Dangers of driving in cold weather on the stock FL5 tires?

AUGM1

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I'm not going to drive in the snow, but I live in Central Arkansas where it can be freezing one day, then in the 60's the next.
Don't want to park the car and let it sit, so it will get driven.
Anyways, once the stock tires need replaced I think I'll go with the Continental's that are the only factory fit all seasons for the FL5.
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evlsmurf

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I drove my FK8 with the stock tires when it was 20 degrees out. I drove it very carefully, as it will definitely slide around. I'll do the same this winter with my summer tires only to keep the car from sitting too long. I'll only go a couple miles and then throw it back in the garage.
 

Ic@ns33urhrt

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The stock tires are fine in colder weather. Just drive carefully because there is decreased grip.
 

MooMoo

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The danger is way less grip, tire compound gets HARD and you will have way less grip so yeah there is some danger involved. Can you still drive them? Sure you can but just treat them as if conditions are bad, drive carefully as if you are driving in a storm. Personally I would not recommend it as a daily thing, remember you are loosing grip cornering and you are loosing grip braking. For a once in a while thing to keep the car running I see no problem (I will be doing the same this winter, go for a short ride here and there when temps are not too bad, definitely no snow, I would not drive the PS4s in snow period).

The other thing about summer tires in cold temps is wear, if you daily your ps4s in winter you will kill em very quickly.
 

AZCWTypeR

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Grip in freezing weather is a small fraction of a hot summer day and assume zero snow/ice traction. Also, the tires will flat spot overnight and take 5 or so miles to round up again.
A friend claimed his Chevy owners manual said tire damage could occur from driving summer only tires in sub-zero weather, though I never experienced tire issues the few times I've done that (winter car temporarily out of action).
 


hhkb

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I will never drive with on PS4S in under 42° weather. I did once and my car spun going 25 mph through a long sweeper.
 

MoodySara

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Tire Rack's Advice

Can I Drive Summer Performance Tires In Cold Temperatures?

Can you? Or, should you? The simple answer is — no you shouldn't. Summer performance tires are simply not designed for near- or below-freezing temperatures. Here's a quick explanation of why.
Summer performance tires feature tread rubber compounds engineered to provide traction in warm to hot temperatures only. As temperatures drop into the 40s, a summer performance tire's tread compound changes from a pliable elastic to an inflexible plastic, drastically reducing traction capabilities. The tire industry calls this process the "glass transition." And, without traction, your vehicle will have a hard time staying on the road!
In fact, should summer performance tires even be exposed to near- or below-freezing temperatures, tread compound cracking or tread block chipping can occur. Once a tire has been damaged in this way, it will need to be replaced. And, as both types of damage only occur as the result of improper use or storage, they will not typically be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
So, to recap — don't drive summer tires in the cold! Save yourself the headache of an accident or damaged tires, and transition to All-Season or dedicated Winter tires in the Fall - before cold weather hits.
 

TypeRD

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If you need to let the car sit for 2-3 weeks, it’s really not a problem. If you need to let it sit for 2-3+ months, store it properly.

I’m sure Arkansas gets some chilly weather, but I don’t think it gets consistently cold enough (for a long enough duration) that you’d need to worry about it. Let the car sit for awhile, then drive it on those periodic nice days. I’m pretty much right in the middle of the Midwest and the longest my car has had to sit is 3 weeks due to cold (and road salt).
 

Blindeye_03

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Tire Rack's Advice

Can I Drive Summer Performance Tires In Cold Temperatures?

Can you? Or, should you? The simple answer is — no you shouldn't. Summer performance tires are simply not designed for near- or below-freezing temperatures. Here's a quick explanation of why.
Summer performance tires feature tread rubber compounds engineered to provide traction in warm to hot temperatures only. As temperatures drop into the 40s, a summer performance tire's tread compound changes from a pliable elastic to an inflexible plastic, drastically reducing traction capabilities. The tire industry calls this process the "glass transition." And, without traction, your vehicle will have a hard time staying on the road!
In fact, should summer performance tires even be exposed to near- or below-freezing temperatures, tread compound cracking or tread block chipping can occur. Once a tire has been damaged in this way, it will need to be replaced. And, as both types of damage only occur as the result of improper use or storage, they will not typically be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
So, to recap — don't drive summer tires in the cold! Save yourself the headache of an accident or damaged tires, and transition to All-Season or dedicated Winter tires in the Fall - before cold weather hits.
100% this.

Saying "ill drive slow" or "ill be careful" doesnt really matter when the tires end up cracking. You shouldnt even store the tires in a cold environment with them sitting on themselves (putting weight on the treads).

Get winters, or at a minimum all seasons.
 

TchnoZ33

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I wouldn’t recommend it. Just sell them, there are always people looking for OEM tire and wheel set. I don’t think it worth the risk.

Plus, if you try to sell them later after driving them in cold weather, I think it would be very unfair for whoever buys them. You could be causing damage to them and pass that onto someone that might buy them if you ever go that route.
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