DrDiaboloco

I know that. I wouldn't have snows if I DIDN'T know that. I know that the possibility exists of snow in the winter... I wouldn't be even thinking about it if snow were forecast, and I haven't forgotten the possibility that it could snow no matter WHAT the forecast says. I "drove" the car in a half-inch of snow the day I bought it, and never again... So get off the "don't drive the car in the snow on stock tires" mindset and try to wrap your brain around the original question... Do summer tires wear faster in the cold than they do in the warmer temps? That WAS the original question, after all.

KimiFelipe

So Dr. D, have you decided yet? Looking at Pittsburgh weather for next week, looks like it will struggle to really get above 40 degrees. Also, if you're driving in the rain, that will help keep your blizzaks cool and really reduce the amount of wear you'll have.

If your driving back before like friday it's looking like you'll be okay keeping your winters on.

painter1

I grew up in upstate NY (rochester)for 23 years.. Only my rich friends could afford snow tires. I always drove with the summer tires in the snow.. Its not that bad If you consider yourself a skilled driver. Infact I think its alot of fun to drift all over the road in the snow.I look forward to it all year!(call me nuts)

shaunv74

I grew up in VT same type of weather and all seasons (different from summer tires) were fine on front wheel drive cars. But a RWD rx8 with a limited slip diff and wide tires is a whole nother story. I don't know what kind of car you drove and if you are mixing up summer tires with all-seasons but summers on the 8 are completely non-functional in snow.

robrecht

If they're predicting 40d the whole way, I would put my summers back on since you already know not to drive if it does snow as long as you can afford to lose a day or two if it does.

Some summer tires can be damaged at low temperatures but this seems to be tire specific depending upon the compound. Some summer tires are fine at lower temperatures, less grip than summer but still better than most snow tires and not necessarily damaged by cold. I would try to find this specific answer about your specific summer tire as this should help you decide each year when you want to put the snows on. Not sure what summer tires you have.

Since I live in balmy NJ, we don't get much snow and I researched which snow tires had the best dry and wet traction (Dunlop Wintersport) since snow has not been common the last few winters. I also keep my summer tires on my Miata as much as possible since they are supposedly not damaged by the cold (Toyo T1R). They can be a little slick first thing in the morning when it's cold but they still stick great when they warm up. I probably wouldn't keep them on so late if it weren't for the fact that they're mounted on Volk CE28N 7-lb rims and it was 60d today.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

first, the Blizzaks only wear faster on dry pavement on warmer than usual days (it's notlike you'll see 90 deg tamps etc) and then only for the first 55% of tread depth IF you have the Link Multi-cell tread compound. After that the remaining tread below the 55% Link Multi-cell material is an all-season compound, as are the Blizzak tires that do not have the Link Multi-cell compound. Some Blizzaks don't, so it just depends which model number tire you have. Out here in the SIerra Nevadas in western Nevada I don't know anyone who switches between their snows and non-snows as the days get warmer or colder. They throw the snows on for winter and then swap them outf after they're sure that spring is here for good BECAUSE you never know otherwise. You might be OK and you might not. If you want to take the chance on being in a wreck that you caused or couldn't avoid, stuck in the middle of nowhere or driving for hours on end at a crawl that's you're choice, but personally I think you'd be just as nuts as the person who pulled the 50 deg temp comment out of their @ss. Even if there isn't snow, black ice is a killer if you aren't on a quality winter tire like Blizzak w/UNI-T and still tricky if you have them.

Best damn tire period for snow/ice though. We had our 1st big winter storm last week and I just put a set of Blizzak DM-Z3 on my new Honda Ridgeline truck and sold the Michelin all-seasons. With just a light dusting we had wrecks everywhere, all were vehicles on all-season and summer tires. As it got worse people had to park and abandon their cars. I'm able to drive the speed limit like it's dry pavement, even on the icey interstate. They're staying on until late March/early April. I don't care of they wear faster or if I have to buy a set every winter because I bought them to keep my @ss safe; the grip and the confidence is worth more than the money. They mis-forecast the weather here all the time too, hopefully your winter weather is more predictable there than out here.

ps: We are a two RX-8 family. We wouldn't even think of taking them out without snow tires if there is even the remotest chance of ice or snow. Since we have other vehicles better suited for winter we buy snow tires for them and not the RX-8s, so they stay parked inside most of the winter. I'm no stranger to hanging the tail out either, it's avoiding some other out of control vehicle that worries me the most.

Here's some real information though, not opinionated jackassery:

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/...ntpage=121#can

robrecht

On second thought ... did you mention how long your trip is? Midwest can get pretty damn cold. I was kind of assuming you wanted to have optimum performance and handling capabilities once you arrived at your destination assuming there were moderate temperatures. If that's not important for this trip, just keep the snows on. For me, I like to be able to quickly put the good wheels and tires on if there's several days in the 60s and no forseeable chance of snow. But that's just not practical on a long trip, is it?

shaunv74

Thanks Team. I don't understand why anyone is debating this topic.

shaunv74

So in fairness to your question: my point originally was that your wear question is a minor point to what is really important here. your safety and the safety of the people around you. I don't want to see you focus on trying to save a few cm's of rubber over doing what is safe and in the best interest of you and your car. The old, pennywise dollar foolish mentality.

I also don't want someone else to search this thread and get the impression that it's a good idea to try and save a little rubber by switching to summer tires if it happens to be a warm day out in January.

KimiFelipe

So glad you're looking out for us, Dad. Thanks for not answering his question.

willhave8

YESSSSSS !!!! This is the point. Thank you !!

I have successfully avoided these types of pis#@$@!ing match threads for 3 years until now. I am now done. Enjoy your holidays everyone.

New Yorker

I could be mistaken, but I've never heard that summer rubber wears faster on clear, cold roads. Yes, it gets hard and doesn't grip well, but I don't think "wear" is the issue—just grip and safety. (In fact, I would guess summer rubber wears faster when it's warm and the rubber is softer, no?)

If temps will be in the 40s, I'd prefer the winter rubber. Only when it's above 50º do I wish I was still running summer tires. And it doesn't look like that's what you'll be encountering…
http://wwwa.accuweather.com/forecast...17101&metric=0

DrDiaboloco

aaaaaannnnd... Why not? Forgetting my situation for a moment, if you're willing to invest in the time to swap out the tires, why NOT? What care, business, or concern of yours is it if someone wants to switch out tires for a few warm days in the middle of winter? What if it's a 50deg out and someone wants to go for a weekend drive in the country with their summer tires on?

For the record I've decided to stick with the snow tires for MY trip, but Holy CRAP, more than one of you have got to stop living in a world of absolutes where any thought even remotely "out there" is crazy... You and willhave8 have got the "judgmental dad" thing down pat.

DrDiaboloco

...and you should've continued to avoid it. You'll note it wasn't much of a pissing match until YOU started shooting off at the mouth, ehhhh, keyboard that is.

Merry Christmas.

DrDiaboloco

Yes, they are Multi-Cell Blizzaks.
...which is why I'm just going to stick with the snows, even though the actual chance of wintry conditions qualifies as "remote" on the days I'm planning on driving (see post #1, where I said "Can't trust the weather people to be right, now can we?"). I was mostly just trying to throw an idea out there, and somehow it veered off into something else like an Rx8 in the snow on stock Dunlops.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Think of the worst case scenario.....

Would you rather be caught in ANY snow in your summer go nowhere in the snow tires......or maybe wear out a miniscule amount of extra rubber on the snows.......that will likely last the life of the car if you only use them in the winter anyway

RPIRX-8

Ok, I usually hate to chime in when the pissing matches start, but I just have to here. This topic has been debated, threaded, argued, turned racial, pissed upon a whole lot over my 3 years on this forum. This is a no brainer, LEAVE ON YOUR SNOW TIRES. Going through central PA (Somerset, Breezewood, Fort Littleton, to Carlisle) you never know what the weather will do. I've left my parents in Pittsburgh when it was 50 degrees, get to Somerset, snowing like there's no tomorrow. It is not worth taking the chance, especially with a RWD car.

I'm gonna back willhave8 that this thread just adds to the long list of threads on this topic. Do a search for threads where people describe wrecks or close calls. The first winter the RX8s were on the streets there were tons of wrecks reported on this forum from people driving in winter cold/snow/ice with the stock bridgestones.

And that whole comment that your tires are gonna wear through in above 50 degree temps, can I have some of what you are smoking? it must be great stuff. I am still running on my first set of Dunlop Wintersport M3s that I bought in Oct 2003. This is their fourth winter in service and I've got about 70% tread leftover. There have been many days in the 50s and 60s i've driven long distances and the tires handle fine and the wear is no more than normal.

TeamRX8 gave some great info, please read through it. And please keep on the snow tires, for your sake. No more stories of wrecked RX8s in cold weather need to be told.

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

i've driven with my summer tires on in 15 deg F days and my winter tires in 60 deg F days... neither case was dangerous unless you drive like a complete a$$ in which case you shouldn't be driving period

If theres no chance of snow and you like to gamble a bit, either option is safe. I'm not a gambler and I'm too lazy to switch tires, so I still have my winter tires on living in the NE despite the urge to burn off that 2/32" of tread left on my summer tires...

shaunv74

I did on the last page:

"If you're still not sure ask conner@tirerack. He is on this forum alot and can probably give you a straight answer on what the impact on your winter tires are."- originally posted by me

KimiFelipe

You miss the point. Again. The problem is your judgemental attitude. Just because you would do things one way doesnt mean everyone else should do as you say. Who do you think you are, george bush?

I dont understand why ******** like you have to start pissing matches. Just add your opinion and let people decide for themselves. Do you think you're talking to a 10 year old child? You sure act like it.

Conner and the other TR guys are a great resource, but other (knowledgeable, less opinionated) owners are also great resources. There are a number of you internet preacher types on this thread who clearly don't know much about tires, other than the difference between "snow" and "summer." Great, leave your opinion, but you come off as know it alls. You don't know much.

Notice I didn't tell him what to do, I told him what I'd do and why. Somehow you preacher types think you're contributing something more by being, well, ********.

I don't get it.

signing off here. Flame away, preacher boys.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

This is a case for Darwinian Evolution Theories to make a few more of the lowest half of the gene pool disappear

DrDiaboloco

Uh huh. I guess driving on the stock tires in the 40deg range, with no freezing precipitation, was covered in his "On the Origin of Species", right?

FWIW, with the benefit of hindsight (in other words, trip completed), I could've easily have done this on the "summer rubber". The forecasts were right for a change and I never even saw freezing temps, much less any snow... Though it did rain heavily for almost the entire eastbound trip.

BTW, WS50's have a terrible rep for "wet weather traction", but from what I learned on my trip, that's only at very low speeds on local roads. On the highway, the snows did an incredible job in the downpours I drove through for 11hrs... 75mph, no problems, no wiggling, great traction. I'd rather drive these in the rain than on dry pavement... Though the squirrelly feeling that these tires had new is now pretty much gone now that they've worn in. Just keep them under 99mph (not hard to do on I-80 with the Federales around) and yer all set.

shaunv74

Glad to here the weather was in your favor and your snow tires performed well for you.