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[taibanl]

Guys,
Car is in the northeast, and when I get back to her, I gotta throw my winter's on for at least a few weeks in december. Problem is that the first week of January I will be going to Alabama (EDIT: AND REMAINING THROUGH FIRST WEEK OF MARCH) I looked up the weather there

Mo.Avg Lo-Avg Hi
Jan: 36-57
Feb: 39-62

Winters Blizzak LM-60 (performance winter)
Summers Conti DW

If I decide to drive the summers while in AL, is it safe to make a one time trek down from the colder northeast temps to AL with them on provided I am being cautious? We are talking summers, not all seasons, so I am concerned I may be driving on ice-skates in 15-30 degree weather.

[Bajan Loch]

For 1 week you will be fine driving around in warmer weather with your winter tires.

[Tom K.]

I'm not clear. Are you moving from the Northeast to AL and wondering about the drive down? Or will you simply be spending a week or so in AL and then heading back up north?

If the latter, clearly you should use the winter tires.
If the former, do you plan to keep the winter tires? If so, then use them, if not, plan your trip during relatively warm and dry weather.

From experience, I can tell you to expect zero traction in snow with the summer tires.

Tom

[taibanl]

Total buffoonery in my post. I will be working down there for All of Jan and Feb.

[taibanl]

Bump after clarification of question

[ChaseK]

The thing about summers is when temps get below ~45 degrees the tires become very hard causing them have much less traction. Winter tires are designed to remain softer during these temps to provide much better traction.

I would throw them on, but that's just me. Better safe than sorry.

[taibanl]

Looks like the avg temps are basically Low of 40 to High of 60. Wouldn't I be melting my winters if driving around much ABOVE 45deg?

I'd hate to have to have THREE sets of tires. S/W/AS

[flip4335]

I would drive down in my winters. They were meant to drive anywhere up to mid-50s/low-60s without any issues. You just can't drive for very long or very fast (lower tire rating) in them at the upper temps.

You might want to consider DWS all-seasons to solve the issue of swapping out.

IMO, I would save both of the tires you have if they are still in good tread shape, and get a set of DWS mounted when you return, then drive down to AL and not worry.

[NiVeDh]

I run my summers year-round in Atlanta. I just don't drive the 1 or 2 days it snows. The whole city shuts down anyway so there's no reason to go anywhere.

[taibanl]

Originally Posted by flip4335

I would drive down in my winters. They were meant to drive anywhere up to mid-50s/low-60s without any issues. You just can't drive for very long or very fast (lower tire rating) in them at the upper temps.


You might want to consider DWS all-seasons to solve the issue of swapping out.


IMO, I would save both of the tires you have if they are still in good tread shape, and get a set of DWS mounted when you return, then drive down to AL and not worry.

I have one season old summers and winters...No way I am going to have A/S also! (and two sets of rims, not getting a third!)
I think I am going to have my summers put on the last day and limp out of whatever conditions are up there until the roads are nice and dry. Dont want to destroy my winters (as daytime temps will be closer to the top of the range (60) than the low end (40)

[anerbe]

As long as you don't get any bad weather (I'd check the forecast often), the drive down is manageable with summers. They definitely grip less in colder weather, but driving thru march on winters in Alabama will definitely wear them out.

[AWD Addict]

Originally Posted by Bajan Loch

For 1 week you will be fine driving around in warmer weather with your winter tires.

+1 Been driving on my Nokians for 3 weeks in abnormally high New England fall weather. Be careful when it warms up, particularly on the freeway. They'll soften up quite a bit when warm.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by taibanl

Total buffoonery in my post. I will be working down there for All of Jan and Feb.

Since you have performance winters and not studless, I would keep the winters on the entire time - primarily because you will probably need them when returning to Syracuse in early March.

I recall a few folks claiming that they used their Dunlop M3 (non RFT variety) winters year 'round which I can understand as the ones on my E46 handled (and wore) surprisingly well for a snow tire.

Tom

[Gary@TireRack]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Since you have performance winters and not studless, I would keep the winters on the entire time - primarily because you will probably need them when returning to Syracuse in early March.



Tom

+1 on this. I would not want to drive back to Syracuse in March on summer tires if there is snow on the road.

If the temps get extremely warm, just drive a bit more conservatively. H/V rated performance snows can handle higher temps without losing too much handling and treadlife.

[Gary@TireRack]

Originally Posted by taibanl

Looks like the avg temps are basically Low of 40 to High of 60. Wouldn't I be melting my winters if driving around much ABOVE 45deg?

I'd hate to have to have THREE sets of tires. S/W/AS

You won't melt off LM60's at those temps. If it gets much warmer, tone down the driving and avoid hard cornering, hard braking and hard acceleration.

[Rick4345]

Put on the winter tires. I'm making a trip to South Carolina. Even though it is warmer down there, it's a mixture of light snow and rain as we sit here. You never know when crappy weather will turn up. Better to take the side of caution.