My 325Ci on dedicated winter tires is as good as my ‘15 Outback on all seasons. Better, actually at turning and stopping. Only advantage the Outback has is ground clearance.

I don’t know what your budget is, but if you can afford it, get a set of winter tires. If you buy them from Costco, they’ll then swap your tires for $10 each every time you want to have them swapped out. So you basically, $40 each season to swap them out. You’ll need a place to store the set you’re not using. Or, you can buy a set of stock wheels off Craigslist or Marketplace and mount winter tires in them. Then swap them out yourself. You’ll still need chains for the pass when WDOT mandates them. I got a set of base sedan wheels in great shape for $200, put winter tires on them, and my 325ci is as good in the snow as my Subaru Outback on all seasons.

DM sent. Thanks!

First , sorry I didn’t acknowledge your achievement first. Nice hike! Second, I should have mentioned I’m a Prosthetist, so I’m pretty familiar with these systems. What I’m curious about is it also looks like you have a clutch lock, which usually isn’t compatible with elevated vacuum systems. Is that indeed a clutch lock (blue button at distal medial socket), and if so, which one? How is the vacuum being pulled to inside the locking liner? Thanks!

Elevated vacuum and a clutch lock?