Summer Tires...How Far North to Use All Year?

Every time in recent years that I have needed new tires, I always have a hard time deciding between performance summer tires and ultra high performance all season. I live in North Carolina (Raleigh area) and it can get cold here in the winter. Everything I read is that you shouldn't drive on max performance summer tires below ~ 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I do have kids that occasionally ride in my car so that makes me lean toward all season. Are max performance summer that slippery once the temps drop to below 40-45 degrees? If anyone on here is from the NC area, please provide recommendations on any specific tires you like.

Thanks!
Jayson

I have not tested them below 55F but from sitting over night they flat spot and take longer to warm up and smooth out. Most tire manufacturers stress what not to do with them in low temps. This is likely for a reason.
I live in middle Tennessee and I plan to change late September or watch the forecast into October. We can go below 15F and have hit zero.
In Southeast I would only run year round in Florida and maybe not the upper part.
They also warn of storing temp, so leaving them on even if you do not drive could hurt rubber life.

Summer tires fail when it snows. Contrary to popular believe I
would not say, they suffer just from poor grip at lower temps.
They're still good when it's freezing as long as it doesn't snow
or is icy.

I'm ~50 miles south of Cincinnati, 20F routinely in winter, and summer performance tires aren't an issue if you use a little common sense. Basically, drive like it was an issue and you won't have a problem. Small turbos are probably one of the worst, since the torque comes on so easily, so just take it easy.

But that's on a dry road. If the temps are sub-freezing, and you get any precipitation at all, you can't drive basically. Seriously, they're utterly useless in snow and ice. Any snow at all.

So the problem becomes, how likely is it that you'll leave the house for several hours, and in the meantime, it snows. The second time that happened to me was the last time it happened, because I've been running winter tires ever since.

Ever watched Nascar when it is cold?
They have to be easy until the tire temp comes up and then they are ok.
But, remember the tire manufacturers do not want the tire to freeze. Be it on the car or in storage. This could hurt the rubber compound.
I would follow instructions. If cost an issue get all seasons.

Heh, I store my summer tires on their wheels in the garage. Have for years. Gets pretty cold in there. Probably not optimal, but damn things are too heavy to move to the garage.

Good points, thank you.

It's pure myth summer tire rubber would be affected by lower temps.

I've never read that by any reliable source. Manufacturers just say
tires should not be exposed to direct sunlight or too hot when stored.
Millions of people store their summer tires in their garages at home,
where it's cold in the winter. Millions of summer tires are shipped in
containers worldwide in the winter time. Are these containers heated?

Obviously they are not. Even very most tire shop storehouses aren't.

Well, any rubber will inevitably get stiffer when cold. This applies to
winter tires, all-seasons and summer tires, while winter tires in parti-
cular are made from dedicated rubber to still provide best grip at the
lowest temps. Any rubber will get the same again when it's back to
a cosy temperature though. Aging of rubber happens due to sunlight
(UV rays) and high temps mainly, not low ones.

What happens on racing is an entirely different matter. When they
run the wrong rubber, they may need to warm it up. Nothing to do
with detoriation at all. The latter would happen when they overheat
a specific tire which is dedicated to run at lower temps, say, a rain
tire under hot and dry conditions.

Jayson,

I'm actually in Apex and with the limited amount of snow we get, I don't usually have problems with summer tires in the winter. With that said, when we had Snowmageddon 2014, my MK5 GTI couldn't get any kind of traction.

I just don't anticipate it happening often enough and if it does, I'll just drive my MK1.

lumpiestflower said:

Jayson,

I'm actually in Apex and with the limited amount of snow we get, I don't usually have problems with summer tires in the winter. With that said, when we had Snowmageddon 2014, my MK5 GTI couldn't get any kind of traction.

I just don't anticipate it happening often enough and if it does, I'll just drive my MK1.

Click to expand...

Oh yes, snowmageddon, it took me over a year to get over that! Haha. To no surprise, I had all-season Ultra HP Continentals on my MK6 during that weather and had no problem at all. So cold, dry weather doesn't affect grip too badly?
I'm in Holly Springs, btw. Thanks for the info...did I see your profile say that was your first post? If so, I'm honored.

breaking badly said:

It's pure myth summer tire rubber would be affected by lower temps.

I've never read that by any reliable source. Manufacturers just say
tires should not be exposed to direct sunlight or too hot when stored.
Millions of people store their summer tires in their garages at home,
where it's cold in the winter. Millions of summer tires are shipped in
containers worldwide in the winter time. Are these containers heated?

Obviously they are not. Even very most tire shop storehouses aren't.

Well, any rubber will inevitably get stiffer when cold. This applies to
winter tires, all-seasons and summer tires, while winter tires in parti-
cular are made from dedicated rubber to still provide best grip at the
lowest temps. Any rubber will get the same again when it's back to
a cosy temperature though. Aging of rubber happens due to sunlight
(UV rays) and high temps mainly, not low ones.

What happens on racing is an entirely different matter. When they
run the wrong rubber, they may need to warm it up. Nothing to do
with detoriation at all. The latter would happen when they overheat
a specific tire which is dedicated to run at lower temps, say, a rain
tire under hot and dry conditions.

Click to expand...

What you said makes sense and I agree for the most part so that is why I have been so surprised to read multiple articles warning of driving below 40 degrees on those tires. One claimed they turn slick, lose traction, and are difficult to control...on dry roads.

breaking badly said:

It's pure myth summer tire rubber would be affected by lower temps.

I've never read that by any reliable source. Manufacturers just say
tires should not be exposed to direct sunlight or too hot when stored.
Millions of people store their summer tires in their garages at home,
where it's cold in the winter. Millions of summer tires are shipped in
containers worldwide in the winter time. Are these containers heated?

Obviously they are not. Even very most tire shop storehouses aren't.

Well, any rubber will inevitably get stiffer when cold. This applies to
winter tires, all-seasons and summer tires, while winter tires in parti-
cular are made from dedicated rubber to still provide best grip at the
lowest temps. Any rubber will get the same again when it's back to
a cosy temperature though. Aging of rubber happens due to sunlight
(UV rays) and high temps mainly, not low ones.

What happens on racing is an entirely different matter. When they
run the wrong rubber, they may need to warm it up. Nothing to do
with detoriation at all. The latter would happen when they overheat
a specific tire which is dedicated to run at lower temps, say, a rain
tire under hot and dry conditions.

Click to expand...

The purpose of this post is not to get into a contest with you so take this as info. I am not an expert in field use of tires but have experience related to this subject. Also a good place to read about Summer Tires and cold temps is to visit Tirerack web site and they have some good info. This info is from this site.

The issue is the summer tires ability to flex in cold weather. As it is designed to handle warmer temps the material become brittle if exposed to temps below 20F and then the tire is flexed. Flexed by driving, inflating, and deflating. The rubber has an increased chance of cracking. Tirerack suggest that if a tire is stored below 20F that the tire be brought up to temp (above 40F) for 48 hours before the tire is mounted, used, or pressure changed in tire. Also the increased in temp should be gradual and not using a direct source of heat. Not doing this and tire might crack. So one could store tires below 20F but handling at these temps might cause cracks. Also tires can be stacked when stored and the weight of the tires could also cause cracking at low temps if tires are stored not inflated.

In the pictures below you will notice the cracks are often at angles to the sidewall. This is because of the belt angles below the surface of the tread.

Tire companies have liability, so if a product has an increased chance to not perform well they have to set limits and recommendations. Summer tires do not perform as well below 40F so they will strongly suggest owners not use them. Below 20F then the driver must not move the car or cracks will likely form. Will they always crack, maybe not but the likely hood is higher.

Tire Storage.
In the USA most warehouses are required to have fire sprinkler systems. These systems are normally active, meaning full of water and if a valve opens water is applied. With water in the lines they would risk freezing if temps falls below 32F so keeping them from bursting is a goal. For this Warehouses might not be heated to 75F but they most have heat to maintain above 32F. Might not be a requirement but a company would be stupid to risk it. Or they need to insulate the pipes with will not insure no problems 100%.

Not all warehouses have sprinklers and was the case at a Bridgestone Tire Plant in Japan - the Tochigi plant fire. Google it. It is a must in Tire storage to have overhead sprinklers. See last pic below.

Below are pics of summer tires with cold weather cracks.
It is best to follow Tire Manufacturers recommendations. They are developed from field issue from the past.

I just want my fellow Forum members to have the info they need to make a good decision. Could one drive summer tires all winter and not have issues? Maybe, but risk increases and the Tire Industry has developed guidelines for owners to follow. Make the decision best for you.

My first hand experience with summer tires:

Purchased 2014 Focus ST in October 2013. Came stock with Goodyear Eagle F1's. On the first morning with temps near freezing, I started off and could hear and feel the flat spots on the tires from parking on asphalt overnight. This went away in about a mile.

Overnight that November, we got a light dusting of snow. There was about a 10% grade on the exit road of the community I lived in. I was going very slowly in 1st gear, about 5 mph, and just barely eased on the brakes as I approached the stop sign leaving the community. No grip whatsover. I slid about half a car length past the stop sign into the road. Luckily no traffic was coming by at that early hour.

I ordered a set of wheels with Dunlop Wintersports mounted and balanced from TireRack that day.

That was in Stafford, VA by the way.

Also, FWIW, I had no problem pulling the F1s back out of non-climate controlled storage in the spring after months in freezing temps. They worked fine in their correct operating range after freezing in storage. Just one man's anecdote there.

jayk12 said:

Oh yes, snowmageddon, it took me over a year to get over that! Haha. To no surprise, I had all-season Ultra HP Continentals on my MK6 during that weather and had no problem at all. So cold, dry weather doesn't affect grip too badly?
I'm in Holly Springs, btw. Thanks for the info...did I see your profile say that was your first post? If so, I'm honored.

Click to expand...

Nope! No issues in the cold with the performance summer tires. Just when there was any kind of ice or snow, no traction.

And it was most definitely my first post, haha. I'm glad to have shared it in this thread .

We have some get togethers around the area, you should stop by sometime.