Long multi-climate trip.. snows or not?
 

Just thought I'd get the forum denizens' take on this..

I've got to drive from Syracuse, NY to Baton Rouge, LA and back in a week or two. Right now, obviously, I've still got my snow tires on; good thing, 'cause we just got another 2 and a half feet of snow a few days ago. The season is winding down, but there's always a chance we'll get more snow for another month or so. Even more obviously, there's no chance of any snow or ice in Baton Rouge or for most of the trip.

Soooo... do I leave the snows on and decrease their life span by driving them on dry, relatively warm roads for a couple thousand miles, or slap my summer tires (with legal tread depth, but not a ton left) on for the trip and hope I don't hit any snow on the way out or upon getting close to home again?

I'm planning on taking the snows off for the trip, but I've never driven the car in snow or ice w/ the regular tires, and I'm not real keen on that possibility. Thoughts/opinions?

Thanks..

Barry

Wear out a few microns of tread or die in a sliding out of control car? HMMMMM I know which I would pick.
These summer tires loose any form of traction when the temperature drops below about 40. Doesn't matter if there is no snow or ice if you drive while cold you are running a risk. Now at this time of year (especially this one) you may not hit low enough temps to be a problem but why chance it?

Well, now, I figure (after checking with the Farmer's Almanac), if that you will be taking the freeways down and back, which are usually kept clear, I'd just put the summer tires back on for the trip.


humfrz

LOL... great.. two respected yet differing opinions.. exactly what's been going on in my head for the last couple weeks.. lotta help you guys are!

Thanks for the replies..

Barry

Well that would put the best response someplace in the middle I would think. Not sure if Hum has driven on the stock tires in sub freezing temperatures but I have and it isn't fun. Oh, and they were still brand new not "worn but still legal tread". He has a point about the weather though.

Take a look at the forecast for each area you plan to be in at any given point and see what the temperatures will be. If it says it will drop below 40 while you expect to be on the highway then stick to the winter ones. If it is above that then you may be fine even if there is a light dusting of snow. Snow is not the issue. Cold is.

For me, it would depend on what kind of winter tire you have on. If its a super soft studless like a Blizzak or X-ice, I think the heat generated from that much highway mileage in hot locations could do some real damage.

Are you leaving for 2 weeks, or are you leaving in 2 weeks? If you aren't going until early April, I'd be pretty comfortable removing the snows.

Yep, bought my car 9 December, and it was +5 or 10 degrees Celsius. The next day was the same, the day after that it was -6 and snowing. The only reason I drove the car was to go to the tire shop to get the snow tires that were in my trunk mounted ASAP. With only a few millimeters of snow on the ground, it was a terrible experience.

Personally, my safety isn't worth worrying about some accelerated wear on my winter tires. I may have to replace them a few months early, but that's better than losing traction and dying in a fire ball

Snows on dry roads won't have any effect on them. Up north I ran snow tires until Summer lots of years. But for safety you want the best tires for the worst weather. They will also be good in the rain and there will be rain in Louisiana this time of the year.

eidt- I am assuming they don't have studs. That'd change everything.

I'm coming to the conclusion that there's really no good answer to my question. After doing a little more research, I'm reading that it's just as dangerous to drive on winter tires in hot climates (it'll most likely be in the high 70s/low 80s in Baton Rouge) than it is to drive on summer tires in cold. Besides the wear issue, the tires get soft, can actually shed rubber and "ball up," and handling and braking are greatly reduced. I drove my 325i on winter tires too long one year and I can attest that they were hideous on extremely hot misty days.. I was sliding all over the highway and couldn't figure out why.

Sooo.. I either take my chances in Syracuse, or I take my chances from Ohio southward. I guess I'll just keep an eye on the weather and make the call the day before we head out. It'll be a four day trip down and back.

Thanks for the thoughts.. keep'em coming..

Barry

Any local members generous enough to rent/lend you a set of all seasons? If you can drop the cash, a cheap set of all seasons may not be too expensive. You could get them mounted at a local shop and keep your winters in storage. After the trip, dismount and sell em on craigslist or keep them around

That being said, this solution would put you back 450-600 dollars with the possibility of recouping 300-400 if you try to sell the tires