[westopher]

Looking to get some opinions and experiences with winter tires in the GRVD. There are lots of options, and our climate puts us in an interesting position. Its too cold for summers, it sucks driving on winters, and all seasons aren't getting us safely to whistler every weekend. Has anyone discovered a good compromise? I hate the feeling of driving on pillows full of diarrhea but it seems to be the only option if I plan on taking shred trips.
First hand experiences, suggestions, and discussions are all appreciated. Hell even fun snow pics.

(no, no one cares that you are such a good driver you can get up to whistler on Pilot sport cups and pass SUVs, looking for real world ideas.)
Looking at michelin xice xi3 or Good year ice grip WRT
Pic for the hell of it.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l308/westopher2006/22947B13-F6B0-4757-B9D6-D76D4832EBE9_zps1zgssx3p.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/westopher2006/media/22947B13-F6B0-4757-B9D6-D76D4832EBE9_zps1zgssx3p.jpg.html)

[SpuGen]

Don't get Hankook Ipikes unless you're driving in actual snow.

I have them on my fall/winter Ho-Rolla beater, and they suck BBC in the rain/slush.

In the snow, they dig enough to get you going, and make sure you stop. But they're still extremely easy to get sliding during a snow-hoon. That being said, they're very composed in the snow, and I tried reaaaallly hard to spin out. I didn't.

For a bottom dollar snow tire... pretty good for a beater-spec car.

[white rocket]

I had good success with the Conti DWS all weather tire. Drove in the snow with them(although they are not a designated snow tire) without issues and they are a good all year tire. Good performance in the dry and also good in the rain. Probably the best all around tire for our climate IMO.

For the 4Runner, I'm pretty set on the BFG All Terrain KO2's. Great all terrain tire WITH the snow flake rating. I'll report in November once I've had a few weeks to drive on them.

[bcrdukes]

Former Michelin Xice 2 user here. Absolutely loved them. Sold the E30 with them but would buy the Michelins again if they were ever on sale. :okay:

Went on to Bridgestone Blizzaks (forgot the model but they were older from a previous generation) for the E36 M3. They were great, but not quite the same with the Michelins. The Michelins were good all-round, and very good in snow. The Blizzaks weren't that great in rain/slush but great in the snow.

I picked up a lightly used set of Blizzaks for the Corolla as well so I know what to expect out of them.

[sekin67835]

I have a set of Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie II. Drove them to bigwhite, whistler with no problems. They work really in the rain and they feel great. Downside are they are super expensive.

[bomiheko]

I researched quite a bit on winter tires and decided that Vancouver's weather did not warrant a need for dedicated snow tires, so I'm thinking of going with performance winter tires like the Pirelli Sottozero series 3. Still get the handling performance while performing decently on snow and especially on wet and slushy environments. Wanted Michelin PA4's, not did not come in my size.

[dared3vil0]

Perhaps consider doing what i will be this winter; buy a good set of snowies on some super cheap rims, only bolt them on for whistler/cypress runs, or when snow is in the forecast. Changing a set of wheels takes what, 5 minutes per wheel? Then drive on vastly superior all seasons rest of the winter. Just my opinion.

[westopher]

I thought about that as well. PSS are no good below about 10 degrees though, so I'll be on the winters more often than not. Honestly car doesn't/won't get driven much though.

[jeffwilliams17]

Ran Michelin xi2 on my FRS last winter. They were great when it was cold, good in rain and I had no issues for few days we had snow.

[hud 91gt]

Studded cheap ass "arctic claws". Amazing when in the shit. Horrible when dry/wet. Would not suggest. Wish I had my computer to post a great E36 snow pic.

[SumAznGuy]

If you plan on going to Whistler in the M3, then don't cheap out because there may be times where non-snow flake tires will not be allowed past Furry Creek.
Same goes for the local mountains.

I have all-weather Nokian's on my QX4 and while they do their job in the snow, they aren't the best and if there is any underlying ice, then they suck ballz.
Being up on SFU, I've seen many many SFU students in all sorts of cars and all the all season tire guys always manage to get stuck going up the hill or slide down and play bumper cars. With your M3 being rwd, you definately don't want anything that isn't a true snow tire especially if you plan on taking the car to the ski hills.

I have the General Altimax Arctic but with studs on my wife's CRV and found them to be very good when we had snow up on SFU but they will definately run like you are on pillows.

I'd highly recommend a sport winter tire. The sidewalls are stiffer so they will handle better in the dry and being a full snow tire, you should not be hassled at the check points.
Also, go down a size to 16's and run a narrower tire. Don't run 285/35/18's in the snow. :troll:

[immorality]

I've also had the Pirelli Sottozero's and really liked them. They were good for bombing through the snow up on SFU, and still a reasonable tire for whipping around town. I've since switched to Yokohama W.Drive just to try something else and they aren't as fun in town, and I haven't had a chance to dig into serious snow. They are an old tire now anyways, so even though I don't really have a lot of reason to dislike them, I'm sure that there are a lot of better options around.

[westopher]

If you plan on going to Whistler in the M3, then don't cheap out because there may be times where non-snow flake tires will not be allowed past Furry Creek.
Same goes for the local mountains.

Cheap out and M3 don't go in the same sentence for me. I'm not concerned about cost (to an obvious extent) as these will probably last me 4 years. I plan on not stuffing my car into a ditch. I ride at least 25 days a year other than the garbage season that was last year so I intend to keep my car, and me safe. Its easy enough for tires to get the snowflake that IMO have no business being on the sea to sky in a snowstorm. I'm looking for the best tire I can get for what I'm going to use it for.

[smoothie.]

general arctic altimax.

gf drove through the summer with hers and they barely wore. so impressed I through them onto my car.

xice are better on ice, but these tires are great value, and monsters in deep snow.

plus they dont wear even 1/5 compared to blizzaks that ive had.

[Z3guy]

westopher, just like you did with your summers (Michelin PSS), just go get some Michelin Pilot Alpins and call it a day. I used to run some A/S Kumhos on my E60 M5 and I could barely get anywhere in a light snow in Van. Then I bit the bullet and bought some Michelin Pilot Alpins and wholly smokes, they transformed my M5 in the snow. I literally could go anywhere. I drop my son off at Cypress ski school in my M5 and did not slide anywhere. I think RWD cars get a bad rap for winter driving. As long as you have a lsd and a good set of snows, rwd is fine.

Why cheap out and save $400 on a cheap set of snows?

I luv the Alpins so much, I just bought another set for my M3!

[Soundy]

I had an earlier version of this design on my last work van, ran them year-round, they were great summer and winter: Nokian WRG3 - The best all weather tires for northern conditions / Nokian Tires (http://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires/nokian-wrg3/)

Sure it was no performance vehicle, but it was an MP-V, so not a truck, either.

[BoostedBB6]

XICE 1/2/3 are the only ones I run and there the best I have used.

[Teriyaki]

General Altimax Arctic. They're very well rated universally. In fact, was no.1 I believe on TireRack review beating out the expensive Michelin X-Ice series before.

I tried them a few years ago on one of our family cars. We haven't look back since.

This year, I'm trying out the brand new Yokohama IG52C series. They just came onto the market last winter and are supposedly designed for Canadian winters, hence the C. From the looks of things, they're more of a performance ice/slush tire like the X-Ice series.

[320icar]

I have some eagle f1's on my focus. Got the car new in December so didn't bother getting snow tires. They were brand new but totally useless in the snow and slush. Even in below zero dry days I could tell the poor traction. So this year I bough some 16" snows and am about to get some steelies or wtv to run them. Worth it. Snow tires aren't only used for snow.

[anjewree]

i'd recommend the Good Year Ultra Grip WRT. I've had it for two winters now, never any complaints with it in the rain, slush, snow, ice. I go up Whistler, Cypress, and Baker no problem.

My winter setup this year, cant wait to hit to slopes!:alonehappy:

http://i58.tinypic.com/289g7m8.jpg

[Noreason]

westopher, just like you did with your summers (Michelin PSS), just go get some Michelin Pilot Alpins and call it a day. I used to run some A/S Kumhos on my E60 M5 and I could barely get anywhere in a light snow in Van. Then I bit the bullet and bought some Michelin Pilot Alpins and wholly smokes, they transformed my M5 in the snow. I literally could go anywhere. I drop my son off at Cypress ski school in my M5 and did not slide anywhere. I think RWD cars get a bad rap for winter driving. As long as you have a lsd and a good set of snows, rwd is fine.

Why cheap out and save $400 on a cheap set of snows?

I luv the Alpins so much, I just bought another set for my M3!

+1 on the Pilot Alpins, I got a set and they are fairly good (and quiet) in dry weather, good in the rain and seem to have decent traction in icy weather we typically have.

[jmanhas]

i ran dunlop winter sport m3's on my E46 m3 and it has never left me stranded

[guesswho]

ran michelin xi3's last year and had no problems (no skidding, no sliding) in the snow last year even though there was barely any

[saveth]

An m3 running winter tires and a roof rack...that's impressive. I love your dedication.

Back when I drove my tsx everywhere. I had a roofrack, blizzaks and a full car load and i never had a problem going to any mountain.

[FN-2199]

I'm jumping onto the General Altimax Arctic wagon. Have been using these since the start of the 2010 winter, and I have nothing but good things to say. Tread life is superb, and they trek through snow like it's dry out.
Be weary if you're looking for specific sizes, or 'low profile' sizes; like many other reputable snow tires, they often don't exist.

[underscore]

For anyone with an SUV/4x4, Canadian Tire currently has Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac's on sale, for cheaper than anywhere I could find online. For my size they were $222/tire online and $174/tire at CT.

[sdubfid]

The best car snow tires I had were 155/7x/13 kumhos (can't remember model number). They were $50 per corner brand new. They were great in the dry and lasted a very long time as well. I would buy pizza cutters again in a heartbeat. Look at what winter rally cars are running.

Currently on nokian wrg2 and they do everything ok but nothing good. I have only used them in up here in fort mac snow which has barely any moisture content. I would only recommend them for my grandma who wants to set it and forget it.

I've had 4 different sets of bfg a/t ko on trucks/suvs from 2000lbs to 7000lbs and would buy them again too.

fwd in reverse works great uphill, nylon rope through the spokes (if caliper clearance allows) will act as a chain if you are ghetto, dragging the brake will be like a poor man lsd

[SumAznGuy]

Cheap out and M3 don't go in the same sentence for me. I'm not concerned about cost (to an obvious extent) as these will probably last me 4 years. I plan on not stuffing my car into a ditch. I ride at least 25 days a year other than the garbage season that was last year so I intend to keep my car, and me safe. Its easy enough for tires to get the snowflake that IMO have no business being on the sea to sky in a snowstorm. I'm looking for the best tire I can get for what I'm going to use it for.

Is getting a winter beater an option?

[acurael]

I have ran bridgestone blizzaks in the past and they worked really good initially on my G35. I found they wore down somewhat quickly and basically my car got stuck in the snow third season in. The car did go through tires quickly but it was disappointing since there was a decent amount of tread left on the tires. It was a RWD coupe.

I have blizzaks on an AWD 335xi and been driving them for past two years thru all seasons (summer set got ruined). For some reason they still have plenty of tread left and still work well in the snow? It has been about five years since i bought them. So completely different experience compared to the G35 so must be the car.

If you are RWD i would look closely at the different options of snow tires. I would get dedicated snow tire. Not performance winter tires or all seasons (the blizzaks were the low pro version on the G)

I'm likely going to get conti DWS for the 335 soon and use those year round, but only because its an XI.

[LYC]

I've had 3 different sets of winter tires for my civic but the Michelin Xi2 were by far the best. Its taken me on countless road trips all over BC in the winter. I've plowed through snow that was deeper than the front of my car and never had a problem.

[westopher]

Is getting a winter beater an option?Honestly, I love driving this car, and I bought it to enjoy it. Every car I have ever owned, from my slammed 325 for my first car, to my corrado and my GTi, all were amazing fun summer and winter (and I'm talking road trips through the rockies weekly from edmonton kinda winter driving, not this -3 and light snow 5 times a year shit.) I can definitely afford a winter beater, but I can't afford to get a winter beater that I will enjoy driving, and be safe in like my M3 nor can I handle 5 months away from it. I just don't see the point in parking something like it. It would be different if it was a classic 911, but the point of getting an m3 is its a car that can be fun while being practical enough for anything. That is what it was designed for.

[twitchyzero]

how about all-weather tires as year-rounder in Vancouver? They have the snowflake designation.

All-weather tires are not the same as all-season, and here's why - Wheels.ca (http://www.wheels.ca/guides/all-weather-tires-are-not-the-same-as-all-season-and-heres-why/)

[meme405]

I had Blizzaks on my FX previously. Toyo Open Country C/T was what I am on now. 100% happy with them.

This year I have a set of GoodYear Ultra Grips, STUDDED (75%). This is of course way overkill for lower mainland, but the truck gets dragged to some pretty ridiculous places:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s52/meme405/2013-01-03134150_zpsba415704.jpg (http://s149.photobucket.com/user/meme405/media/2013-01-03134150_zpsba415704.jpg.html)

And unfortunately the truck suffers cause of that:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s52/meme405/737943_10151406921170011_1796780470_o_zps13387127. jpg (http://s149.photobucket.com/user/meme405/media/737943_10151406921170011_1796780470_o_zps13387127. jpg.html)

I added some other upgrades this year to her, she has an aluminum back rack, with a proper LED yellow beacon bar mounted top center (to replace the miami vice style beacon light). I also added an LED light bar in the front bumper which is ridiculously bright. I also was forced to add a backup alarm, which I am utterly annoyed by after less than a week. I gotta find a way to mount this fucking thing on a toggle switch, so that it ain't on in the city.

If I find myself driving in and out of site a lot I may end up putting a steel "deer grating" bumper up front, cause that's how the last truck got killed.

[westopher]

how about all-weather tires as year-rounder in Vancouver? They have the snowflake designation.

All-weather tires are not the same as all-season, and here's why - Wheels.ca (http://www.wheels.ca/guides/all-weather-tires-are-not-the-same-as-all-season-and-heres-why/)
I had the Nokian WRG2 all weather tires on my car last winter. They were a little low on tread, so perhaps I didn't get a good feel for them, but they were abysmal in the snow heading up seymour.

[Noran]

I used Hoosier a7's for my snow driving last year. Great tire for cold, icy, and snowy conditions. These tires are an ABSOLUTE MUST for winter conditions! I'll buy them off of you if you don't like them!

[Euro7r]

General Artic Altimax on steelies last season. Aside from extra tire noise, can't really complain for the price.

[Nomomo]

Ap4's held 550awhp in -3 on the sea 2sky np

[prolepsis]

I used to run Blizzaks WS60 in my previous FWD car.
This season I'm running Blizzaks WS80 in my RWD, so I'll see how much of an improvement these newer ones are.

Their WS series are their studless ice and snow, while their LM series are more performance winter / snow tires.

The WS series are soft and mushy in the dry, but handle great in snow and ice. They also wear pretty quickly, as acurael states above.

They are likely overkill for Vancouver, but I go up to Cypress (which is pretty well cleared, even on snow days) and figure that I'll take the tradeoff in dry handling to have something that should be able to handle whatever the conditions may be.

[Lomac]

Running a set of X-Ice2's right now and they are greasy as balls in the rain. Fantastic in the snow but I'm noticing a ton of traction loss when it's pure liquid water falling.

Last year I drove around in the Pathfinder with Yokohama Geolander i/t's. They were ever better than the x-ice series when it came to dealing with snow. Suffered slightly in the rain, but their snow worthiness made the purchase worth it.

[FB6]

Don't get Hankook Ipikes unless you're driving in actual snow.

I have them on my fall/winter Ho-Rolla beater, and they suck BBC in the rain/slush.

In the snow, they dig enough to get you going, and make sure you stop. But they're still extremely easy to get sliding during a snow-hoon. That being said, they're very composed in the snow, and I tried reaaaallly hard to spin out. I didn't.

For a bottom dollar snow tire... pretty good for a beater-spec car.
Are they that bad in the rain/wet? I ordered the I Pike W419 last week.

[Limitless]

Any opinions on these tires? Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

Tire Details - Discount Tire Direct (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?ra=searchTiresBySize.do&fl=&pc=30733&counter=0&ar=30&rd=19&cs=255)

Reason being I need to find a 255/30/19 sized tire or 245/30/19, and there's barely a selection tire for that size :S Looks like I won't be getting anywhere far if snow does hit hard, but it seems to be the most promising out of the selection I have..? Opinions highly appreciated!

[fliptuner]

If you go narrower, to a 235/40-45/19, there are a lot more options.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?search=true&performance=W&width=235%2F&ratio=40&diameter=19

Better yet, find out if 17 or 18" wheels clear your brakes and check the tire options for them.

[dared3vil0]

Any opinions on these tires? Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

Tire Details - Discount Tire Direct (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?ra=searchTiresBySize.do&fl=&pc=30733&counter=0&ar=30&rd=19&cs=255)

Reason being I need to find a 255/30/19 sized tire or 245/30/19, and there's barely a selection tire for that size :S Looks like I won't be getting anywhere far if snow does hit hard, but it seems to be the most promising out of the selection I have..? Opinions highly appreciated!

Those are summer ONLY tires, as in don't drive on them below 7c.

Atleast get all seasons...

[BABU]

I run bridgestone blizzaks on all my cars, really good in snow/slush with RWD cars. Back in 2008 drove clk in the snow storm no problem with blizzaks.

[jtrinh]

I've had Xice xi2 the past couple winters on my IS. They've taken me everywhere without a problem. Breaks traction easily in rain like Lomac but that's probably cause I run 205's. Makes rain driving even more fun.

[meme405]

Any opinions on these tires? Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

Tire Details - Discount Tire Direct (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?ra=searchTiresBySize.do&fl=&pc=30733&counter=0&ar=30&rd=19&cs=255)

Reason being I need to find a 255/30/19 sized tire or 245/30/19, and there's barely a selection tire for that size :S Looks like I won't be getting anywhere far if snow does hit hard, but it seems to be the most promising out of the selection I have..? Opinions highly appreciated!

Blizzak LM60's are the choice when it comes to low profile winter tires.

I don't know if they come in your specific sizing, but they will likely be the closest out of anything...

[Great68]

My X-Ice's are great when we actually got snow, I was unstoppable the few times I had to drive in it (The Limited slip in the Speed 3 probably had a lot to do with it too)
However, they're noisy and suck in the wet & dry.

I can get one more season out of them, and then was thinking of going with a more performance winter such as the Pilot Alpin PA4 to get better rain & dry performance.

[Lowered_Klass]

I've been running Blizzak WS60's the past 2 winters, and they've been great. Haven't really had to test them in crazy snow, but they're great in the rain and dry (within reason).

They have have been wearing great as well (as far as winters go), when they go, I'll probably replace them with similar Blizzaks.

My wife's car had the General Artic Altimax on her car for a couple winters before we sold her car. Noisey as fuck, and iffy in dry/rainy weather. Really had that 'squishy' feeling. More pronounced than others I've used. Got them from the states for cheap, so I can't complain. Snow traction was great.

Stay away from the Toyo Garit KX. Had those for a few winters on my old car, and although they were decent in the snow/ice, rain and dry weather was not fun. Far to 'squishy' for my liking, and our Vancouver winters.

My Dad swears by the Xice tires. They have Xi2's on both their cars, though I haven't driven their cars a lot in the winter, they seem to be wearing well, and my Dad is happy with their rain/dry performance.

[Acura604]

Altimax was my favorite. Currently on lm60 blizzaks and don't like them.

[BEEB]

http://www.revscene.net/forums/members/beeb-5833/albums/cars/4588-image.jpg

^16" oem wheels with Pirelli snowsport

Decade ago, I had these Pirelli Snow Sport 190 on my E36 16 inchers and it performed flaslessly. It brought me to River Road with a foot of fresh snow without problem. I would definitely not cheap out on snow tires.

[Indy]

i'm another one using the General Altimax Arctic tire. I had to put them on early (october) one year due to a tire puncture and they didn't make the mustang feel too soft.

[sonick]

+whatever on the General Altimax Arctic. Had them on my RWD BMW E30 and it was a beast in the snow.

[Limitless]

Thanks for the reply guys :) I'm supposed to run a 245/30/19 tire for the rear so I don't rub, but I guess I'll just throw a 245/35/19 on there instead.. 235 seems awkward to me since my current set up is 235/35/19 and 265/30/19 and I'm planning to keep the fronts haha.

245/35/19 gives me a lot more options, probably going to pick up a set of DWS and hope for the best since they come in that size. I ran DWS on my WRX last winter and it was great, no complaints but of course the WRX was awd lol

[godwin]

Go as thin as possible and as high the aspect ratio as possible.. If you car can run a small diameter.. run it. The more downward pressure you get on the surface, the quicker / better the ice will turn to slush, hence give you grip.

As for tire compound, I prefer quick changes vs keeping the compound for 4+ years..

Thanks for the reply guys :) I'm supposed to run a 245/30/19 tire for the rear so I don't rub, but I guess I'll just throw a 245/35/19 on there instead.. 235 seems awkward to me since my current set up is 235/35/19 and 265/30/19 and I'm planning to keep the fronts haha.

245/35/19 gives me a lot more options, probably going to pick up a set of DWS and hope for the best since they come in that size. I ran DWS on my WRX last winter and it was great, no complaints but of course the WRX was awd lol

[acurael]

I used to run Blizzaks WS60 in my previous FWD car.
This season I'm running Blizzaks WS80 in my RWD, so I'll see how much of an improvement these newer ones are.

Their WS series are their studless ice and snow, while their LM series are more performance winter / snow tires.

The WS series are soft and mushy in the dry, but handle great in snow and ice. They also wear pretty quickly, as acurael states above.

They are likely overkill for Vancouver, but I go up to Cypress (which is pretty well cleared, even on snow days) and figure that I'll take the tradeoff in dry handling to have something that should be able to handle whatever the conditions may be.

Good point. You are right. The LM series is what I had on both the g35 and have on the 335xi currently. This is the performance low pro winters.

I did have the proper WS version of the blizzaks on my EL back in the day and they performed much better in the snow. Not good on dry as too mushy and soft

So basically try to stay away from winter performance tires if possible. Once you go 18 or 19s in blizzaks I think they only offer LM as far as I rmb.

[tofu1413]

Had the General Altimax on my E36... really good winter tire.

Although I did run a narrower tread (195/65/R15)

Good in slush and rain as well. they were pretty much brand new when I picked up the E36.


I also ran a set of michelin X ice 2 three years ago with the E30 325i. Were nice in the snow, wet was decent, but not as nice as the Generals for some reason.

[boibuddha]

The mother had General Altimax tires when she bought her car with just over 80%. They treated her well all year round. About 18 months later, they are down to 30-40% and they are quite loud once you're up to highway speeds.

If they are seasonal tires to the OP, they'll last you five years before they start becoming noisy.

[fliptuner]

Why waste snow tires in good weather?

[CorneringArtist]

I have Continental Extremewintercontact waiting for things to get colder. I'm benchmarking it against the now discontinued Gislaved NordFrost5 which did a very good job in the snow, and had reasonable feedback on slush and ice.

[alex.w *//]

Altimac arctic is not that good when it's a couple seasons old. Still has 10/32 tread and it doesn't seem to grip snow for some reason

[SumAznGuy]

Altimac arctic is not that good when it's a couple seasons old. Still has 10/32 tread and it doesn't seem to grip snow for some reason

How were the tires stored?
What is the build date on them?
Are the tires properly inflated?
Is it possible the tires have hardened from improper storage?

[godwin]

Because the winter compound is only on the first few 1/32s.. that's why I say go cheapest you feel comfortable and replace often. Compound changes yearly.. this year's hot thing is orange extract.. a few years ago it was silicon (basically sand). Not to be heartless, but dump the tires that are a few years old on cheap asses who troll CL. Most of the people only look for the label and don't realise winter compound is not cover the whole tread.

Altimac arctic is not that good when it's a couple seasons old. Still has 10/32 tread and it doesn't seem to grip snow for some reason

[cdizzle]

I've noticed that there's a light truck version for the general altimax arctics...
is it necessary to buy that instead of the non-LT version for a cx-5?

[mb_]

You can use Passenger tires on a CX-5

[kkttsang]

One more here with general altimax on e90. Had them for 3 seasons used 3-4 months per year very good tires lots of treads left and never had a slip on a red going uphill although there hasn't been much snow last few years. But they are excellent for the money

[Mr.C]

I tried using the Yokohama Avid Envigors on a past E38 and it was... passable... in Winnipeg. If I were driving to Whistler, I'd suck it up and just use Bilzzaks.

[alex.w *//]

How were the tires stored?
What is the build date on them?
Are the tires properly inflated?
Is it possible the tires have hardened from improper storage?

It's made in 2011
Yes properly inflated
Maybe, but how to properly store winter tires? I just leave IT in the garage and only take IT out when winter.

Was up on cypress, and it would slip on fresh snow . Tires would just spin and spin like no traction .

[cdizzle_996]

GF has the General Altimax on her Cobalt, was a beast in the snow/slush and have had decent tread wear.

For the last few years on my Integra I used good year Nordics and they were good for the money.

I have Hankook I pikes for the g35s this year, couldn't pass up the deal so I'll see how they work

[Eff-1]

I remember about 10 years ago running Pirelli Winter 160S on an EG Civic. Only $80/tire from the chinese guy at hastings/commercial. In the snow, that car was unstoppable!

[dared3vil0]

Have used Hankook i*cept evo performance snows on an '07 Civic Si, tires were decent on the road/dry/rain, but were abysmal in the heavy snow in whistler etc, were good on packed snow or ice.

Have also used Goodyear nordic on an '04 Nissan Maxima, tires are okay in the wet/dry/rain, absolute beasts in the deep snow, and horrible on packed snow/ice.

Lots of other tires friends/etc have used and never quite found a tire that is good everywhere. Blizzak, xice etc are great everywhere but they all have glaring weakness; tread life.

[Vulgate]

I am running square setup 225/40/18 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R on stagger rims (18x7.5 and 18x8.5) on my 135 and I would have to say are awesome winter tires. They have soft compound but it is grippy when very cold, performs well, good in rain and fairly quiet.

[iKayChow]

On a budget for winter tires, but having something is still better than nothing I guess? Anyone have any reviews on the goodyear nordics? Just for casual winter driving in Vancouver. Not expecting to make any long trips anywhere.

[cdizzle_996]

I've used Nordics on several different vehicals.

If anyone is interested I have a set that were used last winter only, stored in a heated room forsale. 195/55/15, Goodyear Nordics, 15" OEM Acura rims.

[iKayChow]

I've used Nordics on several different vehicals.

If anyone is interested I have a set that were used last winter only, stored in a heated room forsale. 195/55/15, Goodyear Nordics, 15" OEM Acura rims.

How long did they last for before you began to notice they were not as grippy anymore? Is the gas milage as bad as people make it seem for them?

[Acura604]

still too warm to slap on winters I am thinking...although I saw some overnight temps drop to 7 Celsius in the city.

[syee]

I used to have Bridgestone Blizzak Revo1's on the TSX. (I'm guessing these came out just before they started the WS series of winter tires) and they sucked in the rain. They'd easily lose traction going up a steep-ish hill (like going up Kerr from Marine for example) and pulling out of side streets. However, they were great in the snow.

Just switched out the Blizzaks for XIce3's a few weeks ago since I really couldn't handle another winter with the Blizzaks. Traction feels better than the Blizzaks in the rain, but not as stable as the RE970 All Seasons I've been using throughout the summer/fall. (but I guess that's not really a fair comparison) I have yet to try them in snow or ice so couldn't really tell you how they perform.

[Mr.C]

We had XIce's on our other E38, and they were much worse than the Blizzaks in the snow.

[capt_slo]

I had great success with Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow on my old 2wd truck. Went through multiple tire options and the Pirellis were the only useable snow tire for the torque-heavy V8.

Mustang seems to work ok on Falken Eurowinter HS439's, this will be second winter with them. Cornering on ice is a 2 out of 5 though.

[325isMSPORT]

I'll be running Triangle TR777 lolhttp://www.huskytire.com/download3/TR777.png

[dared3vil0]

I had great success with Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow on my old 2wd truck. Went through multiple tire options and the Pirellis were the only useable snow tire for the torque-heavy V8.

Mustang seems to work ok on Falken Eurowinter HS439's, this will be second winter with them. Cornering on ice is a 2 out of 5 though.

More info please, what size wheel/tire are you using? Gotta figure out a winter tire setup for my mustang...

[capt_slo]

More info please, what size wheel/tire are you using? Gotta figure out a winter tire setup for my mustang...

215/65 17 on the stock 17x7 wheels.

[seakrait]

Anyone running on Nokian WR G3 tires? Got them for my wife's car but not sure if I made the best decision. Better than running her Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Positions in the winter I guess.

[supafamous]

Anyone running on Nokian WR G3 tires? Got them for my wife's car but not sure if I made the best decision. Better than running her Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Positions in the winter I guess.

Don't have the WRG3s but everything I've read (from reviewers and users) says they will work just fine in Vancouver winters. Not so hot for serious stuff like Whistler or the interior though but acceptable.

[supafamous]

I'll be running Triangle TR777 lol

Are these off brand winter tires from China any good? Or are they just terrible rip offs?

[westopher]

I had set of shitty triangles on my gti and they were honestly great in the snow. Not great on wet city roads though.

[Araaadi]

Bringing this back to life for a question. Just bought a 2010 m3 that came with brand new nexen 7000. Gonna be driving this car in winter, should I ditch the nexens for Continental DWS, or go for an actual winter tire such as blizzaks or just run the nexens for the season?

[320icar]

All seasons don't work well on ice or snow, don't kid yourself. If you have the money to buy them, get dedicated winter tires

[dared3vil0]

Nexens are cheap shit. Go for something better for sure.

[punkwax]

Grab some steelies with actual winters for anything RWD, let alone something with M power IMO.

[prolepsis]

Not sure if steelies will clear the brakes on the M car, but yes, for other RWD cars, steelies + dedicated winters would be a good choice.


Araaadi, I run Blizzack WS80 tires on my E92 M3 in the winter. These are their studless winter series, which work better in snow and ice than their LM series. LM series should be fine for Vancouver winters, and are a good tradeoff between snow and dry performance.

The WS80 may be a bit overkill, but I need to be able to get to where I'm going, regardless of the weather, so I figured I'd trade off on the worse dry grip and have softer winter tires.

I use the Sport Edition A7 wheels (18x8) from Tire Rack. It's a cheaper set of wheels, but they do the job. They used to have a wide size for the rears, but now just seem to sell the 18x8, so the rear wheels will look a bit sunken from the fenders.

[westopher]

Bringing this back to life for a question. Just bought a 2010 m3 that came with brand new nexen 7000.
I'll never understand why people put cheap shitty tires on a 75k 400+bhp sports car.
My advice is toss some DWS, or a dedicated winter tire if you plan on leaving the GVRD at any point during the winter, on come december or so, and get a set of PSS or something of similar quality to replace the nexens next spring.

[dinfung]

I run Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 and I am very happy with it, great grip in wet and snow.
http://nokiantyres.studio.crasman.fi/pub/web/images/product_images/NT_product-image_HKPL_R2.png?c=product_image_desktop

[Zedbra]

Bringing this back to life for a question. Just bought a 2010 m3 that came with brand new nexen 7000. Gonna be driving this car in winter, should I ditch the nexens for Continental DWS, or go for an actual winter tire such as blizzaks or just run the nexens for the season?

As suggested, ditch the Nexens and put on the DWS and be done with it. My nephew is a manager of an OK Tire and he got me drinking the Continental Kool Aid a few years ago and I am glad I tried it - I run their DWS in the summer and their winter tires and the grip is always there...always.

[Jmac]

I've been debating which tire to pick up for my BMW 325xi. It currently has the Nokian WRG3s on it, but they are close to needing replacement. We're using the WRG2s on our other car (Nissan Versa) and they work fine in all weather conditions as advertised. My commute, on average, consists of 6 snow days per year, (source: Environment Canada) primarily small amounts of wet snow.

I know Continental just launched the DWS 06 and I've read good things about the Pilot Sport A/S 3. Is it worthwhile upgrading to one of these tires with a 255 hp AWD sedan?

[Acura604]

This season will be Blizzak DM-V1.

So far, I gotta admit - best I've ever had were the General Altimax Arctics.

Last year, I went with Blizzak LM-60 which were 'average' on slippery surfaces.


http://i.imgur.com/2IIIFVZ.jpg

[Hondaracer]

any recomendations as to what/where to buy winter tires/rims for my GF's Hyundia Elantra?

going to be almost 100% city driving so main concern is just ice/wet roads, she has some really shitty all seasons on right now and i dont like her driving on them when it's ugly out

possible to get somthing decent for around 6-800? with some steelies?

[mb_]

Just put X-Ice3 on my car and I'm really liking the wet weather grip and how surprisingly quiet they are for a winter tire. Can't wait to test them out in the snow :)

[underscore]

The Michelin XIce 2 and 3 seem to win most of the comparison tests, the 2's tend to run a little cheaper though. Following that is usually the Yokohama Ice Guard which I absolutely loved on my old Celica, they had tons of grip in any kind of weather.

[cdizzle_996]

I'll be using Falken Eurowinter HS449 this year on my 08 RWD G35S. I picked these up for $300, used with 1500km on them late last year.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x271/cdizzle_996/0403CA81-868D-4A52-9FE2-948D22FD0888_zpslflykgs8.jpg (http://s187.photobucket.com/user/cdizzle_996/media/0403CA81-868D-4A52-9FE2-948D22FD0888_zpslflykgs8.jpg.html)
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x271/cdizzle_996/FBC4A262-851A-4F64-9F0A-468A05164239_zpsjnfodvti.jpg (http://s187.photobucket.com/user/cdizzle_996/media/FBC4A262-851A-4F64-9F0A-468A05164239_zpsjnfodvti.jpg.html)

[acrophobia]

This season will be Blizzak DM-V1.

I had amazing luck with these tires! We ran the DM-V1 on our CX-9 for four winter seasons and never lost traction once (I drive like a granny in the winter, so take that with a grain of salt). I really liked having confidence in my vehicle when it got ugly outside, especially when I was carting around my two little kids. The tires are very soft, so I usually put them on when the snow started flying in mid-late November and took them off at the beginning of March. I only put on ~10k kms during those four winters but the tires looked almost new when we sold them with the CX-9 this summer; I'm sure I could have gotten ~30k kms had I kept them.

Now with an F-150 I'm not wanting something quite so soft as I imagine the truck would wear them quicker. I've ordered some Cooper Discoverer AT-W to try this year: firmer rubber and a mileage warranty, but lots of siping should make it decent in the snow/ice, and I won't have to be as worried about when I put them on/take them off. I debated buying some BFG KO2s to run year round but the lack of siping and chunkier blocks don't look like they would perform the same when things get slippery. I will, however, get some KO2s in the spring to run for the snow-less seasons. ;)

http://us.coopertire.com/CooperTiresConsumer2013/media/TireImages/TreadLarge/DiscovererATW_LgTread.png?width=450&height=342&ext=.png vs. http://www.off-road.com/images/content/Close-Tread-BFGoodrich-AT-KO2-Baja-Test-9-9-14.jpg

[cdizzle_996]

Ko2's work well in snow as well.

Done multiple trips between here and Alberta during the middle of winter without issue.

[acrophobia]

Ko2's work well in snow as well.

Done multiple trips between here and Alberta during the middle of winter without issue.

Interesting, thanks for replying. I was really on the fence about getting a set of winter tires vs the KO2s and this doesn't help :) I was thinking that after a few years on the KO2 it would get to a point where it's still good for a summer or two but a liability in winter, and instead of having to replace a set of expensive tires that are still good for 8 months of the year I can just swap to the cheaper winters (which should be better in winter anyways). My thought process seem valid?

[Hondaracer]

Cheapest place for steelies ?

[underscore]

I ran KO's year round on my Cherokee for years and never had a problem with traction in the snow when I was crossing to Coq or going to Big White every weekend, I imagine the KO2 would be similar.

[alex.w *//]

Goodyear Nordic tires good ?

[SupraTTturbo2jz]

anyone know if there will be a performance issue if I use 16 inch steelies with snow tires on them? My stock rims are 18 inch as of now and i am not fond of purchasing another set of snows for these current rims since 18 inch snow tire options are way too expensive..

I have the 16 inch snow tires from my previous vehicle which is not in use at the moment so the tires are pretty much still brand new and its the cheaper option for me if it works out. 10' accord v6 coupe. Thanks!

[snowball]

anyone know if there will be a performance issue if I use 16 inch steelies with snow tires on them? My stock rims are 18 inch as of now and i am not fond of purchasing another set of snows for these current rims since 18 inch snow tire options are way too expensive..

I have the 16 inch snow tires from my previous vehicle which is not in use at the moment so the tires are pretty much still brand new and its the cheaper option for me if it works out. 10' accord v6 coupe. Thanks!

Things to take into consideration:
-do the 16" wheels fit over your current brakes?
-is the overall diameter of the two different tire sizes the same? (or close to the same, within 2%)
-are you okay with a softer sidewall? (if you've driven on these tires before, this is probably a yes)

If yes to all, it will be fine.

[godwin]

Yup especially when there are CT deals..

Goodyear Nordic tires good ?

[SumAznGuy]

Cheapest place for steelies ?

Craigslist.

What size and bolt pattern are you looking for?

[lilaznviper]

Cheapest place for steelies ?

i got 5x100 16" for sale if thats the bolt pattern you need

[swfk]

I remember Ceco had good b2b pricing for steelies. Not sure if their retail prices were good though. They're in coquitlam

CECO Distributors Ltd. (http://www.cecodist.com)

[whitev70r]

I had this idea, for the folks who go to Whistler maybe once or twice throughout the winter, what do you think of a shop that rents a set of snows for the weekend?

Basically, shop has a collection of snow tires in different sizes and bolt patterns, as many as possible. You call ahead and reserve a set, come in, shop mounts them, you leave yours in the shop. When you come back, switch out. Say $120-$180 per weekend, depending on size, etc. What do you think, would the Dragons throw some $$ behind this idea?

[Liquid_o2]

What does the shop do for the rest of the 9 months of the year?

[SumAznGuy]

What does the shop do for the rest of the 9 months of the year?

Most likely, this concept would have to work with an existing business.
Most likely a tire shop or car mechanical shop which has access to a tire changing machine and jacks.
It will be a value added type service like how some places are now offering tire storage services for a small yearly fee.

[whitev70r]

Yes, snow tire rental added onto existing tire store.

[syee]

For $120-$180, couldn't you just rent a car from one of our local rental agencies? Many of them have snow tire options which would probably end up equal or cheaper than that $120-180 figure.

[SumAznGuy]

Costco has the K02's for $220 cdn a tire plus $50 off for 4 tires in a 245/65/17 size.
Is this a good price?
I see TR has the 245/70/17 for $202 usd each plus shipping.

I need new winter ready tires for my truck.

[underscore]

$202USD = $262CAD so I'd say yes unless you can find them cheaper from 1010 or PMC.

[dared3vil0]

PMC?

[underscore]

PMCTire.com, they're based out of Quebec. Like Costco not the hugest selection but they tend to have pretty good pricing from what I've seen.

[RRxtar]

Now with an F-150 I'm not wanting something quite so soft as I imagine the truck would wear them quicker. I've ordered some Cooper Discoverer AT-W to try this year: firmer rubber and a mileage warranty, but lots of siping should make it decent in the snow/ice, and I won't have to be as worried about when I put them on/take them off. I debated buying some BFG KO2s to run year round but the lack of siping and chunkier blocks don't look like they would perform the same when things get slippery. I will, however, get some KO2s in the spring to run for the snow-less seasons. ;)
I cant speak for KO2s yet as I havent had to buy a new set of tires for any of my trucks since they came out, but I can definitely speak for the previous BFG AT KOs and say they are fucking shit in snow. I've run them on a grand cherokee, F150s, and F350 in the winter and they are scary on ice. almost as bad on ice as full blown MT tires. They might seem like they work ok, until you put a set of real winters on the same truck to compare.

The KO2s are supposed to be alot better in the winter tho.

[acrophobia]

Costco has the K02's for $220 cdn a tire plus $50 off for 4 tires in a 245/65/17 size.
Is this a good price?
I see TR has the 245/70/17 for $202 usd each plus shipping.

I need new winter ready tires for my truck.

I looked at the KO2s in 275/70/18 and my local tire shop was ~$50 cheaper mounted and balanced than Costco.

[Acura604]

ok so for those booting around in the city only...when are your winter tires going on?

[godwin]

About now.. the temperature is cold enough (~10) to be effective.. you also want to check your brakes etc while your wheels are off.

ok so for those booting around in the city only...when are your winter tires going on?

[godwin]

I saw on the CT flyer that the Goodyear Nordics are on sale.. 25% off + $40 mail in rebate..

It looks like CT is getting pretty aggressive with pricing.

[Hondaracer]

i got 5x100 16" for sale if thats the bolt pattern you need

What's the easiest way to find the proper bolt pattern for a car?

Car I need ateelies for is a 2009 Hyundai Elantra

[SumAznGuy]

What's the easiest way to find the proper bolt pattern for a car?

Car I need ateelies for is a 2009 Hyundai Elantra

5x114.3 with a 45-55 offset and a 67.1 center bore.

I have a set of 15x6 steelies for sale that may work :alone:

[dared3vil0]

The vast majority of steelies have oversized hub bores to fit a bunch of cars so don't expect to find one with the correct bore, just get hub centric rings.

[SumAznGuy]

I wouldn't worry too much about hubcentric rings. Never used any and never had any vibration issues as long as the wheels were properly installed.

[SumAznGuy]

What's the easiest way to find the proper bolt pattern for a car?

Car I need ateelies for is a 2009 Hyundai Elantra

15 inch 5x114.3 steel rim (http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rch/wto/5295171272.html)

Pretty fair price for steelies. Not mine.

[320icar]

If you're switching from alloys to steel, make sure your lug nuts/wheel bolts have the correct seat for the steel wheels (round, conical, flat)

[Hondaracer]

So ended up picking up those steelies above, now the GF's friend is selling her set of good year Nordics (Canadian tire specials?) to us for $80 they were only used for 4 months and basically have 75% tread
Remaining

At that price might as well just go with those? Are are they shitty enough to justify spending more on somthing new ?

[SumAznGuy]

New snow tires are going to run in the $400-600 range.
Best is to get a tire tread depth gauge and measure how much tread is left.

Also, make sure the tires are the right size for the car. The Elantra and a lot of newer cars run a 195/65/15 tire now adays while older cars use to run a smaller diamater 195/55/15 tire.

[604CEFIRO]

All Honda dealerships advertise lowest price guarantee on tires, and lots of manufacturer mail in rebates going on right now so good deals to be had.

Regardless of your Make/Model, you can try pricing out a set here (this is openroad hondas site): Honda (http://honda.tirelocator.ca/orhonda)

[Harvey Specter]

I had Pirelli sottozero's installed on the R8 a few days ago and I must say I'm impressed with the tires. They handled pretty good in 1c weather, lets how they perform when the temps drop below 0.

[godwin]

195/65/15 vs 195/55/15 tire are very minimal.. you get more 10% more rubber (better for pot holes), but otherwise everything (include mount radius) is the same.

New snow tires are going to run in the $400-600 range.
Best is to get a tire tread depth gauge and measure how much tread is left.

Also, make sure the tires are the right size for the car. The Elantra and a lot of newer cars run a 195/65/15 tire now adays while older cars use to run a smaller diamater 195/55/15 tire.

[godwin]

The snow compound doesn't go 100% of the tires, it is just the first 10-15%.. then they become just chunky all seasons.. if it is 25% gone, I will get new tires.

So ended up picking up those steelies above, now the GF's friend is selling her set of good year Nordics (Canadian tire specials?) to us for $80 they were only used for 4 months and basically have 75% tread
Remaining

At that price might as well just go with those? Are are they shitty enough to justify spending more on somthing new ?

[syee]

Costco.ca has a really good deal (at least for the size I was checking) on the Blizzak WS80's if anyone is looking. $129 (before mount and balance) Ended up being $670 out the door (mount, balance, tax, tire levy, etc) and you can probably get Costco.ca to price match the $70 rebate they'll have next month.

[HKS PWR]

Costco.ca has a really good deal (at least for the size I was checking) on the Blizzak WS80's if anyone is looking. $129 (before mount and balance) Ended up being $670 out the door (mount, balance, tax, tire levy, etc) and you can probably get Costco.ca to price match the $70 rebate they'll have next month.

What size?

[dared3vil0]

195/65/15 vs 195/55/15 tire are very minimal.. you get more 10% more rubber (better for pot holes), but otherwise everything (include mount radius) is the same.

Uhh... Doesn't work that way... a 195/65/15 is 1.6 INCHES taller than a 195/55/15

[syee]

What size?

Was looking for my dad's van. 215/65/16

[godwin]

Yes it is taller, but the diameter for rotor clearance, width and mounting points are still the same. Unless the car is super slammed (probably not on an DD Elantra) it will fit just fine.

Uhh... Doesn't work that way... a 195/65/15 is 1.6 INCHES taller than a 195/55/15

[Liquid_o2]

Wish I already had my winters on. Appointment scheduled for next Friday. Hate driving into my work parking lot on my summer rims and the lot is salted...

[dared3vil0]

Yes it is taller, but the diameter for rotor clearance, width and mounting points are still the same. Unless the car is super slammed (probably not on an DD Elantra) it will fit just fine.

I'm aware it'll probably fit, I was pointing out tire sizing doesn't work the way you stated, with going from a 55 series sidewall to a 65 series being a 10% increase. It's far more.

[underscore]

I'm aware it'll probably fit, I was pointing out tire sizing doesn't work the way you stated, with going from a 55 series sidewall to a 65 series being a 10% increase. It's far more.

It's technically a 10% increase in sidewall, but more than 10% increase in total diameter.

[320icar]

Uhh... Doesn't work that way... a 195/65/15 is 1.6 INCHES taller than a 195/55/15

Here's the differences.


Diameter 595.5mm 634.5mm
Circumference 1870.8mm 1993.3mm
Poke 42.6mm 42.6mm
Inset 122.6mm 122.6mm
Speedo error 0% -6.15%
Reading at 30mph 30mph 28.16mph
Reading at 60mph 60mph 56.31mph
Ride height gain 0mm 19.5mm
Arch gap loss 0mm 19.5mm

No good local shop would install them. Well above the 3% rolling difference

[dared3vil0]

Here's the differences.


Diameter 595.5mm 634.5mm
Circumference 1870.8mm 1993.3mm
Poke 42.6mm 42.6mm
Inset 122.6mm 122.6mm
Speedo error 0% -6.15%
Reading at 30mph 30mph 28.16mph
Reading at 60mph 60mph 56.31mph
Ride height gain 0mm 19.5mm
Arch gap loss 0mm 19.5mm

No good local shop would install them. Well above the 3% rolling difference

Yup, hell of a lot more than 10%

[alex.w *//]

where is a *cheap* place to just * re-balance* a set of old winter tires already on steelies.

[MG1]

No good local shop would install them. Well above the 3% rolling difference


thank you..............

[MG1]

Costco.ca has a really good deal (at least for the size I was checking) on the Blizzak WS80's if anyone is looking. $129 (before mount and balance) Ended up being $670 out the door (mount, balance, tax, tire levy, etc) and you can probably get Costco.ca to price match the $70 rebate they'll have next month.

That, they will do. In fact, the Michellin truck tires I bought at Costco in Portland did not have the rebate at time of purchase, but in Canada a few weeks later, they did. Guess what? They honoured it.

[Limitless]

Just wanted to throw a bit of input in this thread, people should really start investing in good all seasons or winters. Seen countless people sliding their way through the streets in my neighborhood, including a few subies surprisingly :/ Hasn't even started snowing yet but the roads are getting icy. I have Hankook winter tires with like 30% or a little bit less on the Mazda, trying to get through the season safely without driving it too much other than to and from work and it hasn't slipped on me yet on a fwd. New DWS all seasons on my e92 awd and it's also very grippy for regular driving and even slightly faster driving when I tried it out. Surprised at the amount of people that are trying to go around with what seems to be summers or shitty all seasons, an accident is going to happen sooner or later.

[dared3vil0]

All-seasons? Don't you mean No-seasons?

[underscore]

Seen countless people sliding their way through the streets in my neighborhood, including a few subies surprisingly :/

AWD and 4WD don't do fuck all if you have crap tires. Trucks and Subies seem to be in the ditch more than anything else going to the ski hill every weekend because of the knobs who buy them thinking the drivetrain makes any sort of difference.

[dared3vil0]

AWD doesn't help stopping or cornering...

[melloman]

^^ I can vouch, especially if it's the "Smart AWD" system that is actually only 2WD until you lose traction (ie. until it's too late to matter) and the AWD system kicks in.

It barely helped at all on my Audi A4. Snowtires with the AWD system though, was glorious.

[Limitless]

It helps for not getting stuck going from a stop, that's about it I think. When I see people slipping down the streets of my neighborhood it's from a stop. They go like a foot then slip, stop, go another foot while slipping, stop, repeat until they're out of the street or crash into a trash can. Although my e92 has some hill assist thing that apparently has saved lives when you're slipping down a hill under 40km/h. Haven't tried it myself, something to do with braking and other stuff to save you when you lose traction going down a hill?

[underscore]

I was just at a job site up in northern Alberta and saw a brand new Mustang GT parked in amongst all the trucks, which just confirms that tires > drivetrain.

[hud 91gt]

I've said it before, but i'm not a salesman so no ones believes me.....


My 3 series with factory LSD and snow tires blew my old YJ with snowflake rated all seasons out of the water for nasty weather traction. When the 3 series started to become a large snow plow in super deep snow was the only time the Jeep "may" have out performed it.

Heated seats and mirrors also made for a much for enjoyable Northern Manitoba vehicle, and performed just as well for a couple winters in Ottawa.

I'm a huge advocate of winter tires, but honestly in vancouver you don't need them. But for god's sake, please make sure your all season's have some decent tread depth. We get rained on enough to drown a fish.

[dared3vil0]

I was just at a job site up in northern Alberta and saw a brand new Mustang GT parked in amongst all the trucks, which just confirms that tires > drivetrain.

However, when you have tires AND drivetrain... :megusta:


http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx27/dared3vil0/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6300_zpsh1sn6rhp.jpg

[eason_c]

Got this installed over the weekend.

[Mr.C]

I'll just leave these here for the unbelievers:

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/t31.0-8/10372866_10154438873410301_3989661312328877821_o.j pg

And the kinds of roads the car was driven on:

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xla1/t31.0-8/10494887_10154438873445301_7322269039303216037_o.j pg

[Hehe]

Can anyone recommend a place for winter tires storage/changes? (have wheels/tire set, so no need to mount tires)

I no longer have the tools and space for a quick swap. I know BJ Autohaus used to do it, but not anymore.

[syee]

Can anyone recommend a place for winter tires storage/changes? (have wheels/tire set, so no need to mount tires)

I no longer have the tools and space for a quick swap. I know BJ Autohaus used to do it, but not anymore.

I remember Burrard Acura sending me an ad once trying sell their winter tires and offered free tire storage so maybe try the place you bought your tires from?

Otherwise, maybe try this site? (note, I haven't tried them before so I have no idea how they are)

Tire Hotel | Let Us Take Your Tire Storage Headaches Away (http://www.tirehotel.ca)

[hi-revs]

Can anyone recommend a place for winter tires storage/changes? (have wheels/tire set, so no need to mount tires)

I no longer have the tools and space for a quick swap. I know BJ Autohaus used to do it, but not anymore.


I belive Kal Tires store them for you. But not sure of pricing.

[dared3vil0]

^ I saw an ad for like 85 bucks iirc.

[Hehe]

Got it done at 1010tire for 100+tax. :)

Thanks for all the input though.

[DA9ve]

so how about those all weather tires? any good?

[mb_]

Really happy with the X-Ice3. Went up Cypress and Seymour a few times and had zero issues.

http://i.imgur.com/0Lpk9qe.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IuSOEuz.jpg

[325isMSPORT]

Kia Richmond is a participating tire hotel dealer

[MuranoGO-15]

Why don't you guys just buy those All-Weather tires they advertising in those KAL-Tire commercials and be done with it? I don't see any justifications for buying a set of "winter tires" for living in the Lower Mainland, except for those in other parts of BC where it actually snows.

[dared3vil0]

And run them year round?

Anything with a mountain snow flake is going to suck ass in hot weather...

[bananana]

Why don't you guys just buy those All-Weather tires they advertising in those KAL-Tire commercials and be done with it? I don't see any justifications for buying a set of "winter tires" for living in the Lower Mainland, except for those in other parts of BC where it actually snows.

First off, this is the winter tire for grown ups thread so maybe do a bit of research before you sprout off your uninformed opinion. Second, it's not 1972 anymore. Winter tires are not solely about snow traction. They're about maximum grip at operating temperatures below X degrees. Third, with a proper set of winter tires you can easily go up in the mountains and enjoy the world class recreational activities people travel from all over the globe to enjoy around this time of the year.

"All-seasons" as they're marketed as, suck at everything. Shit traction in good weather, shit traction in the bad. Anyone that actually cares about performance will have a high performance summer set already so why would they choose an all season.

Go be a cunt somewhere else. Maybe try reading from time to time. It might help with your retard-syndrome.

[MuranoGO-15]

First off, this is the winter tire for grown ups thread so maybe do a bit of research before you sprout off your uninformed opinion. Second, it's not 1972 anymore. Winter tires are not solely about snow traction. They're about maximum grip at operating temperatures below X degrees. Third, with a proper set of winter tires you can easily go up in the mountains and enjoy the world class recreational activities people travel from all over the globe to enjoy around this time of the year.

"All-seasons" as they're marketed as, suck at everything. Shit traction in good weather, shit traction in the bad. Anyone that actually cares about performance will have a high performance summer set already so why would they choose an all season.

Go be a cunt somewhere else. Maybe try reading from time to time. It might help with your retard-syndrome.

Why are you using words like "cunt" from just a tire discussion thread? Are you drunk or on drugs or something? Sorry to have annoyed you so badly to call me a retard, is that they way you treat your next door neighbors or anybody else you meet in real life like too?! Your sort of a poor excuse for a human being. You could have just ignored what I said or said it nicely instead. Anyways, you never really gave your opinion on the newer "all-weather" tire trend, what do you think of those, if you can put the crack pipe or joint down for a second or two!

[dared3vil0]

Why are you using words like "cunt" from just a tire discussion thread? Are you drunk or on drugs or something? Sorry to have annoyed you so badly to call me a retard, is that they way you treat your next door neighbors or anybody else you meet in real life like too?! Your sort of a poor excuse for a human being. You could have just ignored what I said or said it nicely instead. Anyways, you never really gave your opinion on the newer "all-weather" tire trend, what do you think of those, if you can put the crack pipe or joint down for a second or two!

Hmm...

Bitches about people calling him names, calls poster a druggie in the reply.

Do as I say, not as I do eh?

[MuranoGO-15]

Hmm...

Bitches about people calling him names, calls poster a druggie in the reply.

Do as I say, not as I do eh?

You know what, you not friendly at all or even here to help people with car questions or inquiries about modifications. You see something you don't like, you jump on it and make the person look retarded for your own self gratification. Its not even worth my time to try to reason with you or your friend above who has the same mentality then you. Going to waste people's time going back and forth fighting like back in highschool and being real immature about everything. You troll revscene looking for a post you don't like, then want to start a fight. For what? Are you really that bored at your computer?

I'm not posting anymore after this, you can keep going on forever or post victory for all I care.

[dared3vil0]

You know what, you not friendly at all or even here to help people with car questions or inquiries about modifications. You see something you don't like, you jump on it and make the person look retarded for your own self gratification. Its not even worth my time to try to reason with you or your friend above who has the same mentality then you. Going to waste people's time going back and forth fighting like back in highschool and being real immature about everything. You troll revscene looking for a post you don't like, then want to start a fight. For what? Are you really that bored at your computer?

I'm not posting anymore after this, you can keep going on forever or post victory for all I care.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL


Go whine somewhere else.

[MuranoGO-15]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL


Go whine somewhere else.

Good to see you found another victim to your sad game of life, and you WON again. You deserve an award for this shit.

[yray]

REVSCENE IS SRS BUSINESS YO

[underscore]

I have a feeling some posts should be getting deleted from this thread but anyways.

Anyways, you never really gave your opinion on the newer "all-weather" tire trend, what do you think of those

They're absolutely horrid and should never be used by anyone who has even the slightest interest in road safety. Intentionally designing, marketing, and selling tires that are terrible at all times is pretty shady on the part of anyone who makes them.

[Jmac]

I have a feeling some posts should be getting deleted from this thread but anyways.



They're absolutely horrid and should never be used by anyone who has even the slightest interest in road safety. Intentionally designing, marketing, and selling tires that are terrible at all times is pretty shady on the part of anyone who makes them.
Absolutely horrid and terrible at all times? That seems a bit of an overstatement.

I've been running Nokian WRs on one vehicle for about 5 years now and, while we rarely see anything remotely resembling extreme winter conditions on Vancouver Island, they've been fine. They're a hell of a lot better at everything than the OEM tires (Continental ContiProContact LRR), especially in the rain, which we obviously get a lot of.

The Nokian WRs are well-rated pretty much everywhere with the exceptions of extreme winter conditions (compared to dedicated winter tires), cold weather braking (compared to dedicated winter tires), and tread life (compared to all-seasons).

Are all-weather tires a good compromise? - The Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/are-all-weather-tires-a-good-compromise/article16190526/)
With that perspective, here’s what I think of the Nokian WRG3s: they surprised me by being as good as they are. In -6.5 C temperature, they drove through accumulated salty water along the sides of the streets impressively, the car tracking surely without any aquaplaning.

On the second day of our ice storm, a nearby parking lot was left empty. The no-parking signs created a slalom course, perfect for our purposes. The car consumed those turns with surprising sharpness, and recovered from hand brake-induced doughnuts with acuity.

Foot-to-the-floor braking? Not so impressive. More expensive winter tires with softer rubber would have slid less as the B200’s anti-lock braking chattered ineffectively as the WRG3’s failed to grip.

All-weather tires vs. winter tires ? what's the difference? | Toronto Star (http://www.thestar.com/autos/2015/10/31/all-weather-tires-vs-winter-tires-whats-the-difference.html)
Recently 19 different tires (nine all-seasons, seven winters, and three all-weathers) were tested for braking distance on ice. In aggregate numbers, the all-weather tires stopped 20.7 per cent shorter than the all-season group.
The dedicated winter tires as a group stopped 15.3 per cent shorter than the all-weather group.
On wet and dry freezing pavement, the all-weather tire is more stable and stops surer than a winter tire. In heavy slush both tires work well.
*The Star doesn't actually say where they pulled this data from or what tires were in the comparison group

Automobile Protection Association | 2015-2016 Winter Tire Reviews: Passenger Car, Minivan, & Compacy SUV Tires (http://www.apa.ca/wintertire_reviews.asp)
Ranked Very Good, this fairly new tire replaced the old WRG2. It is the best of the "All-Weather" year-round tires. A possible solution for the last two years of your lease, if your original snow and summer tires have all worn out. APA members who used the old WRG2 were pleased with its winter and summer performance, and tire life was good. Performance on snow is superior to many dedicated winter tires; the four-season rubber compound is likely a compromise on ice. Good handling on cleared roads, comparable to the best winter tires. A good choice for an all-wheel-drive vehicle if you're not prepared to bother with the spring and autumn changeover. Not enough long-term information to predict its durability in extended summer driving. Expensive. Popular on the Canadian West Coast as a tire for year-round use.

Consumer Reports lists them as a best buy under both the all-season and winter tires categories.

They also carry the Mountain and Snowflake symbol, meaning they do meet the requirements of Transport Canada for winter driving in medium pack snow.

I don't think anyone would argue that dedicated sets of good winters and good summers can be replaced by all-weathers without losing some performance and safety relatively-speaking, but I would probably use the term adequate or, at worst, mediocre rather than "absolutely horrid" or "terrible." They're not $30 Wal-Mart/Canadian Tire specials.

[Liquid_o2]

I have a feeling some posts should be getting deleted from this thread but anyways.



They're absolutely horrid and should never be used by anyone who has even the slightest interest in road safety. Intentionally designing, marketing, and selling tires that are terrible at all times is pretty shady on the part of anyone who makes them.

I'd disagree there. I ran on Nokian WRG2's for four winters, including 08/09 when we had that big snowstorm around Christmas. Even in several feet of snow, the tires worked well on flat and hill roads. Went up to Whistler several times and had no issues. Rain was fine as well as long as I wasn't driving super aggressively (and who would do that on All-weather tires anyways). What I found them best on, was the slushy stuff when the snow started to melt. Only time that they didn't perform is when it got really icy, they didn't have much grip and I almost slid into a 4-way stop.

If you are 95% driving within Metro Vancouver, an All Weather tire between October and April is a good way to go, and then run summers the rest of the year.

I'm on Nokian Hakkapeliittas right now and it is a bit overkill for Metro Vancouver, especially during an El Nino year.

[boibuddha]

I would have to agree with Jmac here.

All weather tires tend to use:
- all season style tread with emphasis on water evacuation (Raincouver)
- soft winter compound (December to February)
- plenty of siping for snow traction (maybe 7 days per year here)

I would almost say they are ideal for people who stay within the lower mainland, if I hadn't already tried the General Altimax Arctic (huge channels for water evacuation)

[MarkyMark]

At the end of the day an all weather tire will get you where you need to go if you're not in shitty snow. Sorry but if you're fearing for your life on an all weather tire in the sun or rain you should consider slowing the fuck down.

[underscore]

Agree to disagree then, and it may be a bit of an overstatement (no way would I use the term adequate though) but I'm in the camp that if you're buying tires (the most important thing on the car) you shouldn't cheap out on some half assed rubber that's probably okay most of the time. If you're fine not stopping as well if some knob cuts you off go for it.

As a side note that line from the APA article about AWD vehicles being different is stupid.

If you are 95% driving within Metro Vancouver, an All Weather tire between October and April is a good way to go, and then run summers the rest of the year.

If you're already running two sets of tires just buy good summers and good winters. I can't see the logic behind buying good summers and shitty "all weather" winters.

[bananana]

I'm with underscore on this one. It depends on your driving preferences and what kind of performance you are looking for. All-seasons will always be a compromise. If you're looking at running them year-round it's a purely economic decision. There is no such thing as a high performance all season tire. If you already have a great summer tire there is no reason to be buying all-seasons as a winter set.

[TOS'd]

I'm not posting anymore after this, you can keep going on forever or post victory for all I care.

http://i.imgur.com/XIRdsLT.png

Good to see you found another victim to your sad game of life, and you WON again. You deserve an award for this shit.

:badpokerface:

[Lomac]

Aaaaaaaanyway...

Having a bit of a debate with myself. Looking to pick up a new set of tires to replace my shit Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2's and have been contemplating between the x-ice3's, Hakka 7's and Hakka 8's. Both the 7 and 8 are studded, the xi3's aren't. I've used a set of Hakka R's in the past and am more than willing to drink Nokian's kool aid.

However, what I've heard (and no idea if it's true or not) is that while studded is obviously better on ice and hard packed snow, they tend to lose some traction in fresh powder over non studded. Any truth to that? We get a strong mixture of both road conditions up here, so I'm not sure if there's any advantage to going with one over the other. Thoughts?

Also, worth going for the Hakka 8's over the 7's, especially if they're the same price?

[SumAznGuy]

I have studded General Altimax snow tires on the wife's CRV and i do not find any loss of traction in fresh snow.
I've also had studded snow tires on my old NX2000 and had no issues when we had that bad snow storm back in 99. Made it up SFU without any issues. My front lip on the other hand.

Just took the QX4 around SFU with my new Duratracs. I went looking for areas with fresh snow and never had to take her out of 2wd (rwd). Even stopped on a hill. A little bit of wheel spin and counter lock and she started to climb the hill.

[Zedbra]

I swear by studded tires, especially for driving up north or in the Interior. I don't think there is any loss of traction in fresh snow. I just had my truck out with studded Hankook R11s in 5" of fresh light powder and they were excellent.

I think studded Hak's would be a perfect winter tire.

[underscore]

I can't see the reasoning for studs losing traction in fresh snow, but they do lose traction on clear pavement. When I was looking the X Ice 2/3 were the highest rated pretty much everywhere, but the 2's tended to be a lot cheaper than the 3 if you can find a set in your size.

I'm not sure how much difference in road conditions there is up in Kamloops vs Kelowna, but here the 2's have performed extremely well on my girlfriends Prelude and her sisters Celica, and the main roads are usually cleared down to the pavement the majority of the time.

[Lomac]

Main difference is Kamloops is basically one giant hill. Kelowna is nice and flat, comparatively. I tend to leave to/from work when there is little traffic and the plows are nowhere to be seen.

As for losing traction in powder, I've no idea why that would happen. Just from reading reviews from random people it seemed to be an odd, and slightly common theme.

[cdizzle_996]

Just passed my neighbour in his G37XS, he laughed when I bough snows for my G, he has "AWD" and doesn't need snows. He's currently stuck at the bottom of our hill

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x271/cdizzle_996/CDFA23A3-9780-4CA1-A320-A3D8835ECA15_zps9khkr5w6.jpg (http://s187.photobucket.com/user/cdizzle_996/media/CDFA23A3-9780-4CA1-A320-A3D8835ECA15_zps9khkr5w6.jpg.html)


http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x271/cdizzle_996/90DCF395-DB4F-4DB9-A517-CAF7900CC753_zpshtopio1h.jpg (http://s187.photobucket.com/user/cdizzle_996/media/90DCF395-DB4F-4DB9-A517-CAF7900CC753_zpshtopio1h.jpg.html)

[mciroc]

G's are the worst vehicle in the snow...I wouldn't enjoy driving them in the snow even with the best tires.

[dared3vil0]

G's are the worst vehicle in the snow...I wouldn't enjoy driving them in the snow even with the best tires.

I beg to differ. I've driven a few G35X with good snowies and they were beasts...

[cdizzle_996]

G's are the worst vehicle in the snow...I wouldn't enjoy driving them in the snow even with the best tires.

My RWD G is having 0 issue with good snowies..

[SumAznGuy]

Honestly, any vehicle with proper tires is going to be fine in the snow.
It's the cars without proper tires that are the worst cars in snow. That and cars that are too low.
For reference, I daily drove an S2000 and never had too much problems in the snow when I had new snow tires and didn't go too crazy with the gas pedal.

[underscore]

Main difference is Kamloops is basically one giant hill. Kelowna is nice and flat, comparatively. I tend to leave to/from work when there is little traffic and the plows are nowhere to be seen.

As for losing traction in powder, I've no idea why that would happen. Just from reading reviews from random people it seemed to be an odd, and slightly common theme.

The trick with reviews if weeding out the people who have no clue what they're talking about or who were using them incorrectly. Many of them are likely experiencing legitimate issues but I have a feeling at least some are from people who think having studs is like having 4WD or AWD (invincible in all conditions).

I did find this study from the State of Washington from 2002, it's a bit old but the summary on pages x-xiii (10-13) seem to be a good overview.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/551.1.pdf

Reading through that bit I was a bit incorrect about the reduced traction when it's clear, studs appear to have minimal effect on braking only on dry asphalt, other surfaces they're worse though.

[SumAznGuy]

Reading through that bit I was a bit incorrect about the reduced traction when it's clear, studs appear to have minimal effect on braking only on dry asphalt, other surfaces they're worse though.

For braking, accelerating, and corning, you want a softer compound because they are willing to flex which helps maintain traction with the road.

With studs, they stick out 1-2 mm from the tire.
On anything other than ice, the studs will reduce the amount of contact patch you have with the road which reduces the amount of friction.

I'll try to take some pics of my wife's tires to show what I mean. Once you see the wear pattern on the tire, you will see what I mean.

For corning, studs don't affect it that much because most of the studs are usually towards the middle of the tire which doesn't affect the amount of contact patch with the outside edge of the tire.

[underscore]

The studding must depend on the style of the tire, because I'm pretty sure the studded Hankooks I got for SnowX have most of them near the outside of the tire.

[SumAznGuy]

The studding must depend on the style of the tire, because I'm pretty sure the studded Hankooks I got for SnowX have most of them near the outside of the tire.

Got any pics of them?
I wonder if the tire was molded with the studs in place?
I know my Generals were studded afterwards.

[Zedbra]

For corning, studs don't affect it that much because most of the studs are usually towards the middle of the tire which doesn't affect the amount of contact patch with the outside edge of the tire.

Ah no - studs are usually always ONLY on the outside edges of the tires, to enable better contact in the middle of the tire for rain/traction etc.

The studding must depend on the style of the tire, because I'm pretty sure the studded Hankooks I got for SnowX have most of them near the outside of the tire.

^ this is how almost all studded tires are, outside only.

[SumAznGuy]

Ah no - studs are usually always ONLY on the outside edges of the tires, to enable better contact in the middle of the tire for rain/traction etc.



^ this is how almost all studded tires are, outside only.

My General's and my old Bridgestones were studded more to the middle of the tire. The inner and outer 1/4 of the tread patch has no studs.

[Zedbra]

My General's and my old Bridgestones were studded more to the middle of the tire. The inner and outer 1/4 of the tread patch has no studs.

I'd like to know the models and have a look, it is certainly not the norm. Last 1/4 are no studs, of course not, that would rip/tear the rubber.

Anyways - I just realized that I have been running Toyo Garit KX tires on my Jetta the last two seasons and they have been an incredibly good tire in wet and snow/ice conditions. They have crushed walnut shells in them that 'supposedly' add traction and then when they fall out, act like many tiny sipes. Who knows how much marketing that is or not, but they grip anything.

Took my car out on the icy roads this morning and could only get the back to kick out if I came into a corner hard, tapped the brakes and pinned it. Gotta try, for science and and all.

[underscore]

^ thanked for your valuable contributions to the scientific community.

[Lomac]

The Hakka 8's actually have studs on the outer edge and center tread. Anyway, I opted to pick those up. A tad expensive, but I think they're going to be worth it.

[learn2manual]

So I bought a used car earlier this year and the owner gave me a set of Toyo Garit KXs with basically new tread on all 4 tires. The issue is that the tires were manufactured in 2007 and 2008...I have noticed the tires are bit hard when I feel them with my hand. I know that newer winter tires typically have a grippy feel.

Should I buy a brand new set of winter tires...when the existing tires are practically brand new with no cracking whatsoever?

[matrixfwd]

Were the tires stored inside, like in a garage? That would help extend its shelf life.

[westopher]

8 years is a long, long time. Have you driven on them? How do they feel? That will tell you more than we ever could.

[Jmac]

Depending where you read, the general advice is that tires "expire" after 5-10 years.

If they're roughly 8-9 years old, it may be a good idea to simply buy new ones.

[BillyBishop]

Decided to pick up some General Altimax Arctics after going through this thread. In my size they only come with a Q speed rating, whereas my OEM tire has a H speed rating.

I've read on a couple tire retailer websites that for winter tires it is acceptable to go down in speed rating. Is this true?

[FN-2199]

^Are you planning on consistently traveling >160km/h? If not, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
I've had my Altimax Arctics for years and have not had any problems driving for hours at high speeds (<160km/h)

[matrixfwd]

Apparently some folks
Say it may feel mushy, but it depends on your driving Style and your oem

[Euro7r]

Decided to pick up some General Altimax Arctics after going through this thread. In my size they only come with a Q speed rating, whereas my OEM tire has a H speed rating.

I've read on a couple tire retailer websites that for winter tires it is acceptable to go down in speed rating. Is this true?

They're noisy if you driving on the highway. This is just going at 80-110km. It does its job, can't complain for the price.

[whiteTDIpowa]

Gonna buy a new set of winter tires, help me decide between these two.

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4

Or

Bridgestone LM32

Reviews and such both are awesome, what would you choose?

[roastpuff]

Whichever is cheaper! Hard to go wrong with those two.

[Z3guy]

I don't know understand why people think it is ok to buy cheap snow tires but reco expensive summer tires???? in the end it is the only contact patch you have.

I have never had Michelin, Pilot Alpin PA4s, but I am running Michelin Alpin PA3s and love them. Very soft and grippy tire in the snow.

[roastpuff]

I don't know understand why people think it is ok to buy cheap snow tires but reco expensive summer tires???? in the end it is the only contact patch you have.

I have never had Michelin, Pilot Alpin PA4s, but I am running Michelin Alpin PA3s and love them. Very soft and grippy tire in the snow.

Z3guy, never meant to recommend 'cheap' snow tires - both of the ones that were listed are fairly pricey. In no way or manner would a Blizzak or a Pilot Alpin be considered cheap. Cheap to me = Linglong, Triangle, Federal, Nexen etc.

The performance difference between the LM-32 and the PA4 are quite small. I would be happy to run either of them, and have run older versions before. I only said whichever is cheaper because it's pretty much a coin toss between them in my opinion.

[Shorn]

I haven't ran Blizzaks before but I recently drove to Lillooet and Kamloops on a new set of Falken HS449 Eurowinters on a Civic. Cost about $590 tax in and including mount/balance.

They performed really well in my opinion. Drove through a storm on the Coquihalla on the way to Kamloops, and drove up Highway 12 to Lillooet (which is pretty sketchy in some places, single icy lane on the side of the mountain with a huge drop below). No complaints. There really wasn't any time when I wasn't confident in the tires ability.

They were a lot cheaper than Blizzaks and Michelin X-Ice, but for the money I thought they performed very well

[acrophobia]

A cheap tire, summer or winter, will be fine almost all of the time. They will do most of what you ask them to sufficiently. But, when shit hits the fan and you need to start/stop/maneuver quickly, you may end up pushing the tire past its capabilities. I value my personal safety and my family, so I buy tires that will give me the best odds of coming through in crunch time. Some folks don't have the $ for better tires, or they play the odds with cheap tires (and are very likely to be totally fine).

My grandpa lived hard and didn't give two shits about anything: smoked like a chimney, drank like a fish, no exercise, worked too much, and he lived to 75...odds be damned. Just like the guy that runs bald summer tires through every winter and comes out unscathed. But I'm a numbers guy, and I'll do what I can to stay around for as long as I can ;)

[supafamous]

Among snow tires I don't think the diff between cheap and expensive is as tied to performance as summer tires are. Eg. Snow/ice traction/grip doesn't decline as quickly in a winter tire as it does as grip does in a cheap summer tire.

If you get a X-Ice instead of a Altimax Arctic you're getting better noise suppression, better ride, and better traction/grip in dry cold conditions but I'm not sure you'd see dramatically better snow/ice traction (at least not commensurate with the price increase).

Not advocating for cheap winters (especially Triangles and shit like that) but I think it's fine to purchase a 2nd tier brand for your winters like a Falken, Hankook, etc.

(For the record I use Blizzaks)

[threezero]

Serious discussion. We been having some pretty warm winters lately. Thinking about putting insurance back on the summer ride come feb. anybody else doing the same?

[underscore]

^ How warm though? My general rule is to not drive on summer tires below 10*C. Easy enough during the day in the early spring, but not so much in the evening or early morning.

Among snow tires I don't think the diff between cheap and expensive is as tied to performance as summer tires are. Eg. Snow/ice traction/grip doesn't decline as quickly in a winter tire as it does as grip does in a cheap summer tire.

Interesting, but I'd have to disagree. Just looking at the accident statistics, more people are finding the limits of their tires in the winter than in the summer. Driving down the road at the speed limit in the summer the only time most people would be finding a limit is during emergency braking. Do the same in the winter and you can easy be hitting limits when you're starting, turning, stopping normally, etc.

[Jmac]

^ How warm though? My general rule is to not drive on summer tires below 10*C. Easy enough during the day in the early spring, but not so much in the evening or early morning.



Interesting, but I'd have to disagree. Just looking at the accident statistics, more people are finding the limits of their tires in the winter than in the summer. Driving down the road at the speed limit in the summer the only time most people would be finding a limit is during emergency braking. Do the same in the winter and you can easy be hitting limits when you're starting, turning, stopping normally, etc.
I think what he means is:
A $200 summer tire provides far superior traction to a $100 summer tire while a $200 winter tire traction provides somewhat superior traction to a $100 winter tire.

[supafamous]

I think what he means is:
A $200 summer tire provides far superior traction to a $100 summer tire while a $200 winter tire traction provides somewhat superior traction to a $100 winter tire.

Correct. No one should be embarrassed to buy a 2nd tier winter tire - it'll be plenty good (and kudos for even getting winters) and serve you plenty well compared to a top tier winter tire. It's still 80-90% of what a top tier winter tire is.

But cheap summer tires are kinda stupid. Might as well get an all-season tire. You're giving heaps of performance when you cheap out on a summer.

[Harvey Specter]

When are you guys planning to swap out the winters for summer tires? I'm getting new PSS and getting them installed next week but not sure if I should hold off or not.

[bcrdukes]

You'd be okay if you're doing city driving, but I tend to follow the general rule of thumb and hold out until temperatures rise to 10 degree and above.

Mid to late March is when I swap out to summer tires.

[matrixfwd]

Im gonna wait till end of February. I need to cut a notch on a hockey puck to place on my jack so it can go on the pinch welds before I lift the car.


When are you guys planning to swap out the winters for summer tires? I'm getting new PSS and getting them installed next week but not sure if I should hold off or not.

[StylinRed]

i never put winters on this season :blush:

OH, :noyoudidnt:

[Harvey Specter]

A bit off topic but finished ordering my tires from Open Road Audi and they actually matched Kal Tire's price and discounted a further $20. Pretty impressive.

[320icar]

When are you guys planning to swap out the winters for summer tires? I'm getting new PSS and getting them installed next week but not sure if I should hold off or not.

Once it's consistently over 7 degrees during the entire day (including overnight) then that means it's pretty safe to return to normal all seasons. You might run into the rare risk of snow over spring break, which had happened a few times in the past. But no real way to predict that sort of thing.

Most UHP's are only safe above 7 degrees, so if that's what you switch between then that's a fairly good rule of thumb

[JDMDreams]

What about old kinda bald all seasons that came with the car vs a pss with more tread?

[bcrdukes]

I'd run the PSS.

[320icar]

The PSS compounds are not meant to be as pliable in cold weather, but they still are designed to do a good job of evacuating water. Someone who isn't into cars would have a difficult time picking out the difference between a PSS and a PS3

If it were a toyo r888 or an re-71r then the answer might be different. But for just some wet weather hovering around 9 degrees (current Richmond temperature) the healthy PSS is a much safer choice then older worn out tires

[ISF]

When are you guys planning to swap out the winters for summer tires? I'm getting new PSS and getting them installed next week but not sure if I should hold off or not.

I'm running winters on my ISF and planning to swap to my summers at the end of this month if the weather doesn't get any colder.

[matrixfwd]

I'll probably do it next weekend after I figure out how to use my new jack in the factory pinch welds. I see people modding a piece of wood or hockey puck to do it.

[Liquid_o2]

Looking for some opinions from RS'ers.

Gonna take off my Nokian Hakka's in a week or so. The front's have approx 60% tread left, the rears 40%, but they are 8 years old now (manufactured in 2008 according to the sidewall). The snowflake is still visible within the tread grooves of all four tires. Worth it to run another winter season next year?

I've read that at about the 8 year mark, winter tires compounds have deteriorated to a point where they won't have the same ability to stop in icy conditions. Thoughts?

[Jmac]

Depending on the source, I've read to replace tires every 5-10 years. Basically the compound hardens, which is really bad for a winter tire as that's one of the main advantages over all-seasons; the compound stays soft and compliant in cold temperatures.

NOAA is predicting neutral cycle, possibly entering into La Niña cycle next winter. So average, possibly below average temperatures for us. The past 2 years, we've been in the El Niño cycle, which is warmer than average in our area.

Climate Prediction Center: ENSO Diagnostic Discussion (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.html)

[Ferra]

genuine question...

do you really need winter tires in vancouver if you only drive inside the city? (Assuming you have all-season and not summer tires)

I know the "general rule" is that at 7'C and below, winter tires is better.
But i always thought that means: if the temperature is 8'C, all season will actually do better than winter tire...and the difference is probably minimal between 4-10'C.

I also see some tires manufacturer suggest all-season/all-weather tires do better on 5'C wet asphalt than winter tires. (which is more like 95% of vancouver winter road condition)
https://www.kaltire.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Kal-Tire-Tire-Comparison-Info-graphic.jpg

[Liquid_o2]

A lot of people seem to hate on All-Weather tires, but I had the WRG2's for several winters and they worked well for me. I remember I was plowing through the snow in the big snowstorm of 2008. They are not good for icy conditions though, so you run the risk when temperatures plunge below 0.

Vancouver is probably the most difficult place for picking out winter tires. People in Cali ride on their summers all year long, people in Toronto should have the best winter tires money can buy. But us here in Vancouver? My Hakka's were great when I went up to Whistler several times, but for the past month I have been driving in wet and warm temperatures between 7-12 degrees, not optimal. I was taking a cloverleaf onto the highway a few weeks back while it was raining and my back-end almost slid out because it lost grip.

[CorneringArtist]

Bringing this back up in time for winter season. Toyo has dropped their hat into the all-weather tire game with the Celsius, and I picked up a set for my LS400. Considering it will be some time before I mod it, I needed something to bridge the gap thanks to the narrow price differences in dedicated winters and the Celsius.With only Nokian offering something in my size, the choices were limited until I found out about Toyo.


Will install and report when the weather starts sucking more.

[roastpuff]

For those of us rocking SUVs, or trucks, I want to report in that the Blizzard DM-V2s are a great choice for studless winter tires for larger vehicles. Remarkably quiet, smooth, with excellent traction.

[jtrinh]

What would be an equivalent to the Michelin Xice2 & 3 in terms of price and how it performs in winter conditions? Loved it on the IS300 but want to try something else on the new vehicle.

[Jmac]

Picked up a set of lightly-used Blizzaks and OEM BMW wheels for $400 during the summer. Will pick up a new summer set pretty soon and put them on the newer, nicer OEM wheels.

The WRG2s are pretty much toast at this point. 8 years old, 90k on them. Road noise is insane.

[dinfung]

I am trying to decide on a set of snow tires for my car. I am planning to go to bigwhite this year and maybe a few whistler day trip. Otherwise I will use it mostly in town. Should i go with WRG3 or Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV? Any other brand recommendation?

[Lomac]

I used a set of Hakka R SUV for my Pathfinder a couple years ago. Managed to tackle everything I coukd throw at it up in the Interior. I imagine the R2's are even better.

[roastpuff]

What would be an equivalent to the Michelin Xice2 & 3 in terms of price and how it performs in winter conditions? Loved it on the IS300 but want to try something else on the new vehicle.
Blizzak WS80, Nokian Hakkapeliita R2.
I am trying to decide on a set of tires for my car. I am planning to go to bigwhite this year and maybe a few whistler day trip. Otherwise I will use it mostly in town. Should i go with WRG3 or Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV? Any other brand recommendation?
R2 SUV. They were amazing tires on my Forester before I switched vehicles. Not the best in the dry but unbeatable in snow and ice. Very good control, even at the limit, and goat like grip for non-studded tires.
I used a set of Hakka R SUV for my Pathfinder a couple years ago. Managed to tackle everything I coukd throw at it up in the Interior. I imagine the R2's are even better.
I got to compare the R2 and the Hakka 7 studded and the R2 was pretty much as good without the road noise and vibration. They were on small CUVs but not the same vehicle unfortunately.

[bokch0y]

I use the Blizzaks DMV-1 for my RX and the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 for Mini.

The Blizzaks are great on ice and snow, but wear down faster on dry pavement. The Alpin PA2 I find don't wear down as fast, but on ice they're not comparable to the Blizzak DMV-1's.

[punkwax]

Fall is here, freebies! : http://www.revscene.net/forums/710438-roadstone-winguard-winter-rubber-205-40-r17.html#post8790199

[Acura604]

It's almost that time.....how many have slapped on their winter tires for city driving?

[mb_]

Will be putting mine some time next week depending on how busy it is at work