[MoreSpeed]

Originally Posted by h777

Just wanted an opinion from some of you all on this. Trying to decide if I need winter tires or not. And hopefully, it can help others in the same position. Live in DC metro area. During winters, temperatures can vary between 30s to 50s during the day. My car is a weekend car and would only drive when there is NO salt on the road and temperatures are above 45 degrees during the day. And of course, no night driving when temps can plummet. Do I really need winter tires? My thinking is that as long as I choose my days wisely with temps at least 45 degrees, that I should be ok with summer tires. However, want to hear opinions from you all who have experience doing something similar.

I took a similar approach with my GT3 one year before I gave up and started putting it in storage for the winter. (In the NE, we just don't have that many warm days in winter). You should have no problem with Summer tires in that scenario. No cracks. No accidents.

However, as it gets dark and cools down, you will absolutely feel the difference in traction. You will not be impressing your friends with quick take offs. It feels like socks on a shiny wood floor.

You will also have to give a bit more room for stopping. Tailgating would be a problem when all of a sudden, you have less stopping power than everything around you, where in summer, the opposite is true.