How does BMW's DSC fair in the snow/ice?

Rotty · 22 Sep 2007 at 12:43

Mine has the perfect combination for snow driving

340hp 10 inch wide tyres and rear wheel drive

fortunately there hasn't been any since I have had the car

Scania · 22 Sep 2007 at 12:56

NickXX said:
That's as far as i got in the snow last winter :/

I assume you have traction control?

I had no issues at all last winter in the snow, with 255/45/18's at the rear despite driving on an un-treated industrial site, great slides with the T/C turned off mind. :cool:

My 728i is so much better in the snow than my previous 318i was, I assume its a combination of automatic box & traction control? - I'd have thought the reverse would be true though. :confused:

Lashout_UK · 22 Sep 2007 at 12:59

Aye, autoboxes are generally much more capable in the snow. My little white 1850HL was plenty happy to potter about in snow, slush and ice whilst everyone else was gliding into ditches and slipping on the hills. A lot of it's down to the driver as well though, at the end of the day.

Housey · 22 Sep 2007 at 13:50

Clarkey said:
ok thanks for that, i will

Oh I suspected you might.

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 22 Sep 2007 at 14:15

James_N · 22 Sep 2007 at 14:15

mmy 740, although no BMW, is RWD and that was fine in the snow. Kept going while all my mates euroboxes slid about everywhere

NickXX · 22 Sep 2007 at 18:00

R124/LA420 said:
I assume you have traction control?

I had no issues at all last winter in the snow, with 255/45/18's at the rear despite driving on an un-treated industrial site, great slides with the T/C turned off mind.

My 728i is so much better in the snow than my previous 318i was, I assume its a combination of automatic box & traction control? - I'd have thought the reverse would be true though.

Back wheels got stuck in the gutter and the car wouldnt go forward or backwards. Took me about 30 mins of pouring hot water around the back wheels to set it free

XysteR · 22 Sep 2007 at 18:30

My 420BHP Celica GT4 ST205 loves snow/ice etc. But just like the Pulsar GTiR its 4WD which helps a massive amount. Interesting when the tubby snaps in at around 3k though lol

The_Dark_Side · 22 Sep 2007 at 18:47

housemaster said:
though I hardly ever went out in the M3's when it snowed because they are the worse cars in the world................EVER in the snow!

MR2 Turbo, by a loooong shot.
Trust me, they make M3's look like snowmobiles in comparison.

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2007 at 18:55

In this thread, housemasters opinion > clarkey.

Due in part to the fact housemaster owns a 911 GT3 and has owned 10 DSC fitted BMW's. This generally means more than once seeing an E39 go past when it comes to the capabilities of such cars in adverse conditions.

This, of course, also makes me jealous of housemaster.

merlin · 22 Sep 2007 at 19:28

I had problems last winter. TC on or TC off, the car just didn't want to move.

DuncyBoy · 22 Sep 2007 at 19:41

Pub Conversation:
Narrow tyres are better than Wide tyres in the snow-
True or False?

I've been told as such but it seems a little like tosh to me.

Clarkey · 22 Sep 2007 at 19:42

yes narrow tyres are far more useful in the snow, and to some extent in the wet.

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2007 at 19:47

DuncyBoy said:
Pub Conversation:
Narrow tyres are better than Wide tyres in the snow-
True or False?

Completely true. This is why rally cars on snow stages have very thin tyres.

DuncyBoy · 22 Sep 2007 at 19:54

Well I never :eek:

Shows how much I know!

I thought that wider tyre=bigger footprint so more grip. I owe my mate a pint now...

[TW]Fox · 22 Sep 2007 at 20:02

DuncyBoy said:
I thought that wider tyre=bigger footprint so more grip. I owe my mate a pint now...

Wider tyres = bigger footprint = more icy, slushy, sliperly snow compacted underneath = no grip.

Thin tyres cut through to the grippy stuff beneath.

Matt82 · 22 Sep 2007 at 20:06

dsc etc are a bunch of electronics, not a magician... if there is no friction, youre not getting up any hill. not even with a turbo, not even if youve detailed it... it aint gonna work

Matt82 · 22 Sep 2007 at 20:07

unless you have a button marked 'traction spikes', like michael knight did in knight rider.

that would work

deko · 23 Sep 2007 at 01:51

Matt82 said:
unless you have a button marked 'traction spikes', like michael knight did in knight rider.

that would work

Could create problems when your hammering it down the motorway, reach for the air con button and miss.

XysteR · 23 Sep 2007 at 03:43

[TW]Fox;10139938 said:
Wider tyres = bigger footprint = more icy, slushy, sliperly snow compacted underneath = no grip.

Thin tyres cut through to the grippy stuff beneath.

Yup your right indeedy. The big footprints of wide tyres are generally aimed towards slicks and intermediate tarmac tyres etc. Very narrow, wide groove pattern tyres are suited well to mud & snow. A wide tyre will cause the car to 'snowshoe' or 'aquaplane' over the soft stuff, not good for grip. The narrow footprint tyre helps bed the car down to the hard surface where the grip is.

I just noticed your sig, i must confess i genuinely shed a few tears when i heard about Colin and young Johnny. The last time something impacted on me with that much strength it was sept 11th. Infact its not even sunk in yet that they've gone. God bless his wife, daughter and family.