Got a new SC 430 on Order, and planed on driving it from Indiana to Florida over the Christmas Holidays. My Selling Dealer advises me that the OEM Run-Flats are not safe to drive accross the Country in severe Winter driving conditions or "Black Ice". My preferance would be to pick up an additional set of OEM Run-Flat Wheels, and outfit them with something like a "Blizzak", but to my knowledge, Lexus has not yet approved such a Tire for these Run-Flat Wheels.

Any experience out there amoung SC 430 Owners in the North / North East States this past Winter season on how these cars handle in severe Snow / Ice conditions?

My 2001 BMW 330 Convertible with a Sport Package had 125 mph High Performance Tires that were very much like these on the SC 430 - Great on Dry Pavement, but would slide around on the Snow / Ice like a 3,500 lb. Hog on Ice with Siliconed Hoofs!

Any Info / Ideas on how to outfit the new car with safer Wheels / Tires for cross-country driving in the worst of Winter driving?

 

If you don't mind loosing some trunk space, why not just ditch run-flats all together and just buy the mini-spare?

Otherwise, I would just rely on Lexus roadside assistance!

If it were my SC430, I would ditch the wheels all together (off a steep canyon) and buy 20's (or 19's) and loose some trunk space to the mini-spare...but that's just me...

 

Appreciate the thought about dumping the R-F and replacing with some others, but on a proposed Cross-Country trip, I'll need all the trunk space that I can muster. Guess I'll try and get the Lexus Dealer to come up with an (Lexus) approved set of Snow Tires, and take a chance on driving without a spare tire.....but that's just me.