I took your advice and bought a set of steel wheels fitted with Nokian WR G2 winter tyres. They were bought from mytyres.co.uk, there service is good.

The tyres are unbelivable, this last week we have had, snow, packed down snow, slush, and ice but the tyres just grip in all these conditions. We have to drive up a North facing steep side road that is never treated, normally the rear wheel driven BMW cannot get up the slope, now it just drives up without any difficulty. The tyres have managed all the local snow covered hills with ease they seem as good as any 4 wheel drive. Thanks for the advice the wheels and tyres cost £479 money well spent for the mobility that it maintains.

BCW.