How can I tell if I have summer, All-Season or winter/snow tires?

BMWUltimateDriv3r · 10-31-2011, 09:20 PM

Forgive me I know nothing about this subject.

kevin@bavarianx · 10-31-2011, 10:05 PM

Read the brand and the name of the tire. Then google the tire and you shall find your answer.

There is also the factor of the tread design which vary from each type of season tire.

jmscard · 10-31-2011, 10:50 PM

Winter tires will almost always say "M&S" (mud and snow) on the sidewall somewhere (these are a winter tire)...... here in Vermont snow tires are 5 months of the year. All seasons will say ASR or the like... trucks often say "A/T" as in all terrain, which often are good for both winter summer, unless they are a "mud" specific "M/T" tire...

You likely have all season radials "ASR" on your car or a dedicated performance tire, which will be little use if you get much snow, certainly not gonna work if you trek out in deep snow..

Slow_335i · 10-31-2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sales@bavarianx

Read the brand and the name of the tire. Then google the tire and you shall find your answer.

There is also the factor of the tread design which vary from each type of season tire.

What he said

VMRWheels · 11-01-2011, 01:27 PM

The most sure way would be to look up the brand and model tire you have to check, but in some cases you can get an idea just by looking at the tread pattern. Some tires though are a bit more deceiving in my opinion, like the Nitto NeoGen.

nekky · 11-02-2011, 02:34 PM

LOL NeoGens definitely look like a summer tire to me

VMRWheels · 11-02-2011, 03:01 PM

A lot of people are under the impression that they're a summer tire. It's definitely because of the tread pattern.

ceb · 11-02-2011, 07:40 PM

Simple - drive down a 1% grade in really cold weather. If you smack into the brick wall at the bottom and have both airbags go off then you have summer tires.

If you just tap the brick wall causing damage $1 below your $1k deductible then you have all seasons.

If you stop with plenty of room to spare then you have winter tires.

That said, you'll want to look at this page to be able to determine what you have.

A M&S designation generally identifies an all-season tire while a "mountain/snowflake" designates a dedicated winter tire.

See this.

10-31-2011, 09:20 PM	#1
BMWUltimateDriv3r First Lieutenant 82 Rep 324 Posts Drives: '08 328xi Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	How can I tell if I have summer, All-Season or winter/snow tires? Forgive me I know nothing about this subject.
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10-31-2011, 10:05 PM	#2
kevin@bavarianx Banned 33 Rep 812 Posts Drives: E36 M3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Brea, CA iTrader: (3)	Read the brand and the name of the tire. Then google the tire and you shall find your answer. There is also the factor of the tread design which vary from each type of season tire.
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10-31-2011, 10:50 PM	#3
jmscard Private 4 Rep 81 Posts Drives: 2006 E90 330i Dinan S1 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vermont iTrader: (0)	Winter tires will almost always say "M&S" (mud and snow) on the sidewall somewhere (these are a winter tire)...... here in Vermont snow tires are 5 months of the year. All seasons will say ASR or the like... trucks often say "A/T" as in all terrain, which often are good for both winter summer, unless they are a "mud" specific "M/T" tire... You likely have all season radials "ASR" on your car or a dedicated performance tire, which will be little use if you get much snow, certainly not gonna work if you trek out in deep snow.. Last edited by jmscard; 10-31-2011 at 11:04 PM..
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11-01-2011, 01:27 PM	#5
VMRWheels BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 2042 Rep 25,989 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Anaheim, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2013 BMW M3 [10.00] 2015 BMW M4 [0.00] 2013 BMW F30 [0.00] 2014 BMW F22 [0.00] 2013 BMW F06 [0.00]	The most sure way would be to look up the brand and model tire you have to check, but in some cases you can get an idea just by looking at the tread pattern. Some tires though are a bit more deceiving in my opinion, like the Nitto NeoGen. __________________ VMR\|Wheels \| 714.442.7916 \| sales@velocitymotoring.com \| www.velocitymotoring.com \| facebook \| flickr \| Instagram
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11-02-2011, 02:34 PM	#6
nekky Wagon life 39 Rep 991 Posts Drives: '16 328d M Sport Touring Join Date: May 2011 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (2)	LOL NeoGens definitely look like a summer tire to me
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11-02-2011, 03:01 PM	#7
VMRWheels BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 2042 Rep 25,989 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Anaheim, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2013 BMW M3 [10.00] 2015 BMW M4 [0.00] 2013 BMW F30 [0.00] 2014 BMW F22 [0.00] 2013 BMW F06 [0.00]	A lot of people are under the impression that they're a summer tire. It's definitely because of the tread pattern. __________________ VMR\|Wheels \| 714.442.7916 \| sales@velocitymotoring.com \| www.velocitymotoring.com \| facebook \| flickr \| Instagram
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11-02-2011, 07:40 PM	#8
ceb NHTSA Nazi 28 Rep 1,983 Posts Drives: 335ix Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	Simple - drive down a 1% grade in really cold weather. If you smack into the brick wall at the bottom and have both airbags go off then you have summer tires. If you just tap the brick wall causing damage $1 below your $1k deductible then you have all seasons. If you stop with plenty of room to spare then you have winter tires. That said, you'll want to look at this page to be able to determine what you have. A M&S designation generally identifies an all-season tire while a "mountain/snowflake" designates a dedicated winter tire. See this.
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