[legaleye3000]

I'm getting a new 328 tomorrow. There's 2 cars I'm looking at: all 4 the same all season, or "mixed performance" tires. I have 2 questions:

1. I get snow where I live. I'm assuming mixed performance is probably not good. I have NEVER used snow tires, even though I live in an area with lots of snow. My current 328 has P7's on all wheels so that's what I'm used to. If I get the mixed performance tires, are the wheels the same as if I was getting the same tires on all 4 wheels compared to the mixed performance?

2. Where do people store their regular tires when switching to winter tires? In their garage? I know it sounds stupid, but still asking... If you can't do it yourself for any reason, do you just go to Les Schwabb and they do it. If so, then how do you get your all season tires back to your house?

Just thinking practicality in how its done. THANK YOU!

[kenya971]

I'll take a shot...
1. Mixed refers to a staggered setup (wider wheels in the back). All tires will be the same manufacture and type just different sizes. It's not the mixed that makes them less capable in the snow it's the performance (eg summer) aspect of them. Summer tires and freezing weather is not a good mix as the tire hardens and becomes less safe. You can throw all-season or snow tires on a factory mixed setup.

2. I think most people who have separate snow tires actually buy separate wheels for them as well. They're not so much as changing out the tires during the season but the wheel the tires are attached to. It turns a job that has to be at the shop to one you can do at home. But i guess you can use an external shop to just change tires (it'll be a tight fit in a trunk and fold down seats, but doable). But taking them that often to a shop generally isn't advisable due to the recurring costs of changing tires and complaints on wheels leaving the shop in worse condition than received (think scratches).

[F32Fleet]

A/S tires were jokingly called "no season" because of all the compromises manufacturers were required to make.

Other than a slight dusting of snow I would never assume you'd have adequate traction and braking with AS tires on a RWD vehicle.

That being said AS tires give you excellent tread life and you'll maintain traction in sub-45 degree weather. Also there are some very good high performance A/S tires.

If you will routinely drive on hard pack snow covered roads then buy some HP snows or regular snows.

If your winters are consistently cold and you have just a couple snow events and/or roads are cleared quickly then go for the AS tires.

I just had some Michelin PS A/S 3+ tires mounted yesterday on my M-Sport 435 (I live in Atlanta). I chose them for their tread life because I'll sell my car in 2 years and I don't want to have to buy new tires.