For VA/DC/MD people...Winter shoes or all-seasons?

Need to decide soon. We don't get too much snow here and winter tires may be an over kill but then All-season may not be enough for the few days the snow is still on the ground. What do you all think? Looking at some 17s from tirerack. Thanks. Mickey

You can't think of it as just a snow thing. Performance rubber abruptly loses its adhesion characteristics when the temps approach freezing (around 40 or 45 degrees at best). So even on a clear, dry day, cornering and braking are compromised severely. If it gets cold where you are, you should be on winter rubber. And if you're going to get a second set of tires, I can't see why you'd bother with all seasons when performance winter rubber is so good now. My .02, anyhoo...

Bilzzaks. Best local price is probably TireVan

I think I have a few things to learn about this. I never thought about winter tires living in the DC area before. I currently have (new) summer tires and was planning on keeping them on through the winter and just not driving the car on icy or snowy days. If I just don't drive the car agressively, should it be OK?

I have had snows (for a season) and also used summers on my last BMW and while Snows are far superior to summer tires in winter it's not like you cannot drive. In the dry being gentle it's not like you will shoot off the road in a corner at city speeds. You just have to be prepared that it takes longer to stop and if you can't corner at the same speeds like you can in warmer months. You have to give yourself larger margins of time and distance for emergencies. We all know how gifted the average driver in the metro area is. If you plan on only driving on nice days (dry) and being gentle, you'll be fine. Rain can get slick and your summers will be pretty fun or bad depending on what kind of driver you are. It's easy to overestimate your tires until it's too late in (summer tires in cold rain), so you need more margin for safety. That being said, the winter tires are much better than running the summers in the colder months. Our winters are generally pretty mild and we rarely see snow. For me, I'll drive the car on nice days once and while and drive my Grand Cherokee. Pete

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I'm wrestling with this same issue for my incoming S4. I'm likely going to put Goodyear F1 A/S 18" on the stock tires and either keep or sell the summer rubber the car comes through with. I'm just north of Philly, where winters may give me 3-4 days a year of problem snow. I don't drive hard, but my car will be my daily driver (as opposed to the Porsche which will be sleeping until April). I just don't want the hassle of either purchasing/switching wheels and tires (along with TMPS for each wheel), or remounting snows on the existing rims every winter. I know A/S's are not ideal performance tires, but these have been highly rated for all season use.

Phil, I have a new S8 shich came with performance summer tires. I immediatly ordered a set of tires/wheels from Tire Rack. The S6 replaced my 745i which was usless in any kind of snow surface and a great snow car with winter tires. I think you should go with the change. I don't use my Cab in snow but do drive it in the winter on good weather days.

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Bingo. i would like an answer to that very response too. A/S tires are not ideal but how well will they hold up in the little snow we get here? The C2 is my daily driver as well. Mickey

Mickey, I had a Boxster S before my 911. I was visiting my son in CT. His driveway had a light snow cover on it with a slight down slope. When I tried to leave, the car would not move, just spinning wheels. He had to push me so I could get started. Bottom line, I wouldn't dare to use my Cab in snow with the summer tires on.

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+1 Gave myself a scare in the Rockies last May when the temperature was below 40 in the mornings. It seemed to take at least five miles to get a useful level of traction. I'm moving to DE from SoCal and I'll definitely be getting a set of winter boots.

To answer your question. All seasons work just fine in snow and cold temperatures. It is what is on most vehicles (non-porsche cars) here in Minnesota. Are they as good as winter tires for performance - No. Do they work in most winter conditions - Yes. All seasons are middle of the road tires and will not give you the overall performance, grip and cornering that a dedicated high performance winter tire will. That said, I don't have a middle of the road car. Even though my car came with all seasons which I tried out for the first winter, I have switched them out for winter tires for even better grip in heavier snow conditions 3+" and then put my summer babies back on in the spring. I found the all seasons performed really well in conditions up to 3-4". The dedicated winter tires were an absolute blast in all winter conditions! You will notice the difference.

Actaully I'm most concerned now about cold weather, not snow or ice. I can usually drive our Accord, but not always.

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Just be mindful that you lose traction in these cooler temps; also, with increased spacing and taking it a bit easier as you head into corners you should make it through the winter months.

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Feel ya. Once, in my Dinan Z3, I goosed it a bit too much and spun turning a corner on bare, dry pavement on a very cold day. A 270 degree spin. Ended up facing oncoming traffic on a one-way street. Michelin Pilots. Sweet tire when it was warm, hockey pucks when cold.

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I've done this for years without problems as long as you don't drive aggressively when the temperature falls below 40. Need to decide soon. We don't get too much snow here and winter tires may be an over kill but then All-season may not be enough for the few days the snow is still on the ground. All season tires are a great compromise for year round driving and will certainly get you through the snow in Va. The only downside is that they won't provide you with anywhere near the performace of summer tires for other than the winter months.

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True that. But then also I get to keep one set of tires on the car (and no extra ones taking the garage space). Which A/S would you recommend to go with the 18s?

I would never consider putting A/S on the Porsche. Not only because I don't drive it in the winter, either. The S4 on the other hand, while being a decent performance car, is going to be my daily commuter, no track or really hard driving. That's why I've opted to go with A/S's. I've had them on my A4 Quattro and my wife's 328xi and they've been fine in light snow. I've never gotten stuck or had problems on slick surfaces. Remember, snows won't stop you on ice any better than anything else (unless they're studded).

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... and leave lots of space between you and the car in front of you. Braking suffers dramatically at speed in cold temps. Not an issue in city driving, really, but a significant margin loss on the highway, especially if your summer tires aren't new.

All seasons are jack of all trades master of none. Buy performance tires in the summer and winter tires in the winter. I don't even put all seasons on my wife's SUV.