How do winter tires perform in warmer temperatures? (50-70 F)

[codys21]

I have a set of winter performance tires and am not ready to take them off quite yet. Afternoons are getting ready to stay around 50 but mornings are still 25-30.

Anyway, my wife and I are taking a road trip and expect the temps to be 50-70 F for the most part. Should I switch out my winters and put the summers on for the trip? (If so, I gotta get a jack within a week haha) Or should I just keep the winters on a bit longer?


Editing to add approximate route: I live in Iowa, am heading through Denver and through the Rockies, then on to Utah and northern Arizona, then back home through New Mexico and Kansas.

[clutchdj]

Over 50F they get very sloppy and the tread wears faster. Not dangerous but I’d stay below 70mph. If you will experience no freezing temps then swap them out.

[Kilabyte]

I'd swap them out but it takes me 10 minutes or so to do it.

You should have a jack no matter what

[AlmondJayRoM3]

Whether you keep the winters or swap depends on what you expect to run into during your road trip. If there’s any chance you will be hitting snow and ice during the road trip, keep the winters, especially if you plan on going through a mountain pass. I’d rather sacrifice a little extra wear than getting stuck in a ditch. If not, and the weather looks fair the whole way, swap them out.

Some would have you believe that they will melt and would wear super fast at any temps above 50. I took a road trip to Los Angeles where I spent a couple weeks in sunny weather in the 70s with my Blizzak LM32s the first season I had them and now on my third winter with them with plenty of tread left. They weren’t anything close to my summer tires but I wasn’t trying to do any spirited driving either. Winter performance tires will perform somewhat better in warm weather than normal winters. Don’t push it and you’ll be fine.

[FrznM]

I wonder how I should handle things in Kansas. We get 70 degrees day a week after we had a -15 degree day. I’m not into switching tires all the time. Right now I just use winter tires and am planning on switching back to summers once the low is consistently 45+. Our temps recently are 30 low 60 high so not sure what to do with my tire situation.

[Eurosonly]

Ive been on my Blizzaks for a little while now in the sun and id say be careful. the turn in isn't as good and the tires have more "roll over". I have also noticed that when in the dry if you do some burnouts and doughnuts-ive done a few the tires will start to fall apart more than summer tires might. if your gentle with your snows you should be fine. -none of these notes were complaints the Blizzaks are amazing.

[Humdizzle]

i live in the midwest. my civic on michelin cross climates does fine all year. even with this winter with all the snow there wasn't a single day i was stranded.

50-70 i'd put the summers back on. it was 50 over here today i was out having fun with my gt3 on cup2's.

[codys21]

Originally Posted by AlmondJayRoM3

Whether you keep the winters or swap depends on what you expect to run into during your road trip. If there’s any chance you will be hitting snow and ice during the road trip, keep the winters, especially if you plan on going through a mountain pass. I’d rather sacrifice a little extra wear than getting stuck in a ditch. If not, and the weather looks fair the whole way, swap them out.

Some would have you believe that they will melt and would wear super fast at any temps above 50. I took a road trip to Los Angeles where I spent a couple weeks in sunny weather in the 70s with my Blizzak LM32s the first season I had them and now on my third winter with them with plenty of tread left. They weren’t anything close to my summer tires but I wasn’t trying to do any spirited driving either. Winter performance tires will perform somewhat better in warm weather than normal winters. Don’t push it and you’ll be fine.

I guess I really should have added that info right off the bat. I will indeed be driving through a mountain pass. I live in Iowa, am heading through Denver and through the Rockies, then on to Utah and northern Arizona, then back home through New Mexico and Kansas.

And there won't be a ton of really spirited driving (corners at least), either. We're bringing our dogs and they aren't a fan of quick corners haha.

[hC1001]

Winter tires are fine for all temps. They wear out faster and get mushy in hotter temps. You'll be fine as long as you drive appropriately.

[arrivederci]

Originally Posted by codys21

I guess I really should have added that info right off the bat. I will indeed be driving through a mountain pass. I live in Iowa, am heading through Denver and through the Rockies, then on to Utah and northern Arizona, then back home through New Mexico and Kansas.

And there won't be a ton of really spirited driving (corners at least), either. We're bringing our dogs and they aren't a fan of quick corners haha.

Note that a traction law is in effect on I-70 through the mountains west of Denver from Sep 1 to May 31 regardless of the weather conditions. But you are unlikely to get a ticket for summer tires unless you get caught in a storm. Recently during storms the state police have been ticketing cars that are stuck / impeding the flow of traffic.

https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/tractionlaw

[codys21]

Originally Posted by arrivederci

Note that a traction law is in effect on I-70 through the mountains west of Denver from Sep 1 to May 31 regardless of the weather conditions. But you are unlikely to get a ticket for summer tires unless you get caught in a storm. Recently during storms the state police have been ticketing cars that are stuck / impeding the flow of traffic.

https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/tractionlaw

Thanks! I was unaware of that. I lived in Denver a few years ago for a year and thought that was only during winter storms but I see that 125 mile stretch you're talking about.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by codys21

I have a set of winter performance tires and am not ready to take them off quite yet. Afternoons are getting ready to stay around 50 but mornings are still 25-30.

Anyway, my wife and I are taking a road trip and expect the temps to be 50-70 F for the most part. Should I switch out my winters and put the summers on for the trip? (If so, I gotta get a jack within a week haha) Or should I just keep the winters on a bit longer?


Editing to add approximate route: I live in Iowa, am heading through Denver and through the Rockies, then on to Utah and northern Arizona, then back home through New Mexico and Kansas.

KEEP THE WINTERS ON.

The worst thing that you will have at 70 degrees is longer stopping distances/worse handling*

The BEST thing you will have is traction if the weather flips along the way - and you know Denver can do that to you

*Snow tires will be worse than Winter tires here...(Blizzaks vs. Pilot Alpin for instance)

[codys21]

Thought I'd just wrap this up since I just finished my road trip.

I'm very happy I kept my winter tires on (Vredestein Wintrac Pro XL)

They saw huge variations in weather and speed and I never felt wobbly/loose/out of control at all. 70+ degrees through Nebraska, 40 at night through the Rockies (following an STi from Denver to Vail), 75 in Utah, 25 and snow in Flagstaff, 50-60 and downpouring in Kansas.

3,559 miles over the course of the week and, again, very happy I kept them on.

[Isj]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

i live in the midwest. my civic on michelin cross climates does fine all year. even with this winter with all the snow there wasn't a single day i was stranded.

50-70 i'd put the summers back on. it was 50 over here today i was out having fun with my gt3 on cup2's.

Michelin cross climates are the truth, use them this winter on my daily and it had zero issues with snow, wet and dry.

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by codys21

Thought I'd just wrap this up since I just finished my road trip.

I'm very happy I kept my winter tires on (Vredestein Wintrac Pro XL)

They saw huge variations in weather and speed and I never felt wobbly/loose/out of control at all. 70+ degrees through Nebraska, 40 at night through the Rockies (following an STi from Denver to Vail), 75 in Utah, 25 and snow in Flagstaff, 50-60 and downpouring in Kansas.

3,559 miles over the course of the week and, again, very happy I kept them on.

How was M as long hauler

[codys21]

Originally Posted by 2011ninja

How was M as long hauler

Well, our other vehicle (a 2016 Ford Fusion) is considerably quieter and smoother and has a much larger trunk. And let's be honest, it's probably powerful enough, too (240 hp). But the M4 was actually great. Trunk, even as a convertible, was plenty good. The trunk fit three good size duffle bags plus three soft-sided coolers to hold our food and snacks for an entire week. When the top was down, two of the coolers needed to be moved from the trunk to the car but everything else still fit. Having the top down while driving through Utah (Arches and Canyonlands National Parks) was great and made it much better to be able to look around at all the cliffs and mountains and whatnot. And of course it was fun to have the power of the M in the middle of nowhere .

And we averaged 23.5 mpg over the course of the 3,559 miles so not too shabby on that front, either.