in the front and 265 in the rear.
The tireshop I bought the front tires from recommended 255's in the front because the standard 245's didn't offer much of alloy protection compared to standard summer tires. They had a customer before me with his M2 change out his 245's for some 255's so hence why they recommended the 255's for me.

Since I bought them we have had a lot of snow and ice here in Stockholm and honestly I never thought I would see a winter this bad here, however the tires have been working absolutely beautifully. Very good grip in snow and wet conditions. Sure they don't perform as well on ice as studded tires but for a non-studded tire they impressed me. Road noise isn't that bad either so overall, I highly recommend these tires.

This was my first winter with a sportscar and I realized that at the end of the day, how you plan your driving and how "calm and smooth" your driving is will ultimately be the majoring factor in risk reduction.

Do the 255s rub for you?

[Manco]

Originally Posted by chris719

Do the 255s rub for you?

They do yes, but funnily enough, not at full lock. Only at like 70-80% lock. But with that said, the rubbing is very minimal. I can post pictures of the insides if interested

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Manco

They do yes, but funnily enough, not at full lock. Only at like 70-80% lock. But with that said, the rubbing is very minimal. I can post pictures of the insides if interested

That's fine was just curious, thanks .