What temps are people on here driving their cars in down into the colder months using summer tires.

I have Bridgy Potenza 2A. Are they and the PSS safe at say 40F-32F ?

 

I notice traction drop off with PSS's at around 60°. At under 30° they just get silly. Might as well be driving on Vaseline. Fortunately it doesn't get below 30° often in central Texas.

 

IIRC, conventional wisdom is that anything below about 45 degrees, summer tires (all brands) start to get dicey.

 

TY for the help... appears if I drive in the early mornings even by Oct I will need winter or all weather tires

 

I drive all the time at temperatures in the mid to low 30's. Welcome to Canada!


Yes at near freezing temperatures the PSS's will not excel; but they will not be so unhappy they will not work to get you where you want to go. Give them more time to build some carcas heat and you will be fine!


BUT do not expect them to be anything but utterly dangerous on ice, snow or frost!

 

I definitely have less grip in colder weather with the PSS's, but it's easily manageable. My wife drives or M5 year around with PSS's with no problem.

In the snow and ice, forget about it.

BTW I have PSS's on all of my cars and they are used year around. We do see temps in the 20's.

Later, Steve

 

So as long as I don't do any 0-150 mph runs or windy road racing in sub 40F I should be okay up to a few weeks into winter down to say 32F (0 C)

 

yes. you'll be fine.

 

It is not the actions you have control over it is the actions that are forced upon you.

For instance, I can make a conscious choice to avoid high speed runs or slow down on twisty roads on summer tires in cold weather but I can stop the other drivers from running a stop light, or pulling out in front of me or a kid darting out between two parked cars.

 

Good point, but let's face our cars in cold temps with summer tires, still have better braking and turning than 90% of the cars on the road.

Later, Steve

 

I need new tires anyway according to Steve and Tim in NY, doubt if I'll drive it in NY between Dec-Feb, may just get PSS2

 

Maybe.

I have driven my Boxster lots in cold weather, even in snow, with summer tires and while I would not recommend it to others I managed to stay out of trouble. I dare say I was lucky.

But not too long ago just a few blocks from the house on a cool damp day I rounded a sharp corner -- I knew it was sharp as I have been down that road many times -- and had the front tires break loose. My car crossed over the line. Thankfully the driver of the oncoming pickup was paying attention and swerved and saved an accident.

The experience left me quite shaken and made me aware how quickly things can go **** up when the tires don't grip as expected.