I knew this would happen. In Dec, I got spooked by the 8 inches of snow we got and the absolute terrible traction my stock 18s gave me, so I went and bought a set of Dunlap winter tires. It has snowed 1 frickin time here in Indy since then, and it was less then 2 inches. (Tires did great then) This is the first time in my 16 years of driving a layed out the cash for dedicated snow tires, and then it doesnt even snow. So everyone in the Midwest can thank me for insuring we had a mild winter.
By the way, the snow tires are coming off today, and the stocks are going back on. So if we get a foot of snow over the next month, you know who to blame.
I have always liked the look of the stock wheels, but after looking at my ugly 5spoke winter wheels, I love the look of the stock ones!!!

 

I think March 1 is waaaay too early to take off dedicated snows. March can be terrible and the stock 18s are summer tires are flat out dangerous in the snow and isn't that the reason you got snows? I live in NJ and plan on taking off my Dunlop M3s the second wk in April as we have gotten snow several times in the first wk of April. Why take chances although your weather pattern may be different. BTW the Dunlops are great as this is my first winter with them.

 

I know what you mean - I did the same thing. Got stranded in a few inches of snow, bought snow tires the next day, and haven't needed them since. Oh well....we'll have them for next year. I'm anxious to put my summer wheels on the car for the first time but am going to hold off for a few more weeks. It's not unusual to get snow in April in Ohio.

 

The tire dealer told me not to run these tires when temps get into the 60's. Its supposed to hit upper 50s and low 60's a few times this week. It should only take me about 15 min to make the change. I have a Air Compressor and lifts, so If the forecast changes, with a little luck I wont get caught in it. I guess I should not put them in the attic for a while, just in case.

 

I have a new snow blower which explains the mild winter we have had in NY.

 

xcargo, I almost bought a snow blower this year also.

 

You need to share you take with me. I did exactly the same thing at the same time - bought the Dunlop m3's (thanks to some "gentle" persuading by my wife), and all we have had is flurries. Now, it's supposed to be 75 on Wednesday.

One question for the group - I know these tires are rated for certain speeds. I had a couple of 2 hour drives the past month, averaging about 75-80 mph. At times I notice a "burning" smell - almost smells like rubber burning. The dealer can't find anything wrong - could it be my tires? Is this anything to be concerned about? It never happens when driving in the city.

Thanks.

 

There was a bunch of discussions before winter about snow tires and was the first to say that it was a waste of money. This car isn't a porsche or ferrari, it's a $30k daily driver. Yes they come stock with sport tires, but all you have to do is be careful, or don't drive when you know there is going to be a storm. Unless you live up by Canada, you really don't need them. I had no problem with mine.

 

Definetly not a waste of money. When it snows, you cant go anywhere with the original sport tires. The first time I was in the snow with them I got stuck 5 times and it was only 3 inches of snow. I had to wait until people got out and pushed me. It sucked ***. It was not safe at all. I got stuck backing out of my drive. I dont know if it is worse in a 6mt, but I would gladly pay another 600$ not to put my car in a ditch or worse. Cheap insurance that will last 3-4 years.

 

That is ridiculous. Even the most cautious driver can have trouble when the roads get slippery. Being careful sometimes is just not enough. Summer sport tires just weren't design to run in snow. The tread design does not have the bite of an all season let a lone a dedicated snow tire. What ends up happening is snow will not get expelled from the grooves and your tires end up being rolling snowballs and you just keep going when you try to stop or you loose control. I know because I was running summer tires in only 1-2 inches of snow going only 30mph and loss control and ran into a guard rail and that was with a FWD.

Sure having an extra set of tires may not be cost effective but for me, it is worth it for the peace of mind. I have H-rated snow tires (Nokian WR - great snow tire brand from Finland) on my wife's Honda Accord and that is no G, let alone a Porsche/Ferrari. The tires are amazing in the snow and wet weather in general. I know she'll get to where she needs to go without much trouble. When spring rolls around, I swap back to the Kumho W-rated ultra high performance tires. If you think about it, I get more life out of my summer tires because they are only used 8 months out of the year.

 

"What ends up happening is snow will not get expelled from the grooves and your tires end up being rolling snowballs and you just keep going when you try to stop or you loose control."

Actually, snow tires are designed to get clogged with snow, because snow sticks to snow better than it sticks to rubber.

 

PUBLIC SERVICE WARNING:

Taking this post seriously can be a hazard to your health.

 

We got a foot of snow two days ago here...

 

What? That doesn't make any sense. How can clogged tires provide any traction? Why do you think cars get stuck in the snow with their wheels spinning? Because the tires are clogged with snow and can't get traction. Here's a bit of info from www.snowtire.info (a great website for researching snow tires).

"Deep, heavy snow is much like mud. It requires a tire with large tread blocks and good size openings. The tire must be able to dig in yet not get clogged at low speeds. If the tire can not expel the snow, it will start making itself into a snow ball. This type of tire is the "classic" M+S design. Classically, the blocks are large and have large voids (empty spaces) between them. The tires sold for most trucks (designed to see mud, regardless if they ever do) are representative of this tread.

Lighter snow – often found when the weather turns really cold, and there are no salt trucks – allows a different tread design. The snow tires designed for high speed driving in the snow are often designed for lighter snow. The tread blocks are closer, smaller, often cut with sipes (little grooves). Because the tread design relies on centrifugal force to throw snow out of the tread, these tires often do not work well at low speeds."