peter + zhp = 1, storm = 0
i just got home from a 6-hour drive in the snow, which is normally 3.5hrs. it was one of the most intense drives i've ever done. the first 270km (roughly 165 miles) was highway, all snow-covered and rutty with a mix of plows and spinning cars - i saw 3 spin out in front of me!
once i got off the highway (this was after 4.5hrs of intense two-hands-on-the-steering-wheel-at-all-times driving), it got worse. 48km (30 miles) of unplowed roads, with very low visability (i live on lake ontario so we have crazy winds), and once i actually made it to my road, i didn't actually think i was going to make it home as the drifts were insane. i had 2' drifts at the first 30' of my driveway and perhaps 6-7" of fresh snow in the rest, with bigger drifts.
the ZHP was a champ. i am a very experienced snow driver but this was limit-testing at times. i was impressed by the car's balance and also with the michelin x-ice3's, however at the beginning of the journey the car developed a horrible oscillation which i am hoping is a bent wheel, and not a driveshaft issue. my NEW valve cover gasket (OEM BMW) is leaking at the front, too - crap.
some pics... yes, it was THAT kind of storm - snow INSIDE the door jamb! and the snow was up over the fog lights on the front bumper in many spots. also, a pic looking up my driveway, and one of today's acquisition along the way, a like-new BMW trunk mat! (also note the 3" of caked-on snow on the back of the car ).
peter
peter
2004 330i ZHP
2005 330iT ZHP
2010 328iT M Sport