observations during polar vortex

[mikeriley]

My f10 M5 is a daily driver. I live in chicago and have blizzaks mounted on my factory 20 rims. Drove the car all week during this awful cold spell. Oh my gosh, this car rocks! No hesitation ever, the car started up perfectly and was ready to roll. I was up against a ton of snow and crazy cold weather. The M5 was perfect! This car is everything I have ever wanted. High performance sadan that can be driven as a daily driver! perfect!

[PatrickC23]

Drove in ice and snow for the first time today in the F10 - had my Blizzaks on and was well. Very surprised and pleased.

[Leveraged Sellout]

This is good news...what settings did both of you use? Mostly comfort for everything?

[Neil McRae]

are you using winter tyres.?

[RPiM5]

Can you guys post the specs and where you bought your 20" Blizzaks from? Thanks!

[AGS]

+1. Car ran great on the Blizzacks. I'm running 19" on the OEM winter wheels. Also, snapped a picture from the other day - lowest temp I'm every seen on the car's thermometer!

[CFisher]

Ditto here - also in Chicagoland w/my daily driver in this mess.

Running the 'basic' winter setup 408M w/19" Pirellis - wish I had the patience to have found a 20 inch combination though.

I was used to driving RWD in snow/ice on a MUCH older car - so driving in the M5 is - something you need to be aware of...but very doable. I worry more about some other knucklehead hitting me.

I did have some small issues with;
Low battery - had to charge it (I drive "short" miles so that doesn't help)
Low tire pressure
Frozen wiper fluid - aren't these supposed to be 'heated'?

As far as settings - mostly comfort everything...sometimes bump the throttle settings up a little - seems to suit my feet for some reason.

[soooma]

Originally Posted by mikeriley

My f10 M5 is a daily driver. I live in chicago and have blizzaks mounted on my factory 20 rims. Drove the car all week during this awful cold spell. Oh my gosh, this car rocks! No hesitation ever, the car started up perfectly and was ready to roll. I was up against a ton of snow and crazy cold weather. The M5 was perfect! This car is everything I have ever wanted. High performance sadan that can be driven as a daily driver! perfect!

Lived in Cleveland OH for 3 years but now in NC but if I were still in Cleveland I would have definitely gotten the S6 instead of M5 but it is not crazy to get M5 in NC I believe!
We had zero snow so far... yet temps dropped to record low of 7F at times!!

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Neil McRae

are you using winter tyres.?

Neil he has 20" Blizzacks which are winters.

[Dionysus]

I have blizzak lm-32s on the winter wheels for my wife's car - last year I watched as she managed to spin the wheels on flat surface in less than 1 cm of soft snow, so they're not infallible if you cannot moderate the throttle well.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

I have blizzak lm-32s on the winter wheels for my wife's car - last year I watched as she managed to spin the wheels on flat surface in less than 1 cm of soft snow, so they're not infallible if you cannot moderate the throttle well.

Not seen snow yet , but these Michelin Alpin's are great in cold wet weather, grip very well even under moderate power.

[Stuartlogan77]

I have blizzaks on oz cortina 20s. I'm not a big fan. I had pirellis on my m3. Blizzaks work fine in snow, ice. But 99% driving in the winter is on damp very cold roads. I like to drive with vigor even in winter. The blizzaks are a little grainy and do not expire the confidence I had on the perellis. It might be the weight. It might be the all square set up and the loss of 30 mm of width on the back 265 vs 295. But I feel I made a mistake on tire choice.

[GladiatorOwner]

I'm using 20 inch Dunlop Winters on Oem wheels. They have performed well in snow. They're also exceptable in dry conditions. Just another option.

[Leveraged Sellout]

I know a lot of Ferrari guys use Scottozeros, those are available in 20" sizes, and they seem to love them. Not cheap but might offer more "secure" handling on pavement vs. the Blizzaks.

[thebishman]

Originally Posted by Leveraged Sellout

I know a lot of Ferrari guys use Scottozeros, those are available in 20" sizes, and they seem to love them. Not cheap but might offer more "secure" handling on pavement vs. the Blizzaks.

In an area like Chicago I would go with the Blizzaks. I am in the KC area and can get by with the Sottozero IIs, but if I lived in a harsher winter environment I'd want an even more dedicated winter tyre.

As for the M5 in winter: it started and ran fantastically for me also, but I did think it was performing far better in Sport mode; the Comfort suspension mode seemed very susceptible to the cold.
Bish

[PatrickC23]

Originally Posted by Leveraged Sellout

This is good news...what settings did both of you use? Mostly comfort for everything?

I find in the cold conditions i mostly use S2, comfort, comfort, efficient.

[PatrickC23]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

Can you guys post the specs and where you bought your 20" Blizzaks from? Thanks!

Mine are 19's but I got mine on Tirerack, went with the closeout LM 60's for $903 shipped. Looks like the 20s are $1250 plus shipping for the newer LM 32.

[Poleposition]

Here in NY, Sottozeros on stock 20's in any setting you want. Works great. It's no Pilot supersport on a 90 degree day but still enables you to enjoy your car.

[DrewM5]

Originally Posted by thebishman

In an area like Chicago I would go with the Blizzaks. I am in the KC area and can get by with the Sottozero IIs, but if I lived in a harsher winter environment I'd want an even more dedicated winter tyre.

As for the M5 in winter: it started and ran fantastically for me also, but I did think it was performing far better in Sport mode; the Comfort suspension mode seemed very susceptible to the cold.
Bish

I have the Sottos and am very happy with them. But I do not drive the car in the snow. Sottos are a better performance tire whan there is no snow on the ground. The Blizzaks do better in the sbow but are not so great in the dry.

[PatrickC23]

Originally Posted by DrewM5

I have the Sottos and am very happy with them. But I do not drive the car in the snow. Sottos are a better performance tire whan there is no snow on the ground. The Blizzaks do better in the sbow but are not so great in the dry.

I had Dunlop Wintersports before and noticed their dry performance was great. But since getting the M5, decided in winter months im more concerned with snow performance over dry performance on those few days above freezing, so went with Blizzaks.

[IND-Distribution]

Originally Posted by mikeriley

My f10 M5 is a daily driver. I live in chicago and have blizzaks mounted on my factory 20 rims. Drove the car all week during this awful cold spell. Oh my gosh, this car rocks! No hesitation ever, the car started up perfectly and was ready to roll. I was up against a ton of snow and crazy cold weather. The M5 was perfect! This car is everything I have ever wanted. High performance sadan that can be driven as a daily driver! perfect!

Absolutely! The F10 is incredibly comfortable, even in this cold weather. For those living in the south, I'll put the weather Mike is talking about into perspective: -20 degree temperatures, snowfall accumulating to over a foot in the week prior, and overall some of the most incredible winter conditions this city has ever seen.

[LSM]

Originally Posted by DrewM5

I have the Sottos and am very happy with them. But I do not drive the car in the snow. Sottos are a better performance tire whan there is no snow on the ground. The Blizzaks do better in the sbow but are not so great in the dry.

+1 when I lived in Chicago noticed that the Blizzaks much better for snow and Sottos better when cold but no snow. For Chicago or areas that get snow I preferred the Blizzaks, went through everything no issues whatsoever