Snow tires in DC area?

[soulman68]

I recently bought a 325i e90 and am wondering whether I need snow tires in DC area. Are all-seasons good enough or should I get snows?

[1996 328ti]

You can argue it either way. We do not get a lot of snow in the DC area, but when we do it can be hard to get around. I am from the school that you use snow tires in the winter and if you are going to do that I'd suggest dedicate winter wheels. Snows ill be better but not you can get away with all seasons.

[Dirichlet]

I put snow tires on... granted, my current summer tires aren't "all season", but in the past, I have found that snow tires make a world of difference. Just my $.02

[AlfaEric]

I recently bought a 325i e90 and am wondering whether I need snow tires in DC area. Are all-seasons good enough or should I get snows?

Hard to say. I've driven on all-seasons in this area for YEARS and never had much of an issue. I just didn't go out if it was snowing really bad. I finally bought a set of Vredestein snow tires and love them. When it snows around here, most everything shuts down so you don't really need to go out.

Our temps tend to melt stuff during the day and re-freeze over night making for awful driving conditions. If you are used to driving in the snow, you are probably going to be fine with all seasons but regardless, you are going to get frustrated by the way people drive in the snow around here.

---Eric

[ShimShimHada]

Hard to say. I've driven on all-seasons in this area for YEARS and never had much of an issue. I just didn't go out if it was snowing really bad. I finally bought a set of Vredestein snow tires and love them. When it snows around here, most everything shuts down so you don't really need to go out.

Our temps tend to melt stuff during the day and re-freeze over night making for awful driving conditions. If you are used to driving in the snow, you are probably going to be fine with all seasons but regardless, you are going to get frustrated by the way people drive in the snow around here.

---Eric

Yes...for some reason inclement weather means that you should speed up around here.

[Dirichlet]

Yes...for some reason inclement weather means that you should speed up around here.

only if it's snowing... if it's raining, even a slight drizzle, then you should proceed at no greater than 7mph...

[ShimShimHada]

only if it's snowing... if it's raining, even a slight drizzle, then you should proceed at no greater than 7mph...

...over the speed limit?

[AlfaEric]

only if it's snowing... if it's raining, even a slight drizzle, then you should proceed at no greater than 7mph...

As if you could actually get up to 7mph in this area... I rarely get my car into second gear with our traffic.

---Eric

[soulman68]

You're right about the traffic. Hence my 6AT, although I love crankin it thru the gears. What does somebody do who's drving something like a Carrera GT or even a new Z06? I get frustrated in my G35 Coupe.

I think I'll get the snows to be on the safe side. Thanks.

[OwnedbyDuncan]

Snows get you home when Doug, Bob or whoever predict a light dusting or bright sunny winter day and we end with a foot or more. Lived in DC area all my life. We do get snow and the amount is not predictable since all a Northeaster has do is move 50 or so miles east or west and we either get rain or a couple of feet.

It can take 2 hours plus hours jsut to get from the Pentagon to the Edsall Rd exit on 395.

Also remember snow is at its slickest between 28 to 35 degrees which is the average temp in DC when it snows. Driving on snow covered roads when the temp is below 20 degrees is like dry pavement in comparision.

And despite popular opinion DC is not flat!

Dave Apker, Duncan and herding diva in training Kate

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

You're right about the traffic. Hence my 6AT, although I love crankin it thru the gears. What does somebody do who's drving something like a Carrera GT or even a new Z06? I get frustrated in my G35 Coupe.

I think I'll get the snows to be on the safe side. Thanks.

Call up Radial Tire in Silver Spring.

If you don't insist on runflats, there are some pretty damned cheap snow tires that'll do everythign you need.

[OwnedbyDuncan]

Just plan and it taking a while. If you car on Saturday get there about 30 minutes before they opne. You will not be the first car in line though. Cool thing about Radial Tire is there is usually a NCC member waiting too. If not you can talk cars with someone from the SCCA or PCA. Shame they dont have a truck or some one coming by selling breakfast.

I drive my Clifton to Silver Spring just for Radial Tire. Prices and Service cant be beat. Havent bought tires anywhere else in at least 10 years if not longer.

Dave Apker

[tgmeyer]

The responses you got are very good. It is a decsion for you to make based on your preference and experience. If you are comfortable w/ All Season tires, then use them. Persoanlly, I have an Expedtion for that stuff and keep my baby in the garage.
Tom

[wolfgang20878]

I wondered the same thing and researched tirerack.com, which seems to hype the winter tire thing pretty hard. I found that the "high performance winter tire" like the Blizzak LM-22, Dunlop M3, or the Conti TS series differs from a good all-season tire only in deep-snow grip and perhaps ice traction. The rest of the measurements were very similar to my all-season Bridgestones. The real snow tires like the WS-50 would be great in northern PA or Michigan, but I figured we don't get enough snow to justify the loss of dry traction, road noise, etc. offered.

Just my 2 cents.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

I wondered the same thing and researched tirerack.com, which seems to hype the winter tire thing pretty hard. I found that the "high performance winter tire" like the Blizzak LM-22, Dunlop M3, or the Conti TS series differs from a good all-season tire only in deep-snow grip and perhaps ice traction. The rest of the measurements were very similar to my all-season Bridgestones. The real snow tires like the WS-50 would be great in northern PA or Michigan, but I figured we don't get enough snow to justify the loss of dry traction, road noise, etc. offered.

Just my 2 cents.

The big thing is that we get snow at the worst possible temperatures. Our roads turn into sheets of ice and that's what makes things bad here. Powder is nothing.