[hhkb]

I have a G80 incoming and would like to purchase winter tires. It looks like the Michelin Alpin 5 are highly recommended for the car.

Where do you all purchase winter tires for your G80?

I live in Portland, OR and my car is a base G80 M3 with the 18"/19" wheels.

Thank you for the help!

[bri1042]

It depends on if you really need to wander when we get our rare snow dumps. The Alpin 5 are a good choice, but the Conti DWS06 and PS4 AS tires are a very solid choice for the cold rain that we spend most of our time dealing with. I'm running PS4 ASs on my stock wheels (I have 4S's on another wheel set) and they are utterly brilliant in the rain.

They're easy enough to source that you can just use Discount Tire.

[hhkb]

Originally Posted by bri1042

It depends on if you really need to wander when we get our rare snow dumps. The Alpin 5 are a good choice, but the Conti DWS06 and PS4 AS tires are a very solid choice for the cold rain that we spend most of our time dealing with. I'm running PS4 ASs on my stock wheels (I have 4S's on another wheel set) and they are utterly brilliant in the rain.

They're easy enough to source that you can just use Discount Tire.

Thank you for the response.

Can the stock tires handle below freezing temps? I’m a bit concerned because when I had my ND2 Miata I was driving 25mph and the car spun when taking a low speed corner.

I also plan on taking the car on long road trips and it needs to be prepared for inclement weather.

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by hhkb

Thank you for the response.

Can the stock tires handle below freezing temps? I’m a bit concerned because when I had my ND2 Miata I was driving 25mph and the car spun when taking a low speed corner.

I also plan on taking the car on long road trips and it needs to be prepared for inclement weather.

No. The stock summer tires are not meant for even our mild winter temperatures. This isn't specific to the M3/M4, its the nature of performance summer tires. There are folk that will debate what the threshold is, but I've been driving our wet Portland roads with Summer-tire equipped cars for a long time and even rain handling degrades significantly as you approach 40 degrees. Babying the car when it's 38 degrees and raining with the summer tires on is boring and not worth the risk.

You can have your tires swapped at Discount tire or the dealership twice a year or you can grab a second set of wheels and do the swap that way yourself or through other means. It is possible to get 4 wheels with tires in the car with the seats down, but the effort of loading and unloading the wheels into the car is about 70% of the effort it takes to just do the wheel swap in the garage myself.

Which tires to run absolutely comes down to how much you're going to have to deal with snow (and mountains). Pirelli Sotozeros may be a better choice if you're going to go up into the mountains with snow than the Alpin 5s, though I'm basing that comment on other folks' experiences as my primary concern is the constant chilly wet roads in the metro area.

[CC M3C X]

I have had great luck with the Conti DWS06+. I took delivery in December of last year and drive thru the winter here in North Idaho. They were fantastic! This reminds me, I need to have them switched back to the summers.

[m3wannab]

Originally Posted by bri1042

It depends on if you really need to wander when we get our rare snow dumps. The Alpin 5 are a good choice, but the Conti DWS06 and PS4 AS tires are a very solid choice for the cold rain that we spend most of our time dealing with. I'm running PS4 ASs on my stock wheels (I have 4S's on another wheel set) and they are utterly brilliant in the rain.

They're easy enough to source that you can just use Discount Tire.

I’m curious on the PS4 AS, would you take your car to Mt Hood in the winter or would that be pushing it? Or Snoqualmie summit if you live close to Seattle 😊

I’m picking up my 24 M3CX at PCD and intend to bring it back to Seattle/Portland but I’m assuming I have to change my tires for winter. I was looking at getting the PS4 AS but also debating if I should get proper winter tires in case I want to go skiing etc.

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by m3wannab

I’m curious on the PS4 AS, would you take your car to Mt Hood in the winter or would that be pushing it? Or Snoqualmie summit if you live close to Seattle 😊

I’m picking up my 24 M3CX at PCD and intend to bring it back to Seattle/Portland but I’m assuming I have to change my tires for winter. I was looking at getting the PS4 AS but also debating if I should get proper winter tires in case I want to go skiing etc.

I would not take my car to Mt. Hood in the winter on the PS4 AS tires. I grew up in a heavy snow area (though it was a FLAT snow area...SW Michigan). One of the best lessons we learned way back then in all that snow was when to say "uh, no" and not risk it.

If you intend on driving in show up any sort of big hill, give the car proper snow tires. The ONLY reason I'm using the ASs is because I work from home and can just leave my car in the garage and take my SOs 530e X-Drive to the store or other such during actual snow days.

The PS4 ASs were utterly magical in the rain for the last two "Winters". We only had about two weeks total of snow during those winters...thus the PS4 ASs work for my use-case. Which does not include Mt. Hood.

Note - I had Alpin 4's on my M2C during a winter when I was still commuting to work. I was not impressed with their snow performance past about a quarter inch of snow. If I needed to drive in snow, I don't know that I would go with Alpin 5's based on my experience with the 4's. I'd probably try something else.

[MT6]

How about getting winter tires or All Seasons for your 18/19” wheels, buy a set of new 19/20 Wheels that you like for summer tires

Switching tires 2 times every year was not fun in my E46 330i with sports package

[///M TOWN]

Pilot Sport “All Season 4” is Michelin’s best off-season tire and they’re fine if you have xDrive

If you’re on rear wheel drive only, you’re gonna need a dedicated snow tire

[moriluvatar]

Heya scholarly gentlemen of the PNW, I have a RWD G80 on order and with my luck it will turn up in the dead of winter. Summer 826Ms come stock, but I’ll instantly need something else on them to drive home. Dealership parts dept recommended the Pirelli P-zero Winters 275/35R19 100V XL. I’ve read all kinds of different things on the forums. Varies wildly by region, driving habits, etc.

Would love opinions from local folks.

About my driving: No winter driving through the passes, but regular “PNW-winter” driving in the wet Olympia/Islands/Seattle. Have an SUV for snow days if needed.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by moriluvatar

Heya scholarly gentlemen of the PNW, I have a RWD G80 on order and with my luck it will turn up in the dead of winter. Summer 826Ms come stock, but I’ll instantly need something else on them to drive home. Dealership parts dept recommended the Pirelli P-zero Winters 275/35R19 100V XL. I’ve read all kinds of different things on the forums. Varies wildly by region, driving habits, etc.

Would love opinions from local folks.

About my driving: No winter driving through the passes, but regular “PNW-winter” driving in the wet Olympia/Islands/Seattle. Have an SUV for snow days if needed.

🤣

As long as you’re never going to drive it in the snow, the standard issued tires are fine for driving in the Seattle area rain

If you’re looking for an all season tire that has a ZR rating with a mud snow rating to boot, I’d change those tires out for a set of Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4’s… Nothing but the best for your new ///M, sir!

[Bumpinjeep]

I use Blizzaks on my GTI for winter and it's like driving in the dry even in the snow. I don't know if they come in a wide size for the G8X platform but worth a look. Granted, with a dedicated winter wheel, it's going to feel like you're driving in deep mud the whole time so when you change back to your performance tires, its going to feel like a new car, so you have that to look forward to.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by Bumpinjeep

I use Blizzaks on my GTI for winter and it's like driving in the dry even in the snow. I don't know if they come in a wide size for the G8X platform but worth a look. Granted, with a dedicated winter wheel, it's going to feel like you're driving in deep mud the whole time so when you change back to your performance tires, its going to feel like a new car, so you have that to look forward to.

Yeah, I run Pilot Sport 4S’s on my M and Pilot Sport All Season 4’s on my Daily Driver, and I have to constantly remind myself which tires I’m driving on… as it’s easy to get carried away and end up in trouble if I do not ❕

[moriluvatar]

Heya MTown, thanks so much for the post. I’m working that angle on wheels now. Can I ask you a couple of other unrelated questions since you seem to know the weather and environment here, and have a reputation of like 10 billion?

Would you recommend PPF and [if] so full car (including roof ~ cause antenna and all that), or no?
And would you combine with Ceramic? (Reputable shops for both of course).

Thanks mate.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by moriluvatar

Heya MTown, thanks so much for the post. I’m working that angle on wheels now. Can I ask you a couple of other unrelated questions since you seem to know the weather and environment here, and have a reputation of like 10 billion?

Would you recommend PPF and [if] so full car (including roof ~ cause antenna and all that), or no?
And would you combine with Ceramic? (Reputable shops for both of course).

Thanks mate.

PPF on the entire front clip and rockers and rear hips and the front includes mirrors and rear loading area on the rear bumper

Also I’d do the A Pillars and the Carbon roof is a must do, rear antenna isn’t needed

All this is done after paint correction and then followed by Ceramic coating over the entire car

Check out my garage see my M2, it was done 7 years ago and looks like new to this day… 🤩

[Dcinpnw]

I got pirelli sottozero from tire rack on my 21 M3 and have been great for PNW winters. Other tires might be better, not sure, it was peak pandemic shortage and all I could find.

I can still slightly break loose the rear wheels in the morning on slightly more aggressive acceleration at a right hand intersection turn when tires cold and ambient temps in the 40s.

[pdxgardener]

Late to the party. If you get PPF - or even after you have it - get a small second layer on the ‘hips’ just between the rear wheels and passenger door. That area takes a lot of hits.

My G80 came with a small patch of PPF from the factory there, about the size of an envelope. I did full XPEL PPF and that area took a few hits on a drive to Bend. Now I need to replace that whole PPF sheet. I brought it back to the PPF installer and he put a small second layer over it and said he can switch the second layer as needed, since it’s a high impact area. Eventually I’ll re-wrap the panel, and always have a second layer.