Winter Wheels and Tires

[Shifty]

Can you

After much deliberation and multiple Tire Rack orders I went the all season route. Even though it has been an extremely mild winter so far I am just not going to drive this car in snowy conditions. Remote work and teenagers with a car I can use made it a fairly easy decision. I had Conti DWS06 on my GTI and really wanted them again but no XL load in the rears made me go with Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 - so far so good. Appreciate all the ideas and brainstorming on this topic and will keep an eye on it to see where it goes with wheel and tire options down the road. 400 mile OEM Pilot Sports for sale in the classifieds if anyone needs a second set already:

For Sale - FS: CT4-V Blackwing Tires

I don't have easy warm storage of the summers if I go the winter tire route, so may go with your choice of all seasons. I've heard the handling isn't THAT much worse with the Pilot AS4 all seasons. Winter tires are superior for snow, of course, but I have another car for winter duty.

 

[jwolf99]

So has anyone been driving with Toyo Proxes Sport AS and if so how have they been?

 

[Dirkbg]

After much deliberation and multiple Tire Rack orders I went the all season route. Even though it has been an extremely mild winter so far I am just not going to drive this car in snowy conditions. Remote work and teenagers with a car I can use made it a fairly easy decision. I had Conti DWS06 on my GTI and really wanted them again but no XL load in the rears made me go with Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 - so far so good. Appreciate all the ideas and brainstorming on this topic and will keep an eye on it to see where it goes with wheel and tire options down the road. 400 mile OEM Pilot Sports for sale in the classifieds if anyone needs a second set already:

For Sale - FS: CT4-V Blackwing Tires

When my original tires wear out I think I'll have to consider all seasons too. I won't drive in snow or salty roads, but I'd like to drive occasionally in under 40 degree weather and not worry my tires will shatter and crumble under 20 degrees. But, when part of the deal is the OEM tires were spec'ed to the car, my mind thinks I'm getting cheated out of some level of performance. Of course, it's probably performance I'd never be able to detect, but that little voice will still be there nagging me. I'd love to see real testing to verify if there is any significant difference to a set of high performance all-seasons.

 

[pmsteinm]

While I don't have a BW, the difference between the Pilot Sport 4 and Pilot Sport A/S3+ on my 2009 CTS-V is substantial. With the A/S3+ 1st gear (manual transmission) is unusable past 1/2 throttle without spinning the tires. Braking action is similar, but when you want to take a hard turn and actually get on the throttle the summers are so much better. Back when I owned my 04 CTS-V I actually did the Pilot Sport A/S (the grandfather of the AS4) year-round but that car had way less power and a very nervous chassis so I never felt good pushing it. With the 09 it is a great day every April when I put the summers back on.

In the snow the A/S3+ are ok in pinch but I generally avoid driving in the rare snow we get here. The summer tires are unsafe in temperatures below ~40, and according to Michelin can be damaged if used below freezing.

I assume the A/S4 will be better than the A/S3+, but probably not a huge difference based on my experience going from the A/S+, A/S3, A/S3+ over the years.

Over the years I've had the PS2 (OEM), PSS, and PS4 summers on my V. The PS4 is worlds better and makes the car able to put power down in a way it never could on the PS2...and that's with suspension components and bushings that are now 14 years old.