Anyone Drive The Winter on Summer Only Tires?

[Irish Pilot]

I hate to start a new thread on this but I need some info asap.

Im supposed to pick up my GTP today and its got the summer only tires...what kind of experience has anyone had in the winter with the summer only tires?

Will I survive lol?

[EmersonHart13]

You can survive, but you really should not for the safety of yourself and others. If you don't plan on getting winter tires and wheels don't get the summer option...?

John

[Nikki]

I would spin the tires thru 1st and 2nd gear in the snow. I personally didn't feel comfortable/safe driving like that so I paid the money to get winter tires/wheels.

[mbiker97]

From past vehicles with similar bridgestones it is a bad idea to winter them, let alone in snow/ice conditions.

[Arcanum]

I didnt pay the extra $150 for the Summer only tires, but I got them and recently realized this.

I read up on the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires that came with my car, and it specifically says that they are "not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice." I'm going to have to get some winter tires too. I dont think I would try to use them in the snow.

[Interfire]

They don't recommend it because of the compound in summer tires shouldn't be in cold temperatures. It could damage the tire. That said, any summer only tire would obviously suck in the winter.

[MaDgamEr]

You're not gonna damage the tires, its just simply a matter of them not being able to get up to get up to their designed perating temperature and provide grip.

[Interfire]

Maybe not the Potenza but, some Yokos need to be stored above -10c to avoid damaging the tire. So that's not entirely true.

[Arcanum]

I have looked into this some more, as I am about to buy rims, and thought that I needed to also buy tires.... I checked with my dealer, and he he told me that what I have, the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A is actually called a Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole position, and is an All Season Radial.

TireRack.com said this was a summer only tire, and that is where I got my information from. I contacted Bridgestone via their web site and hope to get an email confirming this soon....

What tires, exactly did you get on your car?

[Interfire]

I have looked into this some more, as I am about to buy rims, and thought that I needed to also buy tires.... I checked with my dealer, and he he told me that what I have, the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A is actually called a Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole position, and is an All Season Radial.

TireRack.com said this was a summer only tire, and that is where I got my information from. I contacted Bridgestone via their web site and hope to get an email confirming this soon....

What tires, exactly did you get on your car?

The Bridgestone RE050A Pole Position and standard RE050A are different tires, they are not the same tire. The Pole Position is a much higher grade tire. Both tires are a performance tire, and I'm pretty sure you could find that info on their website.

The summer tires that come as an option on the G6, are the standard RE050A.

[Arcanum]

I jsut went back to the Bridgestone web site to look at the Potenza RE050, and RE050A Pole Position.

The pdf data sheet for the RE050 mentions an RE050A as asymetrical tred pattern, and neither the RE050/RE050A or the RE050A Pole Position state that they are Summer Only, or All Season.

The "windshield sticker" states as standard equipment P225/50R18 Touring tires. My siicker also does not show a $150 charge for Summer Only tires.

However it does say that the manufacturer may replace standard equipment.

Where besides TireRack.com can we get a statement as to the winter driveability of the Potenza RE050A tires?

[Interfire]

I just went to several tire sites, and they all listed both under max performance. It's just best to wait until you hear back from bridgestone themself. As I don't think you'll be happy til then.

As far as the drivability goes, what are you expecting? Any performance anything is going to suck in the winter, all season or not.

[steves76]

I had dunlop performance tires on my old Integra and it sucked in the winter. I couldn't get out of my parking space . It would just spin and spin in 1st, 2nd then 3rd. Eventually I could get it going and any type of incline would be a challange. Forgetaboutit if I had to go downhill.
I'm not a big fan of the directional tires bacause of that and the noise factor with them. They sound like monster truck tires on the highway.

Just my .02

[Arcanum]

I just went to several tire sites, and they all listed both under max performance. It's just best to wait until you hear back from bridgestone themself. As I don't think you'll be happy til then.

I have just gone to several tire places too, and they seem to say the Potenza RE505A is a performance summer only tire! I can see one site being wrong, but not 3 different sites.

As far as the drivability goes, what are you expecting? Any performance anything is going to suck in the winter, all season or not.

Depends... TireRack says these tires are not suited for freezing temperatures, snow or ice. OK, that said, will it damage the tires to use them in the winter ? I'm willing to sacrafice winter performance for the summer, but not if it means damaging the tire if I use it in the winter.

I live in Chicago, it gets very cold here in the winter and there can be lots of snow.

Since I didnt choose to pay an extra $150 bucks for Summer Only tires, I certainly didnt expect to have to buy All Season or Snow tires five months after I bought the car!!

[Interfire]

Depends... TireRack says these tires are not suited for freezing temperatures, snow or ice. OK, that said, will it damage the tires to use them in the winter ? I'm willing to sacrafice winter performance for the summer, but not if it means damaging the tire if I use it in the winter.

I live in Chicago, it gets very cold here in the winter and there can be lots of snow.

Since I didnt choose to pay an extra $150 bucks for Summer Only tires, I certainly didnt expect to have to buy All Season or Snow tires five months after I bought the car!!

You would have to see the care instructions, but usually if they don't come out and say it you should be ok. That said I wouldn't use them in extreme cold as I'm sure they would never be the same after that. Yokohama's care instructions for some of their tires specify that because of the rubber compound, the tires have to be stored at above -10 or something like that. Otherwise you could quite possibly damage the tire and change it's performance.

But that is on more expensive tires, so I wouldn't worry about damaging this bridgestone. I'd still fire an email to bridgestone and ask what they think, no one would know their tire better than them. As long as you take it easy you should be able to get around fine. Just my 2 cents.