Tires for cool/cold weather (not snow)

[Khyron686]

In Calgary, spring/summer/fall temps range from 2-12C (38-50F) during morning/evening commutes to 32C (90F) on the odd hot noon summer day. Even a lot of the auto cross races are early morning when the temps are below 60F.

Would you still recommend a max summer tire like the PSS in those conditions (because on those 80F afternoons it would be fun). Ultra class RE11/StarSpecs would be overkill for me as I'm only doing 2-4 events a year and they would suck in those cooler mornings.

I keep coming back to the pilot sport a/s 3 - but putting all seasons on this car just seems wrong! I have studded winters for Oct-April. Being able to delay putting them on is another advantage to using a tire with better cold tolerance.

Also would size 215 vs 235 make a difference in heating up/max grip in cooler temps or is the difference trivial?

[SkAsphalt]

From what I read, you are losing very little perfomance by going with at A/S but you will be gaining a LOT of handling on wet/rainy days.

Was reading a ad by michelon and they said their summer PSS are not good in the wet. They said it themselves!

[BRZZZZZZZZZZ]

PSS and Direzzas are rock hard here in Calgary in spring and fall.

[ZDan]

I'd be looking at General GMax AS-03 at the lower-priced end (got these for wife's Mazda3, handling responsiveness is very good), or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 at the pricier end.

Originally Posted by SkAsphalt

Was reading a ad by michelon and they said their summer PSS are not good in the wet. They said it themselves!

Linkie? PSS are very good in the wet. They are not so good in temps below ~45F ambient.

[OICU812]

I had a set of Michelin AS+ "predecessor" to AS3 and they were excellent tires to say the least. Did wonder full in all situations. The new as3 are also Aysmetrical to note which is a bonus and they have rim protectors built into design to protect the edge of your wheel. IMO that would be best bet for all around.

[SkAsphalt]

Originally Posted by ZDan

I'd be looking at General GMax AS-03 at the lower-priced end (got these for wife's Mazda3, handling responsiveness is very good), or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 at the pricier end.



Linkie? PSS are very good in the wet. They are not so good in temps below ~45F ambient.

All seasons really only last to like -5 or so really (celcus) I forget the exact number, but all seasons in Canada (western Canada anyway) are still only spring/summer/fall.

No link, It was a paid for ad in either a top gear or modified mag. Sorry man. But they do say it is MUCH better in the wet. Their summer performance tires are 100% for dry (well like very little wet, I am sure they handle fine, but they straight up say to buy summer for dry use...I think there is a youtube video with some girl putting tires on a BRZ from tire rack and they say the same things)

[Nevermore]

This is actually the kind of situation I'm in for the three 'warm' seasons. The weather in this area rarely behaves itself. For example, in the last three days we went from 72* and sunny one day, to 35* and rain/snow the next day, to 18* this morning, and not much higher in the afternoon. I don't want to buy a summer tire knowing how much the weather can change here. I'm probably going to end up with the Pilot A/S 3. The reviews praise them highly.