I'm planning to go up in the Sierra Mountains(Lake Tahoe) for New Years with my '03 Auto Maxima and i am still thinking if it's a good idea to take the car up there with four 40-50% worn stock Potenza tires and chains on the front ONLY.

How safe/easy is to drive this car in the snow with chains only on the front wheels and bare stock Potenza tires on the rear axle. I'll have four people in the car so it will be pretty heavy. Still - just used potenzas on the rear axle - safe enough??? I don't want to totally slide the rear on some turn. I wish i had a pair of snow tires and some more time.

Anyone wants to share good tips for winter driving with the stock Potenza rubber?

Thanks and Happy Holidays!


P.S. : I do have some experience with Winter driving - i crossed a 7 hour long and wild snow storm last year with a rental Huyndai Elantra with stock Michelin Energy tires and front chains and i had NO probelms at all. I actuyally had fun. But now i have a 250 hp car with some ??? Potenza tires. See my concern and why i need your advice?

 

All season tires suck, even in the snow. Stock Potenzas ever more so.

I put Nokian WRs on my Maxima for this winter season just for that reason. I run SO-3 PP tires in the summer, they don't have a chance in hell in light snow or polished ice.

Chains help a lot. You can also get tire cables if you want, unless you purchased the chains already.

Driving techniques with chains? Sure, go slow and slow inputs/slow outputs (ie. no fast turns etc).

Depending on what's posted, you can keep chains on just the front tires, although I don't recommend it. For maximum braking you need chains or cables on all four tires.

 

the general wisdom is that you need your "better" tires on the rear, even in a FWD car. It is much easier to recover from a spin (or prevent getting in one in the first place) wiht rear end grip. Front end grip is better for starting easily in snow, but I hate to tell you that is not as important as not sliding off the road. I have driven the roads around Tahoe, and you definitely do not want to be skidding around corners!

BTW, I recently bought Falken 512's for my max, and took 4 people and all our ski gear into W.Va. during the first snowstorm of the season. They gripped quite well, especially for a higher performance tire....very happy with them. Driving in the snow with potenzas is like you and your friends having a death wish. BTW, had the Energy's on my old accord, and they were very good int he snow! too bad...can't get em for the max!

Like my action photo out the window....damn my arm was cold!

 

another couple


and

 

what do you mean "with chains?"

 

"...bare stock Potenza tires on the rear axle..."

Sh*t,
tell me which hospital you plan to end up at, so that i can send you a "get well soon" card. Oh, and start looking for a new car in advance...

what I am saying is that this is the stupidest thing you could possibly do in your maxima. So don't....more worth your while to borrow or rent an Explorer or Blazer or whatever...more space, and more safety....heck, you could rent a Tahoe to go to Tahoe! Or at least a sedan with narrower tires and a deeper tread...I hate to say it, but a baseline ford taurus wagon actualyy drives quite well in the snow - not that I would be caught dead in one in public..)

 

He wants to get chains for his tires for snow/ice traction.

 

Where did u get your chains? I've looked at pep boys, autozone, and kragen, and no one had them for the 225 50 17's.

Hope you already got 'em.

 

haha miami doesnt have ne snow.
<~~~~just bein a sarcastic ****

 

Take a look here: http://tirechain.com/P225-50r-17.htm

 

I hate my potenzas, and I wish I have enough money to buy two sets of tires, one for winter and one for summer, but to save money your best bet is to get 4 new tires. Continental Contiextremes, Falken 512 are great tires for about 100 a piece. YOu can go all out and get the Michellin A/S Pilots for 213 a tire, but I do not recommend going broke for the New Years. haha Good Luck and have a happy new year.

 

I like the Michelin Pilot Sports A/S as well. But they aren't rated for snow, they don't carry the severe snow rating. He should check into the Nokian WRs. I have them on my Maxima now.

What a great tire! Its not the summer PP S03s that I run, but it sure handles my crazy driving. Check out Google.com and Deja.com for reviews. Its the only All Season tire with severe snow capabilities at $147 a piece.

Link here: http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/tires_popup.cfm?id=6