[ghaffari46]

Has any of the members used I8 as his or her car as a daily drive in a real winter( like NE United States)?
I know it can be an all wheel drive car in the sport mode but is it gonna be as smart as a xdrive system to apply traction to the appropriate wheel?
I'm leaving in a place with harsh winter and driving a m235xdrive in the winter without any issues, I'm wondering replacing it with an i8 ( with winter tires) give me the same experience

Thanks

[Leto1701]

I fear that there are almost no new '19 i8s around that already have a winter and the difference to the old i8 is significant. The old i8 was already a blast on snow (ground clearance provided) and is fun to drift (other than the typical understeer on tarmac). Can't speak about the new one before this winter is over.

[Birdland]

I will be able to tell you next week when I take delivery of my new 2019 Roadster. We already have quite a bit snow here in Oslo Norway so it will start right off in the snow! I’ll keep you posted.

[arijaycomet]

Originally Posted by ghaffari46

Has any of the members used I8 as his or her car as a daily drive in a real winter( like NE United States)?
I know it can be an all wheel drive car in the sport mode but is it gonna be as smart as a xdrive system to apply traction to the appropriate wheel?
I'm leaving in a place with harsh winter and driving a m235xdrive in the winter without any issues, I'm wondering replacing it with an i8 ( with winter tires) give me the same experience

Thanks

I’ve had 3 BMW i8 vehicles (first two were 2015s and just picked up an off lease 1owner 2016). Last winter I had a set of snow tires on my ‘15 and used it frequently. It does okay, but in the really deep snow you’ll need to throw it into sport mode to get the fastest AWD traction. In standard drive mode it wont invoke the rear wheels/gas until it senses a lot of slip up front, which makes it drive more like a FWD car than anything. (In ecopro/electric mode its 100% FWD)

In my experiences here in Ohio, just on the edge of the snow belt, it goes something like this: once the snow is cleared and the roads are packed snow but not too high/thick, good snow tires do just fine — and in some cases ecopro/EV mode even works if you are surface street driving only. But during driving in the middle of a snow storm, AWD/sport for best throttle response and handling. It’s a “capable” car but its not an amazing car—- I’m coming from Audi/Quattro which does better. I’ve had BMW X3 which did better too— the i8 is not either of those systems but it “does okay”

[arijaycomet]

[Swiss tone]

As a couple of people said in my other post, selecting 'maintain charge' should give you AWD with combined elec & engine rather than sport which uses more fuel.

Just getting frosty here in the UK but no snow as yet. I'm intending on using it through the winter and not going to buy winter tyres unless really struggle.

[Louv]

Originally Posted by Swiss tone

As a couple of people said in my other post, selecting 'maintain charge' should give you AWD with combined elec & engine rather than sport which uses more fuel.

Just getting frosty here in the UK but no snow as yet. I'm intending on using it through the winter and not going to buy winter tyres unless really struggle.

Do you get snow in East Yorkshire? Because the summer tyres will put you in a ditch really quickly if you go out onto snow and ice. Your choice, though. Have fun rally driving.

[MajorJump]

I'm based in North Manchester, but I'm off the main roads. It doesn't snow often, but when it does I would be completely stranded without Winter Tyres.

My wife has an Audi Q7 and that too couldn't make it to and from the house without a Winter tyres on. If you're going to keep the car a reasonable length of time they're almost cost neutral too.

[Swiss tone]

Thankfully snow not very often but occasionally we get a week of it. Surely can't be any worse than my last rear WD 4 series that struggle with the slightest gradient. Always the option of getting a lift into work I guess. See how it goes.

[Ionicsilveri8]

Originally Posted by arijaycomet

Someone’s going to say it so it might as well be me... your front alloys are mounted on the wrong sides, they need swapping left to right to match the rears. Also aids cooling of the brakes but in that snow I guess this is less of a problem!

[arijaycomet]

Originally Posted by Ionicsilveri8

Someone’s going to say it so it might as well be me... your front alloys are mounted on the wrong sides, they need swapping left to right to match the rears. Also aids cooling of the brakes but in that snow I guess this is less of a problem!

Although I appreciate your concern ...
1- this photo is over a year old
2- this car is no longer in my possession
3- this issue was resolved LONG time ago

I'm now onto my newest (3rd) BMW i8 which is Blue. Although sadly, it too was delivered to me as a CPO from the BMW store with the same "incorrect" (at least 2x of the 4x wheels are correct). But alas, it is moot as well-- as the snow tires go on Friday and those will be mounted by a diff dealer, who knows better.

It is funny to me that so many BMW techs dont put the wheels on correctly, though. Of the 3 BMW i8 that I've owned, 2x of them were purchased with the wheels facing the wrong way. I'm well aware, and appreciate your concern, but in the immortal words of internet junkies... "i got this"

[Birdland]

Are you using mixed tyres 215 front and 245 back for winter tyre?

[arijaycomet]

Originally Posted by Birdland

Are you using mixed tyres 215 front and 245 back for winter tyre?

On the white car *(shown above)— I used the narrow width on all four factory wheels. IIRC, the rear wheels are slightly wider— but not so much that they didn’t work. The local BMW service center said this was fine/safe and that the wheel width was at the limit but within spec of what the tire mfg recommended.

That said, for my new (blue 2016 i8)— my setup is a set of square (non-staggered) wheels. They are the factory forged 20x7,5 ET40 (Two RIGHT, Two LEFT Wheels) with a set of Bridgestone Blizzak 215/45-20 Tires (4x) all around. This seems to be the way to go, but it was expensive new. Luckily I found the setup 2nd hand/used on eBay. Ciao!

EDIT FOR CLARITY:
White car = factory staggered wheels but all 4x had 215 tires
Blue car (not shown)= square non-staggered wheel setup, all 4x 215 tires

[Birdland]

Any reason for not having mixed with the 245/40 back?

[arijaycomet]

Originally Posted by Birdland

Any reason for not having mixed with the 245/40 back?

Options may be better for you in Norway-- here in the USA, there are no matched sets of 215/45 and 245/40 snow tires in the 20" factory size. And Tire Rack (retailer) recommended just running the 215 all around, so that is what I did with the white car.

With the blue car, the used setup I found someone bought 4x front wheels (narrow) so the 215 all around makes sense. Plus, narrow is better to slice through snow. So it just made sense.

If you can find a staggered setup there is no harm in doing that, but again, nothing available here in the USA in staggered OEM tire sizes snow tire wise.

[Nachbar]

I run 245 winters in the back. Works excellent.

[Birdland]

The reason I bring this issue up is that I was going to pick up my new Roadster yesterday and it was set up with front 215 wheels (style 470) on all corners. I refused to accept the car before the correct back wheels with 245/40 has been fitted. I addition the front wheels was incorrect L/R!

[F5506m]

Originally Posted by ghaffari46

Has any of the members used I8 as his or her car as a daily drive in a real winter( like NE United States)?
I know it can be an all wheel drive car in the sport mode but is it gonna be as smart as a xdrive system to apply traction to the appropriate wheel?
I'm leaving in a place with harsh winter and driving a m235xdrive in the winter without any issues, I'm wondering replacing it with an i8 ( with winter tires) give me the same experience

Thanks

Yes, I am on my second i8 driving in the winter....just make sure you switch to winter/snow tires.