Buckeye3d

Here's my situation. I have an 02 S2000 that I just bought and plan to drive year round. I have a 96 Jeep Cherokee to drive when there is snow on the ground or in the forecast. I bought a set of Blizzak WS-50 & wheels off of Latesleeper a few weeks ago. I've been driving on the Blizzaks and I find that the trade off in handling performance for snow traction is not worth it for me. I don't need to drive the S in the snow nor do I want to. I just need a tire that can handle the freezing temps we get in Columbus. I just want to drive the S on clear days. So I'm selling the Blizzaks and buying something else for winter use. I know some will say to buy performance winter tires but I think that is probably still overkill for my situation. Plus selection is not great this time of year. Anyone recommend any all-season tires for my situation? Anyone else in Ohio driving all-seasons in the winter (or year round)?

Ubetit

I'm not sure I understand why you want all-seasons. You have a vehicle for snow and rain. I've never had a problem with my SO2's in the cold on clear days. Many of us drive our cars on nice days in the winter with SO2's, we even do occasional spirited drives. Of course you can't push the car like you can in the summer but if your goal is to just drive it, i don't see a problem with SO2's.

Buckeye3d

Hmm...well I was under the impression from everything I've read on S2KI that you'd be crazy to drive the S in sub-freezing temps on the S-02s. I want to be able to safely drive when the temps reach their coldest. Not just take the S out on days where its unseasonably warm.

David1

Just don't do anything dumb like give the car a jab of throttle in the middle of an on ramp on a 20 degree day.

Buckeye3d

So you guys would feel comfortable driving around town on S-02s when its like 10 degrees out (dry, no ice or snow)? I take it if you were me neither of you would bother with all-season or winter tires?

Ubetit

This is how I feel about all season tires. It simply isn't worth giving up the 8 months a year you can push your car hard on SO2's so that I could push my car a little harder the 4 months a year and the handfull of times I'll drive the car in the winter.

Also, don't believe everythingyou read about the tailhappy S2000 or the deadly SO2's in bad weather. Last year coming back from the Dragon, guys were going OVER the speed limit in the cold wet and snowy conditions. They aren't the instant death sentence some would have you believe

David1

My S does not see this type of weather, but when I drive it in the cold, anything below 445-50 ish, you just need to drive smart.

S2KBreaker

Buckeye3D, I am using all season tires. I'm happy with them. Have had them on since October 2005. I've driven my S2000 all season. I've tested the tires in many sitauations, snow, wet, dry, cold and they grip pretty well in the cold and wet weather. A bit slower in steering response because the sidewalls are a bit softer, but they costed half the price of S02s and sure do last longer. I've let Andy drive my S2000 with them equiped. Maybe he can vouch for how the tires handled.

Falken Ziex ZE 512 All seasons with the proper staggered OEM sizes. They don't grip as well as the S02s do when its warm out, but I'm ok with it because a good balance between grip and slip allows you to have some fun with the S2000 if you know what I mean. *drifting. If this is your thing.

Buckeye3d

Alright now you guys have me considering ditching the whole winter tire & wheel combo and just using the S-02s all year round (and driving the Jeep in bad conditions). Fully realizing you need to drive smart / safe / smooth in freezing weather you guys are telling me its safe to drive the S on the S-02s in sub-freezing weather? Are you talking only like 20 degrees plus or will they do okay in the single digits?

xviper

I am responding here by request.

Most of what's been posted here is very good advice:
The Blizzak WS-50 may be the worst tire for you to have purchased based on what you use them for. These tires are some of the most aggressive snow tires you can buy and as such, they are the worst performance tires you can buy if you drive them in the dry. They may not be a good representation of what you could have gotten and may be a bad reason for wanting to use SO2s in winter.

However, having said this, the SO2 is not "undrivable" in winter [b]so long as you don't have snow or ice on top of the road OR frozen moisture imbedded in the road. Even after light "dusting" of snow, you can drive it if you don't have any steep hills to negotiate.

You say you can't accept the lack of performance of the snow tires when driven on dry roads. OK, are you willing to NOT drive even close to the summer handling of SO2s? The limit of adhesion of cold SO2s on cold road surfaces is greatly reduced and you CANNOT expect to see the same kinds of lateral, decelerative or accelerative g's as you would if the road and tire temps are warm. If you want that "S2000 on SO2 feeling" in winter, then sit down in front of your Play Station and drive the S2000 in the game. You "might" gain some of the "feel" back if you get performance all season radials, but even these will not get you all the handling an S2000 is capable of in summer. It's a matter of physics and you simply have to dial it back a few notches.

Personally, if I never got ice and snow and if it were physically possible to have asphalt not contain moisture at 40 below, I'd drive an S2000 with SO2s, but then, I would have a full understanding of just where the new handling limits are and the way I would need to drive to stay below those limits.

Now, you have to ask yourself a question and be able to make a critical determination before you drive out on a cold winter day on SO2s. Is there any moisture in the pavement that has frozen? A clear, seemingly dry road surface is not enough. Even a microscopic layer of ice on the tiny bumps in the pavement will reduce SO2 traction by a startling percentage. If you can't accept driving with a high pucker factor, then you are way better taking the limitations that some of the performance all season radials have to offer.

Always keep in mind that there's two parts to every drive. There's the "heading out" part and there's the "coming home" part. Weather and road conditions can dramatically change before you turn around.