I will be driving to Philadelphia in a few weeks. I will be staying in Philly for about 4 weeks basically until Jan 20th than I am heading back to the south. My question is should I buy the snow tires for 4 weeks of winter that I will experience?



Thanks

 

Well let me just say this, I live in the area and since it started snowing on Friday, me 8 didn't leave the parking lot and it is still covered in snow. So if I were you, considering all that has been posted on here about how bad these tires handle in the snow I would definitly consider grabbin a set.

 

I would rent a car, why would you want to expose a nice new car to all that harsh enviroment?? Think of the salt!

 

To put it simply - on the stock tires, your RX-8 will barely be able to move in winter conditions if you're lucky - then, if you're really lucky, your RX-8 might be able to stop or turn once you get it moving.

Not putting winter tires on for 4 weeks of winter driving isn't really an option at all. You can either get winter tires, or if you'll never need them again, just leave the RX-8 at home and drive a rental car for the month.

Regards,
Gordon

 

I am driving to Philly because the family has not seen my new car. This will probably be the only time I go back home to Philly. Maybe I will get the chance over the summer but anyway I was thinking of getting to Philly and just parking the car while there. I did not want to spend another 1000 dollars for winter tires that I will only need for 4 weeks. But after listening to you guys, I will look into getting winter tires.




Thanks

 

Ive drove around with a dusting of snow, and it was no big deal. Im not going to pay 1200 bucks from tirerack.com for some snow tires that i would use for only a few months. Maybe when these tires wear out, ill put on some BF KD all seasons on it.

Eric

 

I live in Philadelphia and, I'm pleased to say, the city plows the streets. If you are going to stick to the main roads, I'd think it'd be OK, especially if the long-range weather forecast doesn't throw up red flags. I've been driving around with stock tires on my GT without incident.

 

Good decision. I just gotta say, no offence to rieskame and selmeralto, that you've got a bunch of people who've tried driving their RX-8s on OEM summer tires in real winter conditions who have testified that the car can barely move and is treacherous, but is plenty fine on winter tires. Then you've got 2 guys now who have NOT tried more than a dusting of snow who don't understand the fuss.... who you gonna believe?

(Selmeralto, it doesn't matter if they're plowed - if the surface is packed snow/ice, as is typical after plowing, you're still going to be in trouble with zero traction. If it's bare pavement, then you might be OK - until you hit the first snowy patch anywhere...)

(rieskame, if you've got several months of winter ahead, please write again once you get a real snowfall and let us know how you make out. I'm sure people here will be able to help out with suggestions for a good body shop. )

Regards,
Gordon

 

If it was me, I'd save the money and not get tires. (By the way, I think tires will be more like $400-800 and tires and wheels will be more like $800-1400 depending on which way you go.) For the kind of money you're talking about, you can rent a car @$35 per day for 11 - 40 days depending on where you fall in the range. I'd drive in. Park it and rent on the snow days. Then drive it the rest of the time. I would think you would spend less cash that way.

In any case, enjoy the time with the family!

 

ditto
get a rental if possiable

 

ive got a ride with a coworker with a forunner if it gets real bad.

 

Since I have been driving in real winter conditions I will say that the snow tires are a must! If you drive through any mountain passes or if you have a patch of bad weather on your way you may just find yourself stuck. Get the snow tires and you should be fine. Oh by the way just out of curiosity how much winter driving have you done?

I would also hope that you have a place to park the car off any major streets so that no one smacks into it becuase they don't know how to drive in the snow .

 

I just want to make sure I wasn't misunderstood. The car goes straight when it slides, thanks to the electronics, but the OEM tires don't grab. So you must be cautious, drive slowly, and allow yourself extra distance to stop in hazardous conditions.

I only meant to say that Philadelphia driving conditions are nothing like, say, Calgary's (with which I'm very familiar). We don't get much snow and the city streets--I'm talking about Center City--are usually pretty driveable soon after the snow stops.

I *do* recommend driving with caution because the tires don't grab in the snow or on ice. And, as I said earlier, you have to watch the weather, especially when you are driving outside of the Center City area.

But if you come in and out of the city when it's dry and you exercise caution when it snows and you're in the city, you should be OK.

 

Thanks for all the info. The goal is to make it to Philly and back. Once in Philly I can keep the car in the garage if it starts to snow. I just hope is does not snow Dec 20 anywhere on 95 so I can make it to Philly.


By the way I do have experience driving in Philly winter conditions but that was with an automatic and not a stick.




Thanks

 

If I were you I would buy the tires but as soon as you decide what you're getting put them up for sale for another RX-8 driver in the area. Maybe take a hit of a couple hundred, that way you get to be safe and the person that buys them saves money on basicly new snow tires. Hell maybe even set something up with someone shopping for tires now and get the set they were after and make an agreement to sell to them come late January... The only problem with that is it might be too late in the season.

Ike

 

We had about 2 inches here in Mtl last weekend and there's of course nothing left on the main roads but little residential streets do have a very tiny bit left near the curbs. It took me 5 shots to move out of a parking space with my stock tires and there was not even half an inch on the ground.

My advice: RENTAL

 

The car doesn't necessarily go straight when it slides - on the OEM tires, it will go whichever way the road is sloped - usually into a nearby curb or ditch. The electronics will make no difference - they'll be hammering away on this brake and that, but they still rely on some level of friction between the tires and the road surface - and when the tires are the OEM summer tires and the road surface is snow or ice, there is NO friction.

Quote:

I *do* recommend driving with caution because the tires don't grab in the snow or on ice.

I have to definitely disagree with this recommendation - caution won't matter, I recommend leaving the car parked wherever it happens to be if snow and ice comes. Trying to drive on any amount of snow or ice on the OEM tires is, if not quite suicidal, definitely going to end in tears.

Quote:

you exercise caution when it snows and you're in the city, you should be OK.

Nope - you won't be OK. Seriously, if you try to drive on the OEM summer tires when it snows, no amount of caution will help - IF you can get the car to move, you'll frighten yourself to death trying to keep it moving in a straight line or trying to get it to stop. Then you'll thank your lucky stars if you managed to not hit anything.

Again no offence, but it remains obvious that you don't take the stories of the people who've tried this seriously, and it's even more obvious that you certainly haven't tried it yourself.


crossev,

More than hope, you'd better be praying - and have a real solid backup contingency plan. Transmission won't matter - if you hit snow on the road, turn around before it accumulates on the road surface and run away from the storm.

I really hate to seem so negative, but I'd hate to see anyone crash their RX-8 because of a mistaken belief that a bit of caution will let them drive in snow on their original summer tires. It just can't happen. I'm very positive about the capabilities of the RX-8 on winter tires, but once again - it's all about the tires, and the OEM summer tires have ZERO traction on any sort of accumulation of snow. Please read again the tales of those who've tried it, and written how they got stuck on one half inch of snow in a flat parking lot. Or those who wrote that they backed down their driveway that has a very very slight incline, and were unable to move back up the driveway. Now imagine taking that almost zero traction to a highway and trying to keep the car on the road at 20 mph or more...

Regards,
Gordon

 

You are just full of ideas. Maybe you will volunteer to buy them from him. You could have him throw in a bottle of fine wine, like you did on that meeting with Noahprtlnd. By the way, did you help Noahprtlnd install the V8?

 

I've lived in Philadelphia almost my entire life, and this is looking to be a world class bad winter. However, the temp is supposed to go up tomorrow and rain like all get out. That will clear the roads. if you can time your trip flexibly so you can pick when to drive back south around all storms, I would risk not buying the tires. Personally, I would never buy snow tires for one trip in the car's life. If you can foresee useing them in the future then maybe. Also selling gently used snow tires can be tricky. You might end up taking quite a hit. If you really want to drive it, try to avoid the snow, and you should be OK.

 

Forget the snow in Philly... if it's anything like it used to be when I was a lad growing up there, it's the potholes you've got to worry about. Watch out!

My two cents: I suspect Gordon has a point. The icy roads show up fast when the temperature drops. I don't own snow tires, but we all need to be careful. If there is rain or snow in the forcast or the roads aren't yet completely dry, find another ride. It should be an interesting winter on this forum... any bets on how many snow-related accidents get posted?