New To MD & Looking For Wisdom

[rwnl2012]

I'm moving to the Baltimore Area from Los Angeles this June and could definitely use some friends (after the quarantine) and some insight!

I drive a '17 Si Coupe in sunny SoCal and although I've driven it in snowy conditions the roads have generally been plowed. LSD + low clearance = no snow chains. What do you guys do to cope with driving in the winter (anything from Oil Weights to Tires)? Stock all-seasons enough or do you have a separate set of wheels with winters slapped on?

As a bonus, food and beer recommendations are always welcome! Thanks in advance CivicX Fam!

Sponsored

 

[Tev42]

I have a set of winter wheels with A/S Michelin PS3's on them. They did fine this past winter but I think it only snowed in Baltimore one time.

I run summer tires this time of year so I chose to invest in two sets of wheels. If you want to run nice all-seasons year round then you will be fine in the winter

I got my winter wheels from a company in your neck of the woods, Kansei

 

[st4xor]

I am just a tad south in the DC area. I ran dedicated winters on my last car, but am going to give the eagle sports a shot with my Si. I think a lot of it comes down to your work situation. If you absolutely have to get to work no matter the weather, dedicated winters may be worth it for the handful of significant snow events per year. If you have some flexibility and can wait until roads are plowed, dedicated winters may go underutilized, and then they are less ideal than all seasons on cold/wet pavement (without snow/ice).

Full disclosure I haven't tested the Eagles in the snow yet (no snow to speak of in the region this past year--other years have definitely been heavier, though), but I fall in to the latter work category and plan to try out the eagles as my winter setup.

These two resources may be helpful as you make your decision:

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=173




Good luck with the move!

 

[supaaacharge98]

Hey good luck with the move! I am nearby DC, and if you need a friend into cars after the quarantine shoot me a message. If you are lucky and your job lets you work remote when the weather gets bad here it really does depend as the above poster said. Buy a decent set of winter tires if they will force you into work despite the weather. DMV winters can be pretty up and down.

 

[rwnl2012]

I am just a tad south in the DC area. I ran dedicated winters on my last car, but am going to give the eagle sports a shot with my Si. I think a lot of it comes down to your work situation. If you absolutely have to get to work no matter the weather, dedicated winters may be worth it for the handful of significant snow events per year. If you have some flexibility and can wait until roads are plowed, dedicated winters may go underutilized, and then they are less ideal than all seasons on cold/wet pavement (without snow/ice).

Full disclosure I haven't tested the Eagles in the snow yet (no snow to speak of in the region this past year--other years have definitely been heavier, though), but I fall in to the latter work category and plan to try out the eagles as my winter setup.

These two resources may be helpful as you make your decision:

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=173




Good luck with the move!

That's a good point. I probably can be flexible with my time and winter tries would be underutilized. I'm actually a pretty big fan of the stock A/S Eagle sports. They're grippy enough for canyon carving here but they still held up will on plowed roads in a Flagstaff Winter Storm.

 

[rwnl2012]

Hey good luck with the move! I am nearby DC, and if you need a friend into cars after the quarantine shoot me a message. If you are lucky and your job lets you work remote when the weather gets bad here it really does depend as the above poster said. Buy a decent set of winter tires if they will force you into work despite the weather. DMV winters can be pretty up and down.

Thanks, Brother! I definitely will need some friends after this fiasco! I think I'll opt for a good set of A/S since I'll have the privilege of working from home when I need to.

 

[wintercast]

Thanks, Brother! I definitely will need some friends after this fiasco! I think I'll opt for a good set of A/S since I'll have the privilege of working from home when I need to.

Work from home - that is the best.

Depending on where you are in md - the roads can be ok or really bad. We have a lot of "bridges" that dont even look like a bridge as you travel on various roads like 496/695 etc. Those bridges will freeze up before the roads do. Then you have people either doing 20MPH or 80 MPH in a snow storm. There is not in between. Honesty- i stay off the roads as much as possible. Conditions can go from dry pavement to this slushy snow that is really poor for traction.

Last year, we hardly had any snow and an overall warm winter that barely killed off the bugs. I think it was because i was prepared with a snow blower and generator

Some years the snow is bad. I have actually not driven my Si in snow, and honestly dont want to. They brine the roads here to pretreat them and that brine does a number on the undercarriage of cars.

I have a honda ridgeline that was my previous DD before the SI. if needed, i will take the ridgeline out in bad weather. Otherwise, like you - i can telework generally when the weather is bad and thankfully i am teleworking now during the COVID business.

If the SI is your only car - i would suggest getting a second set of rims with winter tires and get something that will have more rubber to it. The potholes in the area will eat your car alive.



I am planning on getting a winter tire package from tirerack on the si just to help counteract any issues with potholes and stuff even if the weather is not exactly frightful this winter.

https://www.tirerack.com/content/tirerack/desktop/en/winter_snow/packages.html

 

[xjoshuax89]

Depending on how much of a rural area you live in, you may not need dedicated snow tires. I run a set of decent all seasons DWS06 most of the time and then have a dedicated summer track tire set. I live in a decent suburban area near the Rockville area though.

 

[SDAlexander8]

A new, better set of All-seasons should be the answer. The Eagle sports will get you killed in the snow/slush, but dedicated winter tires are overkill for MD.

 

[02SilverSiHB]

I had a set of snow tires and ditched them...just got some all season wheel tire set...it doesn't snow enough here

 

[Annexed]

I live in Wisconsin I have the stock Eagle Sports on. The lack of grip that come from these "all season" tires blew me away. It's do able, but it was a bit rough.

 

[02SilverSiHB]

I live in Wisconsin I have the stock Eagle Sports on. The lack of grip that come from these "all season" tires blew me away. It's do able, but it was a bit rough.

yeah, it gets scary at high speeds...and when you stop, you feel the car move around more than it usually would on stiff summer tires

 

[Byron Sexton]

Those new DW Plus are supposedly better than the Michelins....for All seasons.

Sponsored