driving in the snow in ct with summer tires
 

happy new year to everyone.,I live in fairfield ct and we got some more snow yesterday . not alot but enough that in the past my car would just spin its wheels in the drive way on level ground. I had to make a trip to the store and knowing that to get there I would have to travel down a hill that more than likely I would not make it back home. since gas prices went crazy last year I havent had alot of gas in my car so the weight over the rear tires for the most part is nil. I had to get pushed to get out of my side street but after that I made it to the store. for the trip home I pulled up to the gas pump and put about 12-13 gal in the car. well what a difference . as long as I timed the lights and thank fully got behind a couple of high way plows I made it home . I know I should have snow tires but the cost and the history of the amount of snow we used to get doesnt make sense. are any one using any type of chains,... maybe plastic ones if they make them. .

......my car would just spin its wheels in the drive way on level ground.

The good lord only sends one warning, I hope you're not a slow learner.......

S

i wont drive my car in the snow if possible. thats why i have an 88 F150 with the blood thirsty V8 with a 5mt and 4wd..the tin worm already has had its fiull that that sucker...where there's snow, there's salt..

at any rate, i had to drive my 8 home from work at 4:30 in the morning two nights ago in a snow storm. good thing was the salt trucks were not out yet. the 8 did very well i thought. i have goodyear eagle rsa's. the dsc and tsc really did its job.i just took it easy and had no problems.

i was told by the les schwab guys here there are no chains for low profile tires and that the chain -like devices made for low profile tires cost like $300 or more

quick google finds these http://www.amazon.com/Thule-K-Summit.../dp/B001ED4Q0C at amazon for over $400

and a craigslist add for spikes spiders for 200 http://www.spikes-spider.ch/web05/html/eprodukte.html

i think the les schwab guy wanted to sell me some "cable" type,. but i find the "super z-6" http://www.vulcantire.com/cgi-bin/chainsearch.cgi which will work for only $70- i dont know what the les shwab guy was thinking. even these really aggressive thule's are only 179

I'm on long island and equally screwed by snow... i know your pain man!

Do yourself a favor. If you're going to drive in snow, get dedicated snow tires. A buddy of mine was out in his Grand Cherokee yesterday in Meriden, Ct and slid into an snow bank, taking out his bumper. No matter what kind of car you have, if the tires don't get grip, you aren't going (or stopping) anywhere.

The cost of the snows will be made up by one avoided incident. Note I didn't call it an "accident", because it wouldn't have been.

oh how I love my graspics... we haven't had a lot of snow/ice here yet this year but what little we had my graspics just tore right through. Drop a grand on some good winter tires and 17" wheels. It's an investment in your livelihood.

Here's one option:
If you plan on having your car for more than one winter in your current location, you really just need to get snow tires. Otherwise, if you don't get significant snow very often, you can do what i did last year. The 3 times during the winter when there was significant snow, I just took a cab to work. $50 for the winter.

Whatever you do, dont try to repeat driving as things stand now.....it can get ugly fast...

I do not recommed driving on stock tires or even any type of Non snow tires in this car...i've done it and it SUCKED I actually recommed getting abeater and parking the 8 over the winter that's what i did!

This is the fifth time I have used MINE. They cost $1,000 with rims, that works out so far to $200 / year for winter peace of mind and longer life for my summer tires. If your going to drive an RX-8 in a place that gets below freezing not having winter tires is stupid.

yeah if u MUST drive it winter tires are a MUST for sure!

big big mistake
 

no offense dug, you are making a huge mistake. this car is not driveable with summers in the winter even if its only a little snow. also, summers and even all weather tires lose effectiveness in the cold, i think around 45 degrees, so you are really putting your life in your hands if you still drive it with summers.

get some cheap winters. think of it is as an investment, the summers will last you twice as long.

not sure why this is in the issues and problems section. if you can't afford the money for new snow tires, people sell used wheels and tires all the time on here for pretty cheap. plus when you don't need them anymore you can always turn around and sell them on here for a few hundred dollars and aren't out the full boat.

never, never, never drive on summer tires in the snow and ice. you're just asking for trouble and the deductable you pay when you hit something will be as much as you would have spent on the wheels and tires (i know it has already been said but is worth repeating).

When you consider the longer life for the summer tires, only half of the $100 - the wheels - represents extra cost. So it's just $100 a year.

There are of bonuses besides peace of mind and not wrecking. Like you can berate those who drive summer tires in the snow. And twice a year you get a little exercise swapping the wheels - as long as you're up to the chore of doing 20 lug nuts.

Ken

Silly Silly Silly.....

^haha