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Thread: Winter tires for NJ - stupid idea?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Long Branch, NJ
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    2003 BMW Z4

    Winter tires for NJ - stupid idea?

    Just purchased a 2003 Z4 E85 and am living in Monmouth County, with winter coming up and the roads getting colder I'm contemplating buying a set of winter tires+rims for better grip & to rotate wear/tear between the seasons, as I want this beautiful machine to be my daily driver (avg. daily commute 30min).

    Tirerack is running a special on Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D's (205/55R16's) and I was considering a separate set of rims so I can just have one set for summer (the potenza 225/50R16's) and one set for <50F weather (the dunlop's).

    My primary concerns are handling in the cold, wet and slush and am looking for advice from other tri-state area members, or those of you who use your E85 as a daily driver in similar conditions.

    While google/forum searches are clear on opinions for states with a more harsher winter climate, it's not as clear for the tri-state area so much and given that I'm not a native to NJ (or the U.S.) I'm hoping to pick up some tribal knowledge here too.

    So... is this a stupid idea and I should just stick on all-weather's? Or something that you regularly do/recommend?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Victoria BC Canada
    Posts
    380
    My Cars
    2004 Z4, 1700 Nomad MC
    I vote for stupid idea. Your beautiful car won’t be beautiful for very long if you drive it in winter/slushy roads


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    287
    My Cars
    2007 BMW Z4 E85 3.0 SI
    Quote Originally Posted by spiderland View Post
    Just purchased a 2003 Z4 E85 and am living in Monmouth County, with winter coming up and the roads getting colder I'm contemplating buying a set of winter tires+rims for better grip & to rotate wear/tear between the seasons, as I want this beautiful machine to be my daily driver (avg. daily commute 30min).

    Tirerack is running a special on Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D's (205/55R16's) and I was considering a separate set of rims so I can just have one set for summer (the potenza 225/50R16's) and one set for <50F weather (the dunlop's).

    My primary concerns are handling in the cold, wet and slush and am looking for advice from other tri-state area members, or those of you who use your E85 as a daily driver in similar conditions.

    While google/forum searches are clear on opinions for states with a more harsher winter climate, it's not as clear for the tri-state area so much and given that I'm not a native to NJ (or the U.S.) I'm hoping to pick up some tribal knowledge here too.

    So... is this a stupid idea and I should just stick on all-weather's? Or something that you regularly do/recommend?

    I lived in the Midwest for few years and had the all season Continental Extreme Contact DWS tires. This was one of the very few brands that offered a complete set of tires (with snow coverage) for my staggered-fit star-spoke 108 factory rims. Although the tires were good in snow, the main problem was that the Z4 rear is soo LIGHT to produce any traction in deeper snow. Adding 2-3 50 lb salt bags in the trunk had a MAJOR impact on the driving experience.
    The Dunlop SP winter are awesome snow tires (out of personal experience). Purchasing a set of snow wheels is not a bad idea either. It saves the original rims from the extensive salt and water exposure during harsh winter seasons.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    119
    My Cars
    2008 Z4
    Honestly we rarely have more than 4-5 snow events every winter and main roads are usually plowed within 8hrs or so.
    I also knew another person who did as you are thinking and he got along just fine through the winter.
    Thus isnt something I would do but neither would I DD the Z4. Regardless i think you would be fine

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Long Branch, NJ
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    2003 BMW Z4
    That helps ... your comments, looking further at weather data, and asking work colleagues I'm not as worried about the snow events in NJ.

    If it's more than a couple of inches out then it's probably something like back in Jan about to hit .. but outside once-off's like that, it seems quite uneventful so it's mostly the cold & wet I'm concerned about, given that my max performance summer tires are not designed for it at all.

    I don't mind going through the extra cleaning required, as while she's a beautiful machine I did also buy to enjoy it. Agree that if I lived further up north (upstate NY, etc.), it would seem there'd be no question about swapping out for a different DD.

    Thanks all!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southwest, Ohio
    Posts
    213
    My Cars
    2007 Z4 3.0Si
    My kids drove their e30's thru every winter here in Ohio with all season tires during their high school years and one half way thru college and only one did one of them end up in a ditch when he hit a patch of ice...
    It's nothing personal with you since I don't know you from Adam but.. snow tires don't fix stupid driving.

    I personally don't care if you drive your beauty during the winter. I feel like snow tires are a waste of money because just like you, we get 5-6 snow events per year and that means your trusting that you're going to get decent use of them and it's just not the case.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Long Branch, NJ
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    2003 BMW Z4
    Totally get that. Idiot behind the wheel is still an idiot. No feelings hurt

    I don't think snow tires are useful at all, but these are not snow tires, they are winter tires and my desire is that they will grip & remain more supple in cold conditions. And if I happen to get caught in some snow, I'll take that too, but I'm going out of my way to find myself in a snow drift either. Then when it gets warm again, off they come and back onto the Potenza's I have until i run low on tread and swap them out.

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