stanngg

So...need new tires and trying to decide what to get. Trying to decide between summer or all season tires. We don't really get much snow but it does get cold! Does the summer tire designation just mean no snow and ice? Or is there actually an issue with driving summer tires in cold tempatures?

JimC

Summer tires will get "hard" in the cold - not a lot of traction with them in low temperatures. I had a TransAm that came with the summer tires on it and as soon as the temps got low the tires had no grip at all. It's a matter of the temperature being a problem - even if you don't get a lot of snow and ice in NJ, the lower temps will not be good for driving on summer tires (they call them summer tires for a reason)

stanngg

Thanks Jim...that's exactly what I needed to know!

1200bruce

Yea no drive in under 32 degrees or bad stuff happens! But that's why I have winter tires too, on separate rims!

MrSandman

I was fine with temps as low as 15 degrees.. just have to be reasonable. No snow though.. any white stuff and you will be paying your insurance deductible.

grabber blue gt

Ill put it to you this way. I put my TSW's on with the nitto nt-555's (summer tires) and loved the way they looked, but already took them off (week later) cause of the way they handled/drove/accelerated in the colder temps. I figuered ahhh what they hell it cant me that bad and the temps seem to be warming up. Well I was wrong cause I can take turns much better, and accelerate harder when I need to now with the stock all seasons on.

aaquib1992

If you dont get much snow, and it still gets fairly cold- then I suggest an intermediate tire like the performance all seasons that pirelli and other tire brands offer. They work in cold weather (not really snow) and in summer admirably well. Just me 2 cents.

07BLACKGT

My car gets plenty of traction in sub-freezing temps with summer tires. I mean, it still spins 1st and 2nd, but so did the stock all-seasons in the winter. I thought my summer tires handled very well in the snow too...? (I'm running KDW's) Plus when it warms up, they grip 1,000 x's better than all-seasons.

MustangFirstCar

I have known people that have done fine with summer tires in winter. Perhaps it depends on the tire itself. I know my pirellis sucked in both the cold and warm months, and my Eagle GTs seem to be doing fine (I know they are all seasons).

JIM5.0

I do not even have a clue what seasons the P-Zero Neros are rated/designed for, but during the cold, even into single digit temps degree F, they got good traction.

But considering that I have not driven on other tires, I admit, I cannot say if they suck or if they are actually any good.