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12-29-2009, 01:57 PM | #1 |
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Need Help: Winter Tires or Sell the 135i-You Decide!
Hey forum members need some advice quickly. I have a 135i and am moving to snowy Iowa in a few weeks. I will have to drive 25 miles each way to work on a highway but in northwest Iowa where there is lots of snow.
I have a few choices: 1) Buy winter rims and tires and hope I can make it through the winters 2) Sell the 135i and get a xi or C300 4matic 3) buy a lower-priced jeep or truck for the bad days (not a good option since I am not in Iowa yet and don't want to pay to transport an inexpensive car) Honestly (no offense) I like the 135i but am not in love with it and most likely will sell it in the next year or so (maybe the spring when the cars are selling). Plus my wife will want a new car a the Mercedes will work for her. Will the 135i be safe for the long commute and in the snow with dedicated studless tires or should I punt and get an awd? I know you guys can help! |
12-29-2009, 02:29 PM | #4 |
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Sell it, and get a Subaru AWD. With Snows you will be ok, but not as good as AWD with a higher front fascia that will not act as a snow plow. I only add this because you are not in love with the car. You can also check out the new Mercedes SUV that is smaller and less expensive.
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12-29-2009, 03:08 PM | #6 |
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i drive my 128 in the vermont winters with no really BIG issues. Got some great winter tires off of tirerack.com and have not gotten stuck yet.
Get winters and drive smart = no need to sell
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12-29-2009, 04:51 PM | #7 | |
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I got a a new Subaru Forester as a fowl weather vehicle to go along with the 1er. Almost bought a MB GLK350 but my son talked me out of it. If you can only afford 1 vehicle, then go for the AWD.
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12-29-2009, 05:39 PM | #8 |
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snows and wheels on mine..no problems so far in Chicago area.
Went with Dunlop 3D 205/50-17 all around. a real -1 setup but not too bad. Excellent reminder of why I hate runflats. Last edited by emtrey; 12-29-2009 at 07:03 PM.. |
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12-29-2009, 05:42 PM | #9 |
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I drive my 135 when I go skiing at Whistler all winter. It is very good in the snow and I have made it thru some serious snowfalls with no drama. NOTE: one of my neighbours at Whislter has a 335XI and he needed snow tires/wheels for it. He tried it in the snow with the summers and he could get going but had trouble turning and stopping.
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12-29-2009, 06:00 PM | #10 |
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You know, these kind of questions always give me pause. Having grown up in a 4 season area, I remember that when winter hit, everyone switched to snow tires for the season (this was the era prior to the proliferation of front wheel drive and SUV frenzy). All the rear wheel drive cars did pretty well (even in Iowa and further north...and at that time people only got snow tires on the rear). We have now come to the stage where all motion will stop in the snow unless we have all 4 wheels driven-total BS. Tests by Car and Driver have reiterated that rear wheel (and front wheel) cars do fine in snow if equipped with dedicated snow tires at all 4 corners.
If you are going on rural or non-plowed roads, you will have problems due to ground clearance, but most people won't be going anywhere under those conditions anyway. So, the economic choice is buy a set of winter wheels and tires and switch them out for the season. If you want a different car, then buy one-but not just because you are moving to Iowa where is snows a bit. |
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12-29-2009, 08:50 PM | #11 | |
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I live it the Chicago area and the past couple of weeks has given us a lot of nasty weather with an ice storm, cold temps, and then snow. We had a good 3" of snow on the road for a couple of days in my area and my 135i with Conti all season tires did just fine with NO problems at all. Drive smart in bad weather even if you have AWD. Accel slowly and evenly, brake early and on icy/slick sections be smooth on the brakes trying NOT to engage ABS as that will make the braking distance much longer. Great all seasons work just fine and snow tires will work even better if you have more snow that lasts longer. If you don't want the 1 anymore, and you want something better suited for heavier winter driving then go with the Audi A4 2.0T quattro with the sport package. I had a 2006 and I LOVED that car in the winter, and it handled beautifully in the warm months as well, but you do have to get the sport pkg suspension, and then add a premium set of all season tires. The only other AWD system I would get would be the Subaru AWD, which is available in the Legacy GT sedan. It's a fine ride and a lower cost. I'm not a fan of BMW's X drive. |
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12-29-2009, 09:10 PM | #12 |
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I had the 335i RWD Coupe and it is wonderful in the snow in long commutes with the right tires. I took the BMW approved package. The 1 is a much more dynamic car than the C class, which is why I opted against a C250. Also, trucks and SUVs have their limitations in the snow also.
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12-30-2009, 01:50 PM | #13 |
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Drove my 330ci in the snow and am driving my 135i in the snow here in Michigan this winter (which hasn't been much at all). I only got stuck once in about 10" of snow when the UPS truck ran me off the road.
Had Blizzaks on the 330 and have Contis on the 135. Dedicated set of rims and tires for winter has served me very very well. My personal opinion is that if it's requiring a special vehicle to get out and about, it's too nasty to be out and about. Few people have a job worth that kind of BS.
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