A tough question ... "once-in-a-lifetime" driving in snow for my car ...

[szh]

Here in the Bay Area, temperatures are too mild to use snow tires. So, I have excellent summer tires on my M45 (RWD, lots of power, etc.)

However, in a few weeks, I expect to drive up into snow country (Lake Tahoe) for a ski vacation ... have not done that in a long while. Clearly, my Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires will be dangerous in snow, but I plan to use tire chains for the four days that we are up there - slow driving and all.

Is this okay to do? Or should I consider renting a 4WD vehicle while I am there ... that adds a significant cost to an already expensive trip.

Z

[glitched]

This might help.

http://tirechain.com/californi...t.htm

[glitched]

On a side note: I know I'm not in the mountains, but we've gotten 90 inches of snow so far this year

[szh]

This might help.

http://tirechain.com/californi...t.htm

Good link. Thanks much!

What do you think about summer tires and using tirechains in snow? Is that okay to do in your experience?

Z

[szh]

Also, on a RWD car (not AWD), are chains on the rear tires enough? Or should I do all four wheels (including the non-driven front wheels)?

Z

[Anthonysflying]

Definitely hook up all four tires. you don't want to only have traction in the front or back. first turn you make will be a mess. Tire chains will give you max traction but only in snow and are safe to use up to 35 mph(last i checked). your summer tires quickly become useless at or below freezing temperatures. the rubber gets brittle, hard, and easily scored. I drove my Potenzas in one storm and will never do that again. there were scars and slices in my tires after that one. I picked up a set of Dunlop Graspics (performance snow/ice) and it made a world of difference. I can confidently drive through thick snow and naturally water traction is phenomenal. lake tahoe may be another story. 4wd country is 4wd country.

two cents.

[szh]

Thanks! In my case, I do not want to buy snow tires, since I do not live in snow country normally. My car has never seen any snow!

So, I will get chains for all four tires and use them with my current summer tire ... and keep my fingers crossed that this will be good enough!

Safety first. My wife and son will be with me on this trip and I absolutely do not want to be in any car/tire/snow trouble with them along.

Z

[MaximA32]

I moved from Ohio to southern California. I never used chains but then again I always had good all weather tires on my car. I would use chains on all 4 wheels and just be extra cautious.

[DJButton]

I moved from Ohio to southern California. I never used chains but then again I always had good all weather tires on my car. I would use chains on all 4 wheels and just be extra cautious.

What Kenny says, drive slow and chains on all 4. I haven't known anyone to use chains personally, but since we drive in snow, 9 days out of 10 here everyone gets really good all-season/wet weather or winter tires.

[Rex]

Z - rent an SUV, I cna tell you from first hand experience you do not want to drive in "winter (snow, ice, rain) conditions" on Summer Performance tires. Bad, bad, bad

[C-Kwik]

Being from southern CA, I've rarely driven in snow/ice, so I don't have much personal experience except summer tires can get hard without snow or ice if the temperature is low enough. A trip to Vegas made that pretty clear as I was able top break traction at part throttle in 3rd gear in my turbo 240.

I'd strongly consider renting a car. Try checking for specials, discounts, and/or weekly rates (I found weekly rates are sometimes better than renting for a few days).

[WDRacing]

Z, expense should never be a consideration when it comes to the safety of the family. Rent the SUV, messing with chains in itself will ruin the vacation as you won't be using them on roads without snow. DO you really want to put chains on when it's freezing and snowing?

Rent the SUV.

WD

[Repo Man]

Rent the SUV.

+like10000000000000000000000000000000000000000.

[G_whizz]

Z - rent an SUV, I cna tell you from first hand experience you do not want to drive in "winter (snow, ice, rain) conditions" on Summer Performance tires. Bad, bad, bad

Especially because you have family with you. When are you planning on deciding "hey, it's a little slippery I should put the chains on" When you realize it's already slippery out and your summer tires have frozen rock solid and have 0 traction. Not a gamble I would take.

I got caught in a slight storm here once, maybe .5 centimetre of snow, my car was all over the place with summer tires.

[WDRacing]

I got caught in a slight storm here once, maybe .5 centimetre of snow, my car was all over the place with summer tires.

I didn't know they had snow in France...

[AZhitman]

Even renting a fwd car will make more sense... That M will handle snow and ice like rollerskates on plate glass.

Always a chance of damaging a wheel or tire with chains, and I don't think they fit real well on some of the performance tire sizes...

[G_whizz]

I didn't know they had snow in France...

Blow me!

[glitched]

Thanks! In my case, I do not want to buy snow tires, since I do not live in snow country normally. My car has never seen any snow!

So, I will get chains for all four tires and use them with my current summer tire ... and keep my fingers crossed that this will be good enough!

Safety first. My wife and son will be with me on this trip and I absolutely do not want to be in any car/tire/snow trouble with them along.

Z

Renting a car, or buying snow tires and then reselling them are your best bet.

Normal snowy driving conditions does not equal tire chains. you cant be using chains in light snow and or slushy conditions, and in these conditions, your summer tires will be useless.

[Bubba1]

[QUOTE=G_whizz]

I had snow chains back in the 70's and used them exactly once, to climb a icy/snowy mountain road at school that didn't get plowed on a bet. I used them only on the drive wheels. The problem with chains is that they're a pain to put on/take off , they give you a rough ride, the speed restriction sucks, and if they aren't on properly they'll get thrown off and possibly damage your rocker panel or fender. It's also likely you won't even need them anyway.

If you are concerned about exposing your M in bad weather conditions, or uncomfortable about driving in snow, then may I suggest renting a full sized FWD car or AWD SUV for the trip. Take the CDW . This way you don't have to worry about tracking mud/snow/water or spilling anything in your nice M. and if something happens, it aint your car.

Just a thought.

[szh]

Thanks for all the comments, guys!! Greatly appreciated.

Z

[240z4u]

I have not used chains, but all season performance tires on my 240sx left me stranded during the first snowstorm of this year. Its downright scary not having any control.

Its just money, rent something, anything. Its not worth the stress and toll it can take on you or your car.

Evan

BTW, i have blizzaks now and life is grand.

[szh]

Okay, I decided to replace the tires on my car with "All-Season" ones for this next set. So, I had 245/45-18 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S put on last week.

Yes, I know that these are not as good as excellent summer tires (bottom line: I know that "all-season" tires compromise summer performance and are not as good as snow tires in snow), so I will go back to those the next time around.

But, for now, this will suffice for my trip to snow country and for local driving (conditions are mild in the Bay Area) - and, yes, I will have two pairs of tire chains with me too, in case I encounter really bad conditions in Tahoe.

Thanks for all the help, folks!

Z