All Season for my DD Z
 

I know I'm committing a sin by looking at AS tires but it's absolutely necessary.

2015 base coupe, 18"
Recommendations I've had so far & am reading tons of reviews:
*Michelin Pilot MxM4
*Kumho KH16
*Michelin Pilot Sport
*Cooper CS5 Grand Touring (truthfully I've never even heard of Cooper Tires)

Personally, I was looking at Yokohama advan sport ultra since the stock tire is same brand.
Any commentary appreciated.

Are you trying to find a proper set of tires for winter?

The only reason it would be necessary is if you don't have the space to store a 2nd set of wheels/tires. I say this not to be a prick but as a fellow NJ Z owner who cares about a person with a common interest.

AS will not cut it. They will, at best, leave you unable to pull out of a parking space, and at worst cost you your car or your life. Snow tires are worth the effort and were the first thing I bought for my Z, before I even had the car. You deserve better.

Not what you wanted to hear, sure, but I strongly feel it is the best way to go. Cheers.

Hula,

If you are looking at a set of AS to cover winter, just find yourself a dedicated wheel/tire setup for those months. That was my first purchase when I got my Z - a set of basic 18's from Tire Rack and a set of Blizzak LM60s. Car was rock solid all winter and I felt very confident in cold temps and minor snow.

Winter setups pop up from time to time in the classifieds.

I'm trying to find a set of tires to leave on the car for most weather conditions and my plan is to sell my stock tires. Living in the Northeast, I understand that there will be certain days that I just won't be driving the car. We're self employed and if roads are that bad, our business won't be open (I can always work in our home office and be productive) or I can ride into work with hubby who has all wheel drive.
I appreciate all of your responses. Thanks.

Hi Hula:

I bought 18" rims (my stocks are 19") and had dedicated snow tires put on the rims in a square configuration. I do not believe there is such a thing as a tire for all seasons, especially with the wild weather patterns we are having lately.

I drive only 6,000 K per year all year round and I don't want the reason my Z gets messed up to be that I didn't have good or appropriate rubber.

In western Canada, a car needs good winter tread. It doesn't look pretty but snow tires are the way to go here. I also arrive at my destination safely and in one piece.

In that case, I will still suggest a dedicated set of winter tires and wheels. To make this as economical as possible, check to see if the car could use 17" wheels. In any case, buy the cheapest winter tires you can find and bump the aspect ratio one notch to boost ground clearance.

Let me know if you need help picking a wheel or a winter tire.

i suppose you can also add Continental DWS (dry wet snow). I run these on my FWD dd in a snowbelt state. as long as the streets are plowed, i have no issue. 2-3inches then im up the creek.. :ugh:

for RWD cars though, i recommend checking out Blizzak snow tires. they are NIGHT/DAY difference from all season tires in snow. my FWD car drives like an AWD car with all seasons with the benefit of good braking too.

I would have to agree on the Blizzaks for the snow. I had the Conti DWSs. They were okay but as soon as the snow reached an inch or two, the Z became a death trap again.

I have Blizzaks on my DD 370z. They grip great in snow. They can be a little pricey though but its the best snow tire out there.

I took off my stock tires and put on Michelin Pilot Sport AS/3. I live in the Seattle area where it usually rains a lot. Summer tires seem too slick in the rain, and definitely not good in any snow or low temperature situations. The mild climate up here is fine for something like an AS, but if you're somewhere that's going to get very snowy, you're going to want real snow tires or don't drive the Z in the snow. Rear wheel drive can cut loose on you and send you careening into the ditch. I'm anticipating having someone else pick me up for work and not drive the Z at all if it's snowy. For snow tires, I've always heard good things about Blizzak and even seen a few YouTube videos of driving a Z in the snow with Blizzak. Any performance demos I've look at show snow tires way superior to AS in the snow. Just depends on the climate where you live.

Sheesh.... you folks up north go through it. I am staying on RE11's year around. If snow is on the way, I am taking my truck. In southeast Georgia, that would be a cold day in hell.

my z runs re11's all year long too, even through snowy winters at -20F, the car still has re11's on.. in the garage, all put away. :rofl2: