Outstanding handling in snow [Archive]

Mordan

12-20-2009, 03:16 PM

Hello,

we got lots of snow recently. I went for a ride today, my first time with winter tyres on a BMW. Very thin tyres. 185. My trunk is loaded with car tools and the tank is full.

I'm amazed. The car handles superbly. It is a joy to drive especially in high reving 2 and 3rd gears. Yes you do slide in sharp turns but your speed is somewhat limited in those turns.

RWD with winter tyres owns. I feel very secured with the car. I got a faint memory that taking turns at the edge of adherence with FWD was somewhat less fun.

for what it is worth the tyre's brand is Gislaved Eurofrost. New tyres.

Bo525i

12-20-2009, 06:49 PM

Yea, its great fun on empty roads :)

///Sniper535

12-20-2009, 07:17 PM

I had fun in the snow here too, but I'm running on my all season 245/40ZR18s Kumho LX. I did well in the deep snow

Tiger

12-20-2009, 07:55 PM

That is nothing compared to snow tire. Seriously!

Tiger

12-20-2009, 07:59 PM

632 Regal

12-20-2009, 10:51 PM

Gislaved is an excellent snow tire. I don't have experience but by reputation is super winter tire. I use all Nokian Hakkapelita studless tires. I had the Q, RSi and now the latest R. All on different cars.

No need to go so skinny unless you really do ice driving alot. Skinny tire is quite squirrely! My MB diesel has the skinniest tire and it shocks me as I drive that car... LOL.

With snow tires, I never felt that I lack control. In fact, it drives like if the road was normal dry road.

Yes amazing difference, 3 tries to get my car into the barn with 'all weather' tires. drove out like a snowmobile, stop turn GO almost like on dry pavement. I forget what kind I have but they are like 3 seasons so far. Probably the last good year for them but I waited till last minute this season, might be able to squeak another year in if I remove em early.

Tiger

12-21-2009, 09:13 AM

tim eh?

12-21-2009, 10:58 AM

All Weather is different from All Season... be aware of this because Nokian makes outstanding 'All Weather" tires that is designed from snow tire into 'all weather.

All season tires are most common in USA... All weather tire is a true minority here... Check it out... the Nokian WRG2.

http://www.nokiantires.com/

My studless Hakka5s are incredible. I can't really compare because they are the only snows I've had on this car, but I've driven a lot of harsh winters and no car I have ever driven or been in comes anywhere close to how the e34+4nokians feels and performs. I thought it would be a good winter car but I had no idea it would be this good, it's a fing snowmobile.

I think I'll get summer Nokians next set.

e34.535i.sport

12-22-2009, 06:05 AM

I love the snow - gives me a chance to get sideways without saying goodbye to the rear tyre tread! :P (Obviously when it's 'safe to do so')! The e34 was drifting machine!! Swapped to a XJR6 in the summer and preliminary tests tell me it doesn't handle the icy roads nearly as well as the 535i, and controlling it in a slide is ten times more difficult... I miss the old BM at times like these! :)

Rick L

12-22-2009, 01:59 PM

Yeah, XJR doesn't have limited slip differential. I'm bit surprised why Jaguar didn't use limited slip differential on a performance model with over 350 H.P.! But still 60 comes in less than 6 seconds even with all that weight. I believe your old 535i had limited slip diff. to make it more fun to swing that back end. And of course XJR is much heavier car. But still fun and classy car. :)

I love the snow - gives me a chance to get sideways without saying goodbye to the rear tyre tread! :P (Obviously when it's 'safe to do so')! The e34 was drifting machine!! Swapped to a XJR6 in the summer and preliminary tests tell me it doesn't handle the icy roads nearly as well as the 535i, and controlling it in a slide is ten times more difficult... I miss the old BM at times like these! :)

e34.535i.sport

12-23-2009, 05:54 AM

Hi Rick - I couldn't agree more! :D It's a fantastic car and overall much to my personal preference... The straight line speed is out of this world and a lot more comfortable to drive than the e34. From my experience though the BM is much 'sportier' if you like and brilliant in the corners (esp on icy roads! ;) ), and the Jag is more of a comfortable cruiser/an insane dragster when your in the mood! :p

Rick L

12-23-2009, 08:45 PM

It's a lot of car for the money. ;)

Hi Rick - I couldn't agree more! :D It's a fantastic car and overall much to my personal preference... The straight line speed is out of this world and a lot more comfortable to drive than the e34. From my experience though the BM is much 'sportier' if you like and brilliant in the corners (esp on icy roads! ;) ), and the Jag is more of a comfortable cruiser/an insane dragster when your in the mood! :p

Mr._Graybeard

12-24-2009, 02:43 AM

Whew, no E34 content here, sorry. Just got home from work about 20 minutes ago, driving 40 miles in that big honking storm that's been churning up out of the Plains. I had my pop's old '95 Taurus with Nokian Hakka Qs. The plows had mostly gone to bed but I was doing about 50-55 when traffic allowed and I could see the pavement -- 40-45 or so when everything was white. I passed a state trooper doing about 35 ... Ha!

We didn't get a huge amount of snow yet but the winds had whipped up some pretty big drifts on the town roads. At one point I thought the car was going to hang up in a deep stretch -- fortunately it isn't cold enough for the snow to set up firmly. I just kept churning.

The nice thing about FWD -- when you've got good rubber you can just power through. If the car starts to slew, a little more throttle will straighten it out -- a nice tool to have in the toolbox when passing a semi.

Tiger

12-24-2009, 10:00 AM

Good to know you are using Hakka Q... I sitll have one set left on the E34. The other cars have newer studless tires. Traction is incredible, isn't it?

Jeff N.

12-24-2009, 12:37 PM

The good fore/aft weight balance and a longer wheelbase make an E34 a good "drifter". These cars are pretty 'recoverable' compared to other chassis.

Mr._Graybeard

12-24-2009, 01:06 PM

Good to know you are using Hakka Q... I sitll have one set left on the E34. The other cars have newer studless tires. Traction is incredible, isn't it?

I've done some ice autocrossing, and Nokian studless are the most popular tires at the trials for those who aren't driving on ice-racing studs. I was talking tires with one of the event organizers awhile back, and he described them as "phenomenal."

I'll tell ya, when I got home last night, the adrenaline was flowing. I felt like I'd been to track day at Road America after an hour of dancing through the ruts and easing around terrified slowpokes. Saw half a dozen cars in the ditch. About the only times I didn't feel planted were those momentary stretches where I had to cut through a bank of slush to change lanes.

I read this morning that St. Paul-Minneapolis was expecting 16 to 22 inches of snow from this storm. The way it's tracking, you guys in the East may have something to look forward to ...

Mr._Graybeard

12-24-2009, 01:21 PM

The good fore/aft weight balance and a longer wheelbase make an E34 a good "drifter". These cars are pretty 'recoverable' compared to other chassis.

A great technique to straighten out a RWD car that has lost traction at the rear wheels is left-foot braking. The idea is to keep steady pressure on the gas pedal while briefly applying the brake. That tends to settle the car because you're reducing adhesion at the front wheels while the power at the rear helps the back tires recover some stick. When the level of traction at the front and rear of the car balances out, it becomes less inclined to fishtail or spin.

Left-foot braking has the reverse effect in a FWD car, by the way. Combined with a quick countersteer, a skilled driver can make the back end of the car swing out like a pendulum.

Tiger

12-24-2009, 01:47 PM

I welcome the snow... we had leftovers of the Noreasters that dumped about 9" here. It is just not enough! LOL

16 to 22", you would be plowing the roads instead... LOL

Absolutely no doubt on the Nokians... I'd buy their stuff anytime!

mzarifkar

12-25-2009, 01:00 AM

I feel inclined to share this video again, a response to a particular topgear epidose (linked in the description)
Merry Christmas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82DqhW1By64

632 Regal

12-28-2009, 02:10 AM

A great technique to straighten out a RWD car that has lost traction at the rear wheels is left-foot braking. The idea is to keep steady pressure on the gas pedal while briefly applying the brake. That tends to settle the car because you're reducing adhesion at the front wheels while the power at the rear helps the back tires recover some stick. When the level of traction at the front and rear of the car balances out, it becomes less inclined to fishtail or spin.

Left-foot braking has the reverse effect in a FWD car, by the way. Combined with a quick countersteer, a skilled driver can make the back end of the car swing out like a pendulum.

Wow cool! Going to remember this next trip out.

Mr._Graybeard

12-28-2009, 10:49 AM

Wow cool! Going to remember this next trip out.

It takes a little practice, but I bet you have lots of snow to practice on right now! I have to re-learn it every year, like most winter drivers.

The slipperier the surface, the less braking you need. On ice, it's just a tap of the brakes.

My dear spouse treated me to a weekend at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School about a dozen years ago (it was a LOT cheaper then). Left-foot braking was one of their lessons.

Another handy one for day-to-day driving is that antilock brakes enable you to steer while braking. So instead of slamming on the binders, locking up the front wheels and staring helplessly as you approach a stationary object, you may be able to take evasive action as you slow down. The trick, of course, is remembering to use the technique in a crisis.