Winter - BMW

crvs

All,

I and DH are having a debate whether to buy a second car or change to winter tyres for our BMW 525i.

Reason for change:
Im currently travelling by bus (company - Transport) whilst DH uses car to commutes office and nursery.

We have a less space in our flat as living space due to new addition to our family.

What's best for us?

Vidhya

scheming_gypsy

I always got for a second car. Pick up a cheap banger and away you go - as long as you can insure them both cheaply.
Winter tyres are great for helping you get traction but a bit crap at stopping other people without traction, crashing into you.

harveybobbles

Buy another car and use the BMW as storage over the winter, which will free up some space in your flat.

But in all seriousness, just find a set of 2nd hand wheels and fit winter tyres to them

OddballJamie

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Winter tyres are great for helping you get traction but a bit crap at stopping other people without traction, crashing into you.

That's possibly the single worst excuse for not fitting winter tyres I've ever heard.

Using that logic you may as well drive around with 2mm part worns and barely legal brakes all year.

OP - Have a search of your area online for tyre hotels or garages that will store your tyres if you purchase from them, they will work out alot cheaper than running another car.

If you do want another car will parking be an issue, as some flats are a nightmare to park by.

Iceweasel

Scheming_gypsy is correct regards other people slipping and sliding.

However a set of re-furbed or 2nd hand alloys and the best 'state of the art' winter tyres would only set you back £850 at most.

You can recoup some of that back if/when you sell the BMW if the wheels don't fit your next car.

You wont get much of a banger for that amount of money, then include tax, insurance, etc.

Don't listen to the horror stories of how BMWs are 'rubbish in the snow' - with a decent set of winter tyres they are brilliant.

Horizon81

Yes but scheming_gypsy's comments were spot on. As much as you have to worry about yourself in the snow what's to stop someone driving into you and your winter tyre shod car? Every year driving along main roads you see drivers overshooting side roads where the grip is a lot poorer, straight into the path of the main road.

Buying a second car for winter isn't exactly moneysaving but it depends on how much you value your main car!

WTFH

Horizon81 wrote: »

Yes but scheming_gypsy's comments were spot on. As much as you have to worry about yourself in the snow what's to stop someone driving into you and your winter tyre shod car? Every year driving along main roads you see drivers overshooting side roads where the grip is a lot poorer, straight into the path of the main road.

All the more reason to make sure you aren't one of the drivers overshooting the side road.

I can't change the idiot drivers around me. The only idiot driver I can change is me. Not all accidents in the snow/wet are in traffic or caused by other people. Accidents happen when there are no other moving vehicles around. Your vehicle might lose traction/grip and end up not going the way you want it to, or not stopping when you want it to.
I don't think the insurance company would accept that the tree you hit didn't have winter tyres, therefore it was to blame.:D

gilbert_and_sullivan

If survival of the toughest is the game then a ex Russian military URAL or GAZ 6 x 6 troop carrier would be a fair bet.

BMW will go anywhere you want it to once it has the correct tyres, if numpty on his summer slicks is going to slide into you, better in that than in some £500 rusty banger held together by string and prayer.

GolfBravo

Iceweasel wrote: »

You wont get much of a banger for that amount of money, then include tax, insurance, etc.

Don't listen to the horror stories of how BMWs are 'rubbish in the snow' - with a decent set of winter tyres they are brilliant.

Agreed.

BMWs are great in snow. :snow_laug You just need winter tyres. And if things are really bad, get a couple of 25kg play sand bags from Toys'r'us and keep them in the boot for some extra weight above the rear axle to improve grip.

Gloomendoom

Does it have to be Toys"Я"Us play sand or will a couple of 25kg bags of cheap sand do?

crvs

WTFH wrote: »

I don't think the insurance company would accept that the tree you hit didn't have winter tyres, therefore it was to blame.:D

Hearty LOL....