E39 in snow?

[lucas999]

Hi everybody,

I am considering purchasing an E39 sometime this summer but live in Maine. I am looking mainly at 530i/5s and that is why I said "sometime this summer" as they are hard to find near me. I am currently in high school. I have worked on cars before, mainly antiques at the local transportation museum, and want to learn to work on BMWs. I also have a garage and a shop at my house where I can work on my car. I am most concerned about having a rear wheel drive car in the winter. I have read many forum posts about driving a rwd in the winter, but those posts often come from Virginia or maybe Connecticut. I would definitely buy a good set of snows. My mom has an e61 530xi which, with Michelin Pilot Sport a/s tires, has a hard time stopping in the snow. This was her first winter with the car and luckily it was a very mild winter for us in Maine. She will most likely get a set of Hakkapeliittas for next season. Maine does have hills, and our house does is on top of one, granted there are ways to avoid the steep places. I will mostly use my car to get to school which is closed if the conditions are really bad. Also, If I need to get somewhere in bad conditions, such as the ski mountain, my mom's car is an option. I could look for an awd E46, but I like the idea of an E39 much better. I want to know whether you northern-BMW owners think about my situation, and if an E39 would turn into a disaster in 6"+ of unplowed snow up a slight incline.

Thanks!
-Lucas

[Mless5]

Given that you are in Maine, I'd opt for xi e46 unless you can afford having e39 and awd winter beater at the same time. I live in MA and I just sold my 540i6, wife mobile is e46xi.

[RyansBMW]

I used to live in MA so not quite as much snow as you but I had my 530 up there and had no problem with snow + snow tires. My dad had a 528 ( and now a E60 535) and again, no problem with snow. The only real concern is the car being too low and the front end becoming a plow, although I never experienced that. At that point, ditch the sedan and get a truck.

[BimmerBreaker]

If an AWD E60 is having trouble driving in these conditions, why do you think a RWD E39 without an LSD is going to fare any better?

Seems dangerous to me especially given your limited driving experience. You are better off IMO in an AWD car, and much much better off in a truck or something at least until you learn the ropes of snow driving.

[lucas999]

Given that you are in Maine, I'd opt for xi e46 unless you can afford having e39 and awd winter beater at the same time. I live in MA and I just sold my 540i6, wife mobile is e46xi.

This year, I think you guys down in MA got more snow than we did! A very strange winter. Having two cars is not something that I could afford. My mom does have an awd car which I could use in bad conditions, but it would probably be a pain to have to use her car all the time. It is a good idea to look for an E46xi. I would really like a 330xi, although they can be hard to find for the right price.

[lucas999]

I used to live in MA so not quite as much snow as you but I had my 530 up there and had no problem with snow + snow tires. My dad had a 528 ( and now a E60 535) and again, no problem with snow. The only real concern is the car being too low and the front end becoming a plow, although I never experienced that. At that point, ditch the sedan and get a truck.

Hi Ryan, what kind of snow tires did you have? I have heard that having the right tires makes a world of difference in adverse conditions.

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Given that you are in Maine, I'd opt for xi e46 unless you can afford having e39 and awd winter beater at the same time. I live in MA and I just sold my 540i6, wife mobile is e46xi.

Hi Mless5, unfortunately, it is not realistic for me to have two cars. My mom's car is there for really bad conditions, but I don't want to have to use it all the time. I will start looking around at E46xis. Thanks!

[lucas999]

If an AWD E60 is having trouble driving in these conditions, why do you think a RWD E39 without an LSD is going to fare any better?

Seems dangerous to me especially given your limited driving experience. You are better off IMO in an AWD car, and much much better off in a truck or something at least until you learn the ropes of snow driving.

Maybe I should get an M5 so I have an LSD! Jokes, jokes. Just to clarify, the tires my mom has on her E61 are not good in snow. Even though they are a/s tires, I have read that they are better suited for rain winters with maybe some light snow. This is why sometimes, it slides a little bit when coming to a complete stop. I would want at least very good snow tires if not studs for my first few years driving in winter.

My mom's last car was a Prius (I know, I know...) and it actually did very well in the snow. It also almost never had problems, which is a completely different story than with her E61. I think I will look around for awd E46s. Trucks aren't really my thing, and while they might be great for the ~4 months we have snow, I think I would want something with a bit more sporting nature and better gas milage for the other ~8 months. I could always look at fwd/awd Volvos or Audis, which Maine has PLENTY of, but I am really much more interested in BMWs. Thanks!

[RyansBMW]

A/S tires will always suck in the snow. Dedicated snow tires are a different story.

[lucas999]

A/S tires will always suck in the snow. Dedicated snow tires are a different story.

This is what I have heard. I told this to my mom, as she was not pleased with her car's winter performance this year. Her car has the sport package though, so the combination of a/s tires and 18" rims sometimes became irritating. The acceleration though, even with the low profile a/s tires, was very good, due to awd.

[M62pwrdE38]

Get some Blizzaks for winter and drive around just fine.

[ultimatebohab]

I live in WI I think the climate is about the same our older 525 does fine now that it has new tires as long as you stay on plowed roads and things, anything from probably 5 inches and above you'll probably start getting stuck.... during the bad days I would just take my 4runner as my car would get too packed with snow and vibrant or just sit in place and spin.... the vibration was the worst tho it gets packed easy and fast it got so bad once going down the interstate it kicked my check engine light on.... I got closed rims sortta helped.... but tires make a a world if difference....

[pbonsalb]

. I am most concerned about having a rear wheel drive car in the winter. I have read many forum posts about driving a rwd in the winter, but those posts often come from Virginia or maybe Connecticut. I would definitely buy a good set of snows. My mom has an e61 530xi which, with Michelin Pilot Sport a/s tires, has a hard time stopping in the snow. This was her first winter with the car and luckily it was a very mild winter for us in Maine. She will most likely get a set of Hakkapeliittas for next season. Maine does have hills, and our house does is on top of one, granted there are ways to avoid the steep places. I will mostly use my car to get to school which is closed if the conditions are really bad. Also, If I need to get somewhere in bad conditions, such as the ski mountain, my mom's car is an option. I could look for an awd E46, but I like the idea of an E39 much better. I want to know whether you northern-BMW owners think about my situation, and if an E39 would turn into a disaster in 6"+ of unplowed snow up a slight incline.

We drove a 99 528i 5MT from 2005-2015 in NH year round, with snow wheels in the winter of course. It does OK. Not sure you will go uphill in 6 inches of snow though. That is about ground clearance level. Studded snows might help, but this car still would not make a good snowplow.

AWD with snows is better. Look for an E46 330xi.

I have driven 30 years in New England with RWD cars and snows. You can get by. If you have a good lead on a nice 530i for a low price, try it for a year.

AWD adds complexity and weight and takes away from dry performance. But if you live in a remote area with minimal or irregular plowing, you need it.

And yes, your mother should put snows on her E61 530xit. We run snow wheels in the winter on our 08 E61 535xit.

[Mless5]

Yes, we had a very strange winter as well, barely any snow. But if you live on the hill and it isn't plowed, I'd go for xi - however, like pbonsalb points out, be aware of the added weight, drop in performance and not so pretty MPG. No real complexity other than half shafts that need attention and they aren't cheap.

[MarcoZandrini]

A/S tires will always suck in the snow. Dedicated snow tires are a different story.

^ this!

[MarcoZandrini]

Get some Blizzaks for winter and drive around just fine.

Get 4 Blizzaks!

[ELVA164]

I'd probably agree that getting something with AWD first is the better option. There's no great reason to opt for RWD in your situation aside from you specifically wanting an E39. Get some time under your belt and practice in the snow with someone else's car!

[e21mdion]

I live in NH and my wife and I drive an e38 740i all winter, generally without a problem. I run 4 snows on separate rims in the winter. Of course in NH we have snow plows so there is very rarely a foot of snow on the roads although it can get to 4-6 inches sometimes. I'm sure in Maine it's the same way. I'd say go for it you should be good to go and have fun!

[lucas999]

I live in NH and my wife and I drive an e38 740i all winter, generally without a problem. I run 4 snows on separate rims in the winter. Of course in NH we have snow plows so there is very rarely a foot of snow on the roads although it can get to 4-6 inches sometimes. I'm sure in Maine it's the same way. I'd say go for it you should be good to go and have fun!

I am afraid I made it sound like it is impossible to drive in Maine in the winter! Most of the time, we do get plowed out within a couple of hours after the snow stops falling, probably the same thing as you in NH. My mom and I agreed that for the first few times I drive in snow that she will be with me.

- - - Updated - - -

Yes, we had a very strange winter as well, barely any snow. But if you live on the hill and it isn't plowed, I'd go for xi - however, like pbonsalb points out, be aware of the added weight, drop in performance and not so pretty MPG. No real complexity other than half shafts that need attention and they aren't cheap.

Generally, we get plowed out a few hours after the snow stops and I don't really have anywhere to go after we get a dumping because school is closed. I would really like a 330xi with the sport package

- - - Updated - - -

We drove a 99 528i 5MT from 2005-2015 in NH year round, with snow wheels in the winter of course. It does OK. Not sure you will go uphill in 6 inches of snow though. That is about ground clearance level. Studded snows might help, but this car still would not make a good snowplow.

AWD with snows is better. Look for an E46 330xi.

I have driven 30 years in New England with RWD cars and snows. You can get by. If you have a good lead on a nice 530i for a low price, try it for a year.

AWD adds complexity and weight and takes away from dry performance. But if you live in a remote area with minimal or irregular plowing, you need it.

And yes, your mother should put snows on her E61 530xit. We run snow wheels in the winter on our 08 E61 535xit.

I originally thought to look for E39s because they are generally a bit cheaper to buy than E46xis and I thought that I would have more money to spend on a good set of snows. The more I looked, I decided I really liked the E39. I wonder why... I will look around for awd E46s but also keep looking for a nice 530i. Thanks for the feedback!

[M62pwrdE38]

AWD is not necessary if you have good snow tires. Its better for starting from a dead stop but that's about it.

[ross1]

Tires, tires, tires. No such thing as all season. Technique, technique, technique. It takes attention and some skill to drive in low grip conditions, sadly something not taught.

Our E39 (no LSD) with snow tires and my wife with reasonable skills does just fine here in Chicago. Counts the SUVs in the ditch on bad days.