I just moved to Chicago from California for Law School, and right now I'm running summer tires on my 2002 A4 3.0 6MT quattro.

My snow experience is limited to Tahoe, where if you aren't in an SUV sometimes you'd be stuck for days...so I'm not sure what to expect out of the snow here!

Should I be fine with summer tires, all-seasons, or do I need to go whole hog on a set of Blizzaks? I prefer not to end up in someone else's trunk!

Same question for a friend with a new 530i RWD on 18" run-flats...all-seasons or snow tires? Do people run with bags of cement in the trunk? Hey I'm new at this!

Thanks for any help! All I know is it's gonna be cold!

 

If you are new to the dynamics of snow driving with your audi it wouldnt hurt to get true snows for winter but usually a good set of all-seasons are fine. Like Mark said though, do not attempt to drive your summers in the winter. Its not just about snow its about the temp. When it gets cold your summers will be useless.

Sand bags in the trunk is only usefull if you have RWD.

 

I look at winter tires in thre ways:

1) Not worth dying over $500-600 saved.

2) Tires cost less than most peoples deductables, so if it saves you from one fender bender in the tires 2-3 years of life, you're likely ahead.

3) The milage you take off your more expensive summer tires by running your winter from roughly Nov 15-March 15 justifies much of the expense. If you are an avg person who drives 12,000 miles per year, you'll take 4,000 miles per year off your summer tires, or basically add a roughly a year to their life every three years (not that they'll last that long).


Winter tires saved my life in Chicago three years ago and I use the religously.

That's my opinion. As for fact, Mark is right, it's not the tread pattern but the compound that offers you most traction.

One winter I worked at the Dunlop Winter Driving School in Carbondale, CO. To prove this point to all the nay-sayers, Dunlop made a slick out of Wintersport M2 compound and a Wintersport M2 out of their D40M2 compound (hottest dunlop sport tire at the time).

Guess what? The slick broke faster and accelerated better on 2-3" of snow and on an ice rink when compared to the winter tire pattern with summer compound rubber.


It's up to you, but I'd but some H, V or above rated winter tires (if you can find them, October is starting to get late, even for Tirerack) and live safely.

All seasons are a compromise everywhere. They are not the best in the dry, wet or snow. Not my cup of tea, but many get by with them happily. They certainly work, but aren't my choice.


Cheers.

Mike S

 

They do a pretty good job clearing the snow around here (if we get any). We haven't gotten much snow the past 5 years.

I spend a lot of time on the highway, and winter tires can get sloppy. A/S suit me just fine.

It's up to you, just don't roll with your summers unless you got a death wish.

 

If you are going to run 2 tires, why compromise with a/s?? Just run winter tires.

 

I figured I was thinking early...looks like you all start thinking about the winter early around here!
I was pretty sure I'd need to go A/S, just didn't know if it was worth it to go all-in on snows!

 

I've been very happy with 3 seasons on M2's

 

I have the Dunlop WinterSport M3's....I think they're great...

 

but my wheels have summer tires but they are a good buy

 

maybe a bit noisy, but no complaints about the handling.