Sorry, didn't know exactly where this should go(southeast regional? tires?).

I ordered a set of kumho asx all season tires last week as a replacement for my current tires(same kumho all seasons). However, what I *received* was a set of kumho spt's. I checked the with retailer, and it is my option to keep them at no extra charge or to have them swapped with the correct tires.

Last winter was my first winter with a rwd vehicle with any power. I had all seasons, and it wasn't a big deal. Plus, being Alabama, we didn't get any snow and very little ice. And yes, it actually does get cool here. There are a good 4 to 6 weeks out of the year where my commute will occur in temps ranging from 25 to 40 degrees.

So, my question is for all you guys that run summer rubber all year around. Do you find it difficult? I really like the idea of having a higher performance tire. I just don't know if I'm comfortable driving it with kumhos that are known to become slipper below 45 degrees.

 

I got all seasons, mostly because of the temperatures. With the stock Pilot Sports, they became ice cubes when it's less than 45 degrees out. Especially over here, where it's usually misty out. I don't know how many times I've fishtailed when I was feathering the gas. Problem went away when I got my Pilot Sport All-Season.

 

I've driven on the oem 19 re050's in freezing weather before and it wasn't that bad. Of course in Houston, the ground never really gets to be below freezing but air temps can get to below freezing for a couple of days.

 

Yeah, I guess we have the opposite problem here.... The ground is usually colder than the air... However, we can get condensation on the streets when it's cold out, so that could be a major factor. All I know, is that several times I almost did a 360 just making a simple right turn on a major street that looked to be bare. I've also had the ABS kick in when stopping on these same streets in certain situations. Scared the crap out of my wife and I.

However, if you happen to get in a wreck, and the insurance company and/or police notices what tires you have on, they can blame you for the accident. (I've seen it happen before)

 

Just trust me when i say, GET WINTER OR ALL AROUND TIRES, (sorry for caps, but do it) i had sport summer tires on last winter here in New Jersey and trust me if it snows or gets as cold and slippery in your area, get winter tires. I was doing 180's every couple blocks and it was not exciting. (LOL). spare your toubles and buy them. Will defenitely keep you from doing those 180's and slipping all over the road.

PS. I was stuck on the middle of the road after doing a 360 because my tires couldnt get out of the snow. 3 guys walked out of a car just to help me finally get home by pushing LOL.

 

If you're not planning on moving anytime soon, I wouldn't worry too much about the advice from the guys up North (no offense, but the weather's drastically different). I live in Virginia, and we got a significant amount of snow two winters ago. I only had a problem with traction one time, and it was due to the accumulation of salt and sand on the roads AFTER the snow had already melted.

I don't drive my coupe everyday, and I tried not to drive it in snow or ice at all. I think the summer tires are safe enough in a temperate climate, as long as you're careful with acceleration, especially while turning. And if it does ice out, you're no better off in an SUV than a sports car. No tire will get traction on ice.

I don't think it's worth it if you live in the deep south.

 

If average daily temperatures fall below 50 degrees, you need all/season tires, period. That's the definition of summer tires according to tire-rack. (Average daily temperatures > 60 degrees, nightly temperatures > 50 degrees) They are called summer tires for a reason.

The tread compound in summer tires was not designed to get traction in sub 50 degree weather. You may get lucky with one brand of tire over another, but is it worth the risk?

Sure you can feather the gas and accelerate carefully... But what if the guy in front of you suddenly stops, or a kid jumps out into the street, and you have to slam on your brakes? What if you need to swerve to avoid an accident?

Saying to drive carefully with summer tires on in the winter, is like saying it's ok to drive without your headlights on at night, because if you drive slowly/carefully you'll be ok.

 

Trey,
I think in your area where you get very little snow or cold that All Seasons will be fine and much better than the dedicated Summer rubber that needs temp above 40-50 degrees to perform properly.

I wish our winters weren't as severe....around here in southern Ontario, one should have snows as they afford much better performance than A/S tires.

Colin.

 

I'm also in AL, in the BHM area - I ran Avon Tech 500 last winter without issue, and while you can tell they aren't at their very best with temps in the 20's and 30's, I never felt like they wouldn't hold on dry or wet pavement.

To be honest, they felt as good or better than the RSA's that came stock

Unless we see snow this coming winter, you'll be fine. Heck, if we do see snow, we'll both be home anyways - the state doesn't own a salt truck, and even my wife's 4wd truck can't take these hills in the snow

 

That comparison's a bit of a stretch unless you're imagining driving on packed snow or ice, in which case you shouldn't be driving your $35K luxury sports car at all. I live in Virginia, probably 400-500 miles north of Alabama, and I've never put anything other than summer performance tires on my coupe. I've owned it through three winters now and have never had a problem, even when I needed to stop quickly or swerve. Summer tire grip is degraded, not eliminated, in cold weather.

There are several A/S tires that offer great summer and winter performance, so if you want more of an even mix in all seasons, it's probably a great option for you. Just don't feel like its a life or death situation.

 

We might get a few days of snow a year, but it doesn't stick. We do have a couple of months that range from 20-60 F, so I do notice some decreased traction due to cold, but nothing bad... ...just a little more fun to go along with the added power of the cold temps.

Without significant snow or ice, you'll be fine if you use restraint when called for. In fact, if it was only a handful of light snow days that our Northern members had to deal with, I'm sure they'd also tough it out those few days in order to run summer rubber all year.

I don't like all-season tires. Around here, some sport tires with good wet-traction and water-channeling abilities are all that's usually necessary.

FWIW, the first Khumo tires I ever tried were on my wife's previous sedan. They were about half the price of the OEM Goodyears (or Bridgestones), yet they very noticeably out-performed the OEM tires without question. Incredible traction in the dry and wet.

Got rid of that car too early to know how the Khumos were after more than 20K miles, but those 20K miles were enough to convert me. I'll always consider Khumo as a top choice now.

 

Well, my kumho's have lasted 17k miles. So I don't know how they hold up after 20k either

 

I have no worries running summer tires all year long. But I am a bit farther south than you all. We never get snow and it doesn't usually get below freezing but a couple of days. I didn't even turn on the heater in my house winter before last.

 

I haven't been able to get my rear Michelin Pilots to go more than ~20K miles without needing replacement so far, so maybe I'll think about the Kumhos

 

DISCLAIMER: Please keep in mind, my comment about being happy with the first 20K miles on the Khumos... ...those were for my wife's previous FWD sedan. The tire was Khumo's ECSTA Supra (?) for a sedan application, so it likely wasn't nearly as agressive as what you'd put on the G.

I was extremely impressed with those tires and will strongly consider Khumos in the future for my coupe, but I am in no way suggesting that you'll get 20K+ miles out of the Khumos most suitable for the G.