Continental dws-06 winter driving question

Evening,

Anyone one here running continental dws-06 tires feel free to give feed back.

At what point does the dws-06 stop being effective, and snow tires need to be put on???....temperature...ice...snow level? Which or all of the above? As an example..the general g-max as-03 that I ran in the past got rock hard when it was 0° or colder...snow never stopped those tires.

It's my first S.D. winter and they are brand new. Just outside of Rapid city. So far they have been great, but I know they are all seasons. I have my snow tires ready, this is just my first time running conti's. So far they have done great on 4" of snow and icey roads.

Thanks in advance -

[Avenging Orange]

All season are just that. It's people's driving habits that need changing. Not saying you are that person......but it's always a head scratcher when folks want to blame the tires when they crash taking a turn at 40mph in 4" of snow. Sorry for the rant...I'm grouchy...started chemo yesterday.
You'll be fine...just take your time.

Originally Posted by Avenging Orange

All season are just that. It's people's driving habits that need changing. Not saying you are that person......but it's always a head scratcher when folks want to blame the tires when they crash taking a turn at 40mph in 4" of snow. Sorry for the rant...I'm grouchy...started chemo yesterday.
You'll be fine...just take your time.

You are absolutely right. Grouchy is allowed.

I slow way down and have zero problems in winter...this is my 5th winter in a camaro. Just new to these tires and want feed back. My snow tires are mounted balanced and ready to be bolted on...was hoping for the Information to make that transition better...I want to see how these do.

[Rainbow1616]

I never run all seasons. I run summers in summer and winters in winter. I experimented with the last car I had and I ran a good set of all seasons. When we got lot of snow the car just would not go places I needed to. Too many issues. I switched to snow tires, Blizzaks I think. That made the car night and day more drivable. There is no where I couldn't go. From then on I was sold and never looked back. Two sets of tires and wheels for all my cars now.

Originally Posted by Rainbow1616

I never run all seasons. I run summers in summer and winters in winter. I experimented with the last car I had and I ran a good set of all seasons. When we got lot of snow the car just would not go places I needed to. Too many issues. I switched to snow tires, Blizzaks I think. That made the car night and day more drivable. There is no where I couldn't go. From then on I was sold and never looked back. Two sets of tires and wheels for all my cars now.

I do almost the same. I have Nitto nt90w's (snow tires) on my factory rims, just waiting. I run all seasons that are snow rated the rest of the year....too many weather anomalies in s.w. Colorado (where I was). I could probably get away with summers here in rapid city for about 5 months, I think. Only been here since July 18.

Since the continentals have been more popular than the generals that I normally run, I was hoping for some feedback. I could run the generals in s.w. co (durango and surrounding) until we hit negative temps and never miss a beat with those tires.

Those nittos are worth looking into, on average 100 less a tire and amazing in snow. Your comment about the cars being night and day difference in drivability is so true.

Thanks much!

[KenKat]

Man, if I lived in South Dakota and had a set of snows ready to go, I’d probably be putting them on now. You could have a storm drop a foot of snow any time.

[CamaroFred]

Since you already have the snows, what are you waiting for?
Might as well bolt them on and split the mileage between them and your A/Ss.
Years affect tire life as much as mileage.
I usually wait until mid-November, but this year we had ~3" inches early in the month. I put the Scorpions on the next Saturday and Sunday/Monday we had nearly 9"! Of course, no one drove on Monday but the plows, so I didn't test them in that, but when I did venture out later in the week I had no issues crunching through some places that still had 3-4".
Like Rainbow, I have summer tires. It doesn't make sense to me to compromise performance on a car such as an SS Camaro.

[oslouie]

I have both and have driven both in MN winter. The Generals got me through 3 winters and the DWS's help me make it home when my lazy ass decides to switch out my summer wheels at the last minute. Can't go wrong with either but I'll take the DWS's over the Generals.

Originally Posted by CamaroFred

Since you already have the snows, what are you waiting for?
Might as well bolt them on and split the mileage between them and your A/Ss.
Years affect tire life as much as mileage.
I usually wait until mid-November, but this year we had ~3" inches early in the month. I put the Scorpions on the next Saturday and Sunday/Monday we had nearly 9"! Of course, no one drove on Monday but the plows, so I didn't test them in that, but when I did venture out later in the week I had no issues crunching through some places that still had 3-4".
Like Rainbow, I have summer tires. It doesn't make sense to me to compromise performance on a car such as an SS Camaro.

The weather here has been really nice aside from the damn wind. it has been 40 and above most days, which is why i haven't bolted my snows on yet. I got to put the new set up on about a month ago and just couldnt see myself putting them in the shed until spring...lol.

As far as running summers, I have always wanted to...i can hope the summer after next the weather here will show itself to all for that. What I saw of July through September of this year...I am hopeful. We would get snow and ice all the way into May and as early as Oct down in durango, we lived above 8k feet and it wasn't safe

Originally Posted by oslouie

I have both and have driven both in MN winter. The Generals got me through 3 winters and the DWS's help me make it home when my lazy ass decides to switch out my summer wheels at the last minute. Can't go wrong with either but I'll take the DWS's over the Generals.

Thanks for your input. Why do you like the DWS better?

Originally Posted by KenKat

Man, if I lived in South Dakota and had a set of snows ready to go, I’d probably be putting them on now. You could have a storm drop a foot of snow any time.

You are right, they did get almost a foot about 4" east of us Saturday. I will be getting them changed soon. Its a full new set up and lovely...I just couldn't bring myself to put them in the shed untill spring. Fortunately I live near the banana belt in rapid city, it has been very mild for the start of this winter.

[oslouie]

Originally Posted by firedruish

Thanks for your input. Why do you like the DWS better?

IMO, the DWS's have better grip in the snow than the Gmax's. Felt safer but as stated before, I trust the Gmax's will get me home through the snow. I'm dropped on Eibach Pro Kit and I never keep extra weight back there. Only time I didn't make it home was one night where we had 13" of snow and I decided I'm not going to get stuck going up the steep hill to my house so I parked her and got a ride.

[hrpiii]

I have run some DWS's in the winter here in Indy, but not in heavy/deep snow. They do great in the 'slush' and wet roads. So if you haven't seen or expecting anything soon, keep on running them. They handle great and do get great traction.

Originally Posted by hrpiii

I have run some DWS's in the winter here in Indy, but not in heavy/deep snow. They do great in the 'slush' and wet roads. So if you haven't seen or expecting anything soon, keep on running them. They handle great and do get great traction.

Thanks that's what I have been doing. I know I am going to have to put my snows on sooner than later...sigh.

Thanks for all the feedback I really appreciate it. The photo is about as bad as I have seen it since moving here.

Thanks guys and gals