[johnrambo007]

My '12 GT woth brembo is on order and will be here in a few weeks. I live in Quebec and we have a pretty harsh winter. I will need to put on winter tires on those 19s and the only ones i have found that will fit the massive 255-49-19 wheels are the Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero, Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3.

Does anyone have any experience driving the 5.0 in the winter and heavy snow?

 

[t-stang81]

My '12 GT woth brembo is on order and will be here in a few weeks. I live in Quebec and we have a pretty harsh winter. I will need to put on winter tires on those 19s and the only ones i have found that will fit the massive 255-49-19 wheels are the Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero, Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3.

Does anyone have any experience driving the 5.0 in the winter and heavy snow?

I ordered the Pirelli Sottozero's with the SVT wheel (black version of brembo wheel) from tire rack. A couple of weeks ago, there were only 2 to choose from. If I remember correctly, the Bridgestone looked like they had the most serious tread pattern (hence the lower speed rating???).

I know I don't have them yet, but I am just as curious as you to find out what other peeps experience is with them.

 

[kn7671]

My '12 GT woth brembo is on order and will be here in a few weeks. I live in Quebec and we have a pretty harsh winter. I will need to put on winter tires on those 19s and the only ones i have found that will fit the massive 255-49-19 wheels are the Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero, Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3.

Does anyone have any experience driving the 5.0 in the winter and heavy snow?

If you want a little more sidewall, the 18" SVT GT500 wheels clear the 14" Brembo brakes. When the snowy packed roads develop the ruts and dips, you may want the 18" wheels to have a little more sidewall cushion, and then you can leave your factory Brembo wheels in the garage waiting for warm weather.

 

[1972mach1]

I use Blizzak LM-25 on my stock 19" rims. They worked great. Just add 100 pounds of bagged gravel to the spare tire well in the trunk and you'll be good to go.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25

 

[heavyD]

I use Blizzak LM-25 on my stock 19" rims. They worked great. Just add 100 pounds of bagged gravel to the spare tire well in the trunk and you'll be good to go.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25

I've used all three of those tires in the past and they are all very good winter tires with the Michelins and Pirellis being more refined on dry pavement. I got the 240 Sottozero's for mine as I ran them on my EVO and prefer their dry ride and handling over the Blizzaks and they are cheaper than the Michelins.

How did your paint hold up last winter? There's probably no other city in North America that uses as much gravel and sand on their streets as Calgary. I've never seen a city where gravel trucks come out in full force for as little as a 1mm sprinkling of snow like Calgary.

 

[ptgt]

Has anyone considered getting a set of winter wheels and tires?

Say a 17" wheel with a narrower and higher profile tire? A narrower tire would be better for now travel anyway.

Just curious.

 

[JB2012]

Has anyone considered getting a set of winter wheels and tires?

Say a 17" wheel with a narrower and higher profile tire? A narrower tire would be better for now travel anyway.

Just curious.

Absolutely. The only issue for some of us is clearing the Brembo caliper. I've been searching to see if I can find an 18x8 that clears. Then I'd get some 235-ish width winter tires, as long as I can still maintain the 27" diameter.

So far I'm not having too much success, so I welcome others suggestions.

 

[kn7671]

Has anyone considered getting a set of winter wheels and tires?

Say a 17" wheel with a narrower and higher profile tire? A narrower tire would be better for now travel anyway.

Just curious.

You have to use a set of wheels that will clear the 14" Brembo Brake Calipers.

 

[ptgt]

Absolutely. The only issue for some of us is clearing the Brembo caliper. I've been searching to see if I can find an 18x8 that clears. Then I'd get some 235-ish width winter tires, as long as I can still maintain the 27" diameter.

So far I'm not having too much success, so I welcome others suggestions.

Have you checked with Tire Rack to see if they could make something work?

 

[JB2012]

Have you checked with Tire Rack to see if they could make something work?

I haven't called them yet, no. I've searched their site a few times, but they limit you a lot once you select Brembo brakes. I plan on calling eventually to speak with someone who may know of options that aren't on the site.

Anyone else speak with TireRack directly?

 

[YerBuddysPony]

I haven't called them yet, no. I've searched their site a few times, but they limit you a lot once you select Brembo brakes. I plan on calling eventually to speak with someone who may know of options that aren't on the site.

Anyone else speak with TireRack directly?

I've called them twice in the past year and I live in Germany. They ship to APO addresses so I called and talked to two different guys. Both were very helpful and I got the tires I wanted shipped to my APO with no hassle whatsoever. I'll be calling them again in a month or two for snow tires for my GT as well. I'm actually glad there are lots of guys and gals who drive their stangs in the snow. Doesn't make me feel as bad...:winks

 

[JB2012]

I've called them twice in the past year and I live in Germany. They ship to APO addresses so I called and talked to two different guys. Both were very helpful and I got the tires I wanted shipped to my APO with no hassle whatsoever. I'll be calling them again in a month or two for snow tires for my GT as well. I'm actually glad there are lots of guys and gals who drive their stangs in the snow. Doesn't make me feel as bad...:winks

Agreed, the support is great with those guys. I've called in the past, and buy all my tires from them if I can.

Don't feel bad at all, I'm one of those "why buy a mustang if you aren't going to drive it?" types of people, so I'll be in mine 24/7/365.

If you find anything good for the winter, please share!

 

[silentfury]

ok so i have to ask, sorry bout my noobness here. when looking at winter tires, should all 4 tires be done or only the back 2 since it being a RWD and all? this is my first RWD car and i've been contemplating the winter tire thing as well since in NJ we can get some rough winters too.

 

[JB2012]

ok so i have to ask, sorry bout my noobness here. when looking at winter tires, should all 4 tires be done or only the back 2 since it being a RWD and all? this is my first RWD car and i've been contemplating the winter tire thing as well since in NJ we can get some rough winters too.

Better to ask than guess and be wrong, so no worries.

Some people try and cheap out with a FWD car and only get 2 winter tires. They probably make it to spring in one piece because the front tires do both the steering AND propulsion, so they think they're fine. However, were they to go around any corner at moderate speed or above, they'll likely find themselves in a spin rather quickly since the rear has no grip.

On a RWD car, there are no excuses for only using 2 winter tires. Without winters on all 4, you'll accelerate just fine...and then have trouble steering or stopping. Your call, but tires are one place you do NOT want to cheap out on. Only part of the car that touches the ground. Without good tires (winter OR summer), your 400hp are useless.

 

[TitanRam]

Better to ask than guess and be wrong, so no worries.

Some people try and cheap out with a FWD car and only get 2 winter tires. They probably make it to spring in one piece because the front tires do both the steering AND propulsion, so they think they're fine. However, were they to go around any corner at moderate speed or above, they'll likely find themselves in a spin rather quickly since the rear has no grip.

On a RWD car, there are no excuses for only using 2 winter tires. Without winters on all 4, you'll accelerate just fine...and then have trouble steering or stopping. Your call, but tires are one place you do NOT want to cheap out on. Only part of the car that touches the ground. Without good tires (winter OR summer), your 400hp are useless.

To expand further on not cheaping out... NEVER run different types/brands/sizes of tires on your car. You might be able to get away with that on a Corolla, but definitely not a hi-po car like a Mustang. Same tire all 4 corners, no exceptions.

 

[randeez11]

I feel for you guys who have to drive 'em in the winter.

 

[t-stang81]

I feel for you guys who have to drive 'em in the winter.

Lol, wut? You should feel sorry for guys who have to park their Mustang in a garage all winter!

 

[randeez11]

Feel double sorry for me. I park two of them in a garage all winter.:heha:

 

[t-stang81]

Feel double sorry for me. I park two of them in a garage all winter.:heha:

Ouch! I def. do. Korea can get pretty harsh in winter, but I live about a mile from work so I can walk any time I don't want to risk it. One think I'm thankful for is they don't use gravel on snow here, they use a dirt/sand mix.

 

[heavyD]

I feel for you guys who have to drive 'em in the winter.

I don't have to. I want to. I did the summer car winter car thing for years but the winter cars were usually mundane transport and life is short so I prefer to drive my current favorite car 12 months a year. We just got through one of our worst winters ever but we have a lot of winters where we don't even get that much snow so it's not really a big deal. I once drove my 1993 mid engine Toyota MR2 Turbo over two winters and it was fun.