Primacy HP tires in "winter-lite"??
 

Okay, so the topic of summer tires in winter has been discussed to death... or has it?

The problem is that "winter" clearly means different things to different people. Driving on summer tires in winter in Alaska? I'll believe that's unacceptable. Driving on summer tires in winter in Mexico? You might be okay.

I just bought a new Subaru BRZ over the weekend and it came with the stock Michelin Primacy HP tires obviously. It occurs to me that these are sold as "summer touring" tires and now I'm wondering if I need to change them out for different tires for the upcoming [relatively] colder weather in Seattle.

The temperature in Seattle rarely goes below freezing. I read somewhere that it happened on 15 days last year, presumably in the middle of the night when I wouldn't be driving. For the vast majority of the time during the winter, I expect the temperature to be above 40 degrees.

We get minimal snow and ice. I think I can count the number of days there was snow or ice on the ground last year on one hand. I'm fine staying home or Ubering around on those days.

Thanks for any input!

They're pretty bad, and I wouldn't reccomend using them in any kind of "winter" scenario.

I wouldn't want to use them any time the temp might drop below 60 degrees. With the cost of general winter tires being relatively low and when you keep the pressure of them at 40 psi, they handle well and make sure nothing bad happens to the summer tires. Unfortunately Tire rack doesn't seem to carry them in our sizes for some odd reason.

I know you are trying to convince yourself it will be ok...but winter tires are more for an emergency than they are how you think the general season will go. Always better to be safe and get the winter setup...unless you will truly never be caught out with the car. Really good tires mounted on cheap rims can be had for 650-900 bucks. Whats your insurance deductible if you wreck the car? 250? 500? 1000? Buy the tires.

the Primacy tires aren't very good in the rain much less snow. If your that worried get an all Season Tire. I use Michelin Premier A/S. they are Fast in the Dry and Great in the wet. A little Hydroplaning is to be expected as the tire wears out.

meh, I ran my primacys year-round until they were shot. yeah, they suck on actual snow but when it's just cold out they do their job.

I'm not saying they're as good as a snow tire but they're functional. They're not going to freeze and begin falling apart on the road.

You may think 'they're fine for the time being', until that one time you slide out of control going slow.
I don't recommend using summer tires in any type of 'winter' conditions, light or heavy.

They just don't grip in those conditions.

All seasons can be used for 'winter lite' conditions.
Summers are for 'absolutely no winter' conditions.
Winters are for "all winter" conditions.

On one side I can empathize, because I bought my car around the same time of the year, but I would not take chances. I didn't, and within a month of buying the car I scooped up a used set of winter tires on steel wheels from a forum member here. The whole set, already mounted on the wheels, balanced and ready to go, cost me $400, maybe 1/3 of a tank of gas, and a couple of bucks in tolls. I even threw them in the back of the FR-S and drove back home with them to prove that claim that you can, lol.

I drove on the Primacy tires in sleet one time when I got caught in it leaving work before I could get my winters mounted. There was maybe a half inch at most of slushy mess on the roads. I would not want to have to deal with even that again after experiencing how much of a difference winter tires make.

Here's my take on how you should make your decision. It's lengthy, but take from it what you will: Summer tires don't like temps below 40. Anything near or below freezing can actually damage the tires in ways that you're not going to be able to perceive, so even if the car isn't being driven at the time there is still an issue of exposure. It's not just about the act of driving in snow and ice. Winter tires are made to exist and work in low temperatures, whether you're driving through snow or on a dry road. Summer tires start turning into hockey pucks when it gets cold enough.

If you're going to be garaging the car at night and it won't be exposed to freezing temps, then the tires would be okay. If not, I wouldn't take the risk. I may have a lot more winter to deal with where I live than you do, but you'd be taking a potentially expensive gamble on the four most important parts on your car besides the brakes. Two things I don't skimp on with my cars: tires and brakes.

Yes, they're "summer touring" tires, but all that means is they suck at being good summer tires, but are still dangerous in the way summer tires are in cold temps and snow/ice......and they'll last a really long time.

Generally, once I see my high temps for the day regularly being below 50 degrees, it's time to consider moving to winter tires (we're getting there in Southern New England now). I think 60 is a bit too aggressive, but everyone's got their own comfort levels of when they want to make the switch. If your high for the day is around 40, you can be pretty sure your low at night will be at or below freezing, and summer tires don't like being there.

If you're going to take a chance on running the tires year-round, commit to your words of getting shuttled when the weather is bad, and if you do drive your car, don't turn off any of the nannies. They can't defeat physics, but something is better than nothing if your tires can't grip. As someone else mentioned, you really wouldn't want to be out and get caught having to drive home in winter weather on tires that aren't up to the task.

:cheers:

Hi!

I live in Lakewood (little less than an hour away from Seattle) and I will admit I stupidly did this for about 2 weeks my first year of owning my car. Nothing bad happened to me but it was miserable and I had to be really cautious. It's not worth all the stress. In my opinion at 40F the primacy's become stupid and it just gets worse from there. I'd highly discourage you from running them.

Also how does Seattle not freeze? haha

EDIT: Also congrats on the new car!

They're bad in certain scenarios. For example, making a slight uphill left hand turn onto the road from an off ramp, where the the road kinda transitions to downhill off-camber during the turn. The car very suddenly and unexpectedly rotated. I collected it but damn, that puckered up my butthole

This past January, I drove to Chicago on my stock all-season Bridgestones which had 40K+ miles. It snowed while I was there.
I made it out in one piece.


If I had the Michelins, I would not have made the trip.


Most people don't get winter tires, even in Chicago. For Seattle, you'd be fine with All Seasons. I would not run summer tires in the winter at all.

I got all seasons the first winter I got the car. They're still on it.
It snowed about 3/4 inch that winter one time.
Have not had to drive in the snow here since, though I'm down at sea level.

We used to get snow regularly. Not so much the last five years.

I gotta ask, why do people go on internet forums to weigh their own tolerance for risk?

It's like asking on a forum for financial advice from absolute strangers. Quick, gimme all your money, I'll know what to do with it.

Although strangers, we collectively have hundreds of years driving these cars in all different weather...and with nothing to really gain from the OP going winter tires or not, its probably pretty good advice we are offering. Oddly enough, consensus is erring on the side of caution! Unlike the exhaust threads 'I have a header, will a 3" straight pipe be too loud? NO!'

OP should buy winter tires and when he wears out the crappy stock tires, get some nice/sticky summer tires to really enjoy the car!