Swapping out GTPE Summer Tires for all-seasons

[Rudy Bega]

Have a production date of 11/22 and will probably take delivery around January. Thinking of taking the brand new GTPE right to tire store to permanently change to all season tires. Anyone done this already? What would you suggest? CAn you get the GT all-seasons somewhere. Thanks!

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[Pushrods&Capacitors]

Have a production date of 11/22 and will probably take delivery around January. Thinking of taking the brand new GTPE right to tire store to permanently change to all season tires. Anyone done this already? What would you suggest? CAn you get the GT all-seasons somewhere. Thanks!

While I’d never personally recommend permanently changing Summers to A/S tires, I’d recommend checking out Tire Rack’s comprehensive tests on Ultra High Performance A/S tires rather than buying the OEM GT A/S tires. Here are the latest
Premium UHP A/S results:

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=266

Can’t go wrong with any of them, just look at all the data and see which model fits your use case/needs best.

 

[Robbie]

Have a production date of 11/22 and will probably take delivery around January. Thinking of taking the brand new GTPE right to tire store to permanently change to all season tires. Anyone done this already? What would you suggest? CAn you get the GT all-seasons somewhere. Thanks!

FYI - I started a similar thread in the Pacific Northwest USA forum.

Personally, I'm leaning toward Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 for my GT PE. My winter weather is very wet and usually above freezing (and typically has snow for maybe about a week out of the year), so winter tires are over-kill for my expected use case.

I just got my wife a set of Michelin CrossClimate2 SUV, for her Audi SQ5. My impression is that they seem like they are a quieter tire and better tire in the snow than the Pilot Sport, but a lesser tire in dry conditions. Since Michigan has real winters compared to metro-Seattle, I'd probably opt for CrossClimate2 if I still lived there.

 

[Rudy Bega]

While I’d never personally recommend permanently changing Summers to A/S tires, I’d recommend checking out Tire Rack’s comprehensive tests on Ultra High Performance A/S tires rather than buying the OEM GT A/S tires. Here are the latest
Premium UHP A/S results:

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=266

Can’t go wrong with any of them, just look at all the data and see which model fits your use case/needs best.

Many thanks!

 

[malthusunc]

This is a question I had. I'm 54 years old and I have never "changed" out tires (for seasons). I live in the foothills of NC. We get snow two to five times a year. Are summer tires not acceptable for this type of weather? When you change your tires for the winter do you store the "summer" tires somewhere? I know I should google it but I saw this thread title come up and know that a lot of you know a lot about this type of thing. Thanks.

 

[Benny’66]

This is a question I had. I'm 54 years old and I have never "changed" out tires (for seasons). I live in the foothills of NC. We get snow two to five times a year. Are summer tires not acceptable for this type of weather? When you change your tires for the winter do you store the "summer" tires somewhere? I know I should google it but I saw this thread title come up and know that a lot of you know a lot about this type of thing. Thanks.

Summer tire compounds and tread patterns are not designed for cold weather. The lower temps make the tire too hard when it is cold and will not handle or last long. And those temps are not always “freezing”. Sometimes 45deg is even too cold.

And yes, you either store the tires at your house, or some companies like Dunn Tire will swap and store them for you (for a fee of course).

 

[malthusunc]

Summer tire compounds and tread patterns are not designed for cold weather. The lower temps make the tire too hard when it is cold and will not handle or last long. And those temps are not always “freezing”. Sometimes 45deg is even too cold.

And yes, you either store the tires at your house, or some companies like Dunn Tire will swap and store them for you (for a fee of course).

Perfect. This is the info I needed. Thanks.

 

[markboris]

Thinking of taking the brand new GTPE right to tire store to permanently change to all season tires. Anyone done this already? What would you suggest? CAn you get the GT all-seasons somewhere. Thanks!

While I will not be getting my GTPE until next week (just found out it's coming to my dealer in two days and I am out of the country for another week) I have already purchased all season tires for it. The GTPE will become my DD and I just sold the Escape and selling the F150 when I return so it will be the only vehicle I can drive in our cold winter temps and light snow.

I always buy Michelin tires and while the Pilot Sport All Season 4's are a great tire (had them on the Escape), they are also one of the noisier and harsher riding all seasons from several pro reviews (including Tire Rack) I have read. This time for all seasons, I went with Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus tires which got great reviews for being quieter, less harsh ride. I already have them mounted on my aftermarket wheels and have driven around on them for about a week and can attest they are quiet and are one of the least harsh riding tires I have ever owned. They also seem to handle just as good as the Pilot Sport 4 SUV summer performance tires they replaced but again have only driven on them for a week.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I’m playing it by ear in my GT-PE. It’s got a delivery window at the end of November. I don’t often see temps below 45 where I live and work. If it looks like it will get close I will get some new A/S tires. If not, I’ll keep chancing it with the Summers. Just gonna keep watching the forecasts.

 

[markboris]

Steve, I agree and would just keep summer tires on it. I lived close to you for many years (Norfolk St.) and unless I was going to Tahoe, Yosemite or somewhere else in the mountains, I wouldn't worry about it even when the temps rarely dipped to around 40˚. Where I live now, it is nothing for early winter mornings to be in the low 30's or below and we get a light dusting of snow a couple of times a year so I needed to go with all seasons.

Thought I would share this... I posted these photos over in the GT500 forum last year and told everyone how well the Pilot Sport 4s's handled in the snow and got a ton of flack for it. Of course I was joking and had backed the car out of the garage just to take a photo of it on the driveway and pulled it right back in. Still are cool photos since you normally don't see cars like this in the snow.

 

[tuminatr]

I would also recommend you also you check out the Tire Rack SUV tests. If you are going to drive in the winter you may want to consider an all-weather.


https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=272

 

[AMC Awesome]

I called 8 tire shops in my area (live in CT, go to VT almost every weekend all winter so definitely need snows) for my GTPE. The consensus among the tire shops was to go with 245 / 45/ 20 Bridgestone Blizzax tires. They're about mid-range on price ($279 / tire + alignment, etc.) and recommended by Firestone, Town Fair Tire, Goodyear and the Ford dealer where I bought the car. Ultimately bought them through Firestone (had the best lifetime changeout and alignment price on top of the best price for the tire).

Had one guy tell me all snow tires are the same and just put the cheapest snows you can find on there and antoher guy try to talk me in to $400 tires. Maybe one of those guys is right, I don't know.

Ordered the Bridgestones this week, putting them on next week. We'll see how it goes!

 

[Rudy Bega]

I called 8 tire shops in my area (live in CT, go to VT almost every weekend all winter so definitely need snows) for my GTPE. The consensus among the tire shops was to go with 245 / 45/ 20 Bridgestone Blizzax tires. They're about mid-range on price ($279 / tire + alignment, etc.) and recommended by Firestone, Town Fair Tire, Goodyear and the Ford dealer where I bought the car. Ultimately bought them through Firestone (had the best lifetime changeout and alignment price on top of the best price for the tire).

Had one guy tell me all snow tires are the same and just put the cheapest snows you can find on there and antoher guy try to talk me in to $400 tires. Maybe one of those guys is right, I don't know.

Ordered the Bridgestones this week, putting them on next week. We'll see how it goes!

Many thanks! (For doing the research for us ?) Enjoy that GTPE!

 

[Davedough]

I've personally had good luck with Continental DWS-06 tires for all season high performance tires. I had them on my GTI and they performed very well in the wet and snow. My only gripe with them is they get pretty dang loud at around 50% tread life, but mine lasted for about 45k so its not bad (and I drive like a hooligan).

Personally I'll probably be shopping for some aftermarket rims and all-seasons like these to use in the winter, then just store the PE rims and summers until it warms up. I'm thankful that my job gives me regular commission checks that I treat as just extra income and I'm due for one right around the time I SHOULD take delivery, so it'll be easy to outfit it for winter.

 

[shoopla]

I have a set of snow tires and wheels for my Volvo (actually came with the car since it had the full winter package with electrically heated windshield, etc.). I ended up buying another set of all-season tires and dedicated wheels to use during the non-winter months. The snow tires are 18", summer are 19" lower profile, which I have swapped twice a year. Though the "summer" wheels were ordered from a shop in NJ, the tires from tirerack, and the dealer in southern PA, the dealer does this all for free, including re-balancing and storing them in their offsite parts warehouse. They only charged me for the initial installation and balance. Not sure a Ford dealer would be quite as accommodating, but it might be worth a shot to see if they're willing to at least store them for you, especially given the "luxury" marketing of the MME by Ford. It's best to keep the tires in some sort of climate controlled environment when not on the car to prevent dry-rot.
I'm just planning on leaving the GTPE in the garage during the snowy/cold days at 50% charge and drive the Volvo, so personally not worrying about another set.

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