Performance Tires Cracking in Cold - Regal GS with 20's Affected

[RegalGSLover]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/performance-tires-crack-winter-cracking/index.htm

 

[88 E5PR1T]

Good article, especially for people who have been on their 20s all winter. I'm actually surprised that they're good down to 40F... I always thought the threshold was 50F.

Check your tires guys!

 

[polo3433]

Drove on my 20 inch P-Zero Pirelli’s until December. I thought I may get by this winter with them, until we had our first snow fall. They were pretty much useless at that point for as traction is concerned.

 

[IndyGS]

The really bad part is that the dealership seemed completely unaware of this. I bought my car in mid-December and told them that I wanted to make sure to get one with the 19's, because I couldn't afford to turn around and put all-season tires on a new car. They didn't believe me when I told them that the tires on the 20's shouldn't be operated below 40F. Then again, they also didn't know how the keyless entry worked, how to get the nav prompts to show up on the DIC, and several other things I wanted to see in action before buying. How can it be that their only job is to sell these cars, and they don't bother to get to know them inside and out?

 

[Walt G]

The really bad part is that the dealership seemed completely unaware of this. I bought my car in mid-December and told them that I wanted to make sure to get one with the 19's, because I couldn't afford to turn around and put all-season tires on a new car. They didn't believe me when I told them that the tires on the 20's shouldn't be operated below 40F. Then again, they also didn't know how the keyless entry worked, how to get the nav prompts to show up on the DIC, and several other things I wanted to see in action before buying. How can it be that their only job is to sell these cars, and they don't bother to get to know them inside and out?

I'll do you one better than that... I brought my Regal in to my local Buick dealer for some warranty work, and their porter, whos only job it is to drive cars around all day, didn't know how to drive a manual transmission! How can it be your job to drive cars around and yet that little bit didn't come up during the interview or training??? I was speachless.

 

[zinner]

Gm knows this. They suspended camaros with summer being made in winter because of this issue. "Summer tires"

 

[RegalGSLover]

The really bad part is that the dealership seemed completely unaware of this. I bought my car in mid-December and told them that I wanted to make sure to get one with the 19's, because I couldn't afford to turn around and put all-season tires on a new car. They didn't believe me when I told them that the tires on the 20's shouldn't be operated below 40F. Then again, they also didn't know how the keyless entry worked, how to get the nav prompts to show up on the DIC, and several other things I wanted to see in action before buying. How can it be that their only job is to sell these cars, and they don't bother to get to know them inside and out?

I learned a few years ago that nearly all sales people regardless of what they are selling know little or nothing about the product they are selling. They are con artists for the most part, especially so for car sales people.

 

[TheGS]

Dont you think you would have an edge on sales if.you knew the cars inside and out? My sales guy didnt know crap either... although it was a used lot at a caddy dealer... I was telling him about the specs on the car.

 

[Erama]

I had to inform my sales guy that the 2014 GS was available in AWD.

 

[jepva]

The Buick/GMC dealers are completely clueless about this car. With all the marketing Buick has done lately, maybe we will see more recognition.

 

[polo3433]

When I got my tires changed at the Firestone place the guy who works there asked me why was I changing my tires when they have less than 5,000 miles on it. I told him they was Summer tires. He replied they are no such thing is Summer tires. Didn't want to continue to argue with him just told him I will be back to pick my car up when you are done.

 

[wierz11]

When I got my tires changed at the Firestone place the guy who works there asked me why was I changing my tires when they have less than 5,000 miles on it. I told him they was Summer tires. He replied they are no such thing is Summer tires. Didn't want to continue to argue with him just told him I will be back to pick my car up when you are done.

 

[eminelo]

^ lmao

 

[eminelo]

I bought my car from a Toyota dealership, the salesperson they gave me used to work at a buick/gmc dealership. He knew EVERYTHING about the car. I was actually impressed, he set up my Bluetooth with my phone for me, and told me about various other features that I was surprisingly unaware of. It was definitely a rare occasion, I am too used to having to tell car salesmen about what they are selling.

 

[zinner]

Selling something is rarely about knowledge of the product and more about mind ****ing people.

 

[cmgww]

I thought I knew what I was getting into when buying mine in late Dec. I know summer tread compounds get harder in the winter, but this article really opened my eyes! I didn't know it got THAT BAD...you can search my threads on this. But long story short, I had to replace every single Pirelli this winter bc of potholes and the cold. Warrantied so I was only out $150, but I finally bent and got winter setup. I am wondering if we have a case here. I am thinking no, since I am pretty sure it's spelled out in the owners manual not to run the summer only tires in the winter. That said, I maintain the Pirellis are even worse than other summer compounds. My last "bulge" occurred when the temps were in the mid 50s...that should be into the operating range, especially on a sunny day with proper tire pressures.

 

[QSilverGS]

When I got my tires changed at the Firestone place the guy who works there asked me why was I changing my tires when they have less than 5,000 miles on it. I told him they was Summer tires. He replied they are no such thing is Summer tires. Didn't want to continue to argue with him just told him I will be back to pick my car up when you are done.

Did he try to upgrade you to wooden wagon wheels or maybe bias-ply too?? Gotta love it...

 

[the_yeti]

I drove my Regal over Donner Pass 2 weekends ago and I was terrified. 38deg when I went over the top. It had snowed all morning and when I went over at 15:30 the snow had all melted, but there was the occasional patch of wet. Mostly I was just worried about hitting any icy patch, losing it, and not being able to regain control. I kept it around 45mph, and as soon as I was back below 6000 Ft it was 50+ degrees and all was good again.

The weather screwed us hard, we left on that trip a day early as the next day was supposed to be rainy and 40. But the rain held until the day we were coming home and turned into snow. My girlfriend actually flew home so as to not miss work. Summer tires, pfffft.