Winter/snow daily driving?

[myold88]

Originally Posted by Cyber10

I survived last winter in Indiana on P Zeros so my guess is you'll be fine. It helps if you're used to driving RWD cars in the snow too.

Really bad idea. Keep your auto insurance policy payments up to date...

[sherob]

Originally Posted by myold88

Really bad idea. Keep your auto insurance policy payments up to date...

[CamaroFred]

Originally Posted by T-Hawk553

Yeah, the Blizzaks only matched the front tire size on the Wife's 2LT with the 20" wheels. But we could go with the slightly narrow rear if it came down to it.

The Scorpions and Continental Extreme Contact DWS came in both sizes.

Still haven't decided which to go with. The DWS can be run all year, and has favorable stats to the Blizzaks according to Tire Rack. Where the Blizzaks on performance vehicles will likely begin to shred during the Summer months.

BillShit. Any tire can be run on dry roads without shredding. They will simply slide easier than summer tires.

Originally Posted by T-Hawk553

On my Son's G6, and the Wife's (old) Cruze, they ran the Blizzaks year round without issue... but the Camaro has a tendency to torque and corner quite differently than a G6 or Cruze.

Do you want the brain busting cornering the Camaro can offer on summer tires, or will you be happy with compromise tires?

[T-Hawk553]

Originally Posted by CamaroFred

BillShit. Any tire can be run on dry roads without shredding. They will simply slide easier than summer tires.




Do you want the brain busting cornering the Camaro can offer on summer tires, or will you be happy with compromise tires?

Okay, while I'm not unaccustomed to feedback... I guess I could explain that our roads up here in the Fairbanks area are not the same 'pavement' as you get everywhere else in the country.

Folks that run their Blizzak tires on 'high performance' vehicles up here tend to go through the tread extremely quick if they don't change them out for the Summer... possibly due to our instinctive nature of driving performance vehicles harder than others.

The pavements up here are very abrasive, even on a good day. For example, the same tires on my Harley that others in the Lower 48 have exactly the same... get less than 12,000 miles on them before change out is required, while those in the Lower 48 are getting 20,000 plus.

The Factory P-Zero Maximum Performance tires on the Wife's Camaro have only 6,000 miles on them, from mid-February this year to now. The tread is nearly 60%. Yes, those tires can grip like none I have had the pleasure of owning. But, I will never get the same mileage out of them, given similar driving habits of those in the Lower 48... simply due to our pavements.

I would think you could get Blizzaks on all four corners in a Camaro in the Lower 48, and still run them in the Spring/Summer/Fall without much compromise in handling... other than the slickness as you stated in hard acceleration and cornering at speed. And maybe 'Shred' was a little too dramatic... tire mileage is the real compromise up here.

My recommendation, if you want/need to drive your Camaro in the Winter months with Ice and Snow, is to find a tire intended for Winter Performance, and swap them out each change in season.

If you don't want to feel like you're losing performance just because it's Winter... I would go with the Blizzaks.

Blizzak is maximized for Winter driving and a big go to... the Scorpion Ice is a Performance based Winter Tire... while the Extreme Contact DWS is a Performance based All-Season leaning a bit toward the Blizzak Winter qualities, while still leaning a bit toward the Summer Performance tires.

While I'm not a Tire expert in any way... I do have 18 years driving experience here in Northern'ish Alaska. The sourdoughs all drive on Blizzaks and swear there is no equal... but I'm one to research a little for myself. There are folks up here driving Camaros, Mustangs, Chargers, Challengers, and a couple die-hard Vette owners that drive their cars during the Winter. I suspect they are all running Blizzaks.

[CamaroFred]

Well, I tried to keep my response a bit more compact than yours.

Let's admit your tires are only going to last half as long as we in the 'lower 48'.
So, your choices are winter tires for half of the year and performance tires for the other half of the year.

Personally I am always anxious to put on the P-Zeros when the weather is warm enough and switch to winters when necessary.
Considering you will get the same mileage out of each set, you can buy two sets now, each of which will last twice as many years if you drive them half the year.

And the best part is they are both optimized for the conditions.

Up to you.

[DonM]

Originally Posted by T-Hawk553

All of those that come up here from the lower 48 usually bring with them their BFG T/A and quickly realize that the tread pattern does not clean itself of the snow that packs in them. They simply become slicks.

Now, if you took those T/As to a tire shop and had them Sipped(sp) those extra little grabbers might give you better traction on the icy sections... but once the snow loads up in the treads, it's all over.

I run Wrangle Dura-Trac on my Silverado... used to run Wrangle MTR until they went completely different tread pattern. The Dura-Trac has the heavy lug system that clears the snow and mud almost instantly, and even has really stable Ice traction... but that's on a truck. Given the fact that there's no weight on the rear axel, and almost 350whp (with mods) I can still ease away on the Ice in 2x4. AWD or 4x4 and I can barely tell I'm on the Ice.

With that being said... and completely OT, the T/As may not be a great choice for Winter Tire.

Remember, I get to drive around on snow and ice for about 6 months straight.

Thanks, not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate the honesty. I can't afford to switch out tires this year, but I do plan on changing them by next winter. However THIS year I at least plan on having +/- 160 lbs in the trunk for added weight ... this worked great in my two third gens. with regular BFG T/As.

[T-Hawk553]

Originally Posted by CamaroFred

Well, I tried to keep my response a bit more compact than yours.

Yeah, I have a bad habit of talking/typing too much when it's a subject I'm familiar with.

I think though, the OP was in Houston, moving to Denver... and your input/suggestions would seem more appropriate given the differences in driving conditions there vs. Alaska. And, I think Chicago and Denver share similar Winter events... although I would imagine Chicago would be leaning toward more Ice than Snow.

[Muscle Car Lover]

Originally Posted by loves_bruins

I live in Nashua, NH. I bought 4-way Blizzaks (19") that I trade every November. And I do better than the damned SUV and other soccer-mom vehicles.
I wouldn't trade it out (especially for a crappy Subraru).

I live in Chelmsford, MA so my Nashua neighbor and I both survived Snowpocalypse of 2014. I had same set up, Blizzaks on 19' wheels and had ZERO issues all winter.

[JKiss45]

pirelli scorpion snow and ice on a set of SS replica's works great. Daily drive mine through Ohio winters, which can get pretty nasty.