vie2233hil

Sup,

I searched the forum on this topic and could not come up with a conclusive answer. Are stock tires all-season? Can I drive it in snow or I have to change tires? What is the "official" answer?

Thanks

vinnay

no, you will die in the snow with stock tires.

Zenvy

very true...

i had trouble getting out of my apartment complex when it was subzero weather because the tires were as hard as rock...it took me 2-3 minutes to travel 100 or so feet...traction was worse with snow.

ChuckGZ

for god's sake man, don't do it.

jreiter

iTrader: (6)

There are two things that prevent the stock tires from working well in the snow, or even when the temperature gets near freezing:

1) The tread pattern is not designed for snow. They will not have any worthwhile grip.

2) The rubber compound is a summer, high performance compound. This means the rubber will actually begin to harden when the temperatures get near freezing, make the tires grip less and less. (Zenvy described this up above.)

If you plan to travel in the snow on any regular basis, you should seriously considering picking up a cheap set winter rims, and put some proper snow/winter tires on them. Having a second set of rims means you won't have to have different tires mounted back and forth on your good rims when the seasons changed. With a second set of rims, you can just unbolt the summer rims, and bolt on the winter rims.

Blizzak makes pretty much the best snow tires around. Awesome tread patterns that grip like crazy in the snow, and a proper rubber compound that won't harden up in freezing temperatures.

OP Z

iTrader: (1)

absolutely no traction in snow...NONE.

Z-Z

Just to test ti last year, I pulled out of the driveway to drive up and down my road only. I went about 20 feet.

I COULD NOT GET MY CAR BACK INTO THE (FLAT) DRIVEWAY WITHOUT HELP.

Don't even try it.

Ruhtra

Lol so true. Let me tell ya a story youngens I missed driving my Z so i decided to take it out for a drive. ( I dont have a garage) So I removed all the snow got it all purty engine is warmed up so now to drive out of the alley. I go back and forth and im kinda moving , go back shovel snow go forth shovel snow. I did this quite a few times and one of the times I was reversing and got stuck so i decided to get out and shovel some snow from underneath the tires . I get to the rear of the car and WTF what do I see my wheels are spinning and I didnt have spinners I left the car in reverse out by mistake going back and forth a lot so the moral of the story is those tires realy realy realy realy suck dont drive on them in winter.

ChuckGZ

for god's sake man, don't do it.

Lerxst

iTrader: (2)

I picked up my car in early april of this year. A week later we had a freak snowstorm. I wouldn't go past 20mph... the back end kept stepping out even in a straight line... VERY scary!

Putting my blizzaks on tonight for this winter...

lovetoclown

iTrader: (1)

The Z is VERY bad in the snow. The rear end loves to try and take the lead.

zupernoc

We could be ditch buddies this winter - but I decided to put on some Blizzak LM22 tires. Don't drive in winter with the stock tires!!

CelticPride2

I concur with everyone else here. Stock tires in winter cold = giant hockey pucks with no traction. If u plan on driving it during all 4 seasons, the Blizzaks shall set you free

Bill d

BLIZZAKS BABY !!!!!!

rockinbboy

iTrader: (1)

Since 99% of people are telling you don't do it, I say be adventurous and do it.






























-Just Kidding

006Roadster

I had my Z for 3 days, there was a trace of snow on the ground, and I almost diched the car. The tires are SUMMER ONLY!

kovalf

I'ts really embarrassing to have a 1994 FWD Sh*tbox fly by you as you're trying to slalom up the hill. Z's with stock tires weren't made for snow.

tommym

iTrader: (2)

has anyone here used the Michelin Pilot all season tires, and if so, how were they in the cold and snow?

jreiter

iTrader: (6)

I wouldn't say it's embarrassing. Put summer tires on any car and they are going to be awful in the snow. On that note, I would be very disappointed in Nissan if they fitted the Z with some silly all season tires from the factory.

jreiter

iTrader: (6)

There is an important distinction between cold and snow. When it comes to cold weather (with no snow), the rubber compound is the important part. You need a compound that won't harden (and thus lose traction) when it gets cold. But in the snow, tread pattern is most important (although rubber compound still plays a part).

If you are looking for a 2nd set of tires to be used in the snow, you really should consider tires made specifically for winter and snow as opposed to all season tires. One of the big problems with all seaon tires is that they try to compromise. They try to be decent summer tires (which reduces their winter effectiveness), and also try to be decent winter tires (which reduces their summer effectiveness).

If you can only have 1 set of tires to be used year round (hot summers and cold/snowy winters), then a set of all seasons might be your best bet. But if you can have 2 different sets of wheels/tires, then get tires which are geared specificially for each season with no compromises.