Spending alot on a winter car is not fun. The M3 is very fun. Living in Upstate NY and currently in blizzard conditions---could the M3, with snows, really work? If anyone has tried, let me know the outcome............
as long as you're not an idiot you should be fine, you've got the added bonus of LSD and traction control which will help a lot
Might want to get a separate set of wheels that are a little bit more narrow to cut through the snow better. But yes it can be done.
I used to run my 330i in the snow in Massachusetts with a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires. Never had an issue. In fact, that car handled better in the snow than any FWD car (with snows) I've ever had. The fact that yours is an M3 should only matter if you can't regulate your right foot. The only reason I don't drive my M3 in the snow is because it's a 'vert, and only comes out when it can be driven top-down.
They're right about the tires. . . Four dedicated snow tires, as skinny as possible, and you're golden. In fact, if you have been one who believed in the concept of "all-weather" tires, you will find true snow tires---Blizzaks, Alpins, Hakkapeliittas---a revelation. Just don't get too carried away with your new-found traction. Physics is physics!
I live in Chicago and drive my M3 year round. With proper tires I've had no problems whatsoever. Heck, I took delivery in a snowstorm during the winter of 2008. (I flipped tires and wheels at the dealership first though.)
Well then, when lease is up on the current winter car I will dedicate the M3 to all year driving---narrow snow tires and winter wheels. He'll have >100K miles by then and I'm apt to be less compulsive about the salt damage as well...........
No salt damage if you wash it regularly and also hit the undercarriage. I know it's cumbersome washing it in sometimes below-20-degree weather, but it's worth it. I'm actually have an easy time getting around with just regular ol' Pirelli all-seasons. The very minor bit of slip I have is just from me trying to induce oversteer. We just got hit last week with a HUUUUGE blizzard. Some areas nearby saw close to 30" of total snow. Our roads are usually plowed but not sanded, so the road surface was still covered entirely with snow for a couple of days. Sometimes my M-Tech II bumper doubled as a snow plow, as the snow sometimes was still a little too high (or my car too low - lol). I looooove driving in the snow.
yeah, it's been our turn for the blizzard this week but I don't think I'll be looking for the oversteer unless it's a really big and empty parking lot......getting around in all weather tires is impressive
Serious Snow Bank We have kept our 97 M3 out all winter for the 8 years we have owned it and have only had an issue when the snow is deeper than our lowered body and we end up playing snow plow. We throw some Blizzaks on it and we are good to go. Not a good vehicle for trail breaking, but if it can clear the accumulation there is no problem.
That's not so bad----the low-slung S5 I'm driving has been in snow-plow mode several times in deep snow. It keeps going although visibility drops to zero for a while...
