all season tires

[jtraol]

I'm considering putting all seasons on my C4. My logic is thus: I drive the car daily and through the winter when it's not snowing. The car has the original 17" wheels which I like considering all year and city driving. The car handles fine on the 17s, and I have no track plans (in which case i'd by a second set of wheels). I don't want two sets of wheels at this time, but Ultra HP tires wear so quickly and I will get stuck if it snows.

So will I be disappointed on the off ramps and back roads with all seasons? Or am I destined for for another set of wheels? Tirerack says yes, but I'm not so sure...

Thanks in advance for any opinions.

Jonathan

[JFP in PA]

Take a look at Bridgestone's new Pole Position 960, a true all season tire with great grip wet or dry, and are very quiet as well. Have two sets on family cars, very pleased with the handling/bad weather performance balance......................

[roadsession]

I am in the exact same situation - I live in Boston, I have a C4, and my commute is 3 miles each way, and if it's snowing heavily I will either leave it at the office or leave it at home.

I don't want 2 sets of tires and wheels - So, I am getting Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus. (All Season)

[ogun228]

Well, I participated in an autox this past weekend and one guy who had on all seasons was sliding all over the place.

[roadsession]

Well, I participated in an autox this past weekend and one guy who had on all seasons was sliding all over the place.

Absolutely I expect nothing else...however I don't think the OP (or me) intend to autox with these...this is talking about DD usage...

[CDN_Stig]

I have no experience with A/S on a Porsche, but A/S on just about any car are a waste of time. However, for legal sake you'd probably have to if you do drive it in the snow.

I remember watching an episode of a car show where they took a C4 out in the snow in Toronto. With all the traction control aids they said it was one of the best cars they'd ever driven. I can't remember what they had for tires on it, but I think they were stock...]

but I digress...

[Dennis C]

I put dedicated snow tires and wheels on my C4S, and that's what I would recommend. All-season tires are always a compromise - they aren't ideal in any conditions, but they can get through most conditions.

If you are really set on all-season tires, I've used Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S tires in the past on another vehcile and been pretty happy with them. They replaced a set of Pirelli P-Zero Rosso summer tires, and while the difference was noticable on highway on-ramps, it wasn't bad. It was a good compromise for a daily driver.

[jakkay968911]

The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus worked fine for me last winter. Chicago has it's fair share of snow and I didn't have any problems. I was surprised at the grip actually and my 996 Carerra traction seemed comparable to some much heavier all wheel drive vehicles. I left them on the rest of the year and have been satisfied with them in the summer as well. I do not track the car or have many opportunities to explore the limits of adhesion, but in my opinion they are an excellent compromise. Guess it depends on the individual though. I plan to keep them on this Chicago winter.

[judgejon]

Take a look at Bridgestone's new Pole Position 960, a true all season tire with great grip wet or dry, and are very quiet as well. Have two sets on family cars, very pleased with the handling/bad weather performance balance......................

I've run Bridgestone 050 pole position for years, but I live where it rains alot with little snow. If I lived in Boston I'd put on Bridgestone a/s pole position without hesitation. the 050 summers have a traction aa rating, which is good in wet conditions. a/s tire would have to be good too....

[roadsession]

Take a look at Bridgestone's new Pole Position 960, a true all season tire with great grip wet or dry, and are very quiet as well. Have two sets on family cars, very pleased with the handling/bad weather performance balance......................

I've run Bridgestone 050 pole position for years, but I live where it rains alot with little snow. If I lived in Boston I'd put on Bridgestone a/s pole position without hesitation. the 050 summers have a traction aa rating, which is good in wet conditions. a/s tire would have to be good too....

Not available it seems for my setup (18" staggered) :(

I'm going to stay with the Michelins and report back this winter :)

[gaspasser19]

I too have a C4 cab. When I purchased my car it had 17" wheels with the Michelin PS A/S on it and I promptly picked up some 18" Sport Designs with Contis. The Michelins were almost new and I hated to waste them so I use them for dry winter days. My logic being that they are at least appropriate for winter temperatures even if they don't significantly improve foul weather traction. So, I drive the 911 on a limited basis during the winter to keep from having to store it. That way I get to cycle through a few tanks of fuel and keep the battery charged. Plus, it's great to put the top down on a crisp day when it hits the 50s here in DC.

I'm fortunate enough to have 3 AWD vehicles and I have snow tires for each of the other two (Audi S8 and Acura MDX) so I don't have to drive the P-car. I've been caught in an inch or two of snow with the A/S and it wasn't a disaster but I don't think I'd want to do it on purpose. I also feel a bit vulnerable in the Porsche when everybody around me starts sliding. When I wear out the A/Ss I plan to get some dedicated winter tires for it too. I guess I have bit of a snow obsession

[dgcook]

Jtraol:

In anticipation of the coming rain and occasional snow of Seattle I've fitted my Carrera with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires. After a fair amount of research I found these tires were always at the top of nearly everyone's list. I think all-season tires are a good idea anywhere there are reasonable differences between seasons, and from a consensus of the sources I checked, it would seem hard to go wrong with them. So far so good in some very heavy rain. In addition to possessing tread designs that are better at dealing with water & snow compared to summer tires, a key virtue of A/S tires is a rubber composition that is better suited for grip at lower temperatures. As the weather turns colder I'll know more how this works out for me. In the meantime the new tires are performing well and I feel better being prepared, rather than waiting for something to happen that would make for big regrets. By the way, if interested I can tell you how I was able to bring the cost down several hundred dollars by getting several specific national suppliers to compete.

Dave

[dbookman]

I've got a '99 C2 and I'm running BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE960AS POLE POSITION all seasons on my car in Melbourne, FL. Admittedly, its a different situation than yours, since most of my turns are 90 degrees from a stop light, with a few enjoyable back roads mixed in. I do manage to find my share of off ramps; however, and I've not been disappointed with the decrease in handling. Its certainly noticeable, but outweighed by the more comfortable ride, lower cost, decrease in noise and increase in wet-weather performance, the latter of which is all-important during the rainy season down here. To answer what you didn't ask, I would definitely not recomend all-seasons for regular use in the snow. I grew up in Boston, and with such wide tires, I would not want to go out without anything but dedicated snows that are specifically designed to bite into the snow and ice.

[jtraol]

thank you all for your thoughful and helpful responses. without question, two sets of wheels and tires would be the best choice, and i agree that an a/s tire is going to be a compromise but that it might be worth a try. i do drive the car year round, and it would be nice to know i could get home if there is some snow on the ground. with that said, some tire specialists have suggested that a ultra HP a/s tire will offer only a slight inprovement in the snow due to the width of the tire and the compound. i hadn't though about the width factor. fortunately, I have a Tahoe (which i love) so the C4 doesn't have to fit all my needs... i'll let you know what i try and how it works out.

best regards,

jonathan

[roadsession]

thank you all for your thoughful and helpful responses. without question, two sets of wheels and tires would be the best choice, and i agree that an a/s tire is going to be a compromise but that it might be worth a try. i do drive the car year round, and it would be nice to know i could get home if there is some snow on the ground. with that said, some tire specialists have suggested that a ultra HP a/s tire will offer only a slight inprovement in the snow due to the width of the tire and the compound. i hadn't though about the width factor. fortunately, I have a Tahoe (which i love) so the C4 doesn't have to fit all my needs... i'll let you know what i try and how it works out.

best regards,

jonathan

Jonathan,

I went on line to BMW and Nissan GTR forums and seems many have tried the Michelin Pilot A/S Plus in very big widths and have had good experience with them in the snow.

[jtraol]

thank you all for your thoughful and helpful responses. without question, two sets of wheels and tires would be the best choice, and i agree that an a/s tire is going to be a compromise but that it might be worth a try. i do drive the car year round, and it would be nice to know i could get home if there is some snow on the ground. with that said, some tire specialists have suggested that a ultra HP a/s tire will offer only a slight inprovement in the snow due to the width of the tire and the compound. i hadn't though about the width factor. fortunately, I have a Tahoe (which i love) so the C4 doesn't have to fit all my needs... i'll let you know what i try and how it works out.

best regards,

jonathan

Jonathan,

I went on line to BMW and Nissan GTR forums and seems many have tried the Michelin Pilot A/S Plus in very big widths and have had good experience with them in the snow.

Thank you - - this was helpful. Actually, I am going to try the PS2 A/S... I want to drive my car year round, and I want to have a good chance of getting home if there's a little snow on the ground. I figure with the AWD and A/S tires I should be able to do both; if the handling is disappointing, then I'll buy a second set on 18" wheels - an inch larger then the factory wheels. I'll let you know how they work out.

Interestingly, Michelin gives the tires a 45k tread warrantee. I wonder if this applies to rear tires on 911s. I looked at the warrantee docs and there didn't seem to be any exclusions. Handing concerns aside, if I could get even 18k out of a set of tires I'd be a least part really happy!

Go Pats!

Jonathan

P.S. funny point someone made about having only 90 degree turns in FL! I never really though about that... And I thought I had it bad needing two sets of wheels and tires.

[IMGT3]

Yeah, agree with the PS2 A/S suggestions.

For some reason I don't think you will get 45k out of rear tires on your 911 . Maybe this is the perfect way to get new tires every 2 years. Tires don't make the stated warranty,time for a new set for free (of course I am sure the auto x and track use would show) but for a guy on DD tires, why not give it a shot.

[roadsession]

So I installed the Michelin Pilot A/S last week.

Here's my impression:

1. It is NOT as planted in the dry as my Summer Toyo T-1R's, taking the same on ramp I do feel more squirm. BUT it is VEEERY close.

2. It gets near freezing temperature at night in Boston now. It feels much more stable.

3. It is a MUCH more comfortable tire than the Toyo summer tires. That's to be expected.

No snow yet - but will report back.

[dgcook]

MY Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires got their first real foul-weather test this week. For Seattle, extreme weather with temps in the 'teens, drifting snow, and a lame flat-footed response by the city left the roads looking more like they had been Zambonied rather than plowed. I still experienced some sliding, a bit of drifting, and some fear (especially on the hills common around here). But even under these conditions the 911 remained under control and felt reasonably planted.

So far good marks for the Pilot Sport A/S tires.

Still I stayed home today in hopes road crews can get their act together.

Dave

[roadsession]

MY Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires got their first real foul-weather test this week. For Seattle, extreme weather with temps in the 'teens, drifting snow, and a lame flat-footed response by the city left the roads looking more like they had been Zambonied rather than plowed. I still experienced some sliding, a bit of drifting, and some fear (especially on the hills common around here). But even under these conditions the 911 remained under control and felt reasonably planted.

So far good marks for the Pilot Sport A/S tires.

Still I stayed home today in hopes road crews can get their act together.

Dave

Dave: do you have RWD or AWD?

Thanks for the report - I like the description of 'zambonied' LOL I can just picture it.

[dgcook]

As per your question:

My 911 is RWD. Hence the bit of extra surprise that it handled those road conditions reasonably well. Still I don't think it's up for any kind of snow rally action. I'm just happy to keep it between the lines (or where they would be if one could see them).

Dave

[roadsession]

Happy to report the Michelin Pilot A/S Plus performed just fine this winter through the worst boston winter in memory.

Snow was no problem

Ice was - well not great.

Dry weather - absolutely planted.