Winter/Summer or Winter/All-Season Tires

[bucketfoot]

For those of you in areas with snowy/cold winters (I'm in the Denver metro area), do you run a combination of winter/summer or winter/all-season tires.

My warm weather tires are currently the original all-seasons that came on my X1 (AWD), but I am getting am starting to think about what I want to replace them with.

It seems to me that similar to using winter tires in cold weather, I will see better performance from summer/performance tires during warm weather.

The main drawbacks I see with summer tires are the possibility of snow/ice during the fringe times right before putting on or taking off the winter tires and generally getting fewer miles out of a tire. I don't think either of these are huge negatives, but would be interested in hearing from others.

[9iron]

Winter/summer for me. There are a few days that can get you in trouble if you take them off too early (this happened to me last week), but those few compromises give you much better performance throughout the rest of the year.

[bvanlieu]

Both really. Sports cars have summer, but also winter tires too (perf snow/all season on other): when the temps get into the 40's the summers come off as they are not really well suited for cold days. This is typically not hard to do with the advent of Doppler radar: you see it getting colder. The freakish snow in October means they stay inside

For the sedans, I push it a bit later to December with HP A/S tires and snows. Yes I swap lots of tires, but to me its worth it for the few months of snow/slush and better grip and safety.

- b

[KingOfJericho]

Winter/summer.

[MightyMouseTech]

I actually use three sets.

Very aggressive winter tires, very skinny.
Spring/fall "all-weather" tires on stock rims.
Summer tires on wider summer rims.

In the long run, it costs the same as two sets, but you always have the right tires for the conditions.

[TomD335xicoupe]

dws06 and Blizzack for winter.

[fbsm]

Originally Posted by 9iron

Winter/summer for me. There are a few days that can get you in trouble if you take them off too early (this happened to me last week), but those few compromises give you much better performance throughout the rest of the year.

I second this

All Season tires are like a hybrid bicycle.....doesnt go offroad well nor does it go on road very well

If you need to drive in actual winter conditions then get winter tires with tread design/rubber compounds to facilitate this

Same applies to summer

[AtlasM]

If you're looking specifically for a performance tire for your non-winter tires, then yes, generally summer performance tires are better. I have winter & summer on my 335xi with a bunch of suspension tweaks because I want the most possible grip.

But if you're also trying to find some balance of comfort, tread life, etc., then some all-season tires might be a better option for your non-winter tires. Not because they're all-season, but because most tires that offer those things happen to be all-seasons.

Really it comes down to your priorities.

[Dackelone]

All Seasons are really called NO Seasons... bc they are too much of a compromised tire. Over here in Germany... Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE runs a summer and winter tire. It's really the only way to have the best of both worlds.

[porshah]

19" with summer tires from April-October. 18" All Season from Nov-March.

[RM7]

Life's too short not to enjoy the thrill of summer tires in summer.

Plus you can pull off some impressive slides on the ice with studded snow tires.

[david in germany]

Nuf said.