[nazali]

so existing on the car (AWD) DIRECTIONAL A/S Pirelli Cinturato P7 RSC
225 / 40 / 18 92V M+S / front and rear

I really wanted I actually want the exact same tire but for winters, does the Pirelli Cinturato P7 RSC, come in winter spec ? If not I want Pirelli's, runflats, and directional

I've seen Pirelli Winter sottozero 3's, but not sure if they are directional, they are runflat, I've seen different comments on line saying they are not directional.

If for example they are not, can I run uni-directional tires on an AWD, and any thoughts on the sottotzero's.

My area has a "LOAD" of snow, so don't wanna mess around

[nazali]

sorry also, I'm using the new tires on the same wheels (just a remount) do I need to replace the TPMS as well ?

[aerobod]

Pirelli Sottozero 3s work well on my M240i, 225/40-18 is the recommended size. The H rated version is a bit better grip on snow compared with the V rated version, but wear faster. I run a slightly larger 225/45-18 tyre in the H version to give me a bit better ground clearance.

They can be rotated and are not directional.

[nazali]

txs aerobod

[msej449]

I have Pirelli Winter Sottozero S3 runflats on my M235i as winters on 7.5Jx17 wheels in size 225/45 R17 94V XL

I had the Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie-II on my previous 330d Touring. The S3 is snow-biased whereas the Serie-II trades some snow performance for slightly better tarmac handling. I've been very happy with the S3s and they do seem to have very good hydroplaning resistance, as icing on the cake.

The S3s have handled Swiss Alpine conditions with aplomb, plus the wet weather and standing water that typifies driving in Southern England in the winter.

(Just a note: I thought that the S3 are directional:



but not asymmetric? So they can be swapped between front and back (if all the wheels are the same size, like mine). But they do have a direction of rotation, so there will be a right-side pair and left-side pair. You can still move a tyre from one side to the other, but you'd just have to dismount it, turn thru 180°, then re-mount it (but happy to be corrected.). So it's vital to check after fitting that the 'Rotation-►►►' rubric on the sidewall is indeed pointing in the right direction. I've know otherwise very reliable fitters to make a mistake - we all have off days.

And BTW I'd recommend that when the time comes to replace the P7 summers, change them to something else (loads of recommendations on the tyres section of the forum). The P7 is really designed for somewhat heavier performance cars and while it's OK on the 2, it's not really the best match (just my opinion).

It's also recommended that you replace winters when the tread depth gets to 4mm (5/32"), as their snow handling degrades significantly after that. This always feels like a waste, but it seems to be something that all the manufacturers say.

And remember in snow to engage the right traction: press the 'car-with-wriggly-lines' button (next to the shift stick) for a couple of seconds 'till 'TRACTION' appears on the main instrument display. You can do this on the move - no need to stop the car. Then when you're back on tarmac, press again and the 'TRACTION' should disappear. The same applies when you go on sand or gravel. You also do this is when you fit snow chains (apologies if you already know all this). You can give this a go on a quiet piece of road at low speed to become familiar with the process: it turns off the anti-oversteer electronics, so it's not something you normally want to do in regular road conditions.

[nazali]

Txs man, great recommendations

Actually my tire guy confirmed they are directional.

Yes I know about the traction on snow, had that on my 1'er
but with the AWD, should be better, nes pas ?

Originally Posted by msej449

I have Pirelli Winter Sottozero S3 runflats on my M235i as winters on 7.5Jx17 wheels in size 225/45 R17 94V XL

I had the Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie-II on my previous 330d Touring. The S3 is snow-biased whereas the Serie-II trades some snow performance for slightly better tarmac handling. I've been very happy with the S3s and they do seem to have very good hydroplaning resistance, as icing on the cake.

The S3s have handled Swiss Alpine conditions with aplomb, plus the wet weather and standing water that typifies driving in Southern England in the winter.

(Just a note: I thought that the S3 are directional:



but not asymmetric? So they can be swapped between front and back (if all the wheels are the same size, like mine). But they do have a direction of rotation, so there will be a right-side pair and left-side pair. You can still move a tyre from one side to the other, but you'd just have to dismount it, turn thru 180°, then re-mount it (but happy to be corrected.). So it's vital to check after fitting that the 'Rotation-►►►' rubric on the sidewall is indeed pointing in the right direction. I've know otherwise very reliable fitters to make a mistake - we all have off days.

And BTW I'd recommend that when the time comes to replace the P7 summers, change them to something else (loads of recommendations on the tyres section of the forum). The P7 is really designed for somewhat heavier performance cars and while it's OK on the 2, it's not really the best match (just my opinion).

It's also recommended that you replace winters when the tread depth gets to 4mm (5/32"), as their snow handling degrades significantly after that. This always feels like a waste, but it seems to be something that all the manufacturers say.

And remember in snow to engage the right traction: press the 'car-with-wriggly-lines' button (next to the shift stick) for a couple of seconds 'till 'TRACTION' appears on the main instrument display. You can do this on the move - no need to stop the car. Then when you're back on tarmac, press again and the 'TRACTION' should disappear. The same applies when you go on sand or gravel. You also do this is when you fit snow chains (apologies if you already know all this). You can give this a go on a quiet piece of road at low speed to become familiar with the process: it turns off the anti-oversteer electronics, so it's not something you normally want to do in regular road conditions.

[msej449]

Yup, your xDrive should be excellent in tandem with proper snow-biased winter tyres. Unfortunately, in the UK we can't get the xDrive M-lites, apparently because the extra front differential can't fit with the steering, or something similar. So when we go skiing, I have to drive in the Swiss Alpine snow in a 330BHP RWD M235i with conspicuous UK number plates with all the locals just waiting for me to get stuck.

It's mandatory to carry snow chains, so I also have a pair of front(of the tyre, not front wheel)-fitting Spike Spider Easy Alpine chains. These are the type with no links behind the tyre, so they work with wider tread widths, plus genuinely only take a couple of minutes to fit. In five winters, I've not had to fit chains so far, but have come close once (I just made it back to the apartment garage). I'd managed to climb the 3,000 ft up from the valley through the snow, but had to stop for pedestrians in the village just 200 yds from my destination. I should have fitted them before I entered the village but stupidly was so close to home that I succumbed to not stopping. Turned out Ok in the end, thanks to new winters and an LSD, but it was an object lesson.