how about winter driving???

[considering enthusiast]

hi all,
i'm considering an automatic transmission d10 but i'm worried about winter driving. we get heavy snow here and i like to go skiing. would winter tires do just fine or should i go for a larger four wheel drive? i'd appreciate it if those driving in canada would share thoughts and experiences..

[amin7575]

I am not sure where sofia is located but if you say you are getting snow, we invented winter driving in alberta (western canada). And most of us invented high speed winter driving here too.
I think if you buy 4 Nokian Hakkapelitas (sp?) and put some sand bags in your trunk you should be fine. You will have to deflate your tires in the winter as you know (maybe 5psi). I would also find out from your local laws if you are allowed to have studded tires. If you get the snow and ice we get its worth it for the highway driving.
Another few tips are similar to riding a motorcycle on gravel...try to drive in high gears (4 to 6) and keep the revs low.
I hope this helps and just so you know a SUV is only good for 2 things in the winter over a car or rear wheel drive car: acceleration and ground clearance.

[Taipan]

would that be Sofia as in Bulgaria, or somewhere else?

Winter driving with any BMW is OK, the D10 being no exception. People are driving more powerful BMWs all year round. Most important is to have proper winter tires.. Nokian Hakkapeliitta is really good. Other manufacturers have proper winter tires too (as opposed to all season tires),depending mostly on what you can buy over there.

Another thing to remember is you are driving a rear wheel drive car and the characteristics of that has to be remembered. Modern DSC/ESP systems have made this easier to live with as well. And like amin said, use a bigger gear when possible, although on a automatic this can be difficult sometimes.

A SUV is not a necessity to manage in winter, the 4wd usually only makes you over confident and speeds rise and then when you have to brake you can be in trouble. Good tires are a must in this case also. The higher ground clearance of course is helpful in many cases.