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Post by Tim on Oct 31, 2023 12:57:29 GMT
Righto, just a rebrand from a 5 to a 6 then for some mystery reason.
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Post by Martin on Oct 31, 2023 13:34:57 GMT
Righto, just a rebrand from a 5 to a 6 then for some mystery reason. Yes, although as it is a hybrid of 5 and 7 series (the 5 GT was just a 5 series variant), 6 series does make some sense. |
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Post by PG on Oct 31, 2023 14:06:37 GMT
I didn't realise that BMW ever made a 6GT. I thought the 5GT and the "high-rising-5-series-a-like hatchback" approach had quietly been withdrawn.
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Post by Martin on Oct 31, 2023 14:34:12 GMT
I didn't realise that BMW ever made a 6GT. I thought the 5GT and the "high-rising-5-series-a-like hatchback" approach had quietly been withdrawn. I know some won't like the looks, but I think it's OK and a lot better looking than the 5 GT. I assume it didn't sell because everyone wants an SUV...... They gave it a facelift, but quietly dropped it in the UK just before that was launched. |
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Post by Martin on Nov 5, 2023 15:00:22 GMT
As a convert to ceramic coatings, I bought some Gtechniq C5 Wheel Armour a few weeks ago and after I washed my car this morning I gave the winter wheels a deep clean and applied the coating. It was easier than I expected, helped by the wheels not being fitted to the car. Hopefully I’ve done a good job and they are as easy to keep clean as the summer wheels.
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Post by alf on Nov 6, 2023 18:21:55 GMT
Good luck! I don't know if they applied something to the wheels on my car (refurbished as part of the sale) as part of the GardX ceramic package I bought, but they feel like something is one them and when I washed the car at the weekend even the insides easily came clean with a sponge over. Which is good as on these wheels the inners are very visible! I used to wax my wheels before putting them back on the car, as part of the summer/winter wheels routine, and it certainly helped them stay clean. I also tried some spray can Autoglym stuff and was not so fond of that, it was hard to apply evenly and seemed to make little difference and be a bit visible...  |
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Post by Martin on Nov 6, 2023 18:50:29 GMT
Your wheels look an awful lot easier to clean than both my sets!
I used to put some high temp wax on which was good for the summer wheels, but only lasted a couple of of months in the winter. It easily lasts between swaps on the Golf, helped by the lowers mileage and it being garaged. The C5 kit was about £50, so I hope I’ve applied it well and it lasts as long as the dealer applied protection on the summers which is still protecting as well as it did 5 months ago.
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Post by johnc on Nov 7, 2023 15:47:37 GMT
Your wheels look an awful lot easier to clean than both my sets! I used to put some high temp wax on which was good for the summer wheels, but only lasted a couple of of months in the winter. It easily lasts between swaps on the Golf, helped by the lowers mileage and it being garaged. The C5 kit was about £50, so I hope I’ve applied it well and it lasts as long as the dealer applied protection on the summers which is still protecting as well as it did 5 months ago. Did you use panel wipe on the wheels before application? If so it will last the winter with little issue. |
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Post by Martin on Nov 7, 2023 19:06:40 GMT
Your wheels look an awful lot easier to clean than both my sets! I used to put some high temp wax on which was good for the summer wheels, but only lasted a couple of of months in the winter. It easily lasts between swaps on the Golf, helped by the lowers mileage and it being garaged. The C5 kit was about £50, so I hope I’ve applied it well and it lasts as long as the dealer applied protection on the summers which is still protecting as well as it did 5 months ago. Did you use panel wipe on the wheels before application? If so it will last the winter with little issue. Yes, it came with the kit and I did read the instructions! After 36 hours they are streak free and feel very slick, so all seems OK |
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Post by Martin on Nov 25, 2023 17:12:37 GMT
Changed both cars over after washing them, so a 4 hour job. Not sure how much longer I’m going to do both jobs myself. All OK with the wheels, we’re away tonight so I’ve tried it on a variety of roads inc motorway. I can’t tell the difference in ride or noise but the steering isn’t as good. The summer tyres were skipping and juddering at low speed now the temperature has dipped, haven’t had that since the Boxster. Wheels look small, which is daft for 20”  |
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Post by johnc on Nov 25, 2023 18:29:39 GMT
I think that looks good but like you as every year passes and I change the wheels twice a year, I find myself getting a bit tired of it all. However I love my winter tyres and the grip they give. I have even done a (not full throttle) standing start in the snow away from the lights and it just goes with no drama at all. Feel isn't the same I admit and they get really weird and squidgy (is that a word?) when it warms up but it's the wet and cold weather grip that defines them.
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Post by Martin on Nov 25, 2023 19:31:40 GMT
Oh, I agree and would keep running summer and winter (or all season) tyres. It’s just the effort of changing them, although the change isn’t too bad it’s cleaning / protecting 16 wheels and wanting to clean the car when I do the changeover which makes it a big effort,
There’s a local detailer who’s very good, I’m starting to have thoughts about getting him to give the cars a good clean once a month and do the wheel protection / changeover twice a year.
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Post by Tim on Nov 27, 2023 8:57:50 GMT
That's quite a late changeover, I did mine about 3 weeks ago.
Mind you I cut some of the grass yesterday.........
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Post by ChrisM on Nov 27, 2023 22:05:28 GMT
Too wet by far to cut the grass darn sarth at the moment, even if it needs it.
I'd been toying with the thought of changing tyres on the Kuga. It may not get much use but at the start of this year, looking at the original Contis i thought I woulkd stick crossclimates on it for the winter. As it's spend the best part of 9 months off the road this year as it's too bg for most of my regular journeys and I have to takle a detour on the way to and fron work due to width restrictors I thought I might leave it until next year, but a quick check during last week showed that the fronts were getting close to the wear bars, plus the steering is a bit of a liability at the moment, I'm sure it's affected by the numerous potholes on the road.
I started looking at the Black Friday offers.... for the size in question the typical retail prices are around £165 to £175 per tyre. I found some at just over £155 and 20% off for a set of 4, so just under £500 plus tracking which should be around another £40 for a set of Crossclimate2's. Being fitted (I hope) on Thursday afternoon just round the corner from where I work so I'll drop the car off at lunchtime and pick it up on my way home. Result (I hope)
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Post by bryan on Nov 28, 2023 6:23:24 GMT
Good choice Chris, I really rate the cross climates on the Yeti.
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Post by Roadrunner on Nov 28, 2023 8:02:36 GMT
Agreed. Excellent choice. The CrossClimates on the Benz are outstanding and have clocked up around 30,000 miles with some good use left.
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Post by Tim on Nov 28, 2023 8:39:01 GMT
I put Cross Climates on the mighty KIA not long after I got it and they've been fine, although I've only done about 3k miles so far. I noticed they are quite noisy when you're, er, 'on it' and trying to scrape the doorhandles round corners  |
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Post by alf on Nov 28, 2023 11:07:32 GMT
@chris we had Crossclimate 2's on the C Max in my previous life, they were always excellent. On that sort of car (mine would melt them) in summer they were barely different to summer tyres, in winter they were superb, and thanks to it being lighter and FWD it was way more capable on snow with them, than the XFR with full winters, which would move but was always an Escort Rally-esque challenge requiring room and a clean side window.
I have bailed on my choice not to get winters for the QF. I drive it at the weekend in 3 degrees and wet, and the GY Supersports were spinning up with any attempt at midly swift progress. That, and my recent near-beaching on grass, and a bit of a bonus from work, mean I've gone for a set of OE teledial wheels with 6mm Michelin Alpins from another owner, arriving next week.... Which means you lot need not worry, by the time I get mine on it'll probably then be mild all winter :-)
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Post by Martin on Nov 28, 2023 11:51:55 GMT
We’re going into the 6th winter with Crossclimates on the Golf and agree with the positive comments. They are a great tyre for UK winters and I’d happily run them all year on something less performance orientated.
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Post by PG on Nov 28, 2023 16:00:24 GMT
I didn't realise that BMW ever made a 6GT. I thought the 5GT and the "high-rising-5-series-a-like hatchback" approach had quietly been withdrawn. I know some won't like the looks, but I think it's OK and a lot better looking than the 5 GT. I assume it didn't sell because everyone wants an SUV...... They gave it a facelift, but quietly dropped it in the UK just before that was launched. That does look way better than the 5GT. I'm glad I don't have to change any wheels to winters this year. The disco runs Continental cross climates and the Mini has winters on (as the Dunlop run-flat winters - free with the wheels we bought - refuse to wear out!). |
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Post by Boxer6 on Nov 28, 2023 20:02:25 GMT
@chris we had Crossclimate 2's on the C Max in my previous life, they were always excellent. On that sort of car (mine would melt them) in summer they were barely different to summer tyres, in winter they were superb, and thanks to it being lighter and FWD it was way more capable on snow with them, than the XFR with full winters, which would move but was always an Escort Rally-esque challenge requiring room and a clean side window. I have bailed on my choice not to get winters for the QF. I drive it at the weekend in 3 degrees and wet, and the GY Supersports were spinning up with any attempt at midly swift progress. That, and my recent near-beaching on grass, and a bit of a bonus from work, mean I've gone for a set of OE teledial wheels with 6mm Michelin Alpins from another owner, arriving next week.... Which means you lot need not worry, by the time I get mine on it'll probably then be mild all winter :-) I'm not sure you need worry about hat, Alf! Forecast to be -5 to -7C here tonight! I know it'll be notably warmer where you are, but perhaps a harbinger of things to come.  |
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 1, 2023 21:35:42 GMT
I had Crossclimates fitted to the Fiesta in January and the ride is better plus the traction control light no longer comes on at one of the roundabouts close to home when I go round it.....
The Kuga now feels like I am driving a new car again. I had full 4-wheel alignment done and whilst they did not save a copy of the "before" measurements, they told me it was "a long way out" front and rear when I collected it. I could tell within a couple of hundred yards that the car was "different", and it goes to show what 6 years of driving on Surrey's potholed roads can do to a car. Most of the issues were probably casued by the dreadful commute to my previous job where not only was the road surface very poor but there were so many sets of roadworks and speedhumps and other issues that ruined the road surface.
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Post by Tim on Dec 27, 2023 19:55:30 GMT
As BB mentioned in his report from Prague there was some sudden and seemingly completely unexpected snow in Czechia last Friday.
We’re staying out in the sticks about 30 miles NW of Prague and escaped the worst, in fact the town we’re staying in had none but we had to travel to a village about 10 miles away that is higher and which thus had some snow.
Driving there was a reminder that a BMW on full winter tyres is still a BMW but fortunately my cat like reflexes and Queefesque skills made up for the sleepy traction and stability control when we had a couple of big slides 😂😂
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Post by alf on Dec 29, 2023 16:49:09 GMT
As BB mentioned in his report from Prague there was some sudden and seemingly completely unexpected snow in Czechia last Friday. We’re staying out in the sticks about 30 miles NW of Prague and escaped the worst, in fact the town we’re staying in had none but we had to travel to a village about 10 miles away that is higher and which thus had some snow. Driving there was a reminder that a BMW on full winter tyres is still a BMW but fortunately my cat like reflexes and Queefesque skills made up for the sleepy traction and stability control when we had a couple of big slides 😂😂 Good work!! Tina seemed concerned (despite low speeds) when I drove the XFR on fresh deep snow on winter tyres, the fact is that - especially when accelerating at low speed - you will not often be pointing the same way you are going with RWD, proper tyres or not  The michelin Pilot Alpin 4's are the best winter tyre I have used yet for UK winter conditions - I'm not sure how much of it is the car but it still handles and turns really well, the XFR understeered like a beast on winters, and overall I'm able to drive it much harder than I ever did the Jag in winter. |
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