2014 BMW X5 is horrible in the snow.......

[astriuminc]

My neighbor has a 2014 BMW X5 and it is straight up horrible in the snow. Huge snow storm in New York City today and he was returning home due to an official 2:30pm travel ban in New York City. He was backing into his driveway and there was like a foot of snow and he was having a hard time backing up the incline into his driveway.

I told him to shut off the engine and I helped him shovel the snow down from 12 inches to 3 inches and to my shock, the X5 STILL couldn't get up the 30 degree incline in reverse ??? Anyway, I told him to stop and we'll shovel the remaining 3 inches, he said nah, "I'll just gun it and go up", I asked him if he was sure, it's no problem to shovel the remaining snow. He said no need, he's got AWD.

Well he did, and I was shocked: wheels spinning and he slid the driver side rear panel right up against his gate, it left a huge dent. I stood there speechless at how horrible it handled snow like that. I checked his tires, practically brand new Michelin Latitudes. I expected a lot more from the BMW X5.

 

[00protegees]

So he was trying to drive uphill, in a foot of snow, on performance tires, and its the fault of the SUV? All seasons get hard at colder temperatures. They might as well be bowling balls.

Winter tires are exactly that. Made for winter. Made out of a rubber compound that maintains flexibility at low temps. That's like taking it out on a muddy trail and complaining when it gets stuck. AWD doesn't mean much with the wrong tires. Just my opinion...

 

[rsvinylgraphics]

If your neighbor has the Michelin Latitude "Sport" tire than yes that is reason for not getting any traction, as they are designed as strictly summer tires.

A Latitude all-season tire such as the "Tour" should not have too much difficulty.

I would suspect your neighbor has the "Sport" Latitude tires.

 

[kornholio]

I have seen these x5's driving in the snow with no problems. Definitely the tires.

 

[eskimo0101]

If you're going to buy a performance SUV with summer tires don't be surprised when it's useless in the snow without buying a set of dedicated winter tires.

 

[tex2670]

My neighbor has a 2014 BMW X5 and it is straight up horrible in the snow. Huge snow storm in New York City today and he was returning home due to an official 2:30pm travel ban in New York City. He was backing into his driveway and there was like a foot of snow and he was having a hard time backing up the incline into his driveway.

I told him to shut off the engine and I helped him shovel the snow down from 12 inches to 3 inches and to my shock, the X5 STILL couldn't get up the 30 degree incline in reverse ??? Anyway, I told him to stop and we'll shovel the remaining 3 inches, he said nah, "I'll just gun it and go up", I asked him if he was sure, it's no problem to shovel the remaining snow. He said no need, he's got AWD.

Well he did, and I was shocked: wheels spinning and he slid the driver side rear panel right up against his gate, it left a huge dent. I stood there speechless at how horrible it handled snow like that. I checked his tires, practically brand new Michelin Latitudes. I expected a lot more from the BMW X5.

It's not about the brand of tires; it's about the type and size. Wide performance-oriented all seasons are not made to be great in the snow, much less 1' of snow.

My next door neighbor has a Ford F150 4x4, and he got stuck in his flat driveway on Saturday, when there was about 1' of snow, plus a plow wall at the end of his driveway. It took him 20 minutes to make it 100'.

 

[Dr. Awkward]

Worked for Snowshoe Ski Resort for 20 years.
Its the tires.

 

[sjg]

I spend winter weekends in VT in a house on a hill and see many BMW xDrives (and other cars) not able to get up the hill. It's always a matter of tires. Many people think that AWD is a substitute for good winter tires.

 

[astriuminc]

I spend winter weekends in VT in a house on a hill and see many BMW xDrives (and other cars) not able to get up the hill. It's always a matter of tires. Many people think that AWD is a substitute for good winter tires.

ah ok, my fault and ignorance then for flaming on the X5, title should read Michelin Latitudes are horrible in the snow LOL,

is there a way to delete this thread I started ?

 

[eskimo0101]

Snow tires are becoming more and more of a requirement for even moderate snow locations because of how tires have evolved over the past 30 years. In 1986 a Honda Accord was running a 185/70/13 as it's stock tire. A basic all season in that size was narrow enough that it would work fine for the majority of snowy climates. A 2016 Honda Accord EX is running a 215/55/17. That's a pretty wide tire and combined with the touring all season design they use to promote better dry handling and super quiet highway cruising it's going to be pretty terrible in the snow, especially compared to that 185/70/13 all season from 30 years earlier. These are the people you constantly see stuck at intersections when their cars can't get through the 6" of snow that a plow missed as it was making the turn at the intersection. They grew up with cars where the stock all season tires were fine and just assume their newer cars with all season will be just as capable.

On our CX-9 I still went all season but I went with a more aggressive tire than Mazda picked. I'm giving up a little carving ability in the summer for the extra traction in the winter months and the ability to safely run one tire year round. I've been through one WNY snow storm on our Cooper Discover SRX's and between ABS, stability and traction control the car was more than capable enough even without snows.

 

[00protegees]

ah ok, my fault and ignorance then for flaming on the X5, title should read Michelin Latitudes are horrible in the snow LOL,

is there a way to delete this thread I started ?

Take it as learning, and educate your neighbor on the importance of proper tires. No worries!

http://jalopnik.com/lets-settle-the-winter-tires-vs-all-wheel-drive-debat-1462180324

This video really emphasizes the difference snow tires make. You can purchase a FWD, an extra set of rims, and snow tires usually for less than the initial cost of an AWD, and you don't have those pesky PTU's to change fluid on (wink wink)

 

[tex2670]

Snow tires are becoming more and more of a requirement for even moderate snow locations because of how tires have evolved over the past 30 years. In 1986 a Honda Accord was running a 185/70/13 as it's stock tire. A basic all season in that size was narrow enough that it would work fine for the majority of snowy climates. A 2016 Honda Accord EX is running a 215/55/17. That's a pretty wide tire and combined with the touring all season design they use to promote better dry handling and super quiet highway cruising it's going to be pretty terrible in the snow, especially compared to that 185/70/13 all season from 30 years earlier. These are the people you constantly see stuck at intersections when their cars can't get through the 6" of snow that a plow missed as it was making the turn at the intersection. They grew up with cars where the stock all season tires were fine and just assume their newer cars with all season will be just as capable.

THIS ^^^. The downside of the upsized tire look is just atrocious snow performance. I had a 2001 Saturn SL with 13" tires--I could blow through 6" of fresh, unplowed snow, up a steep hill.

 

[VK Sefirosu]

Snow tires are mandatory by law here… I don't understand why they aren't in many snowy areas and I wouldn't risk not using them even with AWD…