Dryslick13

I have to pick up my new Boxster on the other side of 2 Colorado mountain passes. There is a decent chance of snow tomorrow when I have to drive it back. I believe the car has the standard 17" rims with whatever tires they come with. The roads involve lots of curves and elevation climb of 5000'+ and sheer cliff drop offs if you cross the white should line! No kidding, there are no guard rails on this highway! My question is, will the stock tires do OK in light snow/slush? I would hate to wreck my brand new 2011 Boxster the 1st day I get it! The other alternative is to take a 2 hours longer drive over less trecherous roads (still have to cross 1 pass at about 10000').

Macster

Take the long safer way home. Or wait a while until the road crews have had a chance to plow/salt/grit the roads.

My 02 on Pirelli tires did ok on city streets in about 2 inches of dry snow on dry ice free pavement. Surprised me actually but with the mid-engine there's quite a bit of weight over the driving wheels.

But another time I got caught in a bad snow storm (13" in places) heading north from Ft. Smith Ark. into Joplin Mo and beyond and the trip was hell, pure hell.

I drove maybe 20 miles per hour -- most of it through Ark behind a big rig that cleared a path for me in the snow/slush -- through the worst storm I can remember and every second was terror. After a while I couldn't leave the freeway cause the off ramps were snowed under and I was afraid of getting off the main road with no place to stay and getting stuck on the snowy surface streets or on the onramp.

Then out of Ark and into Mo I ran into snow on top of ice and one place on 71 highway just out side of Joplin on a steeply (for a highway) banked curve the car slide down the banking to the shoulder of the median and I managed after a few minutes to get it moving again. Had to deal with a line of traffic that of course cut me no slack.

I might add in some places lack of proper snow tires can be a traffic law violation.

Remember even if the roads are clear (and they won't be completely clear, there'll be frost/icy patches in the shaded parts) the tires will be very hard and not at all grippy.

Take the longer safer way home or wait for a day or so after the storm to ensure the roads are clear, assuming CO highway department prompt about dealing with snowy/icy roads. (Unlike the road crews in the panhandle of Texas that feel God put the snow/ice on the roads and the road crews are perfectly willing to let God remove it...)

Sincerely,

Macster.

VGM911

i'm going to guess that your car will have Z-rated summer tires. These tires shouldn't be used when ambient temperatures drop below 40 degrees, and are inappropriate for snow. I agree with Macster about taking the longer way home, or waiting until the roads are plowed, sanded, etc.

Dryslick13

Yep, I think they are ZRs. I will at least travel the roads to get the car so I can get an idea of what the conditions are like earlier in the day. There is only a 30% chance of rain/snow mix with a high around 50 for the mountains. But around here, things can change very quickly. I ran through snow in July up there once! Might have to take the long way home. Won't be that bad in the new car at least. Lot of curves on that route too

bah212

In my experience, with the Z rated summer tires you will have little if any traction in the snow, but worse you will have little grip on curves and very little adhesion on braking.

racer

If you go slow, plan ahead you should be fine. I assume you've lived in CO a bit and know how to drive in "bad" weather. The car shouldn't instantly stop. You might want to figure out what brand/size/type of tires are on the car, but it wouldn't stop me from making the trip.

Barn996

If you enjoy an elavated heart rate...drive with the high performance summer tires.

Dryslick13

Made the trip. No problems. Was icy on the way there but sun was out and melted everything by the time I drove back with the Boxster. Man is that car fun on twisty roads! Wish I could get the rpm's over 4K. Still have 1865 miles before engine will be properly broken in.

Dryslick13

Here are a couple of pics at Red Mountain Pass on the way to pic up the car. Should have got a pic of the econo box hanging off the edge of the hairpin balanced on 3 wheels. They got real lucky. Would have been a nasty drop had the bottom of the car not hung up.

Macster

Glad you made it safe and sound. BTW, the sun did *not* melt all the snow/ice. As I mentioned in an earlier post snow/ice/frost will persist in the shady sections and that first pic clearly shows ice/frost present on the road surface.

I think you got a bit lucky.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Dryslick13

Those pics were from the morning on the way to pick up the car. Much different when I came back over with the car. Temps were up in the 50's and the sun was out. Only came up on one area in shade that still had any ice on it. Luckily I was able to get on the binders and slow wayyyy down before I crossed over it. Even got to put the top down once I was at lower elevations and temps were up.

brad@tirerack.com

Glad to hear you made it. Cold dry roads are one thing, snow accumulation on those roads could have been something completely different!

Dino944

The photos of the mountains look amazing. Glad to hear the drive went well and that you were able to enjoy the twisties. Congrats on the new car it looks great!

00r101

Anyone who drives summer tires when the temps are at or below freezing is making a mistake for two reasons.

1) They are unsafe in cold weather. Even in the dry, summer tires stiffen up tremendously and have very little dry grip. In wet or icing conditions its just a crapshoot that you stay on the road.

2) Once exposed to cold summer tires will never regain all of their summer flexibility. The rubber compound is forever altered for the worse.

You bought an expensive sports car. Buying some winter tires if you drive in winter is just cheap insurance.

Charlie C

Are you talking about driving on them in the winter or that if they get cold? I mean, I doubt if the tire warehouses are heated nor are the trucks that transport them. If just getting cold is going to ruin them. then a lot of us are "screwed". Not too many of us have heated garages either.