cav14

I'm sure this question has been posted before but I am unable to find a satisfactory answer with the search function. I plan to use my car year-round as a DD in the southeast, and will have a truck/other car to drive if the weather is positively bad. Is it acceptable to leave summer tires on the car instead of buying a second set of wheels and mounting winter tires for seasonal use? I will have the 20" wheels, and I don't see any all-seasons (no-seasons) that fit them. If anyone can point out a thread that addresses this or share their experience I would appreciate it.

LexVan

Our high performance tires are pretty worthless at temps much below 40 degrees. You need the proper tires for year round use. And you might also want to shop/ buy the C4/C4S variant. Good luck.

tomc_mets

I live in Dallas and leave summer tires on all year. If there is snow/ice, I work from home - too many crazy drivers! If it gets lower than 40 F, we take the wife's 4WD pickup truck. I also don't get too aggressive on roads when temps get down near 50 F, so no Sport or Sport Plus mode for me, no sudden bootlegger turns, no drifting, etc!...T

Edit - where in the southeast do you love?

cav14

I am in Nashville, so the temps are around 45 during the day on avg. Obviously there are days where it does get very low or snow, but I have the truck for that. Just made the purchase of a carrera so C4 is not an option, nor do I think it's necessary.

Team Plutonium

Well, looks like you answered your own question if you have a second car for nasty weather. Your summer's will be hockey pucks below 40's so beware.

cav14

Yep, I know I will have the other car but want to be able to drive the 911 as much as possible. Just trying to figure out how necessary the winters are, and it sounds like very if it's below 40. I'm contemplating getting a set of 19's and some winters at the moment but I'll put that off for a while I think. It just seems excessive somehow in Nashville, given how little snow we ever get.

Oh and I'll also post some photos when the new one gets delivered on Friday. I really appreciate all the help so far.

ogun228

"Our high performance tires are pretty worthless at temps much below 40 degrees. You need the proper tires for year round use. And you might also want to shop/ buy the C4/C4S variant. Good luck"

So much disinformation. OP says he lives in SE USA. C4S? What a croc!

zhecks

My brother drives his C2 (with Summer tires) all year round in Vancouver, Canada (yes, way up north). As long as you don't drive crazy in rain, you are fine. If it is a bad snow day, he just drives his AWD BMW X3.

Team Plutonium

How so? Lex is correct. Summer max performance tires are crap below 40's.

OP asked for advice and we gave him advice based on facts. Yes, I'm sure there are plenty anecdotal stories out there of folks driving with summer tires in the winter. I'm not sure why anybody would skip on a set of tires that connects his $100+K car to the road.

drcollie

Sorry bud, but you're wrong. Lex is spot-on correct. Summer performance tires have compounds that get hard and slick. That makes them unsafe on snow or ice, and marginal on wet roads at those temps. From the Tire Rack website:

…as temperatures get colder, typically in the 40-45 Fahrenheit range, summer performance tires lose a noticeable percentage of traction as their tread compound rubber properties change from a pliable elastic to inflexible plastic. The tire industry uses the term "glass transition" to describe the temperature…

All Season tires can operate at much lower temps as they have a harder compound. Snow tires are the best when it gets really cold, however.

I have two vehicles in my garage that run on Summer Performance tires, the 991S and my wife's Audi SQ5. I simply park my Porsche in the winter and drive my 4 x 4 Tundra pickup, but change out my wife's SQ5 tires when it temps hit the low 40's and leave the Blizzaks on until it warms back up.

Winter just tears up cars with the salt, chemicals, corrosion and the rock chips. I prefer to keep my nice cars nice and move to a truck when the weather get snowy.

tomc_mets

That's pretty ungenerous. Lex is one of the most helpful, straight shooters on this forum in my experience...T

drcollie

+1

The guy with (10) posts takes on the man with (7,200). Just one guess who has the cred...

cav14

Lexvan and plutonium have been very helpful so far (on this and other threads). It's not the money per se, just don't want to deal with the hassle of changing tires twice a year, especially since Nashville gets so little winter weather. It is helpful to know that it is possible, if not advisable. I appreciate the difference of opinion so far too.

MJG911

not on the 911, since I just got it, but I use summer tires all year round in Atlanta and have on several performance cars. As long as you don't drive like an idiot, you will be fine.

tomc_mets

What he said. Drive more conservatively as temps dip and have a back up plan for the occasional very cold/rainy/snowy days & you should be fine. Also, check the date of manufacture on your tires & tread to make sure they're up to snuff...T