Hi! I'm 76, live north of Toronto in Thornbury (ski country) & I'm driving an '04 G35 Coupe with 18 inch Michelin Pilot Sports. There's 40,000 kms on the car & my son just gave it to me because he wasn't driving it much. I've been reading the posts here about tires & also the reviews etc on Tire Rack. Most of what I read tells me summer tires are pretty bad when it starts to get cold & are awfull in the snow. And the G35 is not good in the snow to begin with.
My wife & I spend the winter in Florida. We leave around mid-Dec & return in early Apr. So I need to have tires that'll get me around in the cold & snow before we leave Canada & work well in the heat of the south in the winter aswellas up here in the summer. Everything I've read leads me to think I should choose the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus (expensive) or the Continental Conti Extreme Contact or maybe the Pirelli PZero NeroAll-Seasons. I know I'll have to accept sacrifices regardless of which I choose but I have to be able to get around safely in the cold & snowy weather. I know snow tires would be a better choice but I don't want to have to drive on snows for 3 months in Florida.Any hands-on experiences you've had or advice you'd care to give will be really appreciated! Thanks for your help. Bill

 

if you could get storage space I'd say get some decent summer tires, and just mount and dismount in Florida. Initial costs are high but will save you money in long run

 

Agreed, your better off going full summers and winters with the G. It's worth it in the end, I actually almost wrote off my G at the end of this winter season cause I didn't have the right tires.

 

I had the same thought, but I'd buy/change over somewhere in/near New York. If you buy at their shop, many will store them for $30/season and install with the rims is quick and easy.

 

Thanks for your input but switching tires in the US is tough because I still end up wanting the snows I took off in N.Y. (?) back in Thornbury so I can put them back on next fall & trying to bring them back across the border in the G with my wife & dog & luggage just isn't going to work.
I really feel the only solution is all-seasons but it sounds like this is an unsafe way to go so I'm really concerned now. Bill

 

Im sure if you get some good A/S tires you should be good, just watch how you drive.

 

First of all, Bill, 76 and driving a G35 coupe, you freakin' ROCK! I'm just a young punk of forty...um...(counts on fingers) seven.

Second, you're right, G's suck in the snow unless you have dedicated snow tires, which are hard to justify for a couple months a year, not to mention the logistical challenge you've outlined. Plus it sounds like you live in a snowy area. If it were me, I'd go with the softest A/S tires I could get (wear rating might tell you that?) and just watch my P's and Q's from October to December. That or get some good used winters, run them in the fall until it's time to leave, then switch to A/S skins and pick the day you leave according to the weather forecast. It's a tough call.

Good luck, welcome to the board, and post some pics of you and your G!

 

Thanks for the thoughtful replies.

I've had lots of interesting cars in my lifetime & this Coupe (so far) is as enjoyable as any I've owned.

And besides................it makes me feel young again.....better 'n' Viagara!!

Bill

 

Not really a fan of Viagra...its kind of like corking the bat and i can hit home runs on my own (however at 76 I will be taking them candy), but if your partying with a couple of your favorite friends at the same time then its ok.

I would go with a good set of all seasons if I was in your situation winters are nice but lots of people get by on just all seasons.

 

^ LLOL yea, you can prolly grab some nice all seasons and theyll do the job. Since your not going to be tracking or anything the speed rating and stuff should be good enough for the summer. And as its going rite now soon it isnt even going to start snowing till jan lol.

 

Bill, in your particular case leaving in December and returning in April I would go with a good All Season. You can't go wrong with Pilot Sport A/S tires thats for sure, they are pricey but they are a great tire especially for your conditions. I ran them on my last car and they do work great, but you can't beat winter tires if you are driving in snow.

 

Thanks for your helpfull advice! Bill

 

Hate to disagree, but I had a set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on RWD (M5) and they were truly hopeless on snow or ice, screamed like a stuck pig when cornering in summer plus chunked badly on the inner rear treads (from dry wheelspin ). The Pirelli P7000 SuperSports that were on it when purchased were very good on snow and ice even though they were half worn or more. I'd be inclined to try a Pirelli A/S again - likely my next spring-to-fall set on the G.

 

WOW!
Two thoughtful...but conflicting....opinions at the same time. Confusing but........thanks for trying to help.
All other opinions are welcome. Thanks. Bill

 

it's the beauty and the beast of forums, each person will have their own opinions based on their own experiences.
I don't live all that far from thornberry, so I'm aware of how much snow you see between october, and mid december. The problem with the G is that unless you are super careful you can get yourself into a lot of trouble. I've spun myself around in the G just because I was used to down shifting but forgot to change my driving style from summer to winter mode. So whatever you plan to do - make sure it's a tire that will suit your driving style. I think your best bet would be go talk to a some tire shop OWNERs or managers not salesmen and listen carefully to what they have to say about the situation