Chazzz

We get so much salt, that it is hardly worth it to get snow tires. You do have to drive a lot slower.

Snow tires: drive much slower in the dry
Summer tires: drive much slower in the snow
All season: Drive a little bit slower in both.

Besides, I like to slide and drift. Can't wait for the Ice Racing season to start!

RKA

If you don't understand why, then you really shouldn't be driving on those tires.

KA401

uh, I meant tires...duh!

mvp12547

Blizzaks on last generation A6 alloys for $200. They are 15s and work out perfectly. TireRack has wheel/tire pkgs. that are priced well if you dont want to go the classified route. I have been driving in snow for a long time,never had any probs but if you can go the winter tire route ,take it.I could not believe the difference. As far as your old tires,I dont think they are worth much to anyone else. If you can swing it, the seperate wheel/tire is the way to go.

Speedy72t

those tires are not designed for winter conditions, snow or not. They don't have the tread pattern or compounds neccessary for the cold temperatures or snowy, slushy, icy conditions. AWD with will give you enough traction to get moving but you are just along for the ride with nowhere near the amount of traction you need to get 3500lbs of metal stopped or turned in a tight situation. Just because it's an Audi doesn't mean it can deny the laws of physics. The good news is you have a solid performing summer tire so you might as well go for a full set of snows on a second set of rims, especially if you plan on having the car for two or three winters. I have never met a single person who regretted getting full snow tires if you get any snow at all.

Speedy72t

I wonder if you'll be singing the same tune after you put the car into a solid object.

RKA

I went through this with a friend of mine last night. He's always been a good driver, he owned a steath twin turbo, and ran it year round with goodyear gatarbacks. He now owns a GS400. He went through last winter with AVS db's (summer tire)...and got around okay. I warned him that they weren't suitable for winter. This past summer, he put on wider AVS ES100's in the back. Last Friday we had a snowstorm in the northeast. What he described was his last act of idiocy. He managed to get the car and his 4 year old daughter home safely...but barely. He finally decided that he needed to put all seasons on the car, if for no other reason than for the benefit of his children. When he pulled the ES100's off, he noted that the rubber had the consistency of concrete! It was frozen solid.

Now, I do believe there are varying degrees of rubber compounds out there...not all summer tires are worthless at 40F. Some of the more versatile summer compounds will not freeze until temps reach...maybe at 30F. The SP8000E (not the SP8000's) are probably one such compound. That doesn't change the fact that they ARE summer tires, and they WILL freeze in winter conditions. No amount of salt and sand will change that fact.

Driving around on the tires in the winter is irresponsible. But if you're going to do it, knowing full well what you're dealing with...so be it. If you want to believe that your driving skill will save you, fine. But implying to another individual that it may be safe is another matter. Please don't.

Chazzz

Your right, they are really horrible when braking. Certainly not my first choice...

Chazzz

You are right, they are really horrible in braking - certainly not my first choice...