[canukgtp]

I know my M3 with michelin pilots would get pretty loose when it started getting colder...had to be much more gentle with the right foot lol..

[stormlv]

To me, there's a definite difference once it gets cold on my Michelin PSS.
The same corner where in the summer I wouldn't even hear a squeak, makes me drift a bit when the temperature drops.

[auf Deutsch]

It's possible to drive on winter tires year round. It isn't possible to drive on summer tires year round (cold climates).

Be safe and change them asap.

[S4NoMore]

If I had to schedule it, I would probably do so in the last week of November here in PA. Basically once overnight lows are consistently in the low to mid 30F range.

Since I DIY my swap I will keep an eye on the forecast and do it as late as I can.

[Thumper333]

Originally Posted by chaungo

Temperature shouldn't matter much unless its like -10 or something, you'll just have less grip but not enough to kill you unless you go super fast round a corner.

Well, it affects stopping distance as well as cornering, so......

Originally Posted by roundel335

When it gets icy, ALL tires are "useless".

Well, yes and no. I mean, if we assume that road ice is a true zero traction surface then true, no tires other than studded (or tank tracks LOL) will bite in to provide traction the surface lacks.

However, the reality is that entire road surfaces are not covered with frictionless, zero traction ice...........and if they are, well, you really should have stayed home or gotten some of these;

http://trucktracks.com/en/

What roads are covered with is pitted, rough ice, slush, and hard packed snow. Low traction areas to be sure, but not zero traction. If you look at the tread on a true snow/ice tire (not a performance snow), you will see what is called "siping", basically cuts formed into the tread blocks that increase traction by letting the tread block warp to fit the uneven road surface better. Instead of the tread block making contact with on the peak of a snow or ice grove siping allows it to sink in the center of the tread block and grip the entire surface. It also gives a wider tread patch as the littler blocks of rubber spread out.

Even just slush and hard packed snow can behave like ice when using all season tires and even "performance" winter tires.

Here weather can be a bit tricky, Blizzaks went on the middle of October. Last week Tuesday it was supposed to be 50 degrees and sunny, 0% chance of any precipitation. Yet, it snowed that day....only 1/4 inch but enough to make things slippery and not what you want to be caught out in summer tires in. The end of last week we woke up to find 8 inches of snow on the ground.....the day before it had been in the 50s, the day after it was in the 60s. LOL You can't wait until it's consistently cold here, cause you just never know.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by Thumper333

Well, it affects stopping distance as well as cornering, so......




Well, yes and no. I mean, if we assume that road ice is a true zero traction surface then true, no tires other than studded (or tank tracks LOL) will bite in to provide traction the surface lacks.

However, the reality is that entire road surfaces are not covered with frictionless, zero traction ice...........and if they are, well, you really should have stayed home or gotten some of these;

http://trucktracks.com/en/

What roads are covered with is pitted, rough ice, slush, and hard packed snow. Low traction areas to be sure, but not zero traction. If you look at the tread on a true snow/ice tire (not a performance snow), you will see what is called "siping", basically cuts formed into the tread blocks that increase traction by letting the tread block warp to fit the uneven road surface better. Instead of the tread block making contact with on the peak of a snow or ice grove siping allows it to sink in the center of the tread block and grip the entire surface. It also gives a wider tread patch as the littler blocks of rubber spread out.

Even just slush and hard packed snow can behave like ice when using all season tires and even "performance" winter tires.

Here weather can be a bit tricky, Blizzaks went on the middle of October. Last week Tuesday it was supposed to be 50 degrees and sunny, 0% chance of any precipitation. Yet, it snowed that day....only 1/4 inch but enough to make things slippery and not what you want to be caught out in summer tires in. The end of last week we woke up to find 8 inches of snow on the ground.....the day before it had been in the 50s, the day after it was in the 60s. LOL You can't wait until it's consistently cold here, cause you just never know.

Higher elevation? Seems weather is CO is way less predictable than here in the Northeast.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by ft1330

You should check out the tire rack videos testing winter tires on an ice rink. I would say some of them are not useless at all even on ice.

"Useless" is more of a euphemism in my previous statement. Nonetheless, I have never at any time used "winter" tires, even in 30F low temps. But I've not lived north of SE North Carolina since 1973. It did freeze and ice up in TX (way more than you'd think) and here in NC, but I never encountered any situations where summer or non-winter tires weren't adequate. I moved out of long- and cold-winter territory decades ago, and I just stay home if it's icy.

As far as I can recollect from my early years in NW CT winters, my grandfather would put his "snow tires" on in early November and remove them at the end of March. Chains were added when the ice and snow got thick enough to warrant them.

[greekcs]

I ran PSS on my old M3 in the winter. That was fun.

[TheObviousChild]

Originally Posted by chaungo

you'll just have less grip but not enough to kill you unless you go super fast round a corner.

You do know this is a BMW forum, right?

[lens]

Originally Posted by TheObviousChild

You do know this is a BMW forum, right?

It is?

Shit I though this was the honda civic forums.

Sorry ignore what I said, go around the corner @ 120mph with summers on while it's snowing then.

[Rautha]

I put on my winter tires Thanksgiving weekend and take them off April 1st. Boston area here.

[RM7]

I got 18x245x40 studded tires for my car this winter, I live in Alaska, so we can and do run studded tires. Although studless ice tires are a thing and work decent, especially in higher gross weight vehicles, the control of studded tires on our roads cannot be matched with any studless design. The funny thing is while the load rating of these tires is well within what my car requires, the top speed is only 119mph, vs the 186mph P7s that I took off. Then again, if I'm going 119mph on these roads in winter, I'm probably going to have bigger problems than my tire coming apart at 120mph, as I've probably lost control long before that. Although it's usually snow here, some warm recent winters have included lots of rain, that at times has turned instantly to freezing rain, at which times the cars on the highway all start going crazy directions almost all at once. Pretty weird to see it happening as all the cars start to swerve, because what was rain just a few seconds ago is now frozen on the ground.

Most of the time, snow that falls in late October or November, like this year, is here for the entirety of winter, even if it was just a couple inches. Some of it can be scraped, but it gets compacted in many places and just turns to ice that won't melt until we start getting enough sun in April.

After last winter on studs (different car), I'm totally sold. Supposedly tires in the size above are pretty rare. The shop I took them too said people are always trying to find that size.

[ft1330]

Originally Posted by greekcs

I ran PSS on my old M3 in the winter. That was fun.

I'm not sure your idea of fun includes having to walk 4 miles home in deep snow and flat sole work shoes, because my car was stuck at the bottom of a small hill on ALL SEASONS... Fun times indeed.

[lens]

Originally Posted by ft1330

I'm not sure your idea of fun includes having to walk 4 miles home in deep snow and flat sole work shoes, because my car was stuck at the bottom of a small hill on ALL SEASONS... Fun times indeed.

I saw someone get rear ended due to all seasons during the winter a couple of years back.

Also saw someone smash into the stoplight post because they had "fun" drifting in their summers.

Sigh.

[hollandog]

it's time for me.
I'm putting my winters on this coming sunday.

[sr5959]

I had winter tires fitted on my GC M-Sport RWD a couple of days ago, and I'm really impressed with them. No snow here yet but the temps are in the 30s and low 40s. Compared to the standard Conti RFTs these Michelin X-Ice are much quieter, a little bit softer riding, and the handling seems about the same. Grip in heavy rain seems a lot better, can't wait to try them in snow! This is the first time I've ever tried winter tires.

[Billfitz]

Switch them before everyone else decides it's time so you don't have to wait for an appointment. In other words, now.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by sr5959

I had winter tires fitted on my GC M-Sport RWD a couple of days ago, and I'm really impressed with them. No snow here yet but the temps are in the 30s and low 40s. Compared to the standard Conti RFTs these Michelin X-Ice are much quieter, a little bit softer riding, and the handling seems about the same. Grip in heavy rain seems a lot better, can't wait to try them in snow! This is the first time I've ever tried winter tires.

Last year was my first year with winters. I was a dummy who used to drive on all seasons and x drive. I'll never use all season tires again.

[BDWonder]

Originally Posted by blackscholes

Hello all, Sorry if this was already discussed before.

At what temperature should I switch from summer to winter tires? Right now it is 45F (7C) in New York and weather here is dry with no snow/rain. Is it safe to drive on summer performance tires under these conditions?

Thank you very much for your inputs

I've driven on summer times during the winter in rainy, dry, non-snowy conditions. Temps ranged between 0-30 degrees F. It was pretty much normal. However, the snow here the danger. I never risk of driving the car on summer tires during snow. So if I even get a 1% possibility of snow during the day, the car stays in the garage. I have though driven in snow with summer tires when I didn't know much about summer tires. It was the most frightening thing behind the wheel. And I'm talking about just little bit of snow. I was once driving under 5 MPH, and the car just used momentum to drive forward. I had to hit the brakes half block before red light. Cops spotted me, drove next to me with flashing light and yelling to pull over, once they saw my face they relaxed and felt bad for me. I looked like a ghost. They said "you have no blood in your face, how far do you live from here?" I said 2 blocks, and they said get home safe. Dude, don't ever, ever ever, drive summers in snow!!!!! You can away on dry and rainy roads even in the freezing cold. But snow, is a totally different experience. Good luck.

[kolosy]

I threw my winter set on last weekend, a few hours before the first snow storm hit Chicago.

That said, I'm a bit surprised by how not great the dry traction is on the Blizzak WS70s. I basically can't go WOT in any gear without traction control kicking in. Sad that I'll have to wait until spring to really flog the new ride. Don't remember that being an issue on on the 135, with Blizzak LM32s.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by kolosy

I threw my winter set on last weekend, a few hours before the first snow storm hit Chicago.

That said, I'm a bit surprised by how not great the dry traction is on the Blizzak WS70s. I basically can't go WOT in any gear without traction control kicking in. Sad that I'll have to wait until spring to really flog the new ride. Don't remember that being an issue on on the 135, with Blizzak LM32s.

A lot of the new winters are also made to run well in dry climate too. My Sotozerros drive great when it is dry also.

[P-Bass]

Originally Posted by LDSM

Which tires do you usually run?

Bridgestone Blizzaks, LM-32. Great tires. I went square for the winter, 225/40/19, all around as opposed to the summer stagger. Wide rears in snow are counter productive, they turn into snow plows.

Just ordered a set of rims to limit the inevitable damage to the 403's during the swaps. Should have them next week and I'll schedule the change.