tpaxadpom

I have 2 550s and both of them have stock tires (Continental ContiProSport 2). Basically summer tires and it gets here below 40 (NW). How many of you with the same tires drive at winter time? I don't want to push it and have other cars with all season tires, but when it doesn't rain around here we (myself and my wife) want to drive newer cars. I wouldn't take rear wheel drive car for a spin even with winter tires when the roads are icy. But how bad is it to drive on summer tires when the temperature is in 30-40 deg F range? BTW I am not talking icy, snowy roads. Dry condition cold temp.

Hyper_545i

Summer High Performance Tires below 40 Degrees is a gamble. I've read the compound of the tire does not do to well in the cold and the tires become "hockey pucks" in the cold. Handling and breaking are definitely impacted so be careful. I know these are not run flats, but when I had my OEM Run Flats, they were horrendous in the cold.

tpaxadpom

thank you for the reply. When it is time to get new tires I will get all season tires. I don't think we need ultra performance tires with our driving habbits.

svre46

I just picked up the Continental Extreme DWS. Should be ok for the snow and it's a high performance all season. I had pilot super sports on my E46 and that was dangerous in light snow and hard to even move without sliding. When temps were below 30 they were hard as a rock. I would expect similar results from the pro sports. If you use summer tires just be careful with ice.

tpaxadpom

Continental Extreme DWS were number 1 on my replacement tire list. Another question is it ok to mix front and rear tires? When it is time to replace rear tires should I replace all 4 with Extreme DWS?

FormerE30Owner

Winter tires or summer tires, they must be the same tires on all fours, although the sizes can be different front to back.
Salut, Bob P.

Quarta2six

Probably not a good idea but february makes 3 years and Ive never purchased winter tires and havent had any problems. Winter time I tend to slow down anyway because Black Ice is a bitch. Ive driven my car in light snow with a pair of nitto nt555's since owning the car with no problems. You can feel it or the car will tell you when youre slipping. I have Hankook's on my rears now Idk how those will do got those in the spring time.

svre46

People do mix form time to time. If you do the compound should be the same (summer), tread pattern should be similar, and sidewall stiffness should also be similar. Also, you do not want to have new tires on the front and halfway gone on the rears. People spin out from that. Since most of us have staggered wheels depending on the situation I usually replace all 4.

Wpg550

Might as well replace them all at the same time. By the time you price out your two rear tires for the Conti SC2's it's the same price to get a full set of the DWS's - at least it was for me. I run DWS's for May-Oct (don't laugh, but we can get snow in May/June, hence the all seasons) and swap to full winter tires for Nov-April when it is generally cold and snowy.