A7 is one of several cars under consideration as a replacement for my FWD Volvo V60. One of the things I look for in a car is the availability of all season tires - I'm an apartment dweller and have no space to store an off-season set of wheels/tires. The problem that has arisen is that all of the new and '19 and newer CPO cars that my search has turned up are fitted with 20" wheels. 20" all-season tires seem to be in the unicorn horn category (21" are in the same category) I am not really overjoyed at the prospect of buying a new car and immediately taking on the hassle of find and buying a set of 19" wheels and disposing of the originals.

One alternative has occurred: Just run the "summer" tires all year. Let me outline the situation:

Locale: Mid Atlantic (Baltimore) In the 35+ years I've lived here, there have been perhaps a half dozen significant snowfalls - it's usually weather guesser hype and grocery store panic followed by an inch or two.

Need/Use: I'm retired, live alone and rarely need to make a trip that can't wait a day or two.

Ability/Experience - I'm a very experienced winter driver - 30 years in upstate NY, western Mass, Chicago and Norther Indiana and drove for many years on just plain tires (snows really didn't exist - if things got bad, you used chains)- and this was before traction control, ABS and front or all-wheel drive.

I'm thinking that given the A7's capabilities and the above, all weather tires might well be a non-issue.

My question: Anyone had any experience with an A7 in light snow/ice conditions with the OE tires? How did it fare?

Thanks

 

I have heard it is temperature that is the real culprit with warm weather tires. Traction is not the only concern. You should check the tire operating temperature. Check https://www.wheelhero.com/blog/learn...erature-range/