Winter Tire Recommendations - Official BMW Recommendations

[X5 Meister]

After trying to get some kind of "official" BMW recommendations on winter tires from BMW NA (no luck whatsoever... ask your dealer was the reply) and several BMW dealers (answers ranging from call tire rack to whatever we have in stock, but we're not a tire dealer) I came across a pdf document on the BMW Canada website. Seems like they have their shit together. Wish I could say the same for BMW NA.

I'd like to upload it, but it's too large by 4kb. Any way someone can help me with this? I'd like to make it available to everyone.

The short point is that they officially recommend:

X3 - Double Spoke Wheels 112 18" with Dunlop SP Winter Sport winter tires

X5 - Star Spoke Wheels 74 18" with Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow winter tires

X5 (4.6is & 4.8is) - Spider Spoke Wheels 99 18" with Pirelli Scorpion Ic & Snow winter tires

X5 (2007+) - Star Spoke Wheels 209 18" with Dunlop Grandtrek WTM3 run-flat winter tires

Some interesting choices. Since Canada gets pretty decent snow I can only assume these recommendations actually mean something.

[jwilburn]

Shoot me the PDF and Ill try to reduce the file size.

[LeMansX5]

If the PDF is on BMW Canada website then you should be able to just post the link. Right click on the PDF link and copy shortcut.

BTW, BMW recommendations are best practices only. I have seen style 58, style 74 and few other 18" wheels on 4.8is. When I called the dealer few years ago for winter wheels for 4.8is I was told only style 99 fit 4.8is and no other styles will fit.

[X5 Meister]

I can't post the link because the page on the site where I found it keeps crashing my internet explorer for the past 2 days.

I can't comment on the best practices thing or what X5's have been equipped with in the past. All I can say is that it pisses me off that BMW NA cannot, or will not, put together at least a list of recommendations for things like tires. Talking to individual dealers is pure agony. Half the time they have no clue and the other half they are making up an answer. BMW has an official TSB with oil recommendations for it's engines (i.e. M engines get a very special grade of oil, etc.) why can't they do the same for tires and even more perplexing, why can BMW Canada do it and BMW NA cannot. The X5 forum is awesome in many ways but the most frustrating thing is that there doesn't seem to be any official representation on it from BMW NA or BMW AG and with that there is frequently no "definitive" answer, only opinions. Can you imagine how awesome it would be if there was! No more useless threads on what's the deal with the A/V connector on the rear center console of SOME X5's and how the pin-outs work for it, etc. We would have a final answer, it could be posted on the main page and that's it. This would apply to a huge number of topics and questions. It would take X5 World from 80% effective to 110% awesome.

Honestly even with the BMW CA winter tire recommendations I am a little surprised, because I have been lead to believe that narrower tires are optimal in snow and so the narrowest is the best (for any individual car that is). This would mean that 17" tires would be ideal for the X5. That seems to be supported with the fact that BMW only sells snow chains for the X5 (3.0 & 4.4) in 17" size and if you look at the ETK it only lists winter tires in 17" size (unfortunately those are so out of date that they are not even being produced anymore!).

[drbgm]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Xs with a 4.4 or bigger came equiped with bigger brakes as well so the minimum size rim you can run would be the 18". Take it from me, snow tires make a huge difference. Not only on snow and ice but on cold dry pavement as well. "All Season" tires turn hard in cold temperatures and give you about as much stopping power as being on ice.

Other good choices are the ultimate winter tire, Nokian Hakkapelitta SUV
they also make a true All Season tire (the Nokian WR) that is severe weather rated and comes with a mileage warranty, unlike true winter tires. An option if you don't want to be swapping tires twice a year.

[X5 Meister]

X5 3.0 and 4.4 come with the same brakes - 13.1 front and 12.8 rear. The 4.6is and 4.8is come with the same size rear brakes (12.8) but larger front brakes (14.0). You can run 17" 18" 19" on the 3.0i and 4.4i. The 3 recommended tire options are 235/65R17, 255/55R18, or 255/50R19 F & 285/45R19 R.
The 'is models came with 20" wheels and tires. I don't know if you can safely run 17"'s on them but I wouldn't bet on it. At least from what BMW CA states, you can run 18"'s.

[X5 in AK]

My 2001 4.4 came with a 235/65/17 spare tire, so I knew that 17s would fit on it, in place of the stock 19s.

I run 245/65/17 Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 in the winter, mounted on a set of factory BMW double spoke rims (don't know the style number, they were standard on some of the later model X5s). The 'ideal' size is 235/65/17, this tire is exactly the same diameter as the stockers, but I chose the 245s because I don't like the way the 235s look, a bit too narrow. The 245s are 0.5 inch taller than stock, but that little amount doesn't harm anything, other than my speedo being about 1 mph more off.

[Slalom]

I also have the 17 inch spare in my 04 4.4, I hav the sport pack so in summer I have 19 inch Diamaris and in winter I run 18 inch Pirelli Scorpions. I find that they are almost as quiet and the ride is a little softer.

Generally, in up to about 4 inches of snow I like a narrower tire because it is less likely to sit on top - it will actually spin down and get to pavement. With all the traction aids on the X5, if you want to do that you have to shut off the DSC, knowing that I had X-drive I figured that it was ok to take the wider tires - imho they look better

[X5 Meister]

Here are the original documents giving the 2005 and 2006 recommendations from BMW Canada. Thanks go to John Wilburn for shrinking the 2006 doc down to size.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by mgruber

Some interesting choices. Since Canada gets pretty decent snow I can only assume these recommendations actually mean something.

Thanks for posting the pdf.

I wouldn't go so far as to call them official recommendations. They are offers. Not bad information, but there is nothing there that makes these choices better than equivalent tires from other tire manufacturers that didn't co-op the advertising budget.