Is M3 suitable for Canadian winter?

khsc · 10-25-2013, 11:14 PM

Hi,

I was planning on buying an M3 as my primary vehicle. Use it for work, school etc with kids and family. I live in the snowbelt region and it usually snows from Oct to March and a good amount as well.
Is it risky or safe for winter?

regards

shawndoh · 10-26-2013, 12:20 AM

How about that True Coat?

EZ3Putt · 10-26-2013, 07:55 AM

My buddies sister has had 3 M3's since 2004. She has always driven them in winter. Throw a set of good snow tires on and your fine.

pmeloche · 10-26-2013, 01:47 PM

I had an E90 M3 for 2.5 years and I had a good set of snow tires. I drove the M3 during the winter and had no problems. I was more concerned however with the effect of salt on the body than grip in the snow. When there was a real huge accumulation of snow I took the X5 instead.

By the way, with the exception of the Vancouver metropolitan area Canada is an entire snow belt.

e92ben · 10-26-2013, 03:36 PM

Get some studded winter tires or some full snow/ice like blizzak ws70 and you'll be fine

ZIPNBYE · 10-30-2013, 11:15 AM

Of course it's fine, just prepare the car (and most importantly, yourself) for winter conditions, and have fun!

KingOfJericho · 10-30-2013, 12:03 PM

My tuned 135i was a beast in the white stuff. When properly equipped, RWD is not a major hurdle for winter performance.

baba louey · 10-30-2013, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e92ben

Get some studded winter tires or some full snow/ice like blizzak ws70 and you'll be fine

I've got Dunlop 3D's and they are fine but not great in snow. It's really a trade off between a mushy winter tire like the ws70 and something more firm like the 3D's. In Calgary the roads are mostly dry in the winter and I like the added firmness.

///M Power-Belgium · 10-30-2013, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khsc

Hi,

I was planning on buying an M3 as my primary vehicle. Use it for work, school etc with kids and family. I live in the snowbelt region and it usually snows from Oct to March and a good amount as well.
Is it risky or safe for winter?

regards

I can show you...///M3 on snow in Canada....

:
Here you can learn ...how to drive on snow....

Falafel Combo · 10-30-2013, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Does anyone know what exhaust this is?

slicer · 10-30-2013, 06:27 PM

I drove my old M3 through 3 winters in MN. Snow tires are a must-have and it does well in the ice and a few inches of snow. Once the snow gets deeper than the car's ground clearance it struggles. It doesn't have enough traction to push snow.

GVIFlyer · 10-30-2013, 06:32 PM

I don't live that far North, but I park my M3 and S2000 from mid-November to March.

January view from my front door.

LarThaL · 10-30-2013, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khsc

Hi,

I was planning on buying an M3 as my primary vehicle. Use it for work, school etc with kids and family. I live in the snowbelt region and it usually snows from Oct to March and a good amount as well.
Is it risky or safe for winter?

regards

Honestly....if you want a car similar to the M3 that will completely rock in the snow, get a used Audi RS4. It gives up a bit in terms of steering feel and suspension calibration, but I have never had as much fun doing anything in any car ever as I have had driving my previous RS4 with a full set of performance snow tires in 10" of fresh snow. It simply ripped. As much fun as a snowmobile.

///M Power-Belgium · 10-30-2013, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M235i

Does anyone know what exhaust this is?

When you watch the video click on the youtube button on the right bottom side ,you see now the video on youtube and the name of the person !
His name is Matthew K, maybe you can send him PM and ask him about the exhaust .
Link to this page >>> http://www.youtube.com/user/mkkkao/videos
I found also a video from Matthew K on this channel with Kreissieg Exhaust with valves open... so i think this should be the answer

Hope this will help !

Falafel Combo · 10-30-2013, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Hope this will help !

Ooooooh mommeeeeee!

IzzyGray · 10-30-2013, 09:49 PM

Is it the best vehicle in the snow? No. But you can make it work with snow tires. Nokian Hakkas are probably the best snow treads I've used. However like the previous poster noted, once the accumulation is more than the M3's ground clearance, you're stuck :P

Ezio · 10-31-2013, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GVFlyer

I don't live that far North, but I park my M3 and S2000 from mid-November to March.

January view from my front door.

i look at that pic and i love the snow look.

but then i remember how much i start to hate the cold.

pbonsalb · 10-31-2013, 05:31 AM

I drive my 08 E90M3 year round in NH. Have snow wheels for my cars. Not sure how NH compares to your part of Canada in terms of snow. Ground clearance is limited, but if plowing is well done in your area, you should be fine. I run the M3 on the Dunlop high speed snow tires, which are not as good in the snow. Low speed snow tires are better -- they will be more heavily lugged and have a jiggly ride and poor dry handling. A couple of reasonable choices in low speed tires are Michelin X-Ice (my 99M3 is stable with these at high speed now that they have worn a little), Continental Extreme Winter Contact (my wife's 535xi is stable at 100 mph with these). Nokian are also good but I have not run them in years and cannot say how which model drives. I have run some low speed snows before that had miserable handling but were great in serious snow.

As suggested above, an AWD car is worth considering if your snow is really serious and the Audi are great. I think the Audi AWD will give more performance car oriented handling than the BMW AWD since it is far more sophisticated.

GVIFlyer · 10-31-2013, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I drive my 08 E90M3 year round in NH. Have snow wheels for my cars. Not sure how NH compares to your part of Canada in terms of snow. Ground clearance is limited, but if plowing is well done in your area, you should be fine. I run the M3 on the Dunlop high speed snow tires, which are not as good in the snow. Low speed snow tires are better -- they will be more heavily lugged and have a jiggly ride and poor dry handling. A couple of reasonable choices in low speed tires are Michelin X-Ice (my 99M3 is stable with these at high speed now that they have worn a little), Continental Extreme Winter Contact (my wife's 535xi is stable at 100 mph with these). Nokian are also good but I have not run them in years and cannot say how which model drives. I have run some low speed snows before that had miserable handling but were great in serious snow.

As suggested above, an AWD car is worth considering if your snow is really serious and the Audi are great. I think the Audi AWD will give more performance car oriented handling than the BMW AWD since it is far more sophisticated.

Yep, Wifey drives a 328i xDrive year-round. We just mounted the Blizzaks.

Kwando · 10-31-2013, 08:21 AM

buy a beater, imo.

Yvette · 10-31-2013, 12:43 PM

there is nothing blizzak ws series can't go through

Thik · 10-31-2013, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khsc

Hi,

I was planning on buying an M3 as my primary vehicle. Use it for work, school etc with kids and family. I live in the snowbelt region and it usually snows from Oct to March and a good amount as well.
Is it risky or safe for winter?

regards

You're in Toronto. I'm in Toronto. I drive through last winter in my M3. No problems what-so-ever. Just get winter tires.

10-25-2013, 11:14 PM	#1
khsc New Member 3 Rep 5 Posts Drives: Nissan Join Date: May 2013 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	Is M3 suitable for Canadian winter? Hi, I was planning on buying an M3 as my primary vehicle. Use it for work, school etc with kids and family. I live in the snowbelt region and it usually snows from Oct to March and a good amount as well. Is it risky or safe for winter? regards
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10-26-2013, 12:20 AM	#2
shawndoh New Member 0 Rep 16 Posts Drives: M5 son! Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: soCal iTrader: (0)	How about that True Coat?
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10-26-2013, 07:55 AM	#3
EZ3Putt Enlisted Member 0 Rep 34 Posts Drives: 2013 335is Cab. Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ontario Ca iTrader: (0)	My buddies sister has had 3 M3's since 2004. She has always driven them in winter. Throw a set of good snow tires on and your fine.
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10-26-2013, 01:47 PM	#4
pmeloche Lieutenant Colonel 24 Rep 1,604 Posts Drives: 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Montréal, Canada iTrader: (0)	I had an E90 M3 for 2.5 years and I had a good set of snow tires. I drove the M3 during the winter and had no problems. I was more concerned however with the effect of salt on the body than grip in the snow. When there was a real huge accumulation of snow I took the X5 instead. By the way, with the exception of the Vancouver metropolitan area Canada is an entire snow belt. __________________ Patrice 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Vermillion Red
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10-26-2013, 03:36 PM	#5
e92ben Brigadier General 1053 Rep 3,205 Posts Drives: BMW M3 BMW 635csi Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Kenosha Wi iTrader: (7)	Get some studded winter tires or some full snow/ice like blizzak ws70 and you'll be fine __________________ e92 ///M3
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10-30-2013, 11:15 AM	#6
ZIPNBYE Let's save military ranks for those who earn it! 45 Rep 1,161 Posts Drives: ...on the Ragged Edge Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada iTrader: (6) Garage List 2013 BMW e92 M3 Cou ... [7.50] 2013 BMW e84 X1 xDr ... [7.00]	Of course it's fine, just prepare the car (and most importantly, yourself) for winter conditions, and have fun! __________________ Richard 2013 BMW M3 Individual -- Fire Orange (sold) 2013 BMW X1 xDrive35i M-Sport -- Valencia Orange (sold) 2011 BMW 1-series M Coupe (#205/220) -- Valencia Orange (sold) 2009 BMW 135i M-Sport Coupe -- Space Grey (sold)
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10-30-2013, 12:03 PM	#7
KingOfJericho Major General 2452 Rep 7,341 Posts Drives: Yes Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CT iTrader: (1) Garage List 2010 135i Coupe [5.26]	My tuned 135i was a beast in the white stuff. When properly equipped, RWD is not a major hurdle for winter performance. __________________ The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Bimmerpost. 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude Hemi \| 2010 S4 Sold \| 2010 BMW 135i Retired \| 2006 Lotus Exige Sold
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10-30-2013, 06:27 PM	#11
slicer Major General 2736 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	I drove my old M3 through 3 winters in MN. Snow tires are a must-have and it does well in the ice and a few inches of snow. Once the snow gets deeper than the car's ground clearance it struggles. It doesn't have enough traction to push snow. __________________ '23 X7 '04 M3 - Fall Line Motorsports Built Race Car - S65 swap, Dry Sump, Bosch Stand-Alone ECU, Drenth Sequential Trans, MCS 3-Way, Flossmann Wide Body, Brembo Motorsports Brakes, Drexler LSD, BBS E88 Etc. INSTAGRAM - @Slicer_M
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10-30-2013, 06:32 PM	#12
GVIFlyer Large Member 295 Rep 979 Posts Drives: '19 Porsche C2S Cab_M3 DCT ZCP Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Somewhere in the air. iTrader: (0)	I don't live that far North, but I park my M3 and S2000 from mid-November to March. January view from my front door.
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10-30-2013, 09:49 PM	#16
IzzyGray Lieutenant 27 Rep 472 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Milwaukee, WI iTrader: (3)	Is it the best vehicle in the snow? No. But you can make it work with snow tires. Nokian Hakkas are probably the best snow treads I've used. However like the previous poster noted, once the accumulation is more than the M3's ground clearance, you're stuck :P
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10-31-2013, 05:31 AM	#18
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5215 Rep 10,600 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	I drive my 08 E90M3 year round in NH. Have snow wheels for my cars. Not sure how NH compares to your part of Canada in terms of snow. Ground clearance is limited, but if plowing is well done in your area, you should be fine. I run the M3 on the Dunlop high speed snow tires, which are not as good in the snow. Low speed snow tires are better -- they will be more heavily lugged and have a jiggly ride and poor dry handling. A couple of reasonable choices in low speed tires are Michelin X-Ice (my 99M3 is stable with these at high speed now that they have worn a little), Continental Extreme Winter Contact (my wife's 535xi is stable at 100 mph with these). Nokian are also good but I have not run them in years and cannot say how which model drives. I have run some low speed snows before that had miserable handling but were great in serious snow. As suggested above, an AWD car is worth considering if your snow is really serious and the Audi are great. I think the Audi AWD will give more performance car oriented handling than the BMW AWD since it is far more sophisticated.
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10-31-2013, 08:21 AM	#20
Kwando Major 431 Rep 1,428 Posts Drives: 2018 340i xDrive Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: London, Ontario, Canada iTrader: (1)	buy a beater, imo.
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10-31-2013, 12:43 PM	#21
Yvette Major General 760 Rep 7,408 Posts Drives: M Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (19)	there is nothing blizzak ws series can't go through
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