All,
I'm currently in FL and got a SOS s1 system in my car.

My company offered me a job in the DC area, and I'm curious about a few things.

First, my car has a rising rate FPR with stock ECU. Yea, a standalone would be better, and I will likely go that way soon. In the winter, with cold, dense air, is that something the FPR can handle as it would be more air moving through, thus more fuel. Yes, I realize that the opportunity to run it hard in the winter will be pretty limited, but curious nonetheless.

Also, I am totally unfamiliar with snow tires...will they hold enough for semi-spirited driving (obviously not full power)? Please don't flame on that...I know that hooning in the winter is probably not gonna happen if I want to keep the car lol. In fact, I'm sure plenty of you don't even drive during the winter. An alternate car for the season is not out of the question, but I really don't want to drive something boring most of the year.

 

Hopefully you don't mean in the snow... the short answer is no.

However, over the years I have been suprised by the level of grip from most 'all season' tires. If you DD a car like this, run two sets of tires.

BTW, they do plow the roads up here, so it isn't that bad- maybe 30 or so days/yr at most of undrivable. Just watch the forcast! I've driven the S home in the snow, and it was no fun at all.

 

I actually live in Canada, your best bet is to get another car for the winter. Pic up a cheap A4 or something AWD that will get good grip no matter what. You really aren't going to be concerned about spirited driving most of the winter as no snow tire will allow that unless the roads are clean and dry. The tune will be fine, don't worry much about that. If you must drive the car in the winter there are plenty of good winter tires that will get you through the season. I drive an audi A6 2.7T in the winter and its a hell of a lot of fun to have AWD drifts in the snow.

 

Ha! What? DC is the frigid north? That's funny. I grew up there. Yeah, it snows, but I have NEVER purchased a set of snow tires. I've used summer tires ONLY (year round) for my rear wheel drive sports cars (I've never owned any other type of car) while living in Virginia and now Georgia. I've never needed or wanted AWD or FWD or all season tires or snow tires.

They plow the roads, and you just have to pay attention and not try to drive through snow. It's not a big deal. If there's ice on the road, just enjoy driving sideways. Yeah, it's a lot colder than Florida, but if you want to see real winter, take a trip to Maine or Canada or Minnesota in January.