All Season Tires/Wheels

[FathomBlueStealt]

I'll share my experience for those on the fence between summer/winter setup vs all seasons.

I've had both setups with different cars in the Midwest (IL), and we get real winters here.

Winter/summer setup:
bmw 750i x drive (AWD)

-Stock tires were staggered 21" summer tires (Pzero run flats)
- I found the Pzero to be too hard, I felt every bump on the road, especially on sport setting, despite the air suspension.
- I swapped to summer tires to Michelin PS 4S, non-run flats, and wow these tires were still just as sporty/grippy, but much more comfortable.
- winter tires were 19" wheel/tire Michelin PS).

- great setup but the hassle of swapping the wheels/tires, and playing the groundhog game of when spring will arrive was more stress that I cared for (I always worried the about an unexpected late winter storm or Arctic blast after I swapped from winter to summer)


All season setup
- for my '24 lucid AT which came with 20" summer tires. I also thought about getting a winter tire/wheel setup, similar to what I did with my bmw but ultimately went with 20" Michelin pilot sport all seasons, this is my first winter (central Illinois) with this all season tire setup, and they performed really well.


-Both tire rack and Costco have Michelin 20s all seasons. I first ordered from tire rack, but then realized that my local tire rack partner/installer doesn't work on lucid (they don't have an EV specific jack), but Costco does, do I went with Costco and returned the tire rack tires.

At this point there's no looking back, going forward I'll always go with all seasons, except if I started traking a car or something like that.

 

[Steveinarizona]

I'll share my experience for those on the fence between summer/winter setup vs all seasons.

I've had both setups with different cars in the Midwest (IL), and we get real winters here.

Winter/summer setup:
bmw 750i x drive (AWD)

-Stock tires were staggered 21" summer tires (Pzero run flats)
- I found the Pzero to be too hard, I felt every bump on the road, especially on sport setting, despite the air suspension.
- I swapped to summer tires to Michelin PS 4S, non-run flats, and wow these tires were still just as sporty/grippy, but much more comfortable.
- winter tires were 19" wheel/tire Michelin PS).

- great setup but the hassle of swapping the wheels/tires, and playing the groundhog game of when spring will arrive was more stress that I cared for (I always worried the about an unexpected late winter storm or Arctic blast after I swapped from winter to summer)


All season setup
- for my '24 lucid AT which came with 20" summer tires. I also thought about getting a winter tire/wheel setup, similar to what I did with my bmw but ultimately went with 20" Michelin pilot sport all seasons, this is my first winter (central Illinois) with this all season tire setup, and they performed really well.


-Both tire rack and Costco have Michelin 20s all seasons. I first ordered from tire rack, but then realized that my local tire rack partner/installer doesn't work on lucid (they don't have an EV specific jack), but Costco does, do I went with Costco and returned the tire rack tires.

At this point there's no looking back, going forward I'll always go with all seasons, except if I started traking a car or something like that.

Good report. Thanks. I know that the Pilot Sport A/S tires perform well in ordinary weather but I didn't know how well they would handle snow and other bad winter conditions. Your report suggests that they handle it very well.

 

[gavram]

Good report. Thanks. I know that the Pilot Sport A/S tires perform well in ordinary weather but I didn't know how well they would handle snow and other bad winter conditions. Your report suggests that they handle it very well.

I drive in snow storms with these tires all the time and the car handles great. I think that's due to it being really heavy + AWD. Definitely have to watch heavy braking on hills.

 

[FathomBlueStealt]

Good report. Thanks. I know that the Pilot Sport A/S tires perform well in ordinary weather but I didn't know how well they would handle snow and other bad winter conditions. Your report suggests that they handle it very well.

Yes they do.

This season we had above average snow levels, and a few deep freezes, just earlier this week it was -15F with the windchill, I had no concerns about the Michelin PS all seasons

The only time I had traction issue, was with an episode of freezing rain where black ice formed. The winter tires on my bmw also struggled just as much with black ice last year. I had an episode where black ice formed on my driveway, which is sloped, and the BMW with winter tires could not drive up the driveway. Zero traction. Had to apply some salt (which I forgot to do beforehand) to get the car up the driveway into the garage.

From my experience with winter tires in the 6 years I've lived in central Illinois, I don't find any perceptible difference between these Michelin all seasons, and the Michelin winter tires.

The driving dynamics of the lucid also helps, it's just much more planted than the BMW, but I realize this is not a fair comparison as the BMW 7 series is a very different car.

Finally, I'll just add a little perspective on winter driving in general. Before lucid, and BMW, I had a Camry and Nissan Maxima. Both were front wheel drive, and had all season tires. I drove these two cars in mid west winters for 8 years (Iowa, Kansas) without incident.

A big part of winter driving has to do with slowing down, increasing following/stopping distance, and defensive driving. I avoid slamming on the brakes, and when I brake I watch the car in front of me AND look at the car behind me thru the rearview mirror to make sure they're slowing down sufficiently to not rear-end me. If I have to pull to the shoulder (if it's safe to do) to avoid the guy behind me slamming into me, I do that.

 

[RMSko]

Yeah, it's moronic to not offer all seasons on the 20" wheels... I'll give them a pass on the 21's. I'm guessing anyone that says otherwise doesn't live in a snowy climate. I ended up ordering all seasons from Tire Rack and my local tire shop stores the summer tires for a nominal fee. I then swap them out in spring as I can't stand the idea of the tires going unused. Side benefit of the Tire Rack purchase is free road hazard protection. I hit a massive pothole last year and they sent a new tire the next day at no cost. I'm not a fan of how winter tires ride/sound (only good in snow) and the all seasons have been great in the snow and are also good on dry or wet roads.

You went with the Michelin Pilot Sport all seasons, right?

 

[Lucken]

I agree BUT I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable and I have no clue how to check the oil on my GV60 Performance!

Damn, Steve, you better learn fast before that engine seizes!