I'm considering a G35 6MT. The car I test drove handled like it was nailed to the road but that was a dry road in clear warm weather. How is it in snow and rain?

 

Snow and rain is totally a function of the tires you select, as all that happens in the dry is just diminished by the lower molecular friction from the water film.

The major problem is that tire friction can only be optimized for a narrow temperature range [at the contact patch]...........rain is usually colder than dry just from the rain removing heat. Summer tires are not very useful frictionwise in below 50-60F ambient conditions and they get worthless by 40F.

Why one has sets of: ice tires and snow tires and cool condition all seasons tires, and summer tires to optimize for each situation as necessary for local conditions.

 

I had snows on my Sedan and Coupe for winters and they handled fine.

With summer rubber on, they handled very well too in the wet.
C.

 

I'll have to check to see what kind of tires the specific car they find for me would come with. The G35s on the lot were shod with Goodyears and Bridgestones but I didn't notice what model.

The tire question is the reason I asked, actually; I had gone to Tire Rack to see what tires I could put on the car, and found that every tire in 235/45R-18 size was a summer tire except for the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 all-season, which got lousy reviews from the owners, and the Bridgestone Blizzak snow.

I'm intending this car as a daily driver, so my goal here is a set of decent all-season tires and possibly a set of snows. I definitely don't want to be swapping tires all the time. I understand there is a tradeoff. The point of asking was to find out if this is practical for a G35. So I guess I can ask more precisely: With good all-season tires, how does the car do in the rain or snow? Can I get by in the snow with all-season tires or are snow tires a must? (I grew up in the midwest so I am used to driving in snow.)

Thanks for the data!

 

Why do you want the all seasons? Go with a good summer tire, that has a good wet rating and a good winter tire that has a good snow/ice rating.

I guess the all season would allow you to go longer into the fall before putting on your winter tires but won't give you maximum performance in summer. Since you bought the 6MT I'd think you'd want the best performance in summer.

 

Separate summers and winter tires are great if you don't mind buying another set of rims. I just did the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S and don't worry about it. Summer tires will be deadly snow and depending on the tire, could be pretty dangerous in rain too. I had Goodyear summers before and they were scary even in rain.

 

We have a set of dedicated snow's (Nokian's - Finland has a lot of snow you know) and a set of dedicated summer wheels. While not as good as a fwd/awd in the snow it is passable. Wouldn't try it on all seasons (no seasons...). If you want snow performance you need snow tires - the cheapest insurance you will ever buy.

 

Well said Wild one . I have used Nokian tires before and they are great as are many other dedicated snows. If you drive in snow with rwd or fwd nothing beats the added safety and with dedicated snows.

 

I finally got my car yesterday , and after practically all night driving around town and on the freeway one thing is certain...I'm ditching the stock (on 17" Sport wheels) Goodyear summer tires ASAP. They are crazy loud and don't stick worth beans. I am going for A/S tires soon. How do Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S's compare. The Pirelli's are cheaper, but I don't mind paying for performance. I want quiet, smooth tires that don't wear out quickly. Any ideas?

I have also heard about the Toyo Proxes TPT. Anybody have any experience with those?

I'm probably going to get a set of Blizzak snows too for the nasty winter stuff here.

Thanks!!

 

Where I live, spring and fall are wildly variable. You can have 75 and sunny one day, 40 and sleeting the next, and this can go on for six or eight weeks. If had summers and snows, and I put the summers on only when I knew I wouldn't get stuck driving them in cold wet weather, I'd be driving on the snows eight months of the year.

 

You live in the Midwest don't you?

 

dedicated tires are the best. I used to use a set in the summer with lower aspect ratio (45) and a set in the winter that were an aspect ratio of 60.

I agree the summer performance tires were fantastic. The only problem you had was when it was clear out in the winter time and you were used to driving like you had summer tires on... The blizzak set I had on the car was probably speed rated to 110. If you decided to start driving too agressively, you noticed the handling and braking difference.

All seasons are getting better, but they are a compromise between the two driving conditions. And I agree once you get to about 40 degrees, do not trust summer tires... If you do not care, try to get a set of all seasons that have a 300+ tread wear rating. I think you can get a set that has about 360-400. The EL42s on my 05 x have a rating of 200. This means the tires will start having diminshed performance at about 10,000 miles and need to be replaced by 20,000 or so. A 360 rating should give you about 40,000 miles of wear and tear. Once beyond the midlife, I would not push the tires too much.

Two sets of tires are great since you can get about 3 years on each set. I do about 16,000 per year and was getting 3 seasons on a set of tires.

 

Indeed. Northern IL.

 

Dedicated summers and winters are definitely the way to go! After a winter of driving with the stock Turanzas (which I would NEVER do again), I purchased a set of blizzaks and steel rims last winter and it made a huge difference. I don't know what I was thinking when I didn't do that the first winter I owned my G!!

Like WildWildWest stated above, it is the cheapest insurance you can buy.....and a safe piece of mind too!

 

Does the same apply to the X, as well? Since it's AWD, does it really need two separate sets of tires?