snow tires for i3

[bdesatnik]

I purchased a 2015 i3 with range extender (Giga package) this past June and am considering whether or not to put snow tires on the car this winter. I live in northern Ohio and our winters can be brutal at times - aside from the cold, we get lots of snow. For those of you that live in the northern states that get a substantial amount of cold and snow, I'd like to get your opinions as to whether the 19" all season tires are adequate for winter driving. I am considering the winter package (wheels and Blizzak tires) as well as just purchasing the Blizzak tires and having the dealer changing them every season. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Buy them...living where you do, you will be safer. For whatever reason, you can buy a tire package from BMW for less than you'd pay for a replacement wheel which beats TireRack's prices, assuming you like the wheel BMW sells them with. The instant torque with the EV motor can get you into trouble, and a true winter tire has better grip, even without throwing in the snow in the cold weather.

I bought a set as part of my new car purchase, otherwise I might have considered the Nokian tire that is available in the needed size http://www.nokiantires.com/tire-selector/winter-tires/results/155/70/19/84/Q/passenger-car/ , but those are harder to find. Interesting construction - low-rolling resistance and embedded with diamond chips for grip.

 

[NoMoreGas]

I have the Nokes on my winter wheels (Set of 4 427 wheels powdercoated gloss black). Will put them on first week in November and will write a review after a couple of snows. I can tell you that the Nokes are the softest rubber and the deepest tread pattern I have ever seen. Much softer than the Bridgestone winter tires for our car. I compared them when at dealer.

 

[MichiganI3]

I bought the 427 wheel set last fall - they got me through the last winter here in Michigan without major issues. Will put them on by mid-November and do recommend them for any i3 drivers in areas with snowy winters.

 

[mindmachine]

I drove all winter last year on the stock 19 inch all season tires in north central Ohio,did not have any problems. Dedicated snow tires are a huge waste of money in my book. I used to by separate winter tires for my cars, but today the all season tires are so much better and i don't have the hassle or high cost of separate wheels and tires. i haven't bought separate winter tires for several cars now, and do not have problems as long as the all season tires are in good condition.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Look at them as insurance. They do stop faster in the cold weather and will get you out of a bad situation better than an all-season tire. Some people drive all winter with summer performance tires. Depends on where you live, the temperatures, the road conditions, and your driving style. You'll get there safer and be better able to handle an emergency situation if you have them and the weather is cold or the road is less than ideal. All it takes is once. Winter tires are optimized for winter conditions...all-seasons are not optimized for any conditions, and are a compromise in all.

 

[PDXelectric]

Hi,

I found a great deal on a set of four at my local dealer, but did find out that all area dealers did not stock them. They are being shipped from Germany and are 6 weeks out. If you are considering them, you might want to call around if you want them by winter.

Good Luck!

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, the tires are directional, and on the set I received from the dealer, all four were mounted for the left-hand side...look at yours carefully so you have a mountable set. I caught it while there, and they fixed it for me right away.

 

[timf]

I'm really torn on whether or not to buy winter tires for my i3. I have the 19" wheels so I could probably get by fine without them, but I have never driven a RWD vehicle in winter before. It just seems like I wouldn't get that much value out of them given my 2 year lease especially if this is a mild winter like they're predicting.

Should I:
A. Stick it out with the all seasons and drive an alternate vehicle on days when the roads are really bad.
B. Get just winter tires and swap them out using my existing wheels.
C. Get a full winter tire & wheel package and hope I can get some resale value out of them after I return my vehicle.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Tires have evolved a huge amount over the years. Today's tires are far more capable than they were even 10-years ago. That being said, your neighbors in Ontario, Canada REQUIRE snow tires. IMHO, they probably realize the benefit. They are insurance, but even winter tires (the industry hasn't called them snow tires for years!) because they are optimized for colder temperatures AND inclement weather. IOW, you'll be able to stop faster on dry roads when it is cold and have more traction when the roads are nasty. With the high torque at low rpms on the i3, if you stay in comfort mode, they will definitely help. If you switch to an eco mode, where the throttle is dampened somewhat, it's easier to get started when the roads are slick. They are insurance...you may never need them for your car, your health, or your home, but are nice to have. Snowy roads at 32 are more slick than those colder because the weight of the car tends to turn a thin layer to water...water on ice is nasty stuff.

You may never need them, you may wish you had them. Only time will tell. The all-seasons aren't horrible in the scale of things, they're just not as good as the winter tires.

With the cost of remounting seasonally, especially with the TPMS where the industry recommendation is to change out the stem (about $12 each) each time, throw in the opportunity to nick up a wheel or do a lousy job of balancing, a complete set doesn't start to look bad, and, you might get a better return as a private sale at the end, verses a trade-in.

 

[user 2331]

BMW Toronto wants to sell me tires and rims for 2700 installed (canadian); converted that's just over $2000 USD. We're thinking of holding off and seeing how the regular tires do. What are others paying? Are we getting ripped off?

 

[jadnashuanh]

That seems high, but then, the US pricing verses Canadian is not something I deal with. NOt sure what the duty is on them there. People here have reported they found a set at the dealer for about $1400-1500 US. Does the i3 sold in Canada have TPMS, or does it use the rotational rate of the tires to determine if a tire is low? The US set includes TPMS, which are a fair chunk of change by themselves...without them, retail could be $300 or so less.

 

[jadnashuanh]

December 2015 issue of Car and Driver has a comparison test of 7 different winter tires. Only two of them are available for the i3 in the needed size. The Bridgestone came in 4th, and the Nokian R2 came in first. The R2 was also the most expensive, at least at retail.

 

[gt1]

The (relatively) inexpensive winter wheel set is out. Dealers told me it is not not available from BMW. The new part number is 36112357088. The price is $460 for each wheel/tire combo. It includes the TPMS sensor, but not the center cup. Still, I'm not sure there are more attractive alternatives.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Winter tires should start to show up in the next month if experience is any guide. Summer tires are made in the winter, and winter ones in the summer. This year's batch is just making it out of the factory. One does not really want some from last year as rubber gets harder as it ages, and a winter tire needs all the flexibility it can get for maximum performance. The year I bought mine, they didn't start to show up until early September...not long from now.

 

[gt1]

Do you think that the old part number will become available again? I'm not holding my breath...

 

[gt1]

I asked the dealer. They say the cheaper part number is gone for good.

 

[jadnashuanh]

It's been awhile, but one part number was the wheel/tire package without a TPMS (the way it's sold in Canada I understand), which would account for some of the price difference. In some states, not having the TPMS would cause it to fail a safety inspection, but not all.