Quote:
Originally Posted by WaMi
I did not plan on running winter tires year round. My question was, is it better to get a set of excellent all-season tires or should I buy a set of winter tires just for the months of Nov-March. The only reason I ask is because I was informed the winter is very mild in that area, it gets cold yes, but only snowed like once last winter. I do not plan on running my stock summer performance tires during the winter months. My friend has a RWD Tesla in the area and he said he was fine with all-seasons last winter, so I guess he agrees with you.
I do not plan on running winter tires year round. I guess I was not clear in my original post. My main question was, is there an advantage of winter tires over the DWS06 for an area that experiences a mild winter. By mild I mean, the average lows in Dec/Jan are mid 30s and average highs are mid 40s, a lot of rain, hardly ever any snow. Through my research I've learned that winter tires aren't just for snow and that the rubber compound is softer for the colder weather, meaning anything below 45 degrees. So, do they perform better than the DWS 06 tires on a 40 degree weather rainy day?
Thank you for answering my question! I will certainly not be running winters during the summer, I will keep my summers on stock wheels and buy a new set of tires/wheels for the winter months.
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go with a set of excellent all season tires....... because of the following....
Quote:
Originally Posted by thakid22
To answer your question, though, winter tires have several disadvantages:
Mushy, squirmy handling
Reduced grip during warm weather
Reduced fuel economy, due to higher rolling resistance
Increased tire wear during good weather.
Winter tread patterns may also be a bit noisier (if not well designed)
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As others have mentioned.. Winter tires are great for WINTER weather. The weather you described is more like a wet/cold fall. I grew up in Indiana and I also have lived in the DC area and experienced a winter there and it does not get bad at all in either location.. To be perfectly honest.. full Winter tires for 2-4 months would be more appropriate for areas like upstate Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, or Wisconsin or the upper NE.
as @thakid22 indicated above.. on those 55 degree nice warm days in the winter... your car will feel HORRIBLE on winter tires. It will be utterly uninspiring to drive.. and if you do try to drive it hard you will likely succeed in tearing up your tires.
A great set of all season tires (with an M + S - mud and snow - rating) will give you the properties you are looking for...
1- a tread compound that is soft enough to stay pliant in cool temps
2- ability to move snow away from the tread blocks
3- ability to handle rainy, wet wather
4- still maintain 75-80 percent of the performance of the car on nice days..
5- will also have the flexibility to be driven all the way through a mild or even moderate winter and last well into spring (in the event that a nagging winter drags on) until you are ready to switch back to full summer tires.
With a good All season tire.. you can stick with stock sizing on the OE wheels and simply swap tires for the winter... or.. if you have the $ for a set of winter wheels then you might want to consider going with 18" wheels and tires to save on the expense of tires and also go with a slightly narrower contact patch for better traction in inclement weather.