Please suggest all-Season tires

[husker boxster]

Originally Posted by lurky

How great is the difference between winter tires and all season in the snow? Would my best option be to get a second set of wheels and change them myself?

To answer your questions: (1) night and day (2) yes

Here's my experience with AS and snow tires. My cars are daily drivers, so they must go in the snow.

I bought a new 01 MR2 Spyder in Jan 01. It came with Yokohoma Advan qualifying tires, which needless to say were worthless in the snow. I immediately bought a set of Firestone AS tires. I got around fine (not great), but they were 15" / 55 series tires.

Four yrs later I traded MR 2 on my first Porsche - an 01 Boxster S. As my first winter approached, I decided to do the AS tire again as I had no plans to track my car. I bought a set of Kumho AS tires. They were horrible in virtually any depth of snow. I was using the wheels that came on the car, so we're talking 18" tires. I generally bummed a ride with a pretty young lady who lived down the street from me and worked at my office that winter. That next winter I bought a set of Blizzaks and reused the 18" wheels and my 01S got around great in snow.

I've used that same set of Blizzaks on my 08 Boxster S LE, my 07 Cayman S, and they're currently on my 08 Cayman S Sport. I bought a set of Cayman wheels when I bought my LE and all my 987s have done great in snow. After 6 seasons and probably close to 20K mi on them, they still work and have plenty of tread left.

If you didn't live in the snow belt, an AS would be fine. Everybody except Joe B has reported that AS tires aren't good in snow. I'm sure tire companies have made advances in tech since I bought my AS tires, but again, they're a compromise. If you're driving in a snowy environment, you don't need a compromise.

If you're wanting to skimp on spending money on mounting and balancing, then I think you're missing the big picture. How much will it cost you to repair your Box if you wreck it trying to sneak home in the snow? Snow season is almost done this year. Why not look around this summer for a set of wheels that are inexpensive because they have some rash and then get a set of snows next Oct-Nov?

[Perfectlap]

same experience here, legit snow tires will last a very long time. which makes it a win win. And its pretty tough to flat spot them like with a cheap tire, well at least that was the case with my Pirelli SnowSports (discontinued tire). As long as clearance is not an issue, they will get you home in one piece in real snow, not a 1" or less dusting, they have excellent wet weather performance in freezing rain, and can easily last five seasons, which means your spring/summer/fall tires will last a lot longer with the snow tires taking the brunt during winter.

and to the OP, you don't need to balance the wheels each time you switch over.
You can get one of these handy tire trees and just tuck them away in a corner.

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Originally Posted by husker boxster

I bought a set of Kumho AS tires. They were horrible in virtually any depth of snow. I was using the wheels that came on the car, so we're talking 18" tires. I generally bummed a ride with a pretty young lady who lived down the street from me and worked at my office that winter. That next winter I bought a set of Blizzaks and reused the 18" wheels and my 01S got around great in snow.

I've used that same set of Blizzaks on my 08 Boxster S LE, my 07 Cayman S, and they're currently on my 08 Cayman S Sport. I bought a set of Cayman wheels when I bought my LE and all my 987s have done great in snow. After 6 seasons and probably close to 20K mi on them, they still work and have plenty of tread left.