Z4 as daily driver in Michigan

[2008e93M3lease]

Would it be crazy to get this car as your daily driver in a northern state like Michigan with 4 months of snow in the winter if you bought some winter tires? What about for a girl who's an avergae driver and doesn't know squat about cars?

[juhap]

I'd imagine conditions in Finland are quite similar and I've been driving my Z4 (older model) happily two winters now. The electronic aids do a great job keeping the car under control, but of course you can still put your car in a ditch if you really try.

The only times I've felt a bit unsure were when it was snowing really heavily, because if you have to stop facing uphill there's not much grip available (then again I don't have studded winter tyres). And of course because it rides so low, deep snow can cause you problems sometimes.

All in all, I'm a much better driver in terms of car handling because of winter driving. You can slide the tail easily at safe speeds, and learn not to panic when that happens. I have the DTC switched off almost always, because that doubles the fun

[richard in NC]

Originally Posted by juhap

I'd imagine conditions in Finland are quite similar and I've been driving my Z4 (older model) happily two winters now. The electronic aids do a great job keeping the car under control, but of course you can still put your car in a ditch if you really try.

The only times I've felt a bit unsure were when it was snowing really heavily, because if you have to stop facing uphill there's not much grip available (then again I don't have studded winter tyres). And of course because it rides so low, deep snow can cause you problems sometimes.

All in all, I'm a much better driver in terms of car handling because of winter driving. You can slide the tail easily at safe speeds, and learn not to panic when that happens. I have the DTC switched off almost always, because that doubles the fun

I would guess the car would do OK in snow with winter tires. Except of course in the deep stuff. I'm sure that area clears the roads quickly, unlike in Charlotte, 1 inch of snow can shut the city down for days.

For an average driver, I'd keep DSC full on.

One other consideration is the road condition. The Z4 with the M adaptive suspension rides OK, even with 19s, but frequent drives on rutted roads could get tiresome. I have had a few suspension crashes on deep pot holes. Risk to the wheels, especially the 19s is another consideration if too many potholes, but that's not just in the Z4.

In general though, the Z4 is fine as a daily driver, with the added benefit of dropping the top and enjoying drives to and from work.

[vividracing]

Originally Posted by 2008e93M3lease

Would it be crazy to get this car as your daily driver in a northern state like Michigan with 4 months of snow in the winter if you bought some winter tires? What about for a girl who's an avergae driver and doesn't know squat about cars?

Not at all. Like you said, with a good set of winter tires you're biggest concern is going to be clearance, not handling. So just don't go venturing down any unplowed roads

Just remember when driving on snow/ice, it's all about small inputs (throttle, brake, steering); regardless of what car you're in.