flyAA

Did a search and couldn't come up with a good answer. I live in Virginia Beach and can't decide if I need to buy some winter tires. I keep my z06 in an enclosed portable garage but it does not have any heat, so it is basically outside temperature. I have read how the super sports will crack in cold temperatures but how cold are we talking? I'm a block from the beach so its pretty mild but we occasionally get temperatures down in the 20s.

If I do decide to get new tires what should i go with? The only other make in the same size I saw on tire rack were Continental extreme contact DWs. Would these suffice? Any other options?

What about size? Do i have to run 335s in the rear or would 305s work on the stock wheels?

I will NOT be driving in the snow or on any contaminated surfaces. I'm primarily concerned with cracking due to cold weather.

Thanks for all the help!

davepl

I'd go with what the manual tells you on this, but if you do replace tires, my wife's very happy with the DWs on her S8.

flyAA

All I could find in the manual was don't drive below 50*F. That seems a little excessive. Is that what you were referencing?

jklein7

I don't believe you will have any problem with your tires cracking. I believe that was a problem which was fixed by the tire manufacturer

FirehawkTA

The concern beyond cracking is traction. The warm weather tire compound does not have good traction When cold.

Bill Dearborn

It depends on the temps you are talking about when driving the car. Biggest issue is the tire cracking. Reduced grip situations can be handled by the driver. I just purchased a brand new 2015 Z07 in Raleigh, NC last night and had to drive 170 miles to get home.

Ambient temps were in the 44 to 46 range and it was pouring rain. Drove around town looking for a place to eat before I headed home and the tires did very well. I was able to keep up with or go faster than other traffic and once on the highway I was able to maintain speeds between 65 and 75 depending on how much water was on the road.

Just remember driving in low grip situations means not putting a shock load on the tire ground interface by using the throttle as an on/off switch or making sudden steering or braking inputs. It is the very definition of being smoooooth. In low grip situations the less torque you try to apply the better off you are. In some cases you may have to start from a dead stop in second gear.

Bill

mi650

My wifes ZL1 came with GY Eagle F1s. They won't be going back on it in the spring. I have a set of P-Zeros on order.

Any kind of cool and/or wet weather, and it's all over the road. I don't mean cold, I'm talking 60 deg. They may be great tires on the track, but they suck on the road.

Greg00Coupe

Its a very expensive car. Pop a few K for contis DWS and a extra set of rims and sensors.

Why take the chance?

Rd16rr

Here's a few links you'll find helpful:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ut-issues.html

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...z06-drive.html

3 Z06ZR1

Save the tire money for better quarters for your car.

Hate to see the money spent on snows for summer car. Makes no sense to drive it on ice and snow. Better vehicles for that.
Corvette plus snow tires and snow equals retarded!

6104696

He is not talking about snows or driving in the snow. He is talking about tires for cold weather. There are plenty of parts of the country where temps drop below safe levels for the factory tire. Even if the driver can "manage" acceleration traction, and emergency stopping situation with cold factory tires can be deadly. But some of us want to be able to drive our 'vettes year round, and don't want a little chilly air to prevent us from doing so.


DWS's are not available in OEM sizes. DW's are, and his question is whether the DW's are better than the factory Michelins in the cold. I think that they are, but I too would like to hear from those with experience with DW's........

flyAA

Yea I definietly will not be driving in snow or slush. But I just spent 80k on a car and if its a sunny day I want to be able to drive even if its 25*F out haha.

From my research it looks like 20*F is the point where they say not to move the car at all. If thats the case and 30* is fine to drive cautiously then I am going to stick with the stock tires as we have very few 20* days. Sound like a good plan??

Thanks guys!

FirehawkTA

I am also looking for a solution other than the 305 Pirelli tires some are using. I may end up with those, but I'm still looking. I look at it this way: spend $80k for 230 days/year or $83k for 330 days/year. The decision seems simple enough to me.

mi650

I'm curious about this part.

Edwardz

They don't make the DWS in the 335/25/20 size

flyAA

Can't remember where I saw that number but I stumbled across it in a few places. I think it was one of the first threads where a new z06 was delivered to a guy in Vegas and his tires were all cracked. Also think I saw it when I was researching the tires elsewhere online.

I believe I read if the tires are exposed to 20*F or less for an extended period they need to be warmed up to 40*F before they can be moved.

mi650

Ah, OK. Thanks!

Sub Driver

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/03/...cracked-tires/


This talks about temps below 20 degrees and cracked tires.

mi650

I had a brain cramp, and thought he meant the car couldn't be driven below 20. Even at 40, my MPSS are hockey pucks.

3 Z06ZR1

No problem coming out a warm garage. Tires are fine in freezing weather. As long as the tires themselves don't sit parked and freeze., Even with the best winter traction tire will not be like a summer tire in the summer., Chilly air? No problem!