Z0Sick6

Hi guys,

Brutal winter in the East this year. I was wondering if its safe to take the car out. My inside of the garage is around 43 degrees.... outside temperature is 31, is it safe or will my tires crack? They are the OEM Michelin Pilot SS ZP.

No salt or brine after 2 inches of rain yesterday and everything is thawed because it was 62 yesterday.

Thanks in advance! I have an itch and want to get her out for a few

cyi1

It's been 35-40° high and 20° lows here... I haven't risked it. Don't want to buy a new set of tires when my super sports have 2k miles.

If it's over 40° I'll take it out but get it back indoors before it's in the 20s

ronsc1985

You can take it out however be careful as the tires have little grip below 40 and really not all that much until 60. As to cracking I have had mine out in the mid 30's many times without any cracking problems, mostly when trying to put on the initial 500 miles.

mikegaan

As long as you start out (from a 'warm' garage), makes no difference what the outside air temp is. Key is to not PARK it outside where the tires can cool down/freeze. As long as you're driving, the tires stay warm from flex. (The DIC will confirm that). I'll go for a drive in my 2015 on dry days regardless of the temp, down to single digits. I just don't park anywhere. Keeps the battery and fluids/seals up, and I get to drive it. Just be very careful with the throttle, as there is not too much grip. You can select WET mode if you like.
I also pay attention to tire pressures, recalling the old rule of thumb "10 degree change in temp = 1 psi change in tire pressure". Go drive!

capevettes

Super Sports will be fine. Cups are a problem. I've driven mine with Super Sports a few times around and under 40 degrees with no issues other than you really can't jump on it. Kind of takes the fun out of it, but at least you can give the car a little exercise and enjoy cruising along.

mowe

For over 2 years I’ve driven the tires in 20-40 degree weather with no issues for what it’s worth.

ztheusa

Tires don't "freeze," on planet Earth.

Z0Sick6

Temp was 33-34 degrees. Garage was 43 degrees. Car was fine and tire PSI was good. No issues. Glad I got it out!

Bill Dearborn

Cracking isn't an issue until the temp falls into the 19 to 22 degree range. Above that the tread won't crack but the tire will have less grip on the road. Drive it for a while at highway speeds to get the tread warm enough to push it a little.

I had my C6Z at Watkins Glen one day when the ambient temp was 32 degrees and there were snow flurries falling all day. The Continental Slicks I was running took 5 laps before they came up to pressure/temp and then I set my best ever lap time up until that time.

Bill

pika

I just took mine out, was around 35 degrees today in Central NJ. Is your garage unheated? last week I parked on bedsheets and wrapped my tires in more sheets because it was 0 degrees outside, not sure what the garage temps were but couldn't have been over 30. Not sure if that helped haha

Mr. Gizmo

I understand the cracking problem is due to leaving the car outside in 10 to 20 degree temps for long periods then driving the car.

If the car car is in a garage that stays in 30 to 40 degree temps your ok taking it out even in single digit temps.

Z0Sick6

Its unheated but insulated well and the door I have is high quality with insulation. Never gets below 40ish really.

3 Z06ZR1

THIS!

3 Z06ZR1

Tires like the sheets with about 600 thread count!

Seriously? You wrapped your tires in bedsheets?

Bill Dearborn

The Michelin warning states temperatures at or below 20 degrees and doesn't limit the warning to driving on tires. It also warns the damage will occur to tires that are stored at those temperatures. That means ones that aren't mounted on rims are equally likely to crack.


The important thing to remember is that cracking is in the rubber tread not the carcass. What does that mean? That tread cracking isn't all of that big of a deal as long as parts of the tread don't start flying off the tire.

If I had a steel belted run flat that wasn't covered under any warranty and it had some tread cracks in it I would probably continue to drive on the tire until the tread started chunking off. Sudden deflation wouldn't be an issue since the tire is a run flat. The thing to worry about would be the tread peeling off and flying off the car and hitting something or getting wrapped around the wheel causing damage to the car or maybe causing a driver to lose control.

Bill

usctroj836

You are funny. Love the crazy what ever they are called.

1 HOT 07

The weather here in Phoenix this past Saturday was in the mid to high 70's. The sun was starting to go down and I was on the freeway. I have a Z06/Z07 A8. I was doing about 60 mph and stomped it to the floor. The tires broke lose to the point where the traction control came on. It was strange, because it rarely engages Traction Control and usually lets the car go without fighting back.

gve

I bought new super sports last June and noticed right away how hard they rode it felt like it was in sport or race mode. Usually new tires are softer, the dealer thinks they might have been stored in cold temps. There wasn’t any cracks in the tires that we could see. The dealer replaced them with fresh tires and now it rides like when it was new. So the cold may not crack the tire but the soft rubber compound may become hard and give you a rough ride.