Summer Tires during cold months

Pat-GB

Member
So, I'm planning on garaging my car the first few winters as soon as the salt rolls out. My question is, can I run the summer performance tires before that if it is just cold out? Or do I need to spring for all season? Currently running factory Yokohama Advan Sport.
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
Even if there's no ice, the tires will suck in the cold. The term is "glass transition temperature" and it's the temp when the grip falls off a figurative cliff--and for sticky rubber that temp is...i dunno, in the 40s or 50s? You can drive it, and not really damage anything, as long as you realize you've got the same grip as a wooden wagon wheel. That's how my former co-worker totalled his 'vette on the first cold day a few years back.
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
If you're driving like a grandma and properly slow down for turns, you can get by AS LONG AS THE PAVEMENT IS DRY! (Not worth the risk, though) If there is sleet or snow on the pavement, you might as well walk. (I drove on extreme summer performance tires when there was 3 inches of snow on the ground. Scariest fucking day of my driving career that I still vividly remember the collision I escaped from by mere inches.) I've had numerous encounters in my... inexperienced early days... with these types of situations. I'd personally retire summer tires when the weather gets under 50 degrees.

Now, there are outliers, but we won't get into that since it's extremely dangerous to do so.

IT IS ONLY A STUPID EXAMPLE

397491


I got by in winter of 2012 with these Sumitomo HTR Z II tires in deep Cleveland snow. I was doing 70 MPH in the hammer lane on the highway when all traffic was going 10-20 MPH. Looking back, it's devastating that I did this, but alas, it has transpired. I can only imagine that the direction thread dug into the snow and that was the only reason they miraculously worked.

I've had all season tires as well, but looking back, they were the wrong kind. I'd highly suggest you go with an all season tire that has the ribbing meant for snow. This is the perfect example:

iiOuSpR.jpg


Notice how the tire on the right side has the ribbing on the edges!
 

Pat-GB

Member
10/4 I was looking at the Continental Extreme Contact DSW's. I suppose I can swap them once on the rims before they stretch. I'll just have to get winter rims next year, or just plan on garaging it in a month.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
Being that I lived in the tropics for so long, I only ran Sumer Ultra Performance tires. When I moved north, I did get myself an extra set of wheels and some Blizzaks to go on them. Since Blizzaks are soooo soft, I hate to run them on dry road surfaces, so I would often go pretty far into November before switching to the winter setup. This turned out to be a really bad idea, if you drive like I do. :lol: It was about 40 degrees out, perfectly dry pavement and coming up on a stoplight. It turns yellow and immediately the lady in front of me stood on the brakes. I was following at a very reasonable distance and yet, I cannot stop! If I didn't had a wide shoulder to escape onto, the Batmobile would have been wearing that lady's shitbox like a condom :lol: because when I came to a stop, our front bumpers were even with each other.

So...once you start getting temps in the 50's, give yourself lots of braking space and have a plan to change tires soon. Idk how much snow you typically get, but if it's a lot, Blizzaks are the best. If you have mostly cold, dry winters, a winter-biased all-season tire should be sufficient. It probably goes without saying, but just because your tires match the season, doesn't mean they'll perform like a summer ultra performance.
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
10/4 I was looking at the Continental Extreme Contact DSW's. I suppose I can swap them once on the rims before they stretch. I'll just have to get winter rims next year, or just plan on garaging it in a month.

Perfect choice of a tire! I believe there quite a few different variations of it. Can you link us the exact ones you were looking at? I've never personally had them, but I know of many others who have ran them. You just need to ensure the tires are asymmetrical so you can rotate them properly for longevity. :tup:

Have you checked Nasioc for deals on used 18" rims yet?
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
Never heard of the site. And I'm not a CL junkie like some of the guys on here...but I have bought two used sets of wheels and haven't paid that much for either.

First was a set of 18x8.5 Volks for $1300 shipped. I forget what tire.
Second was a set of Apex Arc 8 18x9.5, rebored and custom center caps with almost-new Michelin PSS 285/35/18 for $1200 shipped. The tires alone are $1200.

So the $1700 seems high to me unless you're desperate for exactly those wheels, and ASAP.
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Unfortunately, I don't know the market price for those rims. You'd have look at the wheels section in Nasioc and also on eBay sold listings to gauge an idea.

Edit: For some sort of reference, I'm seeing three sets of 2019 19" STi wheels with the stock tires that have low mileage for $1,000, $1,100 and $1,200. I know you linked the 18" wheels, but this is just for reference.

There is this deal:

https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2908961

You'd just have to ensure they have the correct offset to clear the brake calipers.
 
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