Being the OP of this thread I'll give an update since I FINALLY pulled the trigger on a winter tire and wheel set up.
To date, only one true snow event in the Boston area has occurred this season, 3 inches, which is still on the ground after 2 days. It's cold, daytime high 30F.
In driving in this small snow event I found my all seasons to handle pretty respectably. The performance was completely safe when using commonsense and utilizing winter driving skills. On back roads that were completely untouched with either fresh or packed snow I ran into some problems. Growing up in both Maine and Mass. I qualify as an experienced winter conditions driver. With the OEM Turanza all seasons you are totally handicapped when starting from a stop, heading up an incline or up a hill. The back end fishtails as you let out the clutch. AT vehicles might fare better in the snow than MT.
Rather than be penny wise and pound foolish and end up with a significant fender bender or worse, I purchased a set of 16 inch steel wheel with Michelin XI3's. My first choice was the ContiExtremeWinterContacts but they were not available. I like that swapping between tire sets can be done in my driveway. The set will also fit on my wife's Jetta which is a plus in the flexibility category.
With the next snow event coming on Saturday for Boston I will have one or two more opportunities to drive in snow with my all season Turanzas. The XI3's and wheels will be in on Monday.
I honeslty believe that if held at gunpoint I could successfully
survive the winter on my all seasons. But, with a majority of my work commutes taking place late at night getting the winter tires are the way to go for sure. Also, with the other idiots with little to no commonsense and/or no snow/ice driving experience the sheer defensive aspect of having snow tires is worth it.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=725076
This is the winter tire sticky on Bimmerfest that is concise and informative and brief. Check it out.