The OP’s car is the descendant of the G37 (my car), the sport version of which is sold with summer-only tires whether it’s a convertible or not.
According to Consumer Reports, even all-season tires take twice as much distance to stop on a snow packed road as snow tires.
Here is one review of your tire in winter conditions, though it’s not very detailed. It’s also not very complimentary.
Yes. I started using snow tires in the winter back in '04, and I’ve found it to be very much worth the expense and hassle of buying snow tires/rims, changing them out every year, and storing them. I’ll never go back to all-seasons in the winter unless I start living in some place that virtually never gets snow.
Stopping within a safe distance is part of it, but so stopping at all on some hills. And so is starting. And getting up hills. And turning without sliding off the road.
Yes but they fairly point out that this tire is not intended to be used on snow. You wouldn’t criticize a Jeep for not holding a 2g turn.
Maybe not, but the point is – don’t use it in winter.
New tires are on the way to my house right now. Mobile tire service. A little more expensive but saves me a lot of time. Tirerack.com is pretty awseome. Tires arrived 24 hours after ordering. SHipping was under $60.
I got Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S. I went this route because we don’t get snow all that often (this week is a historic exception). Next time around I’ll consider winter tires; the Blizzak looks pretty good.
Also, the manufacturer specifies different sizes front and back. So no rotating these tires.
Possibly. I’ve had several convertibles, but only bought one new, and it came with all weather tires.
Sweet! I hope we were some help overall! Consider the Nokians if you do decide to go to a full on winter tire. I can’t say enough about how good they are. Safe driving!
Thanks 1M to everyone who contributed to this thread. It has been a huge, practical help. The tire guys had an equipment problem and had to reschedule for 8:30 tomorrow morning, which is fine. Snow is supposed to start 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon with 16-24" by Sunday. No way am I going to be driving in a foot of snow anyway, but in this area the streets won’t be down to bare pavement for a week or two, except the interstates.
Consider shipping the 16-24" up my way, for we’re having a snow drought and I’m a ski bum.
Enjoy your storm with your new tires!
I don’t think my streets will be down to bare pavement until April.
I can’t believe nobody else has mentioned this… well, one person mentioned putting extra weight over the rear drive wheels to increase traction. You are in luck… you have a convertible, and it is a hard top convertible that folds into the trunk area. That’s about a hundred pounds or so of steel that you can put over the rear axle with a push of a button! Just drive around this winter with the top down and you will be golden.
You can thank me after the videos go viral.
One lone dissenting opinion here…
The average driver will note a huge difference between summer and ice driving situations when employing winter tires versus summer tires, and end up in a ditch. The skilled ice driver will note little difference between the two, and yet, make it to work.
Despite the myriad of technological reasons cited above that are absolutely correct, the minor advantage gained from such cause, is far outweighed by the average effect of driver incompetence.
In other words, if you don’t have the good skills at driving on snow and ice, there is no magic winter tire that will make you competent… But you are still free to spend $thousands in an attempt to make yourself feel better.:smack:
Ya know… By Saturday, even in DC, all the roads will be clear… Why panic over less than 12 hours?
The lack of proper equipment severely fetters the use of good driving skills, for stopping distance and cornering ability are greatly impinged by using an inappropriate tire. When your are driving along using your good driving skills and a kid runs out in front of you, or another vehicle crosses into your lane, a properly equipped vehicle may make the difference in avoiding a tragedy. ABS, traction control and winter tires make a huge difference in the ability to control a vehicle in the winter.
The long term cost of having two sets of tires rather than one comes down to the additional cost of a set of second hand rims plus the opportunity cost of the second set of rims and the second set of tires, unless one lives where there is an insurance discount in which case it pays to use winter tires. If you want to get into opportunity cost, however, you should then compare it to the probability of paying more over the years due to more collisions personally and due to higher insurance rates caused by people who have failed to properly equip their vehicles to better avoid collisions during the winter.
Fighting with one hand tied behind one’s back – that’s a skilled driver driving on improper equipment.
All for the cost of a second set of used rims.
I wish people would 1. learn how to drive for winter conditions, and 2. properly equip their vehicles to handle winter conditions.
Every winter it’s the same old story – highway closure because some banana crashed. Leaving me sitting for hours waiting for the crash to be cleared.
I appreciate your input, but please note two points.
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I have read every post and every link in this thread. Reviews from people who have actually driven in snow with the exact same tires I have plus other summer tires report that there is virtually no traction in measurable amounts of snow. This is not panic. This is reason and sensibility.
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I don’t know where you live; maybe it’s someplace that is prepared to manage large snowfalls. I’ve lived in the D.C. area for 33 years and have seen many snowstorms here. The last time we had a storm this big the federal government was closed for days, nobody could get out of my neighborhood for days, and even after plowing the streets were snow-covered. Even interstates were running with one lane less than usual. The snow is going to start this afternoon and not end until Sunday morning, with accumulation of 24". So there is absolutely no way that roads will be clear Saturday or even Sunday. By Monday people will probably be getting back to work but there will still be plenty of snow on even main streets. Residential streets will be a mess for at least a week. That is not panic, that is experience.
ETA: Let me add that I lived in Ann Arbor for 8 years and have lots of experience driving in snow. I have never had an accident in snow (although had two on black ice). I am not an expert driver but I know how to (and how not to) drive on snow. No matter how good you think you are, you can’t compensate for a complete lack of traction.