i4 RWD

barclay · 10-11-2022, 02:41 PM

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Hello folks,

Any experience here as to whether a RWD i4 on all season tires would be doable in the Chicago land area? Can I safely get away without buying snow tires? Thank you in advance!

David

Aatish · 10-11-2022, 07:17 PM

You will need snow tires. I haven't driven a RWD i4 in the snow...I've driven RWD BMWs in the snow. I currently have a RWD 911 which I daily. You'll need a snow set if you want to use the car safely.

Running summers will not be safe or feasible.
All seasons on RWD won't really help, especially with the heft of the car.

Aatish · 10-11-2022, 07:21 PM

All seasons are fine if you have AWD or FWD from my experience. With RWD it can still get swirly. Stopping is usually the hardest part. Unless the tires are a little warm (say from sustained highway driving), stopping can be problematic. Factor in the ice/slush patches we get in the winter...it could get gnarly with RWD on A/S tires.

The best A/S tires are Michelin AS/4s imo. I had them on my 335X-Drive a while back. Car was drivable, but still could get unwieldily. My 911 with Pirelli winters has been rock solid.

barclay · 10-11-2022, 09:07 PM

Thank you.

mlanes01 · 10-11-2022, 09:44 PM

All seasons will never be as good as proper snow tires. I rock summertires and winter so I can have best of both worlds. Depending on where you live and what winter is like. Looking at doing Michelin xice. I can't find hakkapollitta r5 EV anywhere in the US but these appear to be very similar and have good reviews. Sure I've driven our x5 in snow with all seasons and if you go slow enough and steady enough it works, but it was never as awesome as my x3 with snows. Also remember to be in adaptive Regen and eco in the snow otherwise the Regen acts like a break and you wipe out.

cruzer666 · 10-11-2022, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barclay

Hello folks,

Any experience here as to whether a RWD i4 on all season tires would be doable in the Chicago land area? Can I safely get away without buying snow tires? Thank you in advance!

David

I lived in your neck of the woods for 6 years. Most of those driving around the northwoods of Wisconsin. I've driven all seasons through blizzards, they were fine for me.

It all depends on you as the driver, if you can adapt your driving to road conditions all seasons are perfectly fine. They're called all season for a reason, this means snow also.

mlanes01 · 10-12-2022, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruzer666

I lived in your neck of the woods for 6 years. Most of those driving around the northwoods of Wisconsin. I've driven all seasons through blizzards, they were fine for me.

It all depends on you as the driver, if you can adapt your driving to road conditions all seasons are perfectly fine. They're called all season for a reason, this means snow also.

I agree and spent many winters in buffalo driving a rwd Ford aerostar with all seasons. However, I think that just because you can doesn't mean you should. When I drive in snow with snow tires especially all the tech in them these days I don't think I could go back. A ton of piece of mind. If it's not completely prohibitive for you having a 2nd set of tires/wheels is the way to go. If you live in the city or have a job that allows you freedom to schedule your outings for well after the salt and plows hit the road then you definitely don't need them

unfoundnemo · 10-12-2022, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlanes01

I agree and spent many winters in buffalo driving a rwd Ford aerostar with all seasons. However, I think that just because you can doesn't mean you should. When I drive in snow with snow tires especially all the tech in them these days I don't think I could go back. A ton of piece of mind. If it's not completely prohibitive for you having a 2nd set of tires/wheels is the way to go. If you live in the city or have a job that allows you freedom to schedule your outings for well after the salt and plows hit the road then you definitely don't need them

I wouldn't say you "definitely" don't need them if you don't go out under after the salt and plows hit the road... I would still MUCH rather a winter tire on a sunny cold (well below freezing) day with bone dry roads. Stopping distance, corning ability, etc., especially went you're talking about a car with a little more heft proportional to it's size. Sure, you could get by as long as you don't drive it the same way you would went it's 50+ outside, but it's still the same idea... it doesn't mean you should.

kbsilver · 10-12-2022, 01:25 PM

Another factor is do you NEED to use the car under any conditions. For example, during bad weather you can work from home and wait for the roads to be cleared. I'll be sticking to just the A/S year round on the i4, our other car is AWD.

10-11-2022, 02:41 PM	#1
barclay Private 116 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 2024 540ix Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (0)	i4 RWD Featured on BIMMERPOST.com Hello folks, Any experience here as to whether a RWD i4 on all season tires would be doable in the Chicago land area? Can I safely get away without buying snow tires? Thank you in advance! David
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10-11-2022, 07:17 PM	#2
Aatish Lofty 3462 Rep 849 Posts Drives: i4 M50, 991.2 C2, RRS Diesel Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: ORD <> ATX iTrader: (0)	You will need snow tires. I haven't driven a RWD i4 in the snow...I've driven RWD BMWs in the snow. I currently have a RWD 911 which I daily. You'll need a snow set if you want to use the car safely. Running summers will not be safe or feasible. All seasons on RWD won't really help, especially with the heft of the car. __________________ F30 335 (FBO and BM3 OG) 991.2 C2 Range Rover Sport Diesel I4 M50 (coming soon)
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10-11-2022, 07:21 PM	#3
Aatish Lofty 3462 Rep 849 Posts Drives: i4 M50, 991.2 C2, RRS Diesel Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: ORD <> ATX iTrader: (0)	All seasons are fine if you have AWD or FWD from my experience. With RWD it can still get swirly. Stopping is usually the hardest part. Unless the tires are a little warm (say from sustained highway driving), stopping can be problematic. Factor in the ice/slush patches we get in the winter...it could get gnarly with RWD on A/S tires. The best A/S tires are Michelin AS/4s imo. I had them on my 335X-Drive a while back. Car was drivable, but still could get unwieldily. My 911 with Pirelli winters has been rock solid. __________________ F30 335 (FBO and BM3 OG) 991.2 C2 Range Rover Sport Diesel I4 M50 (coming soon)
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10-11-2022, 09:07 PM	#4
barclay Private 116 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 2024 540ix Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (0)	Thank you.
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10-11-2022, 09:44 PM	#5
mlanes01 First Lieutenant 327 Rep 353 Posts Drives: 2022 G26 e40, 2021 G05 x40i Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	All seasons will never be as good as proper snow tires. I rock summertires and winter so I can have best of both worlds. Depending on where you live and what winter is like. Looking at doing Michelin xice. I can't find hakkapollitta r5 EV anywhere in the US but these appear to be very similar and have good reviews. Sure I've driven our x5 in snow with all seasons and if you go slow enough and steady enough it works, but it was never as awesome as my x3 with snows. Also remember to be in adaptive Regen and eco in the snow otherwise the Regen acts like a break and you wipe out.
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10-12-2022, 01:25 PM	#9
kbsilver Captain 143 Rep 634 Posts Drives: 340GT & '22 eDrive40 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: North Jersey iTrader: (0)	Another factor is do you NEED to use the car under any conditions. For example, during bad weather you can work from home and wait for the roads to be cleared. I'll be sticking to just the A/S year round on the i4, our other car is AWD.
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