tkids

As my C4S had summer performance tires and my wife's new Audi has summer rubber. I was currently looking at getting her some winter tires/wheels. When I purchased the winter tires for the C4S, I just assumed that winter was the way to go in Lake Tahoe! Now in Colorado, winter tires are best right?

Well with the latest numbers in the Car and Driver on two all-seasons compared to two winter tires, I was alarmed with the performance numbers I found. I assumed if I bought Winter Tires I was good to go in the Cold weather! Snow/Sleet, just plain winter driving. NOT SO, according to the numbers.

It is a trade-off and I bet you are all saying as I did, "yeah I know that!" But to what extent?!?!

Well look at the numbers for all four sets of tires! (Sorry, I could not find a link, so here is my pics)

Keep in mind, how many days are you driving your Porsche or your designated winter car on snow????? 10 days of snowy roads throughout the entire winter????

Now, if I lived in area like Scandinavia/Alaska where roads are made of snow, winter tires it would be, but why here?

Look at the numbers of "Dry roads" and "Wet roads" in 23 degree weather...................Also, remember when the roads are full of snow you probably slow down a little and are a little more cautious. But when the roads are dry in the winter you probably drive like the normal maniac you are, right!?

Look at the stopping distance.

What do you think looking at just these numbers!?? Maybe, I was just that uninformed or naïve, but I had no idea of what I was giving up with winter tires in winter!!!!

Why would you buy a winter tire and not all-season, when I bet the majority of driving with winter tires is on cold asphalt??

C/D Dec 2009: Tires top down, left to right.

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, Mich Pilot HX MXM4, --All Seasons

MIC PILOT ALPIN PA3, MICH X-ICE Xi2. -- Winter

Edgy01

If you have an unlimited budget and a lift at home, I would suggest three sets of wheels and tires. The summer tires for true summer performance (to 40ºF) and a set of intermediate tires which could go by the name of M+S (mud and snow). Finally, a true set of full-blown snow tires. I like the performance of the Michelin Alpins. I think they use sunflower oil or something like it to keep the rubber more resilient in the cold temps. True snow tires are incredible in a packed or loose snow condition, but will wear out quickly on a surface that lacks snow. When I head up to snow country I toss 2-4 snow tires in the back (depending upon which vehicle I'm in) and a floor jack and then am prepared to switch tires when I get to an area of unplowed snow. Unfortunately, all the snow traction that snows give you wears off quickly in non-snowy conditions.

Some regions of the world do not plow to asphalt. They just let the snow build up and then you drive on that. Where they plow it to the road surface you than can count on accelerated wear on pure snows.

Good luck!

Onad

I would have liked to see them test a summer tire, as well. Yes, it would have done horrible in the snow, but I would have liked to see the traction loss in the cold. I live in the DC metro area that gets cold, but not a lot of snow. I was thinking about getting Pilot Sport A/S for winter based off the data, instead of true winter tires. Thoughts?

Minok

Keep in mind though that the performance summer tires turn to bricks with no traction when the temp gets low... snow or water or dry... its the temp that does them in. Does that test take this into account?

BobbyB

Good data but adds more to the confusion as most performance N-rated winter tires are called that because they are not just for the snow but for cold and wet weather performace as well. I have a set of Scottozeros, which perform well very low temps and wet weather with good perfomance in the snow. I think that a lot has changed since the days of just the "snow" tires.

alexb76

Not sure why are you surprised. The data provided absolutely proves the assumption below:

Dry:
v-rated AS>AS>v-rated winter>dedicated winter

Wet:
v-rated AS~AS~v-rated Winter>> dedicated winter

Snow:
dedicated winter>v-rated Winter>AS>v-rated AS

It's all a compromise. While All-season does well in most situations, in snow it lacks, and the v-rated can't do as well. Now, the V-rated Winter does fairly fine in snow, is just as good in wet as All-season, and is slightly worse in dry while the x-ice is pretty much crap in non-snow situations!

I just ordered a set of Michelin PA2 tires for my C4S, gonna mount them on a set of Carrera classic 18s for Winter, and will take em off and put summers back on in March. I believe it's the best tire for that period, where is protects against sudden snow-fall, could drive in plowed streets, and would work better in colder weathers than all-season/summer tires. Also, it would do a "decent" job in wet/dry, can't imagine an x-ice tire on a Porsche!

Thanks for posting!

RonCT

I recently picked up a pristine 2005 BMW 330i to replace my A4 as daily driver / winter car. At 26k on the odometer, it was time for new tires, so the dealer that sold me the car worked with me and delivered the car with a set of my desired tires: Conti ExtremContact DWS in 225/45-17. This is a new tire from Conti and the reviews / reports / tests have all shown them to be great in the cold, wet, dry, and snow. Sort of a hybrid All-season. I also picked up a pristine set of BBS RK wheels with Goodyear F1 All Season tires. My plan is to save the Conti DWS for winter months and use the BBS from say April 1 through the end of November.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....emeContact+DWS