All-seasons or winter/summer set

[Wintermute]

Here's the deal. I live in the Phoenix area so for the most part, picking tires is easy: Summer all year. And this was fine with my Boxster because we never took it anywhere that had snow or ice or really cold weather. However the MS6 is much more conducive to road trips, especially to the mountains with AWD. But summer tires in the snow are just an accident waiting to happen. So I need something else.

My first thought was just to get a good set of high performance all-seasons, like the Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S, to use year round. Not quite as good as pure summer tires, but loads better in cold and snow than the stock Bridgestones. My only hesitation is that by going to an all-season tire year-round, I'm sacrificing both summer and winter performance. But buying a set of winter tires in the desert seems silly since for all but maybe 3 weeks out of the year they will just sit in my garage.

I used to run the Khumo Ecsta ASX on my old Honda Prelude and I loved 'em. Then I switched to the Falken FK452 for my Boxster and loved those even more! So I'm torn. Financially buying a set of all-seasons and driving them year-round seems to make more sense because then I can simply "set and forget" and not have to worry about changing tires that I will only use a few weeks out of the year. Plus the increased treadwear rating on all-seasons will really boost the life of my tires. However it seems equally silly to sacrifice the great driving weather we get out here in the southwest by using a tire that is not as good 11 months out of the year just to not deal with the hassle of changing tires.

Thoughts?

 

[IrishMidak]

Well, IMO, winters would be a waste. For one, when you are driving to the mountains, the excess wear due to road temps would be substantial when you are driving in the desert. I would go all season in your case for tire longevity reasons. No, they will not give you the performance a snow tire will give you but at least they won't be done in a year. I'm in NY where I do run snows and with our recent heatwave, I am tempted to swap them out for the week.

 

[VRMS6]

All seasons and drive cautiously in the snow.... Wouldnt make financial sense to get dedicated snows for a few roadtrip days a yr....

 

[Wintermute]

Well, IMO, winters would be a waste. For one, when you are driving to the mountains, the excess wear due to road temps would be substantial when you are driving in the desert. I would go all season in your case for tire longevity reasons. No, they will not give you the performance a snow tire will give you but at least they won't be done in a year. I'm in NY where I do run snows and with our recent heatwave, I am tempted to swap them out for the week.

All seasons and drive cautiously in the snow.... Wouldnt make financial sense to get dedicated snows for a few roadtrip days a yr....

That's what I've been thinking too. I'll probably go with all-seasons like the Pirellis and then get some snow chains for when it gets really nasty. Thanks for the insight!

 

[Mikey444]

Easy with chains, they will scratch your mags, and if not installed really really really tight, the force of rotation while driving will push them outwards rubbing against everything in and around your wheel whells.

 

[Igve2shtz]

If you are worried about losing summer traction, go with the Goodyear Eagle F1's. They are new, all season, and have a AA traction rating, great treadwear, and should be good enough for occassional snow. The reviews on Tire Rack are good. They are pricey though, but if they will last me 40,000 miles, Ill pay it. Im waiting to get soem more money before I buy a set.

 

[Wintermute]

Easy with chains, they will scratch your mags, and if not installed really really really tight, the force of rotation while driving will push them outwards rubbing against everything in and around your wheel whells.

Yeah i am just realizing that after looking at the manual. But what about these: http://www.flextrax.com/

They look really low profile. Site says they only need 7/8 inch (22 mm) of clearance. That might work. Anyone have experience with these?

Edit:

Actually, just found these at VulcanTire that only need 6.3mm of clearance! That has to be enough.
http://www.vulcantire.com/cgi-bin/chainsearch.cgi?size=215/45-18&model=SZ129&f=chainz6_c.htm

 

[Igve2shtz]

Neither one of those things seem like something I would want to drive on for extended periods of time ... IE, driving to the mountains, up the mountain, down the mountain ... etc.

 

[Wintermute]

Neither one of those things seem like something I would want to drive on for extended periods of time ... IE, driving to the mountains, up the mountain, down the mountain ... etc.

Uh, have you ever used snow chains? You don't strap 'em on in your driveway and then hit the freeway doing 80mph for 200 miles. You only put them on if the snow or ice is getting to the point where you're reaching the limit of your tires (i.e. you're going to be stuck), or you hit a check point where the police are requiring chains. And then you can only go about 30mph. I'm just saying that if I don't have snow tires for hitting the mountains, I would feel better with a set of chains in the trunk if it got to the point that the all-seasons had reached their limit.

I think I'd stick with the one from Vulcan Tire. It has pretty good ratings for a cable system and I can't find anything about those plastic things.

 

[-S-]

I am in York, PA, about 1hr north of Baltimore, and i bought all seasons. I am pretty sure that we get more snow than where you go. I am on my 2nd winter with them and i have had zero problems with them in up to about 6 inches snow. We have not gotten any more than that on the roads, so i am not sure. I bought the Yokohama Avid V4s. This is my second set on my second different car and i love them. They are not summers, but if i have to use them year round i can.

In your case i would go with a really good all season tire.

 

[Wintermute]

I am in York, PA, about 1hr north of Baltimore, and i bought all seasons. I am pretty sure that we get more snow than where you go. I am on my 2nd winter with them and i have had zero problems with them in up to about 6 inches snow. We have not gotten any more than that on the roads, so i am not sure. I bought the Yokohama Avid V4s. This is my second set on my second different car and i love them. They are not summers, but if i have to use them year round i can.

In your case i would go with a really good all season tire.

We do a lot of skiing in Colorado and like to drive. They get a fair bit of snow up there too. ;-) But I think I'll go with either the Pirelli Nero M+S, or with the Goodyears that Igve2shtz mentioned.

Edit:
Ok Igve2shtz, you sold me on the Goodyear Eagle F1s, those look like seriously nice tires. And cheaper than the Pirellis when you step up to the 225/45/18 size.

 

[Igve2shtz]

Haha. They do seem good. I dont know if they are M+S rated though, but judging from the Tire Rack, they still do good in the snow. Good Luck!

And sorry about the snow strap thing. I thought they were something you put on, and would drive 20 miles through the mountains with .. not just as a rescue option. Just another consequence of living in Jersey ... I know nothing about chains.

 

[Wintermute]

Haha. They do seem good. I dont know if they are M+S rated though, but judging from the Tire Rack, they still do good in the snow. Good Luck!

And sorry about the snow strap thing. I thought they were something you put on, and would drive 20 miles through the mountains with .. not just as a rescue option. Just another consequence of living in Jersey ... I know nothing about chains.

Yeah I think they only got beat by the Pirellis due to more road noise but that does not bug me thanks to that kick-ass Bose stereo!

And NP about the chains, even people in snowy climates don't know how or why they are used. There are very few times you actually need them. And often, checkpoints are "chains or 4WD/AWD" required but there are times when you can get stuck even with 4WD if you run into ice. Then not even snow tires will save you. I used to live in northern Arizona in the mountains and there were days I needed chains to get to school. Snow plows would usually not get to my house until the afternoon and school rarely got canceled because they'd just put chains on the buses. But chains are really for driving in deep snow or ice when you're tires alone will no longer provide traction.

To be honest chains can be a lot of fun because you can go romp around in stuff that most people wouldn't even think of taking their cars in! I used to strap real chains (not just the cable types) to my dad's Jeep and take it up this dirt road above my house when it snowed. I could claw through 2-3' of snow with that thing in 4WD. I'd usually bring some friends for extra weight. Good times.

 

[wannabe]

or you hit a check point where the police are requiring chains.

I live in northeast ohio, which actually gets like the 2nd or 3rd most snow of any major city, and its actually against the law to use snow chains..