Real snow tires versus all-season

[Trev]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( We put snows all the way around in NY. Just have to be speed rated. )</font>

In the summer, do you use All-Season or real summer tires? If the latter, do you have the same problem I do with trying to guess when you should do the switch?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Surprisingly many are SUV's. People have the illogical attitude that just because they can accelerate better with 4wd they can also stop faster. NOT!! )</font>

I've seen that syndrome! They accelerate like mad, then slide through the next intersection with a shocked looked on their faces. And those are the lucky ones.. the others end up getting T-Boned or wrapped around a tree.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> ( Try to find some "take-offs" and buy those. You'll get a very high quality tire at a
good price. The only trade off is these might have 2-20 miles on them. )

Is that from people who buy a new car, and then drive right to the tire store to get the tires they want? Sounds like a great deal! Thanks... </font>

Trev,

That's exactly what they are, all right. A lot of times someone will want fancier wheels, bigger wheels, whitewalls instead of black, etc., and thats what happens. Glad I could help. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[gerard]

Not really sure if our "summer" tires are considered all season or not, I'll check next time I'm at work to see what we use on the Crown vics. When we change isn't that much of an issue because we don't re-use them next season. We'll run the snows until they need to be replaced and then put new summer tires on. We'll start the transitions as the tires wear down in April.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Not really sure if our "summer" tires are considered all season or not )</font>

And of course, I certainly don't know what you're using, but I'd bet a dollar they're all season.

And Bob, just what is a "real summer tire"? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Trev]

Hi Bird,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And Bob, just what is a "real summer tire"? )</font>

I think it means a high performance tire that does NOT have a M+S rating on it. They tend to be low profile, wide, and are absolutely worthless in even 1/4 inch of snow. I think of them as being the other extreme from a real snow tire.. with All-Season tires falling in between the two.

I'm sure someone who knows whereof they speak will correct me if that's not right.

They stick like glue to the road, and are closer to a racing tire in some respects. Lots of sports and high performance cars come with these as part of the option Sports package.. along with stiffer suspensions, and so on.

Bob

 

[Bird]

OK, now I know which ones you were referring to. Just hadn't heard of them referred to as summer tires.

 

[Trev]

"Summer tire" is probably just my term for them.. as in, they're the ones you put on only in the summer. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif "Ultra High Performance" is probably a more correct term.

I'm not an aggressive driver at all.. like to loaf along with traffic.. but when I tried a set of these they gave me more confidence that I could stop and turn in emergency situations much better than I could with the all-seasons.

 

[bher]

I can give you some real-world experience. I have a rwd Infiniti Q45 with a V8 and traction control. This is my 3rd winter running a set of 4 bridgestone blizzak mz-02 tires. They claim this tire is more of an ice/snow tire than a deep snow tire. I have the tires on steel wheels that I swap out in Nov/April. I drive the tires pretty and hard and fast, no differently than summer tires. I have driven them at 80 mph in 75 degree weather. They are wearing well. All in all, they make a decent difference for the car. The car was hardly drivable in the snow with 2-year-old all season tires. For me, buying the snow tires was safer and is saving money because I can run my summer tires much longer.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Bird,
Did you ever have saw dust tires? I always thought they worked pretty well in the winter.

 

[Bird]

OK, Twinkle Toes, I'll bite. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif What's a dust tire? When I was a teenager, I had some worn enough that I figured the dust on'em was the only thing holding the air in, and sometimes even that didn't hold the air in. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif