Upcoming 11 hr drive in 5BW through cold and some rain. Thoughts?

[bamagrad03]

I'm flying north to pick up my 5BW I just purchased and will be driving it home. It's got Michelin 4Ss on it in good shape.

First two three hours will be 25-35 degrees and dry.

Next few hours will be 40-45 and rain. Rest of the way might be rain but 50+ degrees.

No snow.

Should I be worried? I did 40 in the rain on some Michelin Super Sports that were nearing the end of life scared the crap out of me so I'm a little tentative

 

[beamon]

Congrats! You’re going to love it. I’ve been driving mine on cold dry days 20s-30s. No problems but just be careful if wet AND cold by turning slowly with easy throttle and also when starting from a stop. Traction control will help when starting from a stop if you’re too heavy on gas. Also, roll into throttle especially in 2nd and 3rd if you’re stretching its legs with heavier throttle. It’s surprisingly better than I expected in this weather.

 

[pmsteinm]

Michelin used to say don't even let the rubber flex for 24 hours after the tires have been below freezing. I don't see that literature anymore, so I don't know if that still applies. I would not use the 4S below 50 wet or dry if I could help it. Here in NC, there are few times where after I swap to summer tires the temps drop below 50 again and I'm forced to drive on the 4S. I would never if the temp was below 40. Above that I will and just leave more following distance and be careful and know I can have fun on the way home since it will then be 70 out.

 

[bamagrad03]

Congrats! You’re going to love it. I’ve been driving mine on cold dry days 20s-30s. No problems but just be careful if wet AND cold by turning slowly with easy throttle and also when starting from a stop. Traction control will help when starting from a stop if you’re too heavy on gas. Also, roll into throttle especially in 2nd and 3rd if you’re stretching its legs with heavier throttle. It’s surprisingly better than I expected in this weather.

Thanks! I'm worried about higher speed interstate driving if it's 40s and raining. I'm going to try and make it as far south as I can on day one since Friday will be dry. I feel like 30 and dry is better than 40 and wet on the summer tires.

 

[LF4472]

Assuming you bought it from a dealer, have them keep the car inside. The residual heat from being inside combined with driving should keep them out of the danger zone. I drove my Z06 home in February and that's what they did for me, the drive home was fine (granted it was only a few miles!)

 

[rdollie]

Once you're moving, no problem..stopping and turning at slow speeds in the 20s can be dicey and last I read, you will get microfractures in the rubber. Not sure what that would mean for durability or track use...YMMV.

 

[Ty88]

Put the drive mode in snow and ice, especially if auto trans, drive gently and you should be fine.

 

[Champale]

I would have zero concerns about your trip. The TPC-spec PS4S tires are surprisingly good in cold and wet as long as you aren't hammering the gas. And yes you can put it in some of the softer modes but be aware that you can still catch the traction/stability controls napping if you punch the gas pedal aggressively so just be smooth.

You will love the car - congratulations!

 

[minn19]

Agreed with the majority, just be easy on the throttle/steering inputs and you’ll be just fine. If it feels funky in the cold rain, just go in the right lane and slow down or take a break if you have the time.

I drove a C8 Z06 home from KC to MN last January 31st. Most of it was in high 20s/low 30s and had zero issues. I didn’t encounter rain though.

 

[Dirkbg]

The thought of driving in colder temps on the 4Ss would concern me too. But then you see the images of all those cars in the factory holding lots in Michigan during the winter, and they are driven onto the transporters and then even at the northern dealers. So just moving them around probably isn't going to harm them or there would be some reports of tire failures over the last several years and I haven't seen that reported here. There have been tire problems on this forum but they don't seem to be ones related to cold weather damage. Follow LF4472's advice, use the stability controls and take it easy on the drive and you'll likely be fine.

 

[1Evil55]

I drove my 5 home in 15F. I was just happy it was one of the first cold days of the year and they hadn't dropped any salt yet. No problem getting home.

 

[Exia]

If its just cold pavement and no snow, you will be fine. If its only a little above freezing and raining, take it easy with the throttle and corners, drive it like a grandma not like a Nissan Altima and you will be fine.

I drove my new Camaro on Supercar 3R tires in 20 degrees 2 hours home on a completely dry and snow free day and it was completely fine.

I wouldn't worry about it as long as your sure there won't be any snow. A long drive like that can have forecast changes so just be prepared to pull off and stay the night somewhere if needed and pack accordingly just in case.

 

[Ex36]

Reasonable question. I was driving my 5BW in Raleigh in December. It was about 41 degrees, dry. On a very long ramp transitioning from one highway to another, the road cleared in front of me and I dialed up about half throttle in 4th gear at around 65 mph: sideways! I saved stuffing it into the concrete wall and causing an accident, but it was not my finest or happiest hour. And I needed new pants. So, definitely be careful because this car on these tires will do things "regular" cars won't, even when it doesn't feel terribly wintery.

 

[ngoni]

Good points from all. I would add that if this is a new car remember the tires are not broken in so even in perfect conditions you will have reduced traction. Additionally your brakes probably aren't properly bedded either so you won't have full braking yet.

All that to say take it easy and as was said drive like grandma.

 

[MTdiehard]

You should be fine as long as you take it easy and leave the nannies on. I drove my 5BW in the dry and rain in the 30s this fall and it was no problem, but I didn't push it hard, especially before the tires warmed up. I use one of the tiles on the dash screen to monitor the tire pressures to see evidence of the tires warming up.

 

[bamagrad03]

Reasonable question. I was driving my 5BW in Raleigh in December. It was about 41 degrees, dry. On a very long ramp transitioning from one highway to another, the road cleared in front of me and I dialed up about half throttle in 4th gear at around 65 mph: sideways! I saved stuffing it into the concrete wall and causing an accident, but it was not my finest or happiest hour. And I needed new pants. So, definitely be careful because this car on these tires will do things "regular" cars won't, even when it doesn't feel terribly wintery.

I had a very similar situation on cold Pilot Super Sports about 40 degrees in my Alfa. Too much gas coming out of a stop turning left and completely spun out. Like you I managed to avoid hitting anyone but at speed I'm not sure I could have. It was super scary.

I was so concerned about this one, I tried to get the dealer to put AS tires on there, only to not be able to find any - then I read the long AS tire thread on this forum and I'm resigned to the fact that there's no solution and to just get it back to Alabama where it's warm (though we had single digit temps a few weeks ago)

 

[565565]

I love how level headed this forum is. There was a similar thread in the BMW forums from a guy asking if he could take his car on short trips in good weather in the winter (in North Carolina of all places) and people acted like he would immediately die as soon as the car touched the road without winter tires.

But I echo everyone's thoughts here. Dry pavement and that temp should be fine, moderate rain should be fine but heavy rain can cause some sketchy moments.