Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

XDrive 40d in The Snow

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E70).
User avatar
pvr
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5254
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:13 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by pvr » Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:13 pm

Bit like your Thai ladyboys then ...
X5M F85,  Golf Clipper, Abarth 595 Competizioni, Jeep

911 50th anniversary -
Site & Forum Admin Team Member.

User avatar
Don Coffey
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 2452
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:25 am
Location: Here, there and everywhere

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by Don Coffey » Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:34 pm

[quote="pvr"]
Bit like your Thai ladyboys then ...
[/quote]

:rofl:

Don
Image

gchristofi
Member
Member
Posts: 303
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:36 am

XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by gchristofi » Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:49 pm

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="gchristofi"]
I find moving from D to Neutral massively helps stopping on very slippery surfaces from 10mph and under. The difference is huge as you remove forward forces from the transmission.
[/quote]

But something to be done with extreme care on an Auto.  It's effectively the same as towing the car and that is a 'no no' - although probably nothing serious would happen on very short 'runs' as the engine is still running.

[/quote]

Agreed, but at <10mph for short periods I can't see any likely issues with relative speeds and lubrication.  Certainly better than hitting something if and when the breaks on but not stopping scenario happens. (Let's hope my next post isn't about transfer case rebuilds!! ;-)  )

User avatar
MJim
Member
Member
Posts: 854
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:19 pm

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by MJim » Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:47 am

[quote="Don Coffey"]
The four wheel drive will work hard to ensure you shouldn't be left stranded unless expecting too much, ie. steep Ice covered hills.  But as mentioned above its the stopping and possibly when cornering that the wide non winter tyres will struggle.  A dedicated winter tyre will improve the cornering, stopping power of the car but to really ensure you have the best possible chances in winter conditions, you may want to consider a winter wheel package running on narrower rims.

Don
[/quote]

Agree with this.  Drove my 40d in the Swiss Alps last winter on 18in winter wheels.  Very heavy snowfall almost every day so conditions were pretty extreme - mixture of deep fresh snow, compacted snow and ice.  The car coped brilliantly and always felt safe and stable.  Only time I got stuck was trying to get it out of a car park in deep snow - a local policeman who was very experienced in such conditions helped to get me out ...  Since learnt about using the DSC button which would probably have done the trick.

Image
Current: 40d M Sport, deep sea blue, oyster, 19in
Spare: VW Golf V5

History: TVR Chimera 5.0
First Car: Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9

User avatar
535dboy
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5491
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:38 am
Location: East Sussex

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by 535dboy » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:02 am

In a word.

Rubbish!
Currently :
2012 Audi RS4 (B8)
2012 Porsche Boxster S (981)
2008 Lotus Exige S (a bit modified!)
2015 Nissan Leaf twin turbo with Nitros

Previously :
2008 BMW X5 3.0sd MSport
2005 BMW 535d MSport

User avatar
Don Coffey
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 2452
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:25 am
Location: Here, there and everywhere

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by Don Coffey » Fri Dec 07, 2012 9:43 am

[quote="535dboy"]
In a word.

Rubbish!
[/quote]
Rubbish on the whole or as a standard wide wheel summer tyre set up?

Don
Image

User avatar
535dboy
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5491
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:38 am
Location: East Sussex

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by 535dboy » Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:07 am

[quote="Don Coffey"]
[quote="535dboy"]
In a word.

Rubbish!
[/quote]
Rubbish on the whole or as a standard wide wheel summer tyre set up?

Don
[/quote]

20" std tyre
Currently :
2012 Audi RS4 (B8)
2012 Porsche Boxster S (981)
2008 Lotus Exige S (a bit modified!)
2015 Nissan Leaf twin turbo with Nitros

Previously :
2008 BMW X5 3.0sd MSport
2005 BMW 535d MSport

User avatar
Don Coffey
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 2452
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:25 am
Location: Here, there and everywhere

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by Don Coffey » Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:56 am

[quote="535dboy"]
[quote="Don Coffey"]
[quote="535dboy"]
In a word.

Rubbish!
[/quote]
Rubbish on the whole or as a standard wide wheel summer tyre set up?

Don
[/quote]


20" std tyre
[/quote]

Agree 100% it's like having your own very expensive sledge but without any useable braking function.  :blink:

Don
Image

User avatar
535dboy
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5491
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:38 am
Location: East Sussex

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by 535dboy » Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:57 am

It has to be one if the worst cars I've driven so far in the snow!
Currently :
2012 Audi RS4 (B8)
2012 Porsche Boxster S (981)
2008 Lotus Exige S (a bit modified!)
2015 Nissan Leaf twin turbo with Nitros

Previously :
2008 BMW X5 3.0sd MSport
2005 BMW 535d MSport

User avatar
Don Coffey
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 2452
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:25 am
Location: Here, there and everywhere

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by Don Coffey » Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:03 pm

[quote="535dboy"]
It has to be one if the worst cars I've driven so far in the snow!
[/quote]
Did you have a winter set up?  Be interesting to see how the Q7 performs.

Don
Image

User avatar
pvr
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5254
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:13 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by pvr » Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:19 pm

He was way too tight for that.
X5M F85,  Golf Clipper, Abarth 595 Competizioni, Jeep

911 50th anniversary -
Site & Forum Admin Team Member.

htiek
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:34 pm
Location: Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by htiek » Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:46 pm

I've only had my 30d since late October so this is my first experience of it in snow.
On the standard M-Sport 19" staggered rims and summer rubber it is completely useless in just 2-3" of snow. The wife's Polo did a better job of coping with the conditions.  :(
On the hunt now for a winter setup before the real snow arrives up here.
2012 X5 E70 30d M Sport
1992 Lotus Esprit SE Hi-wing

User avatar
X5Sport
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18785
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: Planet X6......

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by X5Sport » Fri Dec 07, 2012 4:37 pm

[quote="pvr"]
Bit like your Thai ladyboys then ...
[/quote]
You mean......
Image
or
Image

Spot the odd one out.....
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

User avatar
pvr
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5254
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:13 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by pvr » Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:21 pm

He is "in progress" once he can get rid of that trumpet :)
X5M F85,  Golf Clipper, Abarth 595 Competizioni, Jeep

911 50th anniversary -
Site & Forum Admin Team Member.

User avatar
sramsay
Member
Member
Posts: 261
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 8:36 pm

XDrive 40d in The Snow

Post by sramsay » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:21 pm

I went out in my 40d with 20" wheels in the snow on Tuesday. It wasn't very good and as others have said, it's really the turning that was scary.

I was doing about 10mph and made the mistake of touching the break and just went into a straight slide and overshot the turning!

I do miss the low gear ratio I had in my Touareg.  If I needed to drive more miles, I would definitely invest in the winter tyres.

Post Reply