Winter vs All-Season in wet cold weather

Kinja'd!!! "Bryan doesn't drive a 1M" (bryantakespictures)
11/18/2015 at 13:01 • Filed to: None

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I did not plan ahead enough and would have to wait until dec 7 for winter tires, or I can get all season tires now. We don’t get much snow here, but the temps sometimes go below freezing and there is lots of rain.

Would all-seasons be fine if I don’t plan on driving in the snow anyway?


DISCUSSION (18)


Kinja'd!!! HammerheadFistpunch > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:04

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more info needed. But to preempt the cast majority of responses:

Winter best

A/S okay

So, back to the needed info:

Where are you?

What do you drive?

Highway or City mostly?


Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:09

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Yes.


Kinja'd!!! smobgirl > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:10

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This will be my 7th winter in Denver and the first time I’ve bothered with snow tires. I mostly got them so I can venture to the mountains if I feel like it. All seasons were fine on my modern DD last winter and were slightly terrifying but tolerable on my ‘99 Civic as long as I avoided steep unplowed hills.


Kinja'd!!! Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:10

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Yeah wait for winters. I’ve driven on summers in cold rain, you just have to remember you have less grip and drive like it.


Kinja'd!!! Takuro Spirit > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:14

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I’ve found that dedodated (wam) winter tires perform better in the rain and stay more pliable in the cold than all seasons. So I say you CAN run all-seasons all year if you just get cold and no snow, but for the best traction on cold dry ground I would go with snows.


Kinja'd!!! duurtlang > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:18

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Winters are by far the best in snow and in temperatures significantly below freezing. The latter due to a different rubber composition that doesn’t get as negatively affected by cold temperatures and thus provides far better grip (stopping distance) when it’s very cold , even if there’s no snow.

If you drive in a place which rarely gets snow nor temperatures significantly below freezing you can get by with all seasons. If you have to drive through snow more than a few days a year I’d get winter tires.


Kinja'd!!! Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:26

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I think it would depend on what all season and what winter tire you are talking about, snow tires tend to have lots of sipes that grip snow and ice better, but aren’t quite as good in the dry


Kinja'd!!! gin-san - shitpost specialist > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:28

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Judging from what you said here, you could get by on all-seasons. I managed to get through a brutal winter last season with brand new all-seasons, and this was driving everyday whether it was nice and dry or snowing like crazy. You have to be more aware in general, especially with braking distances, but it's possible. I think in your case it should be okay since it's not always below freezing and it's more rain than deep snow.


Kinja'd!!! Roadster Man > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:32

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Honestly, all seasons beat winter tires in cold wet weather. At least they would beat any winter tire I’ve driven on.

Good winter tires are made of a compound that doesn’t grip well until it’s around freezing temperature, and at that point they are very good for getting around in the snow. Wet weather performance definitely comes a distant second.

If it wasn’t around freezing for most of the winter, and I didn’t have to deal with snow on a regular basis, I would get all-seasons. I put my winters on a bit early and I’m regretting it. In this 40-45F weather they feel soft and squirmy and the grip is terrible. Once it gets to around 30-35 the rubber will grip better.


Kinja'd!!! spanfucker retire bitch > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:33

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I used winter tires for the first time in my life last year and don’t get me wrong - they’re great. Worth every penny.

But you can definitely survive a winter on all season tires. I drove for years on just all seasons in Western New York and never spun off the road or got into accident because of them. If you don’t know how to drive in the winter, you can survive just fine with A/S tires.

If you really, really, really want winter tires, then just wait. It doesn’t seem like winter is going to be early and vicious this year like it was last year.


Kinja'd!!! Teleph0nes > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 13:37

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If the temps only “sometimes go below freezing” and you don’t get much snow, you will want All-Seasons.


Kinja'd!!! ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Roadster Man
11/18/2015 at 13:43

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Wow, honestly, what a load of crap. lol the rubber on winter tires are much softer so that they are effective at lower temps, also the tread is supperior for clearing water and light snow to improve tire contact. (the small crevasses are for picking up snow to improve grip under deep snow conditions) Also its important to note that most winter tires are low on performance grip(like 80% of the options out there) etc. unless you buy performance winter tires, which is a whole other level, they have better sidewalls and tread pattern, and they perform well in any temp, do some research, there are even track time comparisons. Next time you’re up for new snows spend a little extra and see the light in the performance section.


Kinja'd!!! Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 14:33

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I present to you the best thing to come out since sliced bread.

The Nokian WRG3 All Weather Tire. It is essentially a winter tire that you can use all year round. FAR FAR superior to an All Season but still not a dedicated winter tire. The only FOUR season car tire I currently know about.

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Kinja'd!!! Ash78, voting early and often > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 14:40

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All seasons should be fine, they’re usually sticky down to the single digits. This is what they’re designed for — a wide range of temps with very little snow.

Buying snow tires would just be expensive and loud.


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
11/18/2015 at 14:45

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Was going to say the same thing


Kinja'd!!! AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M
11/18/2015 at 16:18

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Continental DWS’s are fantastic four what you’re describing. The nokians that Luc mentioned look pretty good to but I don’t have any experience with them.


Kinja'd!!! Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/18/2015 at 16:23

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That’s what I bought. I’ve had them before on a different car and loved them.


Kinja'd!!! Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > HammerheadFistpunch
11/18/2015 at 16:26

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Mostly highway in Seattle, where it’s pointless to drive in the snow because all of the roads will be closed or blocked by idiots. Coldest temperature I’ve seen around here is +25 deg F and that’s pretty rare.

I went wih all-seasons.