swmic

Mark,

Last year I wanted to see how my C4 did in the snow with summer tires. We had a fresh 3 or so inches when I backed the car out of the garage. Well, that was as far as I went. I almost could not get the car back into the garage without hitting the side. I still drive the car in dry cold weather and it's certainly much easier to get the back to slide around. Sort of fun, but I have to watch it.

Shawn

Mark in Baltimore

Thanks again, guys! I just had the 185/60-14's installed today. There is a marked difference in acceleration over the larger 195/60's, the change eliminating the bogginess I felt with the bigger tires. Still, after reading what Ray, NoSub (sorry!) and Greg wrote, there is a big part of me that wants to get the Toyo T1-R's in a smaller 195/55-14 size to maximize acceleration

This is supposed to be a commuter car, and I'm worried about quickness because of the "active safety card". Is there a medicine for mod fever?

ed devinney

Summer tires in winter weather are something that you can do, but IMO shouldn't. My 951 got stuck in snow in my driveway. My 993 suffered worse - driver error killed the car but Pilot Sports in 20 degree weather set things in motion (literally). That was with warm tires but on very cold WV asphalt, I don't think you can predict the behavior well.

Terry Adams

I found cold summer tires to have poor traction in 35ºF ambient, but fine once they warmed up, even on very cold but not freezing, dry pavement . On snow, back end of an empty parking lot, zero traction.

993Brendan

Man, I drove the 993 to work today and came out of the garage and almost did a 360. Felt like a dumbass. MPCS's suck in this weather!

Mark in Baltimore

Thanks again, guys. Brendan, the MPSC's abysmal in cold and wet weather. Andreas (AOW192384721349887) and I did a quick, last-run-of-the-season-just-before-it-snowed and ended up drving in in the snow with freezing conditions and wet roads. The Cups were sliding everywhere. Not really all that fun with guardrails and rocky embankments standing guard over our progress.

Kigiin

Different slant on this topic, but just drove my C4S with snow tires in snow for the first time ever. Wow! My other car is a Lexus LX470 (Toyota Landcrusier) which is full-time all wheel drive, however I would feel much safer (as long as snow depths aren't too great) in the Porsche. Absoutlely no slipping or sliding... the most sure footed snow driving I have ever done. While I didn't try it, I honestly think I could have floored it and the car still would have pulled away smoothly. Plus it was so cool to be driving a performance car in snowy conditions. In the past I always dreaded driving in the snow, not for fear, but just because you couldn't dirve spiritedly. In the C4S I can actually enjoy these driving conditions and take advantage of them.

Rob

All German, All the Time

I don't drive my 993 in the winter, but I DO have an Audi A4 Quattro and a Mercedes ML 500. My position based on experience is to have good winter tires for ANY car being driven in the winter. With that philosophy we had no problems with the foot of snow we received today here.

Anir

Rob,

I agree. My 993 with Pirelli Wintersports performs much better in snow than our Range Rover with all-season tires. So far, my newly purchased Audi A8 seems fine in the snow with its all-season tires, so I might try to avoid the purchase of dedicated winter tires for that car.

jnor10

I'm driving Michelin Pilot Sport's and was quite pleased with their cold wx performance. I agree the rubber compounds in summer max performance tires degrade substantially in cold wx conditions; but, came home from a trip last night in the mid 20's and experienced no "apparent" drop in stick. Pushed the car in the usual spots on my drive and traction was fine. This was preceeded by about 15 minutes at freeway speeds, so the tires were adequately warmed up.

However, I know I'd be dead in the water with any trace of snow.

Jeff N.

autobonrun

All seasons are a compromise, but that's what I've always used on my daily driver. Of course to optimize summer fun and winter fun means summer tires when its hot and snow tires in the winter. Depends on how you drive to a great extent.

I've never owned snow tires. I drive a BMW 740iL year round but last week we got nearly 10" of snow. After the snow plows moved the deep stuff, I tried to leave the house. The car would not make it 30 yards. Just spun in place with new all season tires. I have had LSD added by the way. The only difference in this snow and others in the past is that the temperature at the time was around 4 degF. First time it's snowed like this while this cold. So I did a little research. TD is correct, all seasons are recommended for temperatures above 20 degF and summer tires above 40-50 degF. See the attached article. Bottom line is that its not just tread design, the composition of summer tires acts like hard plastic at cold temperature.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/..._tire_type.jsp

Tomorrow we are supposed to get about 5". However, this time I'm ready. These go on tonight; Bridgestone Blizzak's on Borbet rims. Parking lot party tomorrow. Somebody's gotta test em.