jeneag

Guys, I need some help.

I have stock Continental "Conti-Something" M+S tires on my '11 A8L (Quattro), I was trying to read up on chains and it's all murky. Some say that chains should not be mounted, some say that only low-profile chains are ok on front wheels, some say that M+S tires are like summer tires and I should get snow tires. I'm going to drive to Oregon (Eugene area) around xmas and after xmas I'm going to Sunriver resort which is close to Bend. Going to be driving through mountains HWY 58, 97 and around for approximately 10 days, where weather conditions are like on the picture attached.

After my trip most likely I would not need chains or tires, because it's unlikely I'll go there again and because of this I don't want to spend $ on tires that I'm not going to use beyond this trip. I found cheapest/good reviewed tires: Yokohama iceGUARD iG52c on tirerack for $702 total, I'd need to sell them afterwards probably, because I have no room to store them.

So, if anyone can help me out I'd very much appreciate it!

gk1

It is hard to see exact conditions from that pictures but it looks like plowed roads so chains may not be the best bet as you're limited to I think 20-30 mph... same with those tire socks. Not really sure if you'd be traveling faster than that, but even 40 might be too fast for chains. I'm an advocate of dedicated winter tires but if this is your one and only trip in these conditions it puts you in a pickle. Any chance you can talk to someone in the area who could advise you how others fair with AWD and all-seasons in that area?

jeneag

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who visited that or similar area to talk to. I'm just not sure if I'll be able to sell $750 worth of tires after I'm going to use them for this trip for $500 for example, or I'd probably buy winter tires and take $250 as a trip expense...

Jack88

It really depends on how competent you are in the winter weather. I am very familiar with it, and have gone through some pretty bad conditions with all Continental All Seasons and had no real problems. With proper winter tires, you can do better and are less likely to slide or get struck, but you still need to be mindful of the conditions.

HBarlow

No one here truly knows the weather you will encounter in OR during your visit, your winter driving skills, or your capacity for storing winter wheels and tires so only you can decide.

I think what I would do would be buy a used set of mounted winter wheels and tires from a member here, use them for your trip, and immediately remove the set and offer them for sale after you return home.

the_duke

I agree with everything said above. Like Jack I drive in some pretty severe winter weather and I only have all season tires. I will say that in slippery conditions my Audi's get around far better than my Dodge 4x4 pickup. Quattro does a great job. But I've been driving in snow since I got my license at 16. Even with Quattro you an put your car in the ditch if you're not careful.

I wouldn't recommend chains or cables. Not enough wheel well clearance. If one comes loose you're likely looking at several thousand dollars in damage. Just not worth it to me.

Seaclav

One think you might think about is trying to find some online forum for drivers in central Oregon, and asking them what sort of conditions they typically experience on those roads, whether they're regularly ploughed / gritted, and what sort of tyres the locals use.

I'm one State to the North, in Washington. Up here, snow in the mountains is often very wet and slippery (comparing to the generally drier, continental snow from the middle of the country). Temperatures don't stay below freezing all the time, so there's constant melting, that refreezes at night as ice. The mountain areas and passes tend to have good snow clearing infrastructure, but the lower areas do not, and (most critically) many drivers have neither the right equipment nor skills to drive well in those conditions.

Having said that, I'm a skier, and regularly take my D4 into ski areas on all season tyres with no issues. I had a set of Conti Extreme Contact DWS M+S on my D3 a few years back and they were excellent.

My guess is that if you have M+S rated tyres, that are relatively new, and you drive with reasonable caution, that may be sufficient.

Jack88

The key word of the day is drive carefully, whatever you decide to run. You'll be running unknown roads to you. Ice will surprise you and at that point, it won't matter what tires you have. So if conditions are bad, take it easy. Honestly, it's clear nights after it's been snowing that worry me. Roads look clear but often hide ice. Nearly got in a heap of trouble in my old Suburban that way.

BigBoy11

I got caught in a full-on blizzard in the mountains of West Virginia 2 years ago and had no problem on the OEM Pirelli All Seasons. Was much worse than what you pictured plus vertical snow so thick visibility was nil. My son lives in Bend and he drives all winter on M+S tires on a pickup truck with no chains. Last winter he was commuting 40 miles each way to a construction site in the mountains and multiple trips to Sunriver. Beautiful resort. Last time I was there, it was surrounded by a forest fire. Got right up to the lodge! Have fun!

jeneag

Thank you all for feedback. I probably will order a set of winter tyres, few grand in body damage and bad mood for holidays probably not worth 750 dollar investment. I've driven in the snow before once, few years back around Mt. Shasta with girlfriends Honda Accord with chains, it was fun, but in no way I can say I'm accustomed to it. I've watched youtube about slides, not braking, etc., and will try to be as careful as I can. I'll order a set and have them shipped to local store so I can replace what I currently have for the trip.