Pirelli P-Zero Corsas & Cold Weather
Discussion
Several comments on here & elsewhere about how dire PZ Corsas are in anything under 7 degrees. Well, a 35 mile journey early this morning saw temperatures of 2 degrees, rising to only 3 on arrival.
Cold enough to make tyre pressures 0.1bar/0.2bar lower than normal (Front/Rear) when I set off, but performance didn't seem particularly effected? Temperatures gained their respective losses within a couple of miles, and rose the usual driving pressures within 5 miles?
OK, I wasn't giving it the full beans, but there seemed no real difference in performance? No loss of grip, no traction control light flickering?
Is the Corsa's cold weather performance over-stated? Or only noticeable in the last few % of performance? Given comments read, I expected to slide off the road at the first corner?
Cold enough to make tyre pressures 0.1bar/0.2bar lower than normal (Front/Rear) when I set off, but performance didn't seem particularly effected? Temperatures gained their respective losses within a couple of miles, and rose the usual driving pressures within 5 miles?
OK, I wasn't giving it the full beans, but there seemed no real difference in performance? No loss of grip, no traction control light flickering?
Is the Corsa's cold weather performance over-stated? Or only noticeable in the last few % of performance? Given comments read, I expected to slide off the road at the first corner?
xjay1337 said:
High performance road tyres will not work AS WELL in colder temperatures as they would in hot temperatures.
That is a fact.
The actual amount of performance difference would be negligible on the road in normal driving conditions.
ThisThat is a fact.
The actual amount of performance difference would be negligible on the road in normal driving conditions.
alorotom said:
thats because there are a quite few purveyors of tyre-scare-mongering on here and its mostly total BS
He's hardly on a hoon if he is driving to work at 0730 is he. But when you are, this is when you can get caught out. Not BS, fact.Scaremongering is all it is, i had semi slicks on a car and it drove fine in the wet despite people telling me i would die every 3 miles. The only real letdown of these performance tyres is they don't handle standing water too well. But if you are gunning it through puddles tyres probably aren't your first issue...
AmosMoses said:
Scaremongering is all it is, i had semi slicks on a car and it drove fine in the wet despite people telling me i would die every 3 miles. The only real letdown of these performance tyres is they don't handle standing water too well. But if you are gunning it through puddles tyres probably aren't your first issue...
You've never driven a lightweight RWD sports car in heavy rain without traction control on fast A roads or motorways then.Ares said:
Several comments on here & elsewhere about how dire PZ Corsas are in anything under 7 degrees. Well, a 35 mile journey early this morning saw temperatures of 2 degrees, rising to only 3 on arrival.
Cold enough to make tyre pressures 0.1bar/0.2bar lower than normal (Front/Rear) when I set off, but performance didn't seem particularly effected? Temperatures gained their respective losses within a couple of miles, and rose the usual driving pressures within 5 miles?
OK, I wasn't giving it the full beans, but there seemed no real difference in performance? No loss of grip, no traction control light flickering?
Is the Corsa's cold weather performance over-stated? Or only noticeable in the last few % of performance? Given comments read, I expected to slide off the road at the first corner?
My experience was that at below 5-6C they felt like they were made of concrete......Cold enough to make tyre pressures 0.1bar/0.2bar lower than normal (Front/Rear) when I set off, but performance didn't seem particularly effected? Temperatures gained their respective losses within a couple of miles, and rose the usual driving pressures within 5 miles?
OK, I wasn't giving it the full beans, but there seemed no real difference in performance? No loss of grip, no traction control light flickering?
Is the Corsa's cold weather performance over-stated? Or only noticeable in the last few % of performance? Given comments read, I expected to slide off the road at the first corner?
Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Herbs said:
AmosMoses said:
Scaremongering is all it is, i had semi slicks on a car and it drove fine in the wet despite people telling me i would die every 3 miles. The only real letdown of these performance tyres is they don't handle standing water too well. But if you are gunning it through puddles tyres probably aren't your first issue...
You've never driven a lightweight RWD sports car in heavy rain without traction control on fast A roads or motorways then.The car was ok once the tyres had some heat in them and gave a surprising amount of grip and feedback on the damp surface. But the journey back home was white knuckle most of the way as it lurched sideways over pretty much every join in the Belgian motorway surface and tried to wheelspin over every bump.
As for the OP, I'd wait until the road is cold before making final observations. One night of slightly cooler temperatures won't do much for changing the tarmac conditions too much.
AmosMoses said:
Herbs said:
You've never driven a lightweight RWD sports car in heavy rain without traction control on fast A roads or motorways then.
These tyres were on an MX5 and i live in the northwest, it was fine. Drive to the conditions is what its all about.I'm glad youre happy with the Corsa's (or similar) - they are good tyres but don't think they will offer you the same levels of grip in mid winter because they will not. As you said drive to the conditions
AmosMoses said:
Scaremongering is all it is, i had semi slicks on a car and it drove fine in the wet despite people telling me i would die every 3 miles. The only real letdown of these performance tyres is they don't handle standing water too well. But if you are gunning it through puddles tyres probably aren't your first issue...
July. Brand new car, wet conditions.
Thanks but I'll load the dice in my favour as much as I can..
..Did I ever tell you about the time the gritter missed treating the de-acceleration lanes on the A9 at Dunkeld?....
Sylvaforever said:
AmosMoses said:
Scaremongering is all it is, i had semi slicks on a car and it drove fine in the wet despite people telling me i would die every 3 miles. The only real letdown of these performance tyres is they don't handle standing water too well. But if you are gunning it through puddles tyres probably aren't your first issue...
July. Brand new car, wet conditions.
Thanks but I'll load the dice in my favour as much as I can..
..Did I ever tell you about the time the gritter missed treating the de-acceleration lanes on the A9 at Dunkeld?....
Ares said:
aeropilot said:
My experience was that at below 5-6C they felt like they were made of concrete......
Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Define 'drive like concrete'.Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Rock hard ride, or no grip?
I wrote that they felt like they were made of concrete at low temps, and as a result, it felt 'skittish' over bumps and ruts, with a harder ride and just not very nice to drive on in colder temps, compared to the winters.
aeropilot said:
Ares said:
aeropilot said:
My experience was that at below 5-6C they felt like they were made of concrete......
Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Define 'drive like concrete'.Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Rock hard ride, or no grip?
I wrote that they felt like they were made of concrete at low temps, and as a result, it felt 'skittish' over bumps and ruts, with a harder ride and just not very nice to drive on in colder temps, compared to the winters.
Anyway, so just the ride, not grip?
Ares said:
aeropilot said:
Ares said:
aeropilot said:
My experience was that at below 5-6C they felt like they were made of concrete......
Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Define 'drive like concrete'.Car was much, much nicer to drive on winter tyres in the cold months.
Rock hard ride, or no grip?
I wrote that they felt like they were made of concrete at low temps, and as a result, it felt 'skittish' over bumps and ruts, with a harder ride and just not very nice to drive on in colder temps, compared to the winters.
Anyway, so just the ride, not grip?
Lovely car by the way!
Edited by Herbs on Friday 27th October 12:50
Herbs said:
He wrote "skittish" which is exactly how various cars i've had on similar felt. severely reduced grip when cold - got a bit better once they had warmed up but still not great. I'm not a huge fan of winter tyres so i'm not saying change them but be very aware as it only takes once to get caught out.
Lovely car by the way!
OK. I wouldn't have put 'skittish' as 'severely reduced grip', but thanks for the info. Lovely car by the way!
Edited by Herbs on Friday 27th October 12:50
I'm a big fan of winter tyres, when there is a proper winter. We no longer get proper winters here, and on the basis of how minimal the difference was this morning in 2 degrees, the usual UK winters of fluctuation between 0 and 12 degrees would suggest that I'm not over likely to die a horrible fiery death by running Corsas over winter
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