[QUOTE=Colin,Oct 11 2005, 02:15 AM]55-60 is safe and prudent for car and tires.

 

I disagree.

The Bridgestone Potenza S-02 is a "Max Performance" Summer Tire. Pretty much all Summer tire's are performance tire's to the best of my knowledge.

Summer tire's do not perform as well as all season tire's perform in adverse condition's. If they did, everyone would just buy summer tire's

FYI, my original set of S-02's worked very well in mid to low 40 degree temp's (no standing water ) driving a reasonable pace on my favorite twisty's

 

I agree 100% I don't see the need to go 70+ in the rain anyway?! Are people really expecting to drive safely at these speeds in any car?

 

On a more water oriented tire....yes

 

My Grandma can, her Caddy doesn't have S-02's on it

 

Colin:

No, in my part of the country folks are pretty good at slowing down in adverse weather.

Thanks,
Richard

 

Racer,

These are wet test track results from TireRack for Dunlop SP Sport MAX (Max Performance Summer) 225/45R17, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 and Pirelli Pzero Nero M&S (Ultra High Performance All-Season) 225/40R18. The car is 2003 BMW 330Ci.

------------ Dunlop - Michelin - Pirelli

Slalom(Seconds) 4.51 4.42 4.52 (lower number is better)
Lap times(Seconds) 31.79 30.78 32.13 (lower number is better)
Breaking(Feet) 50-0 94.5 N/A N/A (lower number is better)
Cornering(g-Force) 0.87 0.92 0.83 ( higher number is better)

The other tests with Pirelli Pzero Nero M&S in size 225/50R16 with the same car has the breaking distance of 94.8 feet.

All these numbers telling me that the best summer tires (the ones that are not optimized for dry roads only such as S-02) are as good as the best all season tires on wet roads if the temperatures are not around freezing. That why I said that it is wrong to say "Summer tires is terrible in the rain"

 

OK, I get it. In Hawaii, people drive 45-55 in the rain and this limits me to 55-65 unless I'm planning on weaving in and out of cars.

In Oklahoma, people drive slower in the rain and if it wasn't for the oil film, S-02s could work safely.

In Sonoma, everyone with good tires drives over 70 and if you're "hoibbled" on S-02s you are a traffic hazzard cause you're going too slow.

On a side note, last night it was pouring on my way home. Traffic was light and I'm going around 60ish and everybody is going 50. I'm thinking about this thread and realize I'll never live it down if I crash now..... kinda makes you tyink huh?

 

Good! If there's "any" advantage to threads like this one is, it makes us THINK about what we're doing, especially in less than ideal conditions.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the S02's. They're not good on wet roads and that's been proven many times here, so drive accordingly. There have been "too" many posts where the individual states, "I WAS driving safely and the tires let go anyway!"

If this applies to any of us, then we were not driving safely for the conditions, regardless of whether we "think" we are or not. If we were, than we wouldn't have lost control!

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

I totally agree with you on this. The thing is, I am refurring to standing water when I compare a tire like the S-02 (which was not used in the test) verses a dedicated wet tire. A dedicated wet weather tire will displace more water than a max performance summer tire. If the water is not standing, again, I fully agree with you that a good summer tire will perform just as well as an all season tire.

You have to realize that the name of this thread is "S2K in the rain" and not a BMW 330 CI on Dunlop SP Sport MAX, (Max Performance Summer) Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 and Pirelli Pzero Nero M&S (Ultra High Performance All-Season) thread

Another thing, the number's you provided are derived from a closed test track, not a public roadway. Also, wet track result's do not necessarily mean there was massive amount's of standing water.

I do not think summer tire's are bad in the rain, just when the water is standing, and when the car is at 70 or above mph.

If summer tire's performed just as good in treacherous condition's such as deep standing water, we wouldn't have a need for an all season or a dedicated wet weather tire now would we