It’s beginning to look alot like…

[ktnez99]

…Christmas!

Snow, snow and more snow is due! What driving tips can you share to stay safe in the White Stuff this time of year when you are driving your Z? Or maybe your Z is under wraps, tucked up snoozing for the Winter meaning you are driving another car so share your advice to stay safe when driving in these snowy, icy, freezing conditions.

What to look forward this coming week - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/weekend-weather-forecast-met-office-maps-snow-ice-warnings-084554350.html

J’adore Winter!

 

[Pond]

What driving tips can you share to stay safe in the White Stuff this time of year

Stay at home.

 

[Duncodin]

I always found BMWs pretty bad in the snow. Don't know what it is. My Mercs, also rear wheel drive, always loved the snow but my beemers, for some reason, just skated around and/or got stuck. Just no traction. Maybe mercs, back then, where just heavier.

I'm quite experienced at driving in winter - truck driver in the 1980's driving around northern germany where it SNOWED.

I remember one year, mid 80's, when the coalition government in Germany had a lot of new green party influence and, believe it or not, they banned salt on roads. Seriously. No salt. Caused tree die-back on the verges they said. Bare minimum of salt on the Autobahn where, the non-greens argued, the drainage system would prevent salt getting into the verges. But on the A and B roads no salt.

Anyway, the snow built up to around a foot thick of compacted snow with grooves where wheels went. You could take your hand off the wheel and drive like a train with your wheels in the groove. Problem was, of course, if your turn-off didn't have off-grooves or you weren't quick enough you'd miss your turn and drive to god-knows-where stuck in the groove-train of cars.

 

[Stevo7682]

Leave the zed at home Z3 / Snow not good combo .

Dont get me wrong if you were to take the fat staggered rim sports tyres off sling on a set of 15 pepperpots with 205 width winter tyres and i would imagine it would drive a million times better in snow but otherwise leave at home they dont like snow.
Stephen.

 

[mmm-five]

I was missing the snow so much this winter that I've decided to go up to the Arctic Circle for a few days.

【LIVE】 Live Cam Narvik Marina - Norway | SkylineWebcams

View over Narvik Marina in Norway Live cam

www.skylinewebcams.com

Obviously not in the Z4, nor the 335xD...but via a couple of night trains and stops in Hamburg, Stockholm, Narvik.

 

[mikeyH]

We don't get much snow down our way, when we do, it's exciting so we wrap up and build little 6" high snowmen with all the snow we can find

 

[Z Victor 1]

With the BMW s and Mercs I've had, if there was snow I just put a couple of bags of gravel in the back of the boot over the rear wheels and I've driven through plenty of snow.

 

[Paul Rice]

Had 8 BMW's never got stuck in any of them, only time ever had problems was in a front wheel drive Jaguar X type. Latest BMW is front wheel drive 2 series with crap tyres so will be interesting to see how this copes.

 

[Gatsoburner]

Mines under wraps, reluctant to get out on salty roads so trapping around in our Merc GLC.

Still pulling the covers off every week to see how the cars accepting the winter as its my first with it.

2 towels on the car, 1 on the roof 1 on the boot. Definitely helping with an internal boot lid dampness as its stopped. Then 2 covers, 1 soft lined then a further waterproof one.

 

[mmm-five]

Had 8 BMW's never got stuck in any of them, only time ever had problems was in a front wheel drive Jaguar X type. Latest BMW is front wheel drive 2 series with crap tyres so will be interesting to see how this copes.

Similar here.

Although I bought a set of snow-socks for the Z4MC just in case. 17 years later they’re still in their original packaging in the boot.

Never got stuck in the M5s or Corrado VR6 either - both ran solely on summer tyres. But the M5 almost got stuck once…in a rural office car park as there’s was a huge dump of snow when I was working late, and the exit from the car park is an uphill 20° slope with a 90° corner at the top.

Crawled up the slip-road onto the A1M (to go to my digs just off the next junction) to a queue of stopped traffic, but just continued crawling past staying on the hard shoulder.

 

[mikeyH]

We don't get much snow down our way, when we do, it's exciting so we wrap up and build little 6" high snowmen with all the snow we can find

So, woke up this morning to a layer of snow, very deep, for us. Less than 5mm.

 

[ktnez99]

Stay at home.

Shanks’ pony?

 

[Andyboy]

I've got the winter boots on my Touring but really, when it's white I just stay at home.

 

[ktnez99]

I always found BMWs pretty bad in the snow. Don't know what it is. My Mercs, also rear wheel drive, always loved the snow but my beemers, for some reason, just skated around and/or got stuck. Just no traction. Maybe mercs, back then, where just heavier.

I'm quite experienced at driving in winter - truck driver in the 1980's driving around northern germany where it SNOWED.

I remember one year, mid 80's, when the coalition government in Germany had a lot of new green party influence and, believe it or not, they banned salt on roads. Seriously. No salt. Caused tree die-back on the verges they said. Bare minimum of salt on the Autobahn where, the non-greens argued, the drainage system would prevent salt getting into the verges. But on the A and B roads no salt.

Anyway, the snow built up to around a foot thick of compacted snow with grooves where wheels went. You could take your hand off the wheel and drive like a train with your wheels in the groove. Problem was, of course, if your turn-off didn't have off-grooves or you weren't quick enough you'd miss your turn and drive to god-knows-where stuck in the groove-train of cars.

That’s a tale and a half! You’re reminded me of my driving to a meeting in Glasgow one January/February. Everyone tried to persuade me not to go and reschedule as the weather forecast was deep snow and I was going on the Saturday to visit distant relations en route on the Sunday who said they never got snow as I left them. As I drove away, a snow blizzard started! That about set the scene for what was to follow. All the way into Glasgow and as I approached, the roads were empty and snow covered. I stopped at a petrol station and mentioned how quiet the roads were with no response. I’ll never forget this drive: as I drove up and onto a high raised dual carriageway with the roofs of industrial units just visible, I felt my Z skid. The dual carriageway was empty, snow clad lanes of deep snow, dark, heavy snow falling, with only one car coming in the opposite direction as my Z skid towards the edge of the dual carriageway and the rooftops. I went into automatic pilot and turned into the skid and the car jumped up into a high raised middle area/central reservation that looked about two feet high. I got out, started to look for damage on my car: none! The approaching car stopped and two men got out asking me if I was ok which I was. One took the car keys and they somehow got my Z off the central reservation without a scratch. They then told me they’d stopped their car watching my car zoom towards the rooftops and thought my car and I were going to go flying off! They asked me: don’t you know Scotland doesn’t grit the roads in snow? Obviously not! I thanked them for their help and gingerly drove to the hotel. One of my nine lives there!

 

[ktnez99]

Leave the zed at home Z3 / Snow not good combo .

Dont get me wrong if you were to take the fat staggered rim sports tyres off sling on a set of 15 pepperpots with 205 width winter tyres and i would imagine it would drive a million times better in snow but otherwise leave at home they dont like snow.
Stephen.

I know the rear wheel, no weight combo is terrible but what if your inly transport is your Z, Stephen? And you have to go out.

 

[ktnez99]

I was missing the snow so much this winter that I've decided to go up to the Arctic Circle for a few days.

【LIVE】 Live Cam Narvik Marina - Norway | SkylineWebcams

View over Narvik Marina in Norway Live cam

www.skylinewebcams.com

Obviously not in the Z4, nor the 335xD...but via a couple of night trains and stops in Hamburg, Stockholm, Narvik.

Fab! Let us know how you’re getting on and your route (I can’t see anything on this link). Any pics, please?

 

[ktnez99]

With the BMW s and Mercs I've had, if there was snow I just put a couple of bags of gravel in the back of the boot over the rear wheels and I've driven through plenty of snow.

I have done this before, Ken! Every early Winter, a couple of bags of gravel put in the boot and freedom to roam in the Z! Out when Spring arrived as I recall they played havoc with fuel consumption. I’d completely forgotten this so thanks for the advice. When your only car is your Z3, you have to be creative as to how to stay safe driving it in the snow and freezing conditions.

 

[ktnez99]

Mines under wraps, reluctant to get out on salty roads so trapping around in our Merc GLC.

Still pulling the covers off every week to see how the cars accepting the winter as its my first with it.

2 towels on the car, 1 on the roof 1 on the boot. Definitely helping with an internal boot lid dampness as its stopped. Then 2 covers, 1 soft lined then a further waterproof one.

What are the covers you’re using?

 

[ktnez99]

So, woke up this morning to a layer of snow, very deep, for us. Less than 5mm.

Beautiful and scenic!

 

[ktnez99]

I've got the winter boots on my Touring but really, when it's white I just stay at home.

Got to ask, Andy: fo you mean Winter tyres? My Z3 has all seasons tyres in all four corners.