Been a bit absent from the blog latley, and I apologize. Time for a long overdue update.
2008;
The Koni suspension was much better over stock and the drop made the car look even better. The ASA wheels and the BFG TA KDW tires had been doing great. The tires had lots of grip, and were quite decent in the wet. Ive never had any issues with hydroplanning or loosing traction in the rain. After a while though I started to notice that the drop was just enough to cause the fenders to rub under hard cornering. While this isnt an issue with 17" wheels, this is with 18"'s. The rub was quite subtle. The tires would rub on the rubber protector on the inside of the fender. Rolling your fenders will alliviate this.
As the winter rolled around I knew that with Calgary's weather (and terrible drivers) that winter tires were going to be needed. The old ones that originally came on the stock wheels when I first bought the car weren't going to cut it anymore. I needed new, and good winter tires.
After some research, and a fair bit of saving up, I invested in a set of Nokian Hakkapelitta RSI tires. At $950 a set they were pretty pricey. I hoped I made the right choice, but only time would tell. Soon winter set in and the tires were put to the test.
Let me tell you, these were worth every penny! They are a fantastic winter tire. Phenomenal grip on ice and snow. Combined with the traction control of the BMW I had no problems getting anywhere I needed to go. I was passing people stuck or pulled over on the side of the road and going up hills with no problems. I definitley made the right choice. With a pretty long commute to work of 30km/30 mins each way being able to get to work was important. Not getting stuck was even more so. Plowing through 6 inches of snow one morning was not a problem at all!
I do highly reccomend the Nokian Hakkapelitta tires for those that need a dedicated winter tire for their car. Since I originally installed mine (Winter 2007/08) they have made a few changes and introduced new models. I havent tested any of their new lineup, but im sure their just as good, if not better then the ones I had.
But remember, winter tires are just one part of the equation. Slowing down and driving safely are just as important!
