I need some info on how an M5 handles in the snow..

[BMWSLAYER]

A very good friend of mine is considering an M5 to purchase. She (we) live in Minneapolis so as you know winter sucks and is approaching soon. What I need to know is if dedicated snows are put on, how well is this car in the snow? She's waiting for a Cayenne S to come out with the new sunroof which doesn't arrive till next spring. She's thinking that after this winter season that it'll be used mainly for the summer and the Cayenne S for winter. Any experience or advice would be appreciated. Thanks...

[Mr Project]

Which M5? E28, E34, E39, E60? I assume you mean E39...

But with dedicated snows, I don't know why an M5 would be any worse than any other slightly-lowered 5-series (well, V8 anyway) in the snow. Maybe even a little better due to the LSD that 'pedestrian' 5-series cars often lack. I don't have any experience other than my 535i, though.

[BMWSLAYER]

Sorry, I believe it would be the E39. She's got a 6 month old and needs safety. Even with snows I'm wondering how the rear wheel drive would perform in our deep snows......

[Tahoe M3]

My 540/6 does just fine in the snow with a second set of (16") wheels and Blizzak WS50s and I probably see more snow here in Tahoe than you do in MN. I'm sure that Mr Project is correct that the LSD will be an even greater advantage.

[bähnstormer]

is this lady friend a car enthusiast? she sure has a nice collection going
i hope she knows how to drive stick too

m5 in the snow is pretty silly. i'm sure it'll be fine u just have to be cautious
with it just like any other car...

i don't get how ppl say fwd is better in snow that rear wheel (in the context of safety)
all things being equal fwd vs rwd
braking same
cornering same (more fun in rwd)

as far as actually getting moving, well its easier in fwd for sure esp
up a hill heheh

[Alby]

i don't get how ppl say fwd is better in snow that rear wheel (in the context of safety)
all things being equal fwd vs rwd
braking same
cornering same (more fun in rwd)


I don't think they're the same. If your rears are slipping, you have a high chance of whipping the car around under acceleration in even the slightest turns. Much less chance of that happening in a FWD car. It's better to plow than to spin.

[Greco540]

She shouldn't have a problem. Up here in Montreal I drive my 540 w/ its peg leg diff in the snow on dedicated winters. The ASC/DSC really does an excellent job of keeping the car in control, but one thing is for sure. With the power of a V8, if you go looking for trouble while driving o snow, you will find it. I have never had 1 problem yet.

[ZCP M3]

Running Blizzak WS-22s on the Tirerack recommended smaller rims for my dinan S1 540, no problems here as long as i dont wander off into some random empty parking lot with the DSC off :devillook

[Lscman]

The M5 has better weight distribution (52F/48R) than most rear wheel drive sedans. Folks driving Camaro's and Mustangs are the one's struggling with noseheavy ratios closer to 58F/42R, depending upon year. Even the huge rear wheel drive Marquis, Crown Vic and older Impala SS cars hage inferior weight distribution. Noseheavy Police cars get around on snow tires with rear wheel drive just fine. Not as good as some fwd cars, but everything is relative.

The real trick to getting an M5 to move in snow is to retrofit the narrowest wheels possible and use narrow premium snow tires such as Blizzak. It will take some homework, but there are definitely a few 17"x8" BMW factory wheels like the dual parallel 540i wheel that will fit over the huge M5 factory brakes on both front and rear. Ideally, a 7" wide wheel would help more, but I know of none that have been verified to fit over M5 front brakes. The original 9.5" wide rear wheels are not good for snow use. I would go to 17" wheels because it's too easy to bend 18" wheels in potholes. In addition, taller tire sidewalls (higher series tires) will allow you to install narrower tread tires and lastly, taller sidewalls have more compliance which improves grip in snow.

I would not advise you to try using an M5 to commute daily in snow. It's the wrong machine & it'll quicly get ugly from roadsalt. It would be MUCH cheaper to maintain the finish and mileage on the M5 and buy a $5K beater car. A nice, used fwd winter car may be cheaper than M5 snow wheels and tires (lol).

[Reaper]

e39M5 + Snow + 6 speed manual + 400 hp = not so good in snow.

Gets tolerable with winter tires, but Lscman is right, your better off with alternative transportation.

[de Witt]

e39M5 + Snow + 6 speed manual + 400 hp = not so good in snow.

Gets tolerable with winter tires, but Lscman is right, your better off with alternative transportation.


The E28 and E34 M5s work well in the snow for me. I put on Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2s, which will take me up to any ski resort, even over a rough Monarch Pass, Wolf Creek Pass. But a life time of experience of driving in the mountains probably helps with this. So, inexperience combined with an E39 M5, no, I would not drive it in the winter.

[christos3000]

If you really wanted to, you could probably put a hitch on, and tow a 5,000 lb boat with an M5. Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should. I have no doubt that an M5 with the right tires would be a very capable car in the snow with the right driver. The point is, why would you subject your M5 to a harsh winter? I guess if you have money falling out of your pockets and you don't car about your M5 depreciating thousands of dollars every time you subject it to a winter, go for it. It sure would be a shame though.

If you really MUST do it though, you will be amazed at how well the traction control, and stability control work. Just to prove to yourself they work extremely well, go to a snow covered parking lot and experiment a little with the systems off and on. With everything off, your M5 will get sideways almost as easy as an 80's era camero in the rain.

Come on though, if your lady friend has the dough to buy m5's and cheyanne's, she can drop a couple grand on a winter beater.

[Tahoe M3]

I got tired of sweeping the snow off of and driving a car (Audi A6 Quattro) I didn't enjoy all winter while the M3 sat in the garage so I sold both and bout the 540/6 to drive all year. With dedicated wheels and snows it does great and I am enjoying driving all year round. If I had an M5 I would do the same.

[bähnstormer]

jsut throw a couple bags of sand in the trunk if going gets tough


e39M5 + Snow + 6 speed manual + 400 hp = not so good in snow.

6 speed is a boon in this case as u can start off in 2nd or 3rd even, and feather the
throttle as opposed to auto mat which, well, sucks