The Winter Wheel & Tire Discussion & Questions Thread
 

So here's my deal...

I have a 10 minute commute and my GF lives with me and drives a Jeep. I have a 10 minute drive to work so if it is snowing she can take me or I can call a cab or even work remote from home if it's really bad out. I always drove a RWD car and never bought snow tires in the past, I just avoided going out when it was snowing, easy enough really.

Everyone says I should get snow tires, obviously it makes sense, but where I have a short commute and a Jeep in the driveway do I really need to bother? I live in New England but I think we'll get only a handful of snow storms, it's really never constant snow. Just seems silly with a 10 minute commute to suite the car up with snow tires, if I need to go anywhere far on the weekend and it's snowing we'll just take the Jeep...

If you do reccommend I get snow tires does it make sense to get a second set of rims or to mount and unmount? Just looking for opinions for my situation as I am ready to toss a coin...

after reading your post, it seems you already know the answer

:lockd:

Actually, I kinda don't... I guess I am leaning towards not buying them but I do expect slush and general "oops I'm driving and it just started snowing unexpectedly" to happen... I have no idea if I will need snow tires for these situations or if I can muscle out of a sprinkle with my regular wheels...

But yeah, if the forcast says "snow today" I am leaving my car parked until the roads are cleared, just don't have room in the garage yet so it will be outside...

If you will not be driving the 350Z in snow I don't see a reason for snow tires. Am I missing something?

Your not really missing anything except the fact nobody is ever 100% certain what the weather will be. Yes, "the plan" is to not drive while it is snowing out, but there's a "chance" it might happen randomly. In the past I never gave a crap about snow tires but everyone (ie- EVERYONE!!!) keeps mentioning snow tires to me so it gets my brain cranking about them.

I plan to drive while snow is sitting on the planet Earth in the region around me but the roads are clear, I know roads do not always get plowed right down to the pavement, so I actually think my question is valid enough to ask. "Driving in the snow" is a relative term, no I won't be driving while it's snowing but there might just be an instance where my weather control device fails and I happen to get caught in the snow or even worse if my mind control device on the plow driver fails and he leaves a coat of it on the road behind him! Really, I can control all this **** around me all the time, so yeah forget the question entirely.

you know what, I'll skip the snow tires and just feel it out for myself.

I went with a new set of wheels (MB Wheels 7) 17x7 and Hanook IceBear 225/50R winter tires all around. It will be my dedicated set for winter only. I got everything at tires dot com.

Thank you, this is helpful and gives me a good starting point to do the research.

Anyone do something like this???

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Winte...mZ140152806465

Situation is similar to Baltimore:

I am at work with the 350Z, and it starts to snow like a mother. By 4:30 there is 3 inches of snow on the ground. I leave the car at work and catch a ride home.

The main roads are clear but not the side roads. Its only 3 blocks from my house to the main road. But I cant make it 3 blocks.

My current set up is a compromise: all season performance tires.

i also watch the weather reports because i am pretty sure that there is no such thing as a "flash snow storm" that magically appears out of nowhere. if it even hints of snow or ice i will not drive the car (unless it is totally unavoidable or emergency). i am good at snow driving but even i will not take the Z out in it, the car is not suited (snow tires or not) for snow driving at all.

don't even waste your money on snow tires for the z. my car came with icebears front and rear. they suck in snow, they suck in rain. buy a beater car with the $800 or so dollars and have fun hitting shopping carts and snow banks. my z goes in the garage the beginning of nov and doesn't come out till the roads are clean in may. i have a jeep daily driver.

however, if you are interested i am going to sell my stock 18" rims with the icebears on them. rears have prob 1/3 tread left. fronts are in great shape.

Hummm... mine went really well on our ice and sleet storm yesterday and today's snow. I was able to drive with confidence. I saw 2 SUVs in the ditch and 300M spin out of control. I recommend them 100%. So for those who do not have another car for winter, these Icebears from Hannook are a great buy for less.

Huh...??? I already bought a winter set-up with Icebears (I already posted that). And my 18" stocks is in my garage waiting for spring. :icon38:

If you can afford it, then why not? It's worth it for the peace of mind. I came across a great deal on a used set, so I picked it up.

I drove my z in the snow for 1 winter and hated it. I did 2krpms at all times and had blizzaks I spent 800 on and the car still slid everywhere when there was actually snow on the ground. I also had 2 huge sandbags in the rear for better traction. You can do it but I don't reccomend and no all weather tire works well in the snow if blizzaks wont. Good luck with your tires for this season.

If you plan to drive your Z in snow and on ice, you need 4 snow tires (you need to stop as well as go). That advice is whether you drive 4 blocks, 4 miles, or 40 miles. It only takes one slip (and that can happen one block from your house) to lose control and hit a curb or have something much worse happen.

I’m in Minnesota where the roadways remain frozen during the winter months. The only tire that works here during the winter is astudless snow tires. You don’t need to add weighting to the rear (as someone mentions). You only need to mount the right snow tire for safe winter driving.

If you are in a climate where there is continual freezing/thawing, you are probably OK with a winter performance tire.

I wouldn’t use an all-season tire in climates where the roadway freezes.

--Spike

Question on winter setup. Two different sets of tires. A mix & match.
 

I am thinking about putting winter tires on my Z. I have access to four RX-8 Winter tires. I am pretty sure they are 225/45-18. Which will fit my front wheels. But not my rears. So, can I mix two brands/sets of tires for the front and rear? Like have Dunlops in the rear and Bridgestones in the front.

Winter Tires?
 

I found that the stock Potenza on my GT simply has ZERO traction in snow, thin or heavy.

I've just invested some $1200 in 4 of these:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...LM-25

Same profile / sizes as my stock potenza summer tire (245 front + 265 rear)

Hopefully my car will have much more traction in snow, and I could drive with confidence and not worrying that my Z is going to slide around even if I hit the brakes?

I drove around in an RX8 with those last year in a very big storm. It did much better than I expected it to. You will still slip, but you get traction back as opposed to your stock tires which get pretty much zero in the snow.