Dodging Ice Blocks

[CATCH_M3]

So lets say you are in Canada like me and there are large pieces of ice that are falling from people's wheel wells everywhere. It is impossible to dodge all of them. Is it less damaging to run over them through the centre of your car or with the tires. (Let's assume they're large enough so that you hear a 'ting' on your underbody as you run them over, but not large enough so that they'd make you lose control if you ran over them with your wheel.

ok this may be a dumb question.. But it's something I have to face everywhere while in Canada. Everything seems to be nicely tucked on the M3 other than the diff @ the back and the front under-bumper felt cover thing. Do I have anything to worry about?

I try not to drive my M3 as much in the winter other than on non-snow days like today, try for just enough to keep everything running well. But a big block of ice fell off the truck in front of me.. Cars all around = no chance to dodge. . I let the ice go through bottom center, Felt so bad after. Again, sorry if this question sounds dumb to people.

[signes]

They never get past the front air dam for me. If i can't swerve, I try to at least line up one side or the other so the wheel crushes it (or it deflects off the side of the bumper.) I have actually been pleasantly surprised how well the bottom of my front bumper has held up in such instances. I've hit a few here and feared the worst but never found visible damage.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by CATCH_M3

I let the ice go through bottom center, Felt so bad after. Again, sorry if this question sounds dumb to people.

I can tell you by experience it's not worth dodging them if it's freezing. I tried to do just that, and VERY mildly as I had a hefty gap from the car ahead, caught black ice, lost control and crashed against a cattle guard (other car rolled over, so I was lucky). Wold have preferred hitting that piece of ice all day long . And yes, centering it is best IMO. But better yet, let's not use the M3 when there's even a possibility of a winter storm. A painful lesson to learn. After month and a half, car is still sitting in my garage waiting to be fixed . Take care.

[cap_freez]

you guys are crazy to drive your m3's in winter. Just thinking about the salt attacking the wheels, the rotors, the brakes, the frame and all the other parts in contact with it would be enough for me to warrant the purchase of a 4x4 beater for winter.

[enfield]

Originally Posted by rockrboy

you guys are crazy to drive your m3's in winter. Just thinking about the salt attacking the wheels, the rotors, the brakes, the frame and all the other parts in contact with it would be enough for me to warrant the purchase of a 4x4 beater for winter.

Nothing crazy about it. It's just a car that I leased and will give back to BMW.

I don't bother dodging ice. Once I tried dodging like one of the previous posters and almost lost control of my car.....

[rcornelius]

Originally Posted by rockrboy

you guys are crazy to drive your m3's in winter. Just thinking about the salt attacking the wheels, the rotors, the brakes, the frame and all the other parts in contact with it would be enough for me to warrant the purchase of a 4x4 beater for winter.

Don't see anything crazy about it!!!! Here in Germany, I've driven my 2008 for now the second winter, and there is no rust on my "Winter Rims" from Tire Rack. Also there is NO rust or anything on my rotors. I keep the car clean during the winter. There is not a frame "uni body", yes there are suspension parts that many of them are galvinized or will not rust. Many of the M3 drivers within the Military Community where I live drive their Ms year round. And yes they do go very well in the snow with the proper winter tires.

So what do people do that live in areas next to the ocean where the salt air has more adverse effects on car body parts than driving 3 or 4 months in the snow (considering that it does not snow every day, and there is not salt on the roads everyday). I worry more about the idiots that can not drive in the snow in the Grafenwoehr area more than I do about the snow and salt...

[needspeed]

Originally Posted by rockrboy

you guys are crazy to drive your m3's in winter. Just thinking about the salt attacking the wheels, the rotors, the brakes, the frame and all the other parts in contact with it would be enough for me to warrant the purchase of a 4x4 beater for winter.

In the Winter no matter what car you are driving any sudden move is a bad idea. You never know if you have traction. Just as with animals (I hate to hit one) more people wreck avoiding them then hitting them.

My M3 is my DD and winter beater all in one. I have the best of both worlds. The M3 is not a treasure to be preserved for the next guy, but to be driven with joy.

I once had the Summer car and Winter car and I hated every time I drove the Winter car even though it was a great car an Acura RSX-S and Summer was an 05 NSX (which is a little bit worth saving for the future as they only made 250 per year)......Steve

[bobbyd1961]

Originally Posted by rockrboy

you guys are crazy to drive your m3's in winter. Just thinking about the salt attacking the wheels, the rotors, the brakes, the frame and all the other parts in contact with it would be enough for me to warrant the purchase of a 4x4 beater for winter.

whats a 2006 x3 M sport? and it better to drive it (M3 ) and wash it weekly then to let it sit for a long duration thats when cars break down