Attention ZL1 owners-to-be! Cold-Weather Bulletin on Eagle F1 G:2 tires

[Scarrzz]

I wonder if the GM team has considered the tires temperature issues with respect to shipping, handling, and delivery.

It's an unusual, outside the scope of manufacturing kind of problem.

Should we be hoping for a warm March in the Great Lakes region?

I can see the tires getting flexed a good bit even while being transported, and that wouldn't be good at frigid temps.

[Tob]

I added these tires, front and rear, to my GT500 last year. As great of a warm weather tire as they are, they are absolute hockey pucks at around 40* or lower. Almost like someone coated them with grease them before use.



To the OP - thanks for bringing that information to light regarding potential cracking. I had not seen that before.

[mr02Z/28]

I wouldn't worry about the tire conditions... $60,000 spent on a car, I'm sure you can afford a Set of Cold weather/Winter tires.... My thought...... I wouldn't be using this car as a Daily Driver anyway... Doesn't seem real practical, considering it's meant for the Track... I have a set of Nitto NT05 tires(summer only) for my 2002 Z28 and have been riding on them since Sept. 2010 ( Philadelphia,PA) in winter and have had Zero issues with them... They have held up very well with about 1,000 miles on them...

[ZLone]

Thanks for suppling this INFO. This and the bulletin above look like good candidates for the WIKI, yes?

Best,
J

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

For what it's worth, I also received this message from Goodyear after a personal info request about the ZL1 tires a few weeks ago...it seems to me to be a copy/paste from a standard tire-care literature. Possibly the "Proper Procedures for the storage of tires" bit they mention above.



I don't foresee a huge issue. The lacerations, imo, would only be caused by extreme amounts of heating/cooling cycles during the few truly arctic weeks of winter, probably coupled with dry air, ozone, etc....they look tortured, not made of glass, imo.

Based on all this info...I'll store it somewhere dry (ie, not outdoors), and inflate them to max pressure. Roll the car 1/8 wheel-turn every month until the snow melts.

[Shurenuff]

Originally Posted by 1981DFA

Well if anything happens to the tires before you take deilvery they will be replaced at no charge to you. Just make sure you look at the tires very closely before signing any paperwork. Some (no all) dealers may even be willing to let the car sit in the showroom until a nice day comes along (meaning above 40 or 50*) then let you come and get it. I wouldnt worry about the tires to much. Just be sure to get a decent set of all season or winter tires before next winter and store the factory tire as stated in there service bulletin.

It's always a good idea to give the whole vehicle a good inspection.

My sales manager has promised me that he'll let my ZL1 stay indoors, untouched, at his dealership for up to 30 days if weather is a problem when it's time to take delivery. I thought that was a very cool gesture.

[SSmoked]

just food for thought guys. these cars will be made up here in 'shwa plant during the coldest time of the year, which is anywhere from -40(with wind chill) to -5. and its not like they will be sitting inside the plant they will parked outside in the elements. so make sure u check the tires for cracks when u go for pickup. if these things are cracking at 5 degrees thats pathetic.
its unfortunte gm put such a unpractical tire on these cars. they should have stuck with the michellins.

[Scarrzz]

Originally Posted by Shurenuff

It's always a good idea to give the whole vehicle a good inspection.

My sales manager has promised me that he'll let my ZL1 stay indoors, untouched, at his dealership for up to 30 days if weather is a problem when it's time to take delivery. I thought that was a very cool gesture.

Uhm, yeah. Talk about free advertising. People will come in to look at your ZL1 and get the itch for a 5th gen.

[ShnOmac]

Originally Posted by SSmoked

its unfortunte gm put such a unpractical tire on these cars. they should have stuck with the michellins.

Any summer ONLY tire is going to have issues in cold temperatures. Would you prefer your "track" car to come with all season tires that wont hold up during track use? Now that would be unpractical.....

[bowtiefamily]

That is nice for the dealer to hold the car for you. I just hope they would rope it off to keep every lookie lou's hands off. When mine arrives it will be taken home to a heated garage. I am not taking any chances.

[snapp32e]

Originally Posted by ShnOmac

Any summer ONLY tire is going to have issues in cold temperatures. Would you prefer your "track" car to come with all season tires that wont hold up during track use? Now that would be unpractical.....

Seriously, yes. My "Track" car is going to see 0% track time and 100% street time. I would prefer tires that can withstand a little more temperature range than the F1's considering here in Canada, we get 40°F some evenings even in June. Those tires are gone as soon as I get the car. I'll be saving them for a midnight burn-out session one nice summer night. See if I can spell my name with rubber on the highway.

[fbodfather]

Originally Posted by SSmoked

just food for thought guys. these cars will be made up here in 'shwa plant during the coldest time of the year, which is anywhere from -40(with wind chill) to -5. and its not like they will be sitting inside the plant they will parked outside in the elements. so make sure u check the tires for cracks when u go for pickup. if these things are cracking at 5 degrees thats pathetic.
its unfortunte gm put such a unpractical tire on these cars. they should have stuck with the michellins.

I don't mean to flame you - but unless you are a tire engineer, please be careful of making proclamations.

Why would we "stick (sp) with the michelins" on a car with the capabilities that the ZL1 has to offer?

Further -- you may find that the "Michelins" (20 inch tires) aren't the best tire at zero degrees F. -- they're performance tires.

All should be fine in terms of shipping.

[GoldenBear]

Originally Posted by SSmoked

its unfortunte gm put such a unpractical tire on these cars. they should have stuck with the michellins.

I think that people who are concerned about the tire practicality of a ZL1 are unlikely to purchase a ZL1 in the first place.

[Ron66Vette&10SS]

A buddy of mine bought his Corvette (Grand Sport with the G:2's) in Ohio and drove it home to Dallas in......wait for it.........FEBRUARY!!!!I asked him what the temps were and this is how he replied:
"It was in the 20's when I left Ohio and never got above 40 until I got to probably Arkansas. The coldest I've probably driven the GS was about 20 or so to work as well. Noticed the pressure was lower, naturally, but no big deal. ".

Now I'll give you that it specifically says to allow the tires to warm if they get below 20*, so if it gets that low I'll leave it in the (unheated) garage and take the trailblazer "just in case", and besides, most all "summer" tires get slick anyway at temps that cold. But all of this talk of putting on different tires & wheels for when it gets below 40*...........seriously???

The ZL1's share the same tire (Supercar G:2) as what comes on some Corvettes, if this was a "real" issue, you can bet that it would be a hot topic on the Corvette boards........and guess what? IT ISN"T. Over here though? Some people are really getting their panties bunched up in a wad over it for some reason.

[LOWDOWN]

...and if/when YOU end up in a ditch (or worse!), kindly reflect on YOUR post, above...before you sue GM and/or Goodyear...

THAT, my friend, is the REAL "message"...