Is something bad going to happen if I drive the car back in the cold?

[zsak]

Maybe rent a uhaul truck and trailer? Would be safer. We just had some snow yesterday up here and the roads were slick and I have winter tires in too.

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[remc86007]

I wouldn't risk it if you are looking at temps well below 32. The tires could crack and then cause a blowout; not likely, but you would be in a hell of a lot of legal trouble if it caused a wreck and someone got hurt.

I recently took the car up the to the Dragon Run on the stock tires. It got down to 34 degrees at the coldest point. The tires grip much, much worse below 45 degrees. Driving them will warm them up, but if you hit any moisture on the road, it will take most of the heat out of the tire and you'll be back to very poor traction.

 

[Fk8_DANG]

I was driving from SoCal to Seattle last week. Got down to 38 at night in Oregon and had no issues with traction at speeds of 60mph - 90mph. Average 75mph. After about 24hrs of being on the road I was more afraid of driver error than my car losing traction. Good luck!

 

[lockednloaded]

Here is the spare tire kits you can order. They work 100% and I already had them in my trunk Call the dealer and order thru them and have them mount the tire as well. Good Luck and remember to share pics ;-) By the way, enjoy the views on your way!!

https://www.civicx.com/threads/spare-tire-for-type-r.12757/page-11#post-460637

Yes do this. If you buy through dealer they can usually get it in next day or 2 days later so if you do it now they can have it there and ready for you.

 

[CWCTR2018]

just dont go crazy on off and on ramps, and stay off the throttle 0-35 mph you will see no traction. Also i read its a good idea to let your tired get to 60 degrees before driving in freezing temps, something to do with the rubber on those summers. You should be ok but immediately stop if the roads are icy or snowing until the storm passes

 

[ep3_lol]

I'd take Tire Rack's word for it...

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/description.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=SportContact+6

"Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.

Flexing of the specialized rubber compounds used in Max Performance Summer tires during cold-weather use can result in irreversible compound cracking. Compound cracking is not a warrantable condition because it occurs as the result of improper use or storage, tires exhibiting compound cracking must be replaced."

 

[TROOPTYPE-R]

So I'm going to pickup my CTR soon and have to drive it back across the country (east to west). I'm kind of worried about the stock tires on the trip since the temperatures will be around 25 degrees at night in some places and no more than around 40 degrees during the day for pretty much the whole trip (28+ hours). I saw where it's not recommended to even use the tires if they get down below 20 degrees. What do you guys think about this trip?

I could also go a more southern route which would avoid the 25 degree overnight temperatures for the most part but would still be in the 30s-40s during a lot of the trip... and that would add 5+ hours to the trip.

Just ship it bro, I had mine shipped from the east coast PA to Las Vegas. It’s not worth the hassle and time. I spent $1,100 to ship it. My car was fresh with no damage and 10 miles on the odometer. It’s up to you though. I’ve heard of people damaging rims and getting g pulled over by the cops. So the damn trip ended up costing more than just shipping it. It’s up to you. I didn’t even fly out.

 

[CTRFK8]

I will be traveling from Colorado to California in a couple weeks, day 40°+, night 20°+. All CTR come with summer tires with recommended temp 40°+. If your passing through i70 to the 15 freeway I suggest atleast using all seasons. Could run into snow/black ice/bad wind gus/steep down grades of 5-15%/50-90miles of no service/gas station, with no spare tire?

Fresh fluffy snow you dont need to worry about, its when they got compact, drove on and turns into liquid then freezes up into ice. So if your going to be driving under 35° in bad weather, be prepared.

 

[s2kdriver80]

As long as there's no snow on the ground, you'll be fine. Just don't drive like a clown for the conditions and realize that there's much less grip, even on dry pavement. I drive my RWD mid-engined AP1 S2000 (no traction control or VSA) on Tirerack's highest performance category tires up until the first snowfall of the year, then swap them for the LM-series Blizzaks. So a FWD Civic with more driver aids, longer wheelbase, higher inertial polar moment, and a softer suspension shouldn't be an issue. The only gotcha in your case is the unpredictability of the weather along your route.

 

[S2KGuy]

Update, got it and made it back without incident! Will post a separate thread tomorrow. Left the dealer around 11 AM Saturday and just got in (3 AM local time Monday). 2232 miles and 9 states... whew!

 

[SoCalCivicSI]

I grew up in the cold of Michigan winters in the 70's and all the way up until 1987.
I NEVER had any problems with tires "cracking" or anything.........and this is when tires wern't made as good as they are today!!!

If tires were that fragile you'd see tire manufacturers getting sued left and right for people being injured or killed in all the Winter states.

 

[CWCTR2018]

Update, got it and made it back without incident! Will post a separate thread tomorrow. Left the dealer around 11 AM Saturday and just got in (3 AM local time Monday). 2232 miles and 9 states... whew!

dang i bought my car in May 2018 and its a 2018 with 2300 miles on it as of today

 

[remc86007]

I grew up in the cold of Michigan winters in the 70's and all the way up until 1987.
I NEVER had any problems with tires "cracking" or anything.........and this is when tires wern't made as good as they are today!!!

If tires were that fragile you'd see tire manufacturers getting sued left and right for people being injured or killed in all the Winter states.

Summer tires definitely can crack. A simple internet search reveals instances of it happening. If you haven't had it happen in Michigan winters it is because you didn't have ultra-high performance summer tires. The rubber used in these tires becomes extremely brittle below 20 degrees. The tire manufacturers are not being sued "left and right" because they specifically disclaim any liability if their tires are used or stored below certain temperatures.

 

[Type-JZ]

temperature wise for the tires, you'll be fine. The numbers are warnings. It's not like your tires will immediate disintegrate the sec it hits those numbers. At the same time, use your common sense. Don't drive in the snow with summer tires...etc. Personally, I would just ship the car. You're risking a lot; winter and winter weather changes, roads w/ salt and junk that could kill your front end by the time you're home, and many other variables that's risky driving across country. That said, if you're not too worried about those things, you're good to go and would be a super cool road trip.

good luck.

 

[SoCalCivicSI]

The numbers are warnings. It's not like your tires will immediate disintegrate the sec it hits those numbers.

Exactly.
There's always "wiggle room" when a manufacturer rates a product.
When you buy that portable chair from Home Depot and it's rated for 250lbs and your fat Aunt Ethel who YOU KNOW is pushing 300 or more and she can squat on it without collapsing you KNOW it's underrated!

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