pilot sport 4s in the winter

[Doel]

I live in Alabama and I've never switched to "winter tires" but I just noticed the stock Michelins have a warning about exposing the PS4 to temps under 20 degrees. Yes, it does get that cold here a couple times a year at night. What do you guys think?

 

[brancky3]

Be careful when saying 'pilot sport 4s' since the 4 is a different tire than the 4S (we have the regular 4). I'm in the same boat and can tell you that summer tires are god awful in cold weather. They will turn to rocks and need to be treated as such. Personally I'm looking for a set of all seasons I can swap on for winter or a second set of wheels with winter tires

 

[Doel]

Be careful when saying 'pilot sport 4s' since the 4 is a different tire than the 4S (we have the regular 4). I'm in the same boat and can tell you that summer tires are god awful in cold weather. They will turn to rocks and need to be treated as such. Personally I'm looking for a set of all seasons I can swap on for winter or a second set of wheels with winter tires

Yeah, they definitely get hard in the winter, I usually just drive less aggressively on the cold days. It's hard for me to justify an entire new set of tires when our average high here never drops under 50 in any month. But if there is potential damage from the temps dropping below 20 a couple times a year, that may be reason enough.

 

[BlaydeX15]

It was 35f and drizzling at like 6am a few weeks ago, and I nearly crapped myself when I slid trying to brake hard for an animal in the road. Not good. I would recommend changing up if you're going to see consistent near-freezing temps.

Edit: Not sure what the actual temp was, but the cluster read 35. Could have been off by a few.

 

[brancky3]

Yeah, they definitely get hard in the winter, I usually just drive less aggressively on the cold days. It's hard for me to justify an entire new set of tires when our average high here never drops under 50 in any month. But if there is potential damage from the temps dropping below 20 a couple times a year, that may be reason enough.

Luckily our city shuts down every time there is snow (all 2 days of it) but you're probably going to be fine if it's dry. I would just be VERY careful if you keep the summer tires (drive like there's a wedding cake in your passenger seat)

 

[Doel]

It was 35f and drizzling at like 6am a few weeks ago, and I nearly crapped myself when I slid trying to brake hard for an animal in the road. Not good. I would recommend changing up if you're going to see consistent near-freezing temps.

Here our coldest month is January where our average high is 51 and average low is 33. Around half the days will have a low at or below freezing, but there will be very few days where we don't get above freezing during the day. I've ran the Potenza S-04 for the last 6 years on my last two cars and they were "ok" in our winter.

 

[Doel]

Luckily our city shuts down every time there is snow (all 2 days of it) but you're probably going to be fine if it's dry. I would just be VERY careful if you keep the summer tires (drive like there's a wedding cake in your passenger seat)

Ha yeah no kidding, if there is even snow in the forecast work closes. It's that knee jerk reaction after the icepocalypse of 2014 when the entire city got stranded during work hours when the roads flash froze.

Dusting of chaos: The day snow stunned and paralyzed Birmingham

 

[BlaydeX15]

Here our coldest month is January where our average high is 51 and average low is 33. Around half the days will have a low at or below freezing, but there will be very few days where we don't get above freezing during the day. I've ran the Potenza S-04 for the last 6 years on my last two cars and they were "ok" in our winter.

Ah, yeah. That's hardly winter. Our average January high is 30, average low of 0, and the lowest I've seen is -38. Lol. Should be fine if you're not seeing <40's on a daily basis.

I probably would have switched later this month, but I leave for work at the coldest part of the day, so I have to deal with the lows of 30 in early October.

 

[gilthanis1]

I'll be going with a set of all-seasons (if I ever get my dam car back) just for the safety factor. Usually a month or 2 during the winter here that we can have stretches of freezing at night and daily highs of mid-40s. Definitely just an extra bit of security to not bin the car dodging idiots that pull out in front of me (daily) or run out in road without even looking for traffic......

My .02, it's better safe than sorry and just that little extra bit of cheap insurance

 

[Falaris]

(drive like there's a wedding cake in your passenger seat)

Imagining that made me laugh! I would be scared to death.

-Fal

 

[Rango]

I live in TN. Drove my Mustang GT on sport tires on compacted snow when the temps were in the 20s a few years ago. Was like wearing sneakers on an ice rink! Tires were hard as granite. Never again. Investing in some high quality AS tires within a month. It's all about controling the car in my later years. That's also why I bought the AWD.

 

[westcoastGT]

If temp is the major concern vs snow , you may want to get a full blown UHPAS set up for all year use . You will amazed at how many German car drivers are looking for the Michelins that are stock .............I sold mine new on Craigslist for $1400 ( CDN )

PS: you wont get out of a flat parking lot on the stock Michelins if it snows , and try going up a hill or around a corner ....................never never never !!

 

[CDv6]

This text from Michelin was previously posted in another winter tire thread:

As the temperature of the compound nears freezing, the grip level of the tire begins to degrade. Michelin does not recommend using UHP Sport Summer tires when tire temperatures drop below 40°F (5°C) or on snow and ice.

At tire temperatures below 20°F (-7°C) Michelin UHP Sport Summer tires may develop surface cracks in the upper sidewall and tread area if flexed.

I live in the DC-area, which doesn't get much snow (usually just slush), but winter temps routinely hover around or below 40°F. When I got my GT in January, I found myself needing to check the expected temperature conditions for the entire duration of time I planned to be out. That was a pain. I also read somewhere (don't recall source) that tires that are exposed to sub-20° temps require 24-hours of warm-up for full recovery.

 

[Snatchell]

I just bought new tires for my Stinger after only 3800 miles on the 19" Michelin summer tires. I got them from Costco - and since the sizes are different the warranty is cut in half because you cant rotate them. I got the Michelin Pilot Sport AS 3+. I kept my old tires - of course - and wiped them down with 303 Aerospace Protectant and they have dried sufficiently since yesterday - I'll now put them into plastic bags for the winter. The set cost me over $900.00 but I figured it was worth it. I cam pay $60 for Costco to swap them out back to my summer tires maybe in May. New wheels would be pricey as hell... unless someone is selling their set of staggered stock 19" wheels?

 

[GRStinger]

Posted something similar on another thread... Just ordered a set of winter wheels and tires from TireRack. Their recommended 18" Stinger package with Michelin X Ice's and Sport Edition A8's in black 18x8. They're 'just OK' wheels but I figure good-enough for schleppin' around in the winter, and they look pretty good. Have lived my whole life in upper Great Lakes: Michigan - including the UP and west MI, Wisco, and Minnesota. Can't overstate how important a good set of rubber is in winter. Actually, this is my first set of dedicated winters. Most/all of my other vehicles have been FWD with good - usually Michelin - all-seasons, or 4WD's vehicles. I figure this investment is worth-while to maintain the Stinger fun-factor in winter (I've already accepted my brother's snow-day race challenge in his A4 and Nokians!), along with added safety 'insurance'. Almost looking forward to winter to see how these work! BTW - first experience with TireRack and they seem very good. Ordered 'em late afternoon Wednesday - mounted, balanced, with TPMS - and got 'em less than 24 hrs later with standard/free shipping.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I live in Alabama and I've never switched to "winter tires" but I just noticed the stock Michelins have a warning about exposing the PS4 to temps under 20 degrees. Yes, it does get that cold here a couple times a year at night. What do you guys think?

You won't need dedicated winter tires, imho. I'd tough it out with summer tires where you live. And on the really cold snap days (rare beasts that they are) just drive your other vehicle with A/S tires.

I've driven on the Michelin summer tires in freezing conditions (outside showed exactly 32F on a few occasions). The road surface was far above freezing, so the beginning air temperature (which would be the tire temperature) rapidly was made warmer by riding over the road. Days of mild temperatures, followed by a day or two (or even a few) of freezing nights, do not freeze the road unless you have many days in a row of days and nights that don't get above freezing. Don't go by the air temperature expecting your tires to be that cold while running on them. The surface temperature is where the tire starts, after just a very few miles, then warms up two to four degrees above that. That's why I never slid or felt squirrely on my summers even when the air turned cold.

 

[westcoastGT]

I just bought new tires for my Stinger after only 3800 miles on the 19" Michelin summer tires. I got them from Costco - and since the sizes are different the warranty is cut in half because you cant rotate them. I got the Michelin Pilot Sport AS 3+. I kept my old tires - of course - and wiped them down with 303 Aerospace Protectant and they have dried sufficiently since yesterday - I'll now put them into plastic bags for the winter. The set cost me over $900.00 but I figured it was worth it. I cam pay $60 for Costco to swap them out back to my summer tires maybe in May. New wheels would be pricey as hell... unless someone is selling their set of staggered stock 19" wheels?

check the member private sale section I seem to remember a set for sale there

 

[Doel]

You won't need dedicated winter tires, imho. I'd tough it out with summer tires where you live. And on the really cold snap days (rare beasts that they are) just drive your other vehicle with A/S tires.

I've driven on the Michelin summer tires in freezing conditions (outside showed exactly 32F on a few occasions). The road surface was far above freezing, so the beginning air temperature (which would be the tire temperature) rapidly was made warmer by riding over the road. Days of mild temperatures, followed by a day or two (or even a few) of freezing nights, do not freeze the road unless you have many days in a row of days and nights that don't get above freezing. Don't go by the air temperature expecting your tires to be that cold while running on them. The surface temperature is where the tire starts, after just a very few miles, then warms up two to four degrees above that. That's why I never slid or felt squirrely on my summers even when the air turned cold.

You mean my motorcycle? No thanks hahaha. I'm not really concerned about traction in the cold, I can deal with that, I'm just worried about the cold physically damaging the tires. Last January we were below 20 degrees 7 times, our coldest night was 8 degrees (yes, it does get that cold here sometimes!) and it stayed below freezing for 48 hours.

 

[Kamauxx]

My wife and I will be sharing her car when/if temps get below 40.

 

[MerlintheMad]

You mean my motorcycle? No thanks hahaha. I'm not really concerned about traction in the cold, I can deal with that, I'm just worried about the cold physically damaging the tires. Last January we were below 20 degrees 7 times, our coldest night was 8 degrees (yes, it does get that cold here sometimes!) and it stayed below freezing for 48 hours.

Oo! 48 Hours! I think you can weather that "long" of a cold snap. Drive something else. The little bit of down time isn't worth the extra expense of an extra set of wheels; or the hassle of changing to A/S and then back to summers again. The damage to the summer compound only happens when subjected to extended freezing. 48 hours of freezing, I don't care if it gets as low as 8F, will not hard freeze your roads which have been "baking" in well above freezing temperatures the rest of the year. Your tires will actually warm up if you drive on them, well above the temporarily frigid air temperature. New summer tires are not going to crack under such conditions. Just go carefully until you see the psi LCD gauge going up, then you'll know that your tires are at a good running temperature, warmed by the above freezing road. If you have any doubt about the surface being frozen, look for ice. I bet you won't find any.