Can't decide to get winter tires for tS?
 

I have a winter beater which is a Legacy wagon and I could park my tS for the winter. Trying to decide if I should get winter tire package for the tS or no. I still drive the Legacy on bad days but with winter tires I could drive the BRZ periodically.

Any advice?

Well, you simply should NOT drive the tS with the stock tires in cold weather, period. It comes with Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, which are just not safe to drive in below-freezing temperatures (and can actually crack if it's TOO cold - ask the Corvette guys about that.) Michelin even explicitly states this. So if you want to drive it at all, you'll really need winter tires unless you're going to wait for that odd 40+ degree day. With proper winter tires, you could drive it whenever you wanted, but if you have a winter beater, then it's really up to you whether or not you want to bother equipping it for those conditions, and exposing it to the salt.

I just bought the same Pilot Sport 4S tires for my BRZ, and they are currently stacked in the basement awaiting spring here in Chicago. In the meantime, I'm on my winter wheels, ready to take on the snow, as I do every year. It can be a lot of fun, especially when we head up to the frozen lakes of Wisconsin for some ice racing :)

http://www.seriesblueadventures.com/...17/04/03-2.jpg

https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net...b7&oe=5C5F8F90

I have driven mine through part of one winter until I replaced my beater. I leave mine parked during the winter now, and enjoy not caring.


You have an AWD Subaru, and you're questioning whether or not to drive your RWD Subaru during the winter...... this is a no brainer.

Im in DE so similar climate. What was said you don't want to drive on the summer tires snow or not its the below freezing temps that hurt them. You don't need snow tires if you already have a beater. I put all seasons on my stock wheels and roll with them no problem. Even ok with light snow

I'm looking for wheels that will fit over the Brembo brakes in 17x7 or 71/2. Not having much luck so far. I don't want those tires holding the cars weight on freezing cold concrete. Plus, with winters I'll be able to enjoy it on those bright sunny days when the roads are dry.
I'm keeping my '06 STi for my bad weather, DD beater.



Heck, I've been beating on it for 12 years so why stop now! ;) hehe

I was going back and forth, and finally decided on this.

I bought a set of wheels/tires for the tS, was initially going to buy snow tires but as I won't be driving the tS when it's actually snowing or threatening to snow/ice. I do have an AWD Legacy with snow tires for my real bad weather driving. And in my climate we can have plenty of nice sunny days. I figured to split the difference and buy a set of Michelin® Pilot® Sport A/S 3+

I have a set of these for my Legacy when I take off the snow tires and I was greatly impressed with their performance. I realize the Legacy is not a performance car but they are the best all season tires I have ever owned in my estimation. Will replace the summer tires in the spring.

Apparently they are all season tires (with a dash of snow ability) not anything like snow tires but better than older all season tires had been on the snow.

I was debating to get either 18 or 17 inch wheels and they both are similar width but decided for the 17" to get a bit more sidewall and pot hole protection, will post pictures when they are here.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNpna-ga6YU[/ame]

get the toyo celsius tire.. it's not a winter tire, but it's not all-season.. it's somewhere in between!

https://www.toyotires.com/tire/patte...ble-conditions

Pardon the dirty car.

I got a set of wheels/tires from TireRack.

Got the Micheline Pilot Sport A/S 3+ went down one size in diameter to 17" but up a half inch in width to 225/45ZR17 on 17x8 inch wheels.

17x8 +42 offset Method Rally wheels MR503 Black Painted which weigh 16.5 lbs

According to Tirerack the wheels/tires 16.5 + 24 (tires) should weight 40.5 lbs each, I have not weighed the wheels yet since I got installed at my tire shop, but I did weigh one of the stock wheel/tires at 42.7 lbs. So they are fairly close.

I just drove a bit (it's sunny and 40 degrees) the tires feel more loose, squishy than my summer tires and seems like I can slide around more but overall about what I was expecting.

I couldn't decide going with 17" (more sidewall) or 18" so went with the smaller wheels which I think are ok except they feel a bit squishy. I don't know if that's due to the larger sidewall or the tire construction or both. I went with +42 which should have put the entire extra width on the outside of the car according to the offset calculators, the front is almost (not quite flush) the back is still pushed in but not as much as stock.

[url]https://www.ft86club.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=172427&stc=1https://www.ft86club.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=https://www.ft86club.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=172429&stc=1&d=1541881 595172428&stc=1&d=1541881595&d=1541881335[/urlhttps://www.ft86club.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=172430&stc=1&d=1541881 595]

Interesting choice considering your original post was about a winter setup.

Would definitely rather have 215/45/17 blizzaks or hakkas in a winter driving scenario than an all season.

I don't think it's an interesting choice at all. just that I didn't get much/any feedback from the forum regarding my initial question.

I said that I have a winter beater and that I will drive that car on bad days.

I don't need two cars on full snow tires, I have the Legacy for snow days.


Our winter in Maryland is very mixed, I can have 50+ degree days and I can have -1 degree days with rain/snow/ice or sun.


I can't drive my tS with summer tires when it's 37 or colder which is most of the winter, it's 36 degrees today. So I got a set of all season tires so I can drive my BRZ most days and my Legacy when it looks bad. We have weather forecasts so I can see most times when it's going to be snow/ice and not drive my BRZ, if you look at the video I posted above the tires I got by definition are all season, not snow tires but can do in light snow if had to. But like I said 99% won't be driving in snow. heck even when it snows here it's cleared very quickly so last year I might have been out in real snow 2-3 times and with my Legacy that's a piece of cake.

I can assure you, most of MD has mild winters. Snow tires are overkill especially if you also have a winter beater.

I too run all seasons in the winter. Good choice for the Mid-Atlantic.

All seasons are overkill, especially if you have a DD / beater, lol.

An overkill of moderation? I suppose that's one way to look at it. But I'm gonna leave this one here for you...

o·ver·kill
ˈōvərˌkil
noun
noun: overkill
1.
excessive use, treatment, or action; too much of something.
"animators now face a dilemma of technology overkill"
synonyms: excess, embroidery, embellishment, hyperbole, gilding the lily
"many patients are demanding a battery of tests that their doctors consider overkill"
2.
the amount by which destruction or the capacity for destruction exceeds what is necessary.
"the existing nuclear overkill"

You didn't get the context. It's ok. If you have a beater, park the fun car....no need for all seasons. :lol:

maybe if you live in some place that is flat and you dont need to get anywhere at any given point in time...

BRZ is too nice to leave parked most of the winter.

I prefer not to leave a car sitting for more than 2 weeks if I can help it. I'm sure others are in the same situation.

Or know how to drive in the snow and plan ahead. A good set of all seasons and decent driving will get you where you want to go in most conditions. 95% of the time the main roads and highways are treated and plowed if there is snow anyway.

Two weeks is a time limit for you, why? Lot of people put their fun cars up for winter or have projects that they dont drive often.

Where I live hardly anyone uses winter tires. I’m the only one that does (as far as people I know and that’s a lot of people). I’d like to have snow tires in the snow but 99% of the time the roads are clear of Snow.

id pay good money to watch an arm chair winterdriver drive in 20%+ snow covered roads in pittsburgh with all seasons. id literally pay for your gas to watch you attempt to drive up say elanor street in 1.5" of unplowed slush

Where you gonna find one of those?

That's a mighty intense grade on that one. Might have to be smart and not take the road that goes directly up a hill, but rather take a longer but shallower route.

https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~abm/pgh_hills.html


next question, or are you just going to continue giving shitty advice that is going to get someone hurt?

I haven't given advice, at all, to anyone. I started by supporting Ria-zero's already-made decision. He is in a similar situation to me, and I believe he made the right call based on my experience. After that, I simply have said what I have done, and continue to do in my situation when challenged by people who feel the need to tell others how wrong they are because it's different than what they do.

You clearly feel strongly on this matter, and if there is some personal experience you would like to share regarding winter driving, you have our attention. Otherwise, please spare us the outrage. It makes it seem like you are trying to be a hero in a story that doesn't need one.

oh my bad i guess "Or know how to drive in the snow and plan ahead. A good set of all seasons and decent driving will get you where you want to go in most conditions." was just drunk rambling from yo. which brings me back to my original point, maybe if you drive only on flat. either way any car that drives in freezing temps should be running winter tires period. regardless of snow or hill

Please keep in mind the context in which that was said. Is it impossible that someone in a "cold" climate can get around in the winter with all season tires? I've spent most of my life in upstate NY and New England. I can assure you that 80-90% of the people there do not have winter or snow tires and actually drive better in the snow than normal because they are typically focused on getting to where they are going safely rather than quickly. Knowing how to drive in the snow and planning ahead like that works well for me.

This by no means should be taken as "Nobody should ever have snow tires" because that's just not true. Winter and snow tires are a perfectly acceptable solution to have for those that want them.

Now I am going to give you some advice:
You should definitely get some winter tires on your vehicle(s) if that isn't the case already. I think it's important that you feel comfortable driving in whatever conditions you face daily. However I do recommend you learn the limits in a safe place when it snows so that you aren't surprised in a less safe place. Also, it helps to slow down a bit when the weather is bad.

Great day driving the tS was 32 degrees this am and up to 48 high temp.

I adjusted the air psi to 38 and not as squishy as before. I still debate if I did the right thing getting the 17 instead of the 18 wheels but it feels very nice overall a bit more cushy ride than stock but not bad at all.

You'll be happy for the 17s once we get a good cold spell in and all the potholes open up.

I ran snows on my FRS in the winter until I got a second car, but if you're not actually driving when it's snowing out then all seasons are a good idea.

I lived in Maryland from Nov 2005 to August 2012. Drove in the winter and have never driven on winter tires. I think it will be ok.

I was thinking about getting those Method wheels. Not a lot of choices in 17x8. Is the clearance on the Brembo's decent for the spokes and the barrel? Still happy with them?