[YamaLink]

Seems I've read everything on this forum and Google. I'm 99% sure my winter setup not only clears the M brakes, but is also the right size and intended usage. Before I click "buy" from tirerack, is there anything I'm missing?

Live in Boise where it's normally cold and dry. We may get a snow dump, but it's cleared quickly. I work from home and can wait for the plows, although I enjoy hooning a bit when roads are clear (literally and figuratively). Don't plan to hit the ski resorts in this car or do any extended highway driving. Farmer's Almanac calls for a nasty winter probably along the lines of the Snowmaggedon three years ago.

After geeking out on the Nokians, I'm leaning toward 215/50-17 Sottozero 3. Seems to be best price and reviews for my style of driving. Thought about WS80, but had Blizzaks on other cars and they were too soft for dry roads at "fun" sensible speeds.

Thought about 205s, but they may be too small for the car's power and aggressive driving. Maybe if I did more deep snow driving.

FWIW, Tirerack recommends a 225/45R-17, but this forum and searches suggests a 225 is too wide.

The wheels have a +43 offset. Tirerack item MSW TYPE 73.

Without getting more paralysis by analysis, is there a better winter performance tire than the 215/50-17 Sottozero 3 at $153 each? And should I consider a 225/45-17?

Everything seem good to go? Thank in advance for possibly saving me a "WTF" moment after purchasing and mounting to find a big mistake.

[overcoil]

I'd also been looking for a winter wheel and tire set, haven't decided yet. Tire rack is good at fitment.
I know on some ( I think Apex wheels ) 17 inch wheels the brake vibration tabs need to be removed.

https://www.shopbmwusa.com/PRODUCT/6...EEL---TIRE-SET

[jooksingjai77]

I ran 225/45/17 Michelin x-ice 3 last winter with no issues on these wheels:

https://www.1010tires.com/Wheels/Rep...eldiameters=17

No clearance issues for the M-sport brakes and no rubbing whatsoever on stock suspension

[Maynard]

Those Sottozeros are not the most widely praised winter tire; I've heard more negatives about Pirellis than any other brand lately (of those relevant here). I've always run Continental winters with good results, but never cross-compared directly (and don't feel the need for a RFT). Nokkian, Blizzak and X-ice are the other top contenders in my book. 17's should be OK; Tire Rack should be able to be pretty specific about the wheel fit, and they guarantee it if it doesn't fit (but don't drive on them if they don't fit - not even around the block or out into the parking lot of the tire place - this can cancel that warranty). You probably won't notice the difference between 225 vs 215 in tread grip, but the 215 will sit tighter on a 7.5" wheel and perhaps negate some of that squirmy feeling.

[YamaLink]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Those Sottozeros are not the most widely praised winter tire; I've heard more negatives about Pirellis than any other brand lately (of those relevant here). I've always run Continental winters with good results, but never cross-compared directly (and don't feel the need for a RFT). Nokkian, Blizzak and X-ice are the other top contenders in my book. 17's should be OK; Tire Rack should be able to be pretty specific about the wheel fit, and they guarantee it if it doesn't fit (but don't drive on them if they don't fit - not even around the block or out into the parking lot of the tire place - this can cancel that warranty). You probably won't notice the difference between 225 vs 215 in tread grip, but the 215 will sit tighter on a 7.5" wheel and perhaps negate some of that squirmy feeling.

Thank you for the input! Tirerack only lists one 215/50-17 performance winter tire (for my 90% dry cold roads), and it's the Sottozero III.
I'll dig a little deeper and see what Nokian has in the way of M240ix compatible load, speed and performance winters.

[overcoil]

YamaLInk what tires are on your car now ?

By the way Nokian used to be strictly made in Europe but I think some of the tires are now made in China.

[YamaLink]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

YamaLInk what tires are on your car now ?

By the way Nokian used to be strictly made in Europe but I think some of the tires are now made in China.

My tires are oem Pirelli Cintauro P7 runflat a/s, 225/40-18 straight off the dealer lot.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

My tires are oem Pirelli Cintauro P7 runflat a/s, 225/40-18 straight off the dealer lot.

if u have all season tires and all wheel drive and the way u describe your winters, are you sure you need to go with winter tire and wheel set ?

[YamaLink]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

if u have all season tires and all wheel drive and the way u describe your winters, are you sure you need to go with winter tire and wheel set ?

Very good, and valid question.

My last car came with summers from the factory. We then got hit with a nasty winter, but thankfully I got some Blizzaks on new wheels. Wellllll, the next 3 winters were mild, and I didn't feel like burning up the nice soft snow tires on our cold dry roads. I am now selling the 4set Blizzaks at big price break for a lucky Audi SUV owner who more than likely will be seeing some mountain and resort use.

Maybe I was thinking this 240iX "needed" high performance winter tires - not necessarily snow tires - because I was under the impression all seasons, especially these P7 Pirellis, were average at best in any condition. Arguably the only "all weather" tire that gets good reviews are https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weat.../nokian-wr-g4/ and they have a 60000 mi warranty.

*sidenote: wow, Pirelli tires sure do get a lot of bad reviews. My 240's tires are straight-up bad: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...RatingsReviews

I planned to get some summer tread next late spring when temps and road conditions improve simply because I want to have a bit more fun driving in good weather, but if the WR G4 is up to the task I'd simply like to use them year round. Maybe it's asking too much of a tire though.

The rationale behind dedicated tire/wheel was I can take on/off in the garage instead of paying and waiting for shop to take summers and winter tread off the 18" rims twice yearly.

Hmmmm, your question now has me rethinking spending the $$$$. Thank you.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

Very good, and valid question.

My last car came with summers from the factory. We then got hit with a nasty winter, but thankfully I got some Blizzaks on new wheels. Wellllll, the next 3 winters were mild, and I didn't feel like burning up the nice soft snow tires on our cold dry roads. I am now selling the 4set Blizzaks at big price break for a lucky Audi SUV owner who more than likely will be seeing some mountain and resort use.

Maybe I was thinking this 240iX "needed" high performance winter tires - not necessarily snow tires - because I was under the impression all seasons, especially these P7 Pirellis, were average at best in any condition. Arguably the only "all weather" tire that gets good reviews are https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weat.../nokian-wr-g4/ and they have a 60000 mi warranty.

*sidenote: wow, Pirelli tires sure do get a lot of bad reviews. My 240's tires are straight-up bad: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...RatingsReviews

I planned to get some summer tread next late spring when temps and road conditions improve simply because I want to have a bit more fun driving in good weather, but if the WR G4 is up to the task I'd simply like to use them year round. Maybe it's asking too much of a tire though.

The rationale behind dedicated tire/wheel was I can take on/off in the garage instead of paying and waiting for shop to take summers and winter tread off the 18" rims twice yearly.

Hmmmm, your question now has me rethinking spending the $$$$. Thank you.

few years back I had installed Pirelli P6 on my Mercedes C-class, I had also read negative reviews on the tires. I found the ownership experience exceptional, they did wear quickly but the tires were excellent for my needs - maybe I didn't want to admit I made a bad purchase ? Whatever, I liked that Pirelli.

I've been thinking about a winter set for my car, I'm running Michelin summer 4S and I do get some ice and snow here in Maryland.
I didn't like the look of any of the 17' tires on Tirerack except for an O.Z. Rally wheel (fitment?)
I was looking at some 18 inch Apex, they were about $200 a wheel less expensive then the BBS wheels I liked. As for tires on the Apex the only direct fit would have been the Michelin Pilot A/S3+, which I had had in the past.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

FWIW, Tirerack recommends a 225/45R-17, but this forum and searches suggests a 225 is too wide.

They're not too wide for a car with the weight and power of yours, especially if you'll be driving on dry roads most of the time. If you were regularly driving in snow depths of 6"+, you'd have a strong argument for 215s.

My 2¢, of course, picked up from driving an AWD car with very similar weight and and power in Northern New England.

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

...the Michelin Pilot A/S3+, which I had had in the past.

What did you think of that tire - in the 35°-55° range, if you can be that specific?

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by dradernh

T
What did you think of that tire - in the 35°-55° range, if you can be that specific?

I recently switched from the A/S 3+ to the Pilot 4S-summer thinking it would return the car to the handling beast I thought I recalled with the Pilot SS-summer tire.
However maybe due to me driving more sedately I'm not noticing that much difference on the street between the A/S 3+ and the 4S.

My Michelin Pilot SS summer tire could slide at low speed on sharp off camber turns at near freezing temps something the A/S 3+ never did.

And I felt that after 20000 miles as tread depth dropped on the A/S 3+ the snow traction significantly degraded, contrary on wet rainy freezing road surface the A/S 3+ never lacked confidence even as the tread wore.

The A/S 3+ worked in any weather and still gave you 155mph capability.
From above freezing and into the forties the A/S 3+ worked safer than the Pilot Summer tire.

I've never had any balance issues with any of these Michelin tires and they stayed quiet on most road surfaces throughout their lives.
Though with the Pilot SS summer tire I picked up a ton of nails which I thought was peculiar.

[trilax59]

For the winter, I run 18x8 ET42 square. Tire size is 225/40/18 Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4. No clearance issues whatsoever, and plenty of traction during wet and dry weather conditions. Highly recommend.

[aerobod]

For the RWD M240i, the Sottozero 3 ‘H’ speed rated tyre is a very good match (the “V” rated version in the same size uses a harder compound and loses some snow and ice grip). The grip is very close to the X-Ice 3 tyres we are using on our Golf R at the moment, but handling and especially dry and wet road braking is far superior. The X-Ice 3 is quite poor in braking on any surface other than snow and ice, whereas the Sottozero tread blocks lock together to prevent collapse and keep the tyre tread more stable.

The problem I have found with both WS Blizzaks and X-Ice tyres on RWD BMWs is the tendency for the tread blocks to fold over too easily due to the torque through just two wheels, leading to high wear, wavering stability under acceleration and too much ABS activation under braking.

[MerlinMc]

I have run "square" 17" Bridgestone Blizzaks in 225 width on my 135i, my M235i and now my M240i. This width has worked great for me though depending on where you live in ID, you may get more snow than we do here in Western WA.

[msej449]

In the UK at least, no one would think of putting a P7 on a 2 Series. It's seen as a mainstream, sedan-type tyre for a more pedestrian type of driving.

BMW haven't done Pirelli any favours by fitting the PZero to the 2 Series, either. The PZero is really for much heaver performance cars - think Aston Martin, bigger Porches, performance Mercs, 6/7 Series etc. I suspect a lot of the negative press comes from these mis-matches. And from the fact that there are at least six variants of the PZero out there, causing even more confusion.

Arguably, Pirelli don't really make a summer tyre that matches the M235i/M240i particularly well. They're not rubbish, but not great either.

On the winter side, I think the Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie-II works well in autumn and spring: it's a performance-biased winter that gives up a bit of outright snow handling in order to be optimal in slightly warmer conditions. And if you want excellent anti-aquaplaning and snow handling, then the S3 is the right choice from the Pirelli line-up. But it comes at the cost of not being as good as the Serie-II when conditions are dryer and warmer.

(My winter setup on my RWD 325i +LSD is Pirelli Winter Sottozero S3 225/45 R17 94V XL WSZ 3 RFT on 7.5Jx17 square. But I do go the Alps more than once in the winter, so the choice is based on driving in wet coastal winters, with a snow-bias.)