dont call me stupid please (winter tyres)

[paddy wright]

Im wondering the best route forward. I need new rear tyres.
Can I fit 16 " wheels with winter tyres on the rear and leave my 18" 107s on the front to save on cost? (thats the bit not to call me stupid on!! )
Are winter tyres better than summer tyres nad chains?

[Daffy]

You can fit 16s only the rear if you want, but you'll have to do the maths on the tire sizes to make sure they equate to the 18s on the front.

However, why would you not want to steer as well as drive in the snow? Surely direction is as important as drive? No?

RE Chains: I found in nearly impossible to fit chains on the rear of my 330ci and can't imagine the Z would be any different.

Winter tyres aren't superior to chains when driving in snow and ice, but they're substantially more versatile in the hourly changing conditions in the UK. My mates Golf with winter tyres was a revelation!

Chains are for Canada and Scandinavia, winter tyres and carpet are for the UK.

[a11y]

Chains are a PITA as you can only use them on snow - as soon as you hit any sort of half-cleared tarmac you need to remove them. And the same goes for those snow socks. Winter tyres (probably) aren't as effective on snow as summer tyres + chains, but at least you can keep moving without removing them.

You could put 16"s with winter tyres on just the rear and leaving the 108s on the front, but you really need winter tyres on all 4 corners to get the full benefit. You wouldn't get much steering input rewarded with the actual intended direction of travel if you had summers on the front and winters on the rear lol.

[PawnSacrifice]

While I prefer to match tyres all round I am not as against mixed front and rears as some. But porbably not the best thing to do, mixing types of tyre - winter tyres would give you a lot more grip at the back / momentum forward, but in questionable conditions the front wouldn't be able to match it with steering and braking. Haven't even run my winter tyres in yet, but a quick test on white stuff showed a massive improvement.

If you can get them have you considered winters all round? The front will be sitting not wearing over the winter so you technically won't lose anything other than cash flow... which at this time of year can be a problem!

Winter tyres should give similar benefit to chains in most snowy conditions and preferrable all other times - you're not having to stop and put them on /take them off all the time.

Your other option, look for a deal on standard 16" tyres - they will be cheaper. Thinner wheels will be better in the snow and your nice summer rims wont be at risk of pot holes or sliding into the curbs.

EDIT: Late to the party, but there seems to be a concensus so far

[paddy wright]

just trying to elimate the steer from the rear attitude- only have short journeys to do raelly!

[WLH]

Worth a watch....

[a11y]

That's an excellent vid - someone else (chris?) linked to it on another thread recently, and if it's to be believed then winter tyres are incredibly effective, even on pure ice.

If anyone's planning on keeping their Z4 for a few years then a spare set of alloys with winter tyres isn't that expensive. You'll prolong the life of your more expensive (in my case at least) summer tyres, plus you'll get the best use out of them too: you'll only be useing/wearing them down in conditions when you've got more chance of "making progress"...

They even make sense to me even though I only drive around 5k miles p.a. in the Z4. My 16" alloys and winter tyres cost an all-in total of <£375 inc tyre fitting.

[mcbeee]

snow tyres good

chains bad

I only used chains on tires I wasn't paying for (work truck) and only if I was being paid to roll around in the muck to put them on and take them off.
They are good for rototilling the garden if you need to.

[bigshurv]

We've fitted winter tyres to my wife's car ( Yaris), it makes such a difference.

[paddy wright]

Right i think i will go for winter tyres- found some run flats winters that fit my rear wheels. Is it really that bad to only fit to rears?
Could I get away with 255/35 r 18 on front as well? (Stile please dont call me stupid!)

[Z4 Beemer]

I think for good traction when steering you really need winter tyres on the front. I think you would benefit more by having them on all 4 wheels.

Think you probably need to drop down to a 225 profile for the fronts on 18" rims... Someone more knowledgeable than me will probably be able to advise.

[a11y]

The front rims are 0.5" thinner so not sure they'd fit, but I really wouldn't want 255's on the front anyway and especially for winter tyres: you really want narrower than wider in order to cut through the snow/slush/water. Fat tyres will just surf over the top. No idea if there's clearance on the front of a Z4 for 255 rubber anyway!

[paddy wright]

mmy mistake- i wanted 225/40 r18 runflat winters?

[paddy wright]

essentially i want winter runflats for my 107s. i can find rears but not fronts. Can i safely run just rears and drive easy??

[Z4 Beemer]

I was looking recently at Autosocks - http://www.autosock.co.uk - and on their website they actually say... "it's recommended that users of rear wheel drive cars should also fit a set to the front wheels to provide better directional stability, especially under braking".

I guess the same idea probably applies to winter tyres...

... although you could just use the handbrake for braking...