Summer Only vs All Season Tires in Illinois

[MidLifeCoyote]

As my new wheels are on their way, I am faced with the question of which tires to get. I live in Illinois, so cold weather sets in for the winter months. I am trying to decide between:

- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4s

This car is my daily driver and I will have my stock wheel set with all seasons on them to use. My question is, do summer only tires have enough extra grip to justify me only being able to use them for about 7-8 months per year?

Looking for experience from those that have ran these tire options.

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[Cucurú]

As my new wheels are on their way, I am faced with the question of which tires to get. I live in Illinois, so cold weather sets in for the winter months. I am trying to decide between:

- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4s

This car is my daily driver and I will have my stock wheel set with all seasons on them to use. My question is, do summer only tires have enough extra grip to justify me only being able to use them for about 7-8 months per year?

Looking for experience from those that have ran these tire options.

Because of those Summer Tires I didn't want the Performance Package. My car is used everyday. I'm just going to have to find a good tire that will work in all seasons. I didn't want to purchase another set with all weather tires that will fit Brembos for driving in cold or rain. That would've been up to 4K more. Plus having an SC any type of tires will spin if I'm not careful. I'm going to have to do some serious research. Their used to be a great tire which may have been called the Aqua Tread by a major brand.

 

[Bikeman315]

As my new wheels are on their way, I am faced with the question of which tires to get. I live in Illinois, so cold weather sets in for the winter months. I am trying to decide between:

- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4s

This car is my daily driver and I will have my stock wheel set with all seasons on them to use. My question is, do summer only tires have enough extra grip to justify me only being able to use them for about 7-8 months per year?

Looking for experience from those that have ran these tire options.

So.....you're going to hear from two camps. The first is the go ahead and drive your summer tires in sub freezing temperature. I've done it for a thousand years and never, ever had a problem. The second camp is do not drive in temperatures under 40 degrees of your tires will come apart at the seams.

Actually there is a third camp, the camp of reason. And it's actually pretty simple. Summer tires work best when hot. Sure they will eventually get up to operating temperature in cold weather but until they do they can be a real handful. Someone slows down too quickly, cuts you off, or brake checks you, and before you know it your insurance company is calling. Even the very best of drivers can lose it. Just watch professional racing. When a driver is on a cold tire anything can happen. Can you afford to take that risk?

On the other hand today's all season tires will run rings around older summer tires. Except for on the track or going 8/10ths on a mountain road. There are a number of great A/S tires that excel in both dry and wet handling and braking. My favorite is Michelin, but there are others.

So IMHO, leave summer tires for mid spring to mid fall. Once those morning temps drop into the low forties get them off. If you drive in a lot of snow. get winter tires. If not get the best A/S tires you can afford.

 

[robvas]

Summer

 

[AJ2FAST]

I live in Chicago I run the Michelin pilot sport all season 4 all year around never had a issue I actually like them better than the PS4 you can’t even drive with the PS4 if the weather is 40 and under it’s like hockey pucks

 

[Farmer Fran]

My answer is no.

For a car with this HP level max performance AS is the way to go. No need for max summer. The piece of mind of being able to go when you want is nice.

Max summer work great when all is great and you need to put power down, the new max AS tires work very well in the cold situations and marginally less in the hot situations.

Now if you are a boosted 810HP then this all changes...

I will post more if you want but I think you get what I am trying to say.

EDIT: Max Summer AS tires are easily good enough for 500HP

 

[Shadowblack5oh]

I've driven multiple cars with summer tires in freezing temps, and from my experience, I would say I don't recommend it. The PS4S on my 2018 GTPP in the winter were honestly not bad but the older P Zeros and the new PZ4s are noticably worse especially with a medium to aggressive take off from a light. The PZ4s also made more road noise when it was colder. I never drove in snow in any of them and from my experience with dry freezing temps I wouldn't even attempt it. Once the stock rears were pretty much in need of replacement on both my 18 GT and now on my 24 GT I swapped over to Continental DWS 06s all around and I'm plenty happy to keep them on all year long.

Summer only tires are great if you live in an area that rarely gets into freezing temps, but everywhere else I'd recommend a good set of all seasons.

And for just from my personal experience, I had no tire failures or compound cracking or anything like that from driving the PS4S or PZ4s in single digit weather. Ymmv and I still wouldn't recommend it.

 

[AJ2FAST]

I've driven multiple cars with summer tires in freezing temps, and from my experience, I would say I don't recommend it. The PS4S on my 2018 GTPP in the winter were honestly not bad but the older P Zeros and the new PZ4s are noticably worse especially with a medium to aggressive take off from a light. The PZ4s also made more road noise when it was colder. I never drove in snow in any of them and from my experience with dry freezing temps I wouldn't even attempt it. Once the stock rears were pretty much in need of replacement on both my 18 GT and now on my 24 GT I swapped over to Continental DWS 06s all around and I'm plenty happy to keep them on all year long.

Summer only tires are great if you live in an area that rarely gets into freezing temps, but everywhere else I'd recommend a good set of all seasons.

And for just from my personal experience, I had no tire failures or compound cracking or anything like that from driving the PS4S or PZ4s in single digit weather. Ymmv and I still wouldn't recommend it.

I also run the Continental DWS 06 they work well especially for the price that’s why I didn’t go back with my Michelin pilot sport all season 4 they just too expensive for the life I’m getting out of the tires

 

[Pmamba]

I also live in Illinois. Get the AS since you’ll be driving it in the cold.

 

[DannyJ7]

My opinion, having lived in southern, IL for a few years while postes at Scott. EVEN in a Honda fit, summer tires were a massive improvement over a/s. Cornering was way better. Felt more connected to the road and it handled rain better too (when it was warm).

Keep the stock rims, put winter tires on those and switch as weather dictates. I love blizzaks. I have them on my stock rims now.

Come spring I'm moving to a 19" (width yet to be determined) with proper summer tires. This is on a EB. I can only imagine the improvements to be had on a GT.

Proper tires are worth wayyyy more than nearly any other mod you can do.

 

[Cucurú]

My

My opinion, having lived in southern, IL for a few years while postes at Scott. EVEN in a Honda fit, summer tires were a massive improvement over a/s. Cornering was way better. Felt more connected to the road and it handled rain better too (when it was warm).

Keep the stock rims, put winter tires on those and switch as weather dictates. I love blizzaks. I have them on my stock rims now.

Come spring I'm moving to a 19" (width yet to be determined) with proper summer tires. This is on a EB. I can only imagine the improvements to be had on a GT.

Proper tires are worth wayyyy more than nearly any other mod you can do.

Hmm. I think I'll invest in some stock 20" rims for summer use, and switch to my ugly black stock 19" with all AW. The 20" will slightly mellow out my Whipple SC.

 

[ShaZadam698]

I ditched my Stock PP wheels for some Continental ControlContact Sport SRS+
in the same size and they have been great in the weather!

 

[Old School1]

As my new wheels are on their way, I am faced with the question of which tires to get. I live in Illinois, so cold weather sets in for the winter months. I am trying to decide between:

- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4s

This car is my daily driver and I will have my stock wheel set with all seasons on them to use. My question is, do summer only tires have enough extra grip to justify me only being able to use them for about 7-8 months per year?

Looking for experience from those that have ran these tire options.

I have the summer tires and definitely can tell when not gripping in daily driving with a manual. Mine sits in the garage but if......no snow, no salt, no rain then I will take it for a quick spin but baby it just to drive. Moving to all seasons at the end of fall this year.

 

[Stang24]

I’ll give you my word. I have had both. I’m also in Illinois I have the Michelin All season 4s on my s650 for summer and they work and hook great I have those tires mounted in nice wheels so I don’t run it in the winter but I’ve had no issues with them I use them for the drag strip the few times I went and I also took the car to tail of the dragon and the tires held up great.
On my old s550 I had the Pilot sport 4s summers I liked them but they ruined my paint always kicked up rocks and picked up every little thing in the road. But I think I bought the “K1 Ferrari” pilot sport 4s they were sticker than my friends pilot sport 4s for some reason. I’ve had no issues with the all seasons, like I said they hook great and they are lasting quite a long time through the abuse I put them through. Also good in the rain.
Also would like to add the Michelin pilot sport 4S in the morning cold temperatures in spring it was like driving on bricks, and it made a thumping noise when turning because the front tires wouldn’t grip because they were too cold

 

[Old School1]

You Illinois guys in the city or burbs?

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