Summer tires in the winter months?

[leonine]

Hey now,

I'm getting a VBP sport with the optional 16 HFP rims and tires. Probably a stupid question but i'll ask it anyway - the tires i have seen for this rim seem to only be for summer driving (here in NY summer means no snow). Has anyone had a vehicle with summer tires and driven it in the snow. I assume it is not pleasant. I have seen in the winter a few cars driving around with summer tires and always wondered about it. The reason i'm asking is that i am trying to get the dealer to give me a credit on the 15's but i don't know if i should keep em for the winter months or can i get away with the summer tires.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

[cliu]

you will not be able to get away with it during NY winters. please dont be the guy who spins out on the highway/street here in NY and cause traffic jams.

[leonine]

thanks for the reply cliu! I didn't think so but thought i would ask anyway. I really want the 16's; they look sweet! Guess i'll keep the stock ones for the winter months. Just tryin to offset the cost but it's not worth gettin into an accident and f'in up my ride or someone else's.

Peace.

[Wave]

Not to sound like a jack@ss but there's a reason they're called summer tires.

You have to run around with the proper equipment dictated by current conditions and environment. Otherwise I'll be filling out an accident report for you if you should lose control and end up in a motor vehicle accident.

I just got 16" Kumho Ecsta AST tires on my FIT and even though they claim to be ALL SEASON...I still wouldn't trust it in a heavy snowstorm on the Southern State Parkway. It'll be Blizzaks on my stock 15" wheels or I'm breaking out my 2003 Nissan Xterra from hibernation.

[leonine]

Thanks for the reply wave. Not to sound like a smart@ss but I am aware of what the term summer tires mean. Just curious and as i stated i wouldn't want to be responsible for causing an accident.

Peace.

[bobbied]

I hear that 14's may be better in the snow, higher profile not as wide, digs better into the snow. I have a sport with the 15's, I'm thinking of going with 14's steel wheels snow tires and put the 15's in the garage for the winter.

[cliu]

you could always keep the 15 inch alloys, sell the stock tires on those and pick up dedicated winter tires for the 15s.

winter tires are sometimes an overkill (like this past mild winter), but when it does snow, there is nothing like the grip of winter tires in snow.

[Rhyno]

A good all season tire will do just fine in the snow as long as you know how to drive in the snow in the first place. I would assume you would having driven in it before being fron NY. Winter tires won't help you stop any faster if you hit a nice patch of black ice, but they may help you get up that nasty hill. =)

[motordad]

I got my Sport 5MT with the 16" HFP wheels and the Bridgestone tires. The dealer gave me the 15" wheels and tires that originally came with the car. The Dunlop tires are M&S so I will use them as my winter tires.

MotorDad in Milwaukee.

[leonine]

All good advice! I'm going to keep the 15's and store em for the summer. I live off road too so i doubt i would even make it out of my road with the 16's on in the winter. I think i'm going to go with Good year Eagle F1's on the 16's. Reviews at tirerack are outstanding.

[leonine]

Hey Motordad,

When you say the dealer gave you the 15's do you mean he credited you off the price of the 16's and let you have em anyway. What did you pay for the 16's w/ installation?

[motordad]

I think the accessories price was $1700.00 for the wheels/tires/labor. I did'nt even think of the original tires until the dealer called and said come and get them.

MotorDad in Milwaukee

[leonine]

That's about what i'll be paying. Called another dealer to see what they offered and they said $2200. I laughed and hungup.

Thanks for the info.