SolidGun

The dealership that I am visiting today told me that they had two RX-8 models and one had snow tires on, but they can switch it out to regular tires.
I live in Fargo area and I know how to drive on snow, but is the all-weather tires that the car comes with enough for winter driving?
Should I keep the winter tires and then get summer tires when it gets warm? What is cheaper to buy....winter tires or all-weather tires?

saturn

The stock tires aren't all-seasons. From all accounts if you try driving in any amount of snow with the stock tires you will never get out alive. Do yourself a favor and stick with the snow tires (since you live in Fargo) or at the very least get some all-seasons (like the Pirelli PZero Nero M&S)

SolidGun

That is really good to know. I guess some of the info I read was completely off.
I guess I will stick to snow tires until May.

wisconsinben

Solid advice from saturn. I drove in a light dusting of snow with the stock tires once, here in Wisconsin, and will NEVER do it again! Get the snow tires and then when summer comes (and you've had some time to save up some $$$) splurge for a set of sweet rims and tires for the summers.

Skythe

yea, you should get the winter tires. The OEM tires are more of a summer blend. They're supposedly high-performance (according to the manufacture). The tread pattern is similar to an all season tread but it's really a summer tread. I too have a horry story, not personal, but one of my mom's good friends who also has an RX8 took her out to the store one day. There was a little patch of snow on the ground, nothing noticeable, and whilst going 15 mph over that little patch of snow the back-end came around and the traction control system kicked-in and saved their collective *****.

When looking at tires, I don't consider ever buying all-season tires. They just don't give you what you need in dry, wet, or snowy conditions. If you don't believe me, LOOK IT UP!!

SolidGun

So don't buy all-season tires?
Do I just keep the winter tires?

A little confused. I am really good at driving RWD with all season (not being cocky here) because I have had 3 mustangs with all-season on and I was fine. But this car seems a little different.

So do you recommend that I just get the winter tires and keep them on all the time? Fargo has damp roads often and it is icy/snow now.

New Yorker

Most people here will tell you to use winter tires in winter, and summer/performance tires when the temp stays above 45-50 degrees F.

Another option is to get good all-seasons and just use those all year, all the time. But it's not a good option; as others have said, all-seasons are not as good as winter tires in winter nor summer tires in summer.

SolidGun

I think I will go with the winter tires and then get all weather in the summer. I know it isn't that great, but I think I will give it a go since personal experiences may vary.
Thx again ppl.

RX8_GT

Get the snows - lived in Canada previously you will need winters in Fargo - period.

But in the summer there are now some performance all-seasons by multiple manufacturers - check out Tirerack.com or tires.com.

Personally with our light winters in central Indiana and a SUV available for backup - I got all-seasons for my RX-8 year round. The stock tires were simply suicidal at any temperature less than 40 F.

RX8_GT

Oh - and look at getting 245-40 18s for summer. Better choices in that size plus fit perfectly.

New Yorker

Actually, that doesn't make much sense, logically. I mean, the advantage of having all-weather tires is that it's the only set of tires you need. But if you have a set of winter tires, you're "other" set should be summer/performance tires. Think about it. What advantage would all-season tires offer you over summer tires when winter's over?

Just my 2¢, of course. Good luck!

RX8_GT

The advantage of all-seasons during the non-winter is rain and ice handling - especially in parts of the world where 'spring' and 'fall' can be challenging.

I ended up with SUMKO ECSTA ASXs in 245-40 18. If I was still in Canada - I would have a separate set of rims with true snow tires in 225-45 18 ... or even go with 205-50 17s.

RX8_GT

PS With your recent snowfall in NY - all the all-seasons are in the ditch so to speak.

SolidGun

Damn this snow.....It is going to cost me another $1000 for tires.
This is becoming a larger investment than expected......I think I will get the car with summer tires on and then drive up to Fargo and buy a set of winter tires. It is going to snow light on Monday morning and I hope I don't die on the way there with my wife sitting next to me nagging about how this was a bad idea.