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Snow/Ice winter tires

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Comments

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    3) For Snow tires you actually want a narrower tire than stock or stock size. The Narrower tires will cut through the snow better than a wider floatier tire.

    -mike
    Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I totally agree, however, within the context of his original question, I didn't feel it was necessary to point that out. ;)
  • homefry1040homefry1040 Member Posts: 6
    Mike:

    Thanks for the detailed and timely answer! Looks like I will need to go another direction. I was hoping to get blizzaks used-but not going to happen.

    Do I get another question?

    Here's the scenario: Dad is 89 drives his camry cross town to get to shops and doctors-roughly 10 round trip miles, max speed 35. We live in Central Oregon, generally storms hit and streets are poor for two days, then clear off.

    Current tires: Goodrich premier touring with 15K, the only "affordable" options are finding used winter tires, or buying new Goodrich Traction TA's in that size. Would the TA's be "that" much different than what he has as far as snow and ice capabilities?

    And he is not ready to give up his independence and be chauffeured!

    Thanks
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Try Craig's List.

    I just found a NICE set of almost new studded snow tires for our son's Explorer.

    He was asking 100.00 and I didn't argue with him especially when he told me he had five calls within the first hour he had them posted!
  • homefry1040homefry1040 Member Posts: 6
    then 195/75/14 would be a better fit than the oem's? think that size is available on Craigslist...
  • airtasairtas Member Posts: 8
    On my RSX I have Nokian WR G2's which are better than all seasons but not dedicated snow tires.

    My driveway is uphill and when it snows/ice I can not get it up. (haha)

    (stop the jokes)

    My neighbors driveway is very similar and I can it up fine....makes no sense.

    Will dedicated snow tires help me? Will anything help me?

    Oh to make matters worse my fiancee has a Civic Coupe with all seasons and she cant get it up at all where I can sometimes.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    1. are the driveways the same slope (neighbor's shallower?)?

    2. is his gravel, and yours paved? Or Vice Versa?

    3. Which wheels start spinning first on your driveway (rear? Front? random?).

    So far the WRG2's (V series) on my Forester have handled 4-6" of icy snow with no trouble whatever, and that includes 20 degree icy hills other cars were sliding backwards on.

    However, I have found that if there is a lot of icy slush on top of ice, the WRG2's can slip a fair bit. Cresting small icy hills can set the Forester to sliding until it's over the bump and weight is back on the tires.

    If it's your front tires that are breaking loose, then Auto Socks might help. They have good traction on ice.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess the front wheels are slipping on either the RSX or the Civic, seeing as they are both FWD vehicles :)

    -mike
    -mike
    Subaru Guru and Track Instructor


    Couldn't pass that one up!
  • gianna70gianna70 Member Posts: 1
    I have chains for my '05 Malibu. I'm hoping to drive from Salem, OR to Salinas, CA on 12/27. Should I consider getting snow tires before I go to use in addition to the chains, or should chains be sufficient? I actually don't even know if snow tires and chains can be used together at all, or if that would make any sense. Thanks!
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    As the '05 Malibu is very similar to my former '04 Malibu Maxx which had no end of trouble in Portland:

    You should have chains handy. Grants Pass and the Siskiyou mountains now require them (as of 12/22), and may again on the days you travel.

    If you have large wheels and tires, you will need "S" chains as regular chains will be too big for the wheel wells.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Today most of Portland's roads are a mess; 4 - 5" of packed snow and ice worn down to narrow ruts. Nearly every car in these ruts without chains (and many with chains) had real trouble changing lanes.
    The Nokian WRG2's, which up to now have worked very well, proved surprisingly inept at letting my AWD'er turn out of the ruts; the car would either just lurch back into the ruts, or try to swap ends the moment the tires cleared the ruts.
    The WRG2's weakness show up on ice when the vehicle is turning. It could be the outer edges have less ice grip than the inner tread. Whatever it is, looks like it's chains-ville very soon if I am to keep driving around here.
  • ex_tdierex_tdier Member Posts: 277
    It's interesting to watch that video and notice how some cars have no trouble at all. I'm wondering if we are seeing different levels of driver skills, since it didn't look like all the "successful" cars were AWD types

    I'm not convinced it's due to driver skills. However, many people assume that driving in winter and in winter conditions gives them the ability to drive as they normally do in 70+ temps, which typically is aggressive. One needs to go easy on the accelerator when driving in snow and icy conditions. Staying in first or second gear is a must if trying to go through those rough spots. I think it's more to do with the vehicles: tires new and/or aggressive tread, traction or slippage control on the vehicle, weight of vehicle, power, and even vehicle momentum.

    I've seen one woman today drive her Jetta with all seasons and get going withOUT too much difficulty while I had considerable spin with my winter tires in the same spot. That ticked me off. I also had the wife get dropped off by her boss who drives a BMW 4 (AWD) wheel drive sedan with all seasons. He had no problem whatsoever today in the over foot deep snow where people had to abandon their vehicles and even transit buses couldn't get by, So, there are a lot of variables.

    BTW. I am looking for some chains too....I have no idea how to install them or if I should go with chains or cables and if you can install them on existing winter tires or if they could damage your tires in any way. I know nothing about them. However, Ebay has some for less than $50.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    The airport is mired down to nothing and many of the streets are impossible.

    Buses are sliding down hills evne with chains.
  • ex_tdierex_tdier Member Posts: 277
    Yeah, but have you noticed that most SUVs with all season tires are getting up the hills without too much problem?

    I cant help wonder if global warming is somehow responsible for these extreme conditions.
  • eisendoeisendo Member Posts: 1
    I bought my Blizzaks in January 2004, mounted & balanced on steel wheels. This (December 2008) is the first time I have noticed any slipping with them in snow. Hopefully, I'll be able to get through this winter OK. If I had to get through another winter, I would probably need a new set, although there seems to be a good amount of tread left.
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    "NOTE: The first 55% of the Blizzak WS-50 tread depth features the Tube Multicell Compound while the remaining 45% features a standard winter tire compound."

    copied from tirerack.com

    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+W- S-50

    Krzys
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    "NOTE: The first 55% of the Blizzak WS-50 tread depth features the Tube Multicell Compound while the remaining 45% features a standard winter tire compound."

    "Standard winter tire"? No.

    "All-season tire"? More accurate.

    IMO The Blizzak is worthless after half-tread. After two sets, each lasting just two seasons, on different vehicles, they were sloppy in snow, and no better than a brand-new all-season (still terrible IMO).

    I've found Dunlops and Michelins to last much longer, while maintaining excellent snow traction well past half-treadlife.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Yup, I've run into the same thing, Blizzaks are pretty much worthless after half tread, however, the Michelins that I've run are good for maybe three-quarters of tread depth before they start getting sketchy. I've never tried Dunlops so I cannot comment on them.

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • greatpaintsgreatpaints Member Posts: 2
    Hello,

    I just purchased a Rav4 4wd with 60k miles on it. The tires on it right now are Uniroyal Tigerpaws and are OEM. They actually have a significant amount of tread left. Even so, I would like to get a set of new winter tires for the cold season. I live a little ways north of Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA and I was stuck for 3 weeks last year in my own driveway because of snow and ice (not with this vehicle).

    I do not drive a lot of miles (less than 5k per year). I am at a higher elevation (~1200 feet) and I get widely varied conditions. Some dry roads, some rainy wet roads . Okay, many, many months of rainy wet roads, snow/ice for a couple weeks per year and occasionally there will be heavy frost in the shady parts of the road. The frost was the thing that had me losing traction last year the most. Probably because I ventured out thinking the roads were clear and I stayed home like a sissy when I knew the roads were slimy/slushy. I drive about 1/3rd on the interstate, 1/3 town driving and 1/3 winding country roads.

    Rav4 currently wears 215-70R 16 tires. I am looking for advice and suggestions for a new set of winter tires for my new sure-footed ride. Yes, I know it is summer. Now is the time to do research!

    Thank you!
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    Toyo Observe. Studless snow tire, softer tread, lots of siping in the tread blocks, will work well over there on the wet side of the Cascades. They work very well on my Subaru here in Eastern Washington (LOTS of snow).

    Available at the store under the big yellow sign, where the guys in the white shirts come running. I'm guessing you know who that is :)

    I had Tigerpaws on a former rig of mine... nice riding tire. I liked them in the warmer weather, but no good for snow.

    Cheers!
    Paul
    (Spokane)
  • dona83dona83 Member Posts: 67
    I'm getting the Toyo Observe G-02 Plus this winter. Do the microbits help much at all on ice?
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    I sure like them. I don't know if its the microbits or the mega-siping (or both) but they perform on ice as well or better than any studded tire/vehicle combination I've driven so far.

    I've lived in Eastern Washington all my life, and drive up them thar hills to ski a couple dozen times a year (pretty much regardless of the road conditions), and was a died-in-the-wool studded tire fan until I tried the Observes on a Subaru. The combination of all-wheel drive and these tires work very well.

    I can't speak for the other flavors of studless snow tires, since I'm a pretty loyal customer of the white shirt guys, and that's all they sell here, but at this point I would have no reason to try anything else.

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • dona83dona83 Member Posts: 67
    Thanks for the tip, I live in Vancouver, BC so our winters are relatively mild but it has gotten quite extreme the past three winters and we do trek out east at least once a winter. I had Yokohama iG20s last year but had to sell them as they didn't fit my new car. They worked wonders on ice and snow but they didn't seem like they would last more than three winters. I would expect the Toyo Observe to last four seasons since they have greater initial tread depth for about the same price. I'm looking forward to trying these tires out!
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    My last set of Observes lasted about 7 or 8 seasons, and still had more than adequate tread left. The one caveat that I would provide (especially in your milder climate), is get them off the car above 50 degrees F (10C) - the tread will wear much faster in the heat. I swapped them out every spring before it got too warm.

    With all the siping on the tire, they're pretty good in the rain. Good news for Vancouver dwellers :)

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • shanghaikidshanghaikid Member Posts: 5
    I have to make 120 mile daily commute in Eastern WA. 90% will be freeway driving

    Got any recommendations for studless snow tires?

    I've talked to quite a few companies in the area. I've used the white shirted guys in the past, they are a little pricey. Anyone used Perfection Tire before?
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    Perfection is OK, I know the guy that owns the franchise in downtown Spokane. Stay away from the other local place that begins with 'A'.

    Schwabs is great for me because they always seem to be where I'm going if I need them. Yes, they are a bit pricey, but their service after the sale is terrific, and they stand behind their products. I had both inside duals on my motorhome blow up in one day many years ago... they covered the service calls, upgraded the tires, and covered the repairs to the RV.

    Where in Eastern WA, shanghai?

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Well, considering that commute, I would certainly rule out Blizzak tires. They wear very fast - especially on dry roads (which you are likely to encounter more often than icy ones, I expect, in Eastern Washington!). I hear that Michelin X-Ice Xi2 tires have excellent longevity, but i do not know from personal experience. I am actually putting my first set of studless snow tires on in a couple weeks. But, you know, I live in Fairbanks, Alaska, so I do not see much in the way of icy/snowy roads. :D

    I am installing Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice; I have no idea what to expect, but the price was reasonable ($107 for R16s), reviews seem positive, and I have had very good luck with other Goodyear tires.

    While they are spendy, I had a set of Assurance TripleTreds on my '96 Outback a few years ago and used them year-round. Those tires were flat-out amazing on ice and excellent in snow. By far the best all-season I had ever experienced. They also wore very well (had an 80,000 mile treadwear warranty) and were superb on dry and wet roads. For a dry, mild climate like yours, a tire like that may be a better investment than a studless snow tire since they wear so quickly on dry roads.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • shanghaikidshanghaikid Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the tips I'll keep the goodyear and Michelin Tires in mind
    I live in Kennewick Wa and I commute to Toppenish WA for work everyday

    Perfection Tire seems to have the best deals in town, they said around $450 for studded and $400 for studless
    Schwab quoted me at around $500 for either studless or studded
    Everyone else was $500 or more....

    I also have TPMS sensors on my foucs tires, I'm not planning to have those on my snow tires, that just means that light will be on all the time...
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    I also have TPMS sensors on my foucs tires, I'm not planning to have those on my snow tires, that just means that light will be on all the time...

    That's right, and no big deal as long as you keep an eye on your tire pressure (which is a good idea anyway!). They were quoting you around $400 for just tires, or for a complete package (includes rims?). The TPMS sensors are in the valve stems on the rims, so that is not an issue at all if you are just swapping out tires. If the package includes rims, well, that really is a screamin' deal!

    I would definitely recommend a studless tire for your area. As dry as the roads tend to be, your studs will be nubs in no time and do nothing to add to your traction when you really need it. Plus, you would have to deal with the major noise created by them on your long commute.

    Now that I think about it, you might consider Green Diamond tires; they are quite effective on ice and they are not adversely affected by dry roads. Studless snow tires, due to their soft tread compounds, tend to wear quickly on dry roads. Some, like Blizzaks, also feel "squishy" on dry pavement and/or in warm weather. I am not sure about the Green Diamond availability in your area.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    Nokian WR G2's might fit the bill. They wear pretty well and have performed well for me in the hills of western Pennsylvania.
  • shanghaikidshanghaikid Member Posts: 5
    I usually check my tire pressure a few times a month manually anyway
    Yea these price quotes were for without rims.

    Here are a few totals with wheels

    Schwab Stud-less $708 with wheels Toyo tires

    Steve's Tire Factory Kelly Snow Trackers Stud-less with wheels and mounting $677

    Perfection Tire Winterforce Stud-less $681

    Might be a better deal to use my old snow tires which fit the focus and track down some steelies, although if they only have one or two more seasons, I should either pay the $50 and get them mounted on my focus wheels or just pony up the money and get new snow tires

    At these prices if I plan to buy new ones I might as well just buy everything from Tirerack.com. Anyone have an idea on a ballpark estimate, how much someone would charge to put the snow tires with wheels on?

    Thanks again for all the help.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Kelly Snowtrakker? DON'T get those! They are worthless.... really.... Even studded, they are pretty pathetic. Perhaps, if you can get them for $40 a tire, they might seem worthwhile, but I have used those on two vehicles and they are no better than a decent all-season.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    Ahhh... Kennewick. The banana belt. Spokane here.
    Sounds like you have some choices.
    I need to get some steel wheels for my snows so I don't have to remount twice a year.

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • shanghaikidshanghaikid Member Posts: 5
    Saw that Costco had Michelin - X-Ice® Xi2, gave me a great price installed, sure you pay a little more for the name but reviews point out its a much better tire then some of what I've been looking at.

    Tirerack doesn't seem to be any cheap with the Xi2's, they want 93 a tire plus $44 to ship it. I'll have to pay at least $40-$50 to get them installed somewhere
    Thanks again for all of your help guys
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    Michelin's a good tire. Keep it upright this winter :)

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    We have an '05 Subaru Legacy wagon and I have an used set of WRX wheels for it. Those WRX wheels have Hankook W404 snow tires, 2 are like new, 1 is used but serviceable, and one seems to have a lot of wear on the outside edge. Can I get 2 new Hankook W409 (the tire that came after the 404) and run those in the back with the W404s in the front? How do you do it when you have one pair more worn than the other pair?
    I know that the tires have to be close in diameter and wear so the differentials don't freak out, and I think I have that covered if I get 1 new pair, but I don't want one end to have dramatically more traction than the other. Any thoughts?
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    If you can afford it, I'd simply get 4 new tires and call it a day.

    But if those W404s are really in excellent shape, I don't see the problem with 2 W409s, as long as the tires are the same type and the tread difference isn't such that you would have problems with the differential.

    I'd also put the tires with more tread at the rear of the vehicle, Remember it's always easier to control understeer than oversteer, even with AWD. :)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    I also think so. I nearly went with the Xi2, but it was $100 more expensive than the Goodyear (for 4) and, considering my current budget, I did not feel that warranted them at this time. I have no experience with either of them so had to go with data and reviews alone. Neither tire are all that common locally (Blizzak dominates the local scene), so I just had to "go with my gut." I'm sure either is a far better tire than the OEM tires on my car currently!

    I shall find out in a couple weeks....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    I shall find out in a couple weeks....

    Oh, the irony continues! First I get my factory-ordered Forester in two weeks, then come the tires that I said would take another two weeks. Not an hour after I wrote that last message did I receive a call from the local vendor stating that my tires arrived. I am having them mounted on my spare rims right now, but my initial impression is favorable. They look to be a well-balanced tire, with a nice, deep, open block design that will surely excel in snow by allowing sufficient movement of the flakes through and out of the tire. The W-style siping is deep and the rubber is relatively soft, both of which should make for proficient traction on ice. I doubt they will perform as well as Blizzak WS-60 or the Xi2 on ice, but time will tell.

    Weather is unseasonably warm here right now (daytime temps are hitting 40s!), but within a week or two I expect we will be well under freezing and not looking back, so it shouldn't take too long to measure them up.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    I have the Ultra Grip Ice tires on my car now. No ice yet to try them out, but they sure are quiet and smooth compared to the stock tires on the car (2010 Forester). These are P215/65R16; stock tires on the car were P225/55R17. The tires have a subtle hum at highway speed, but that is to be expected with a tire with an open-block design.

    image
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    It's interesting that the winter tires are quieter than the stock summer or all-weathers.

    Snow in the forecast here, although with the forecasted highs what they are, it's not going to stick... yet. :surprise:

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Amazing weather here. We have temperatures into the high 50s for the last four or five days. The last two mornings were the first in a week or more where it dropped under freezing. Typically, highs this time of year do not break freezing and we almost certainly have snow that will stay until April by now. I'm not complaining, for sure, but it could change to more "seasonable" temperatures and weather at any time....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • dona83dona83 Member Posts: 67
    Yea I actually took out my winter tires and put the all seasons and rims on for a few weeks through February as it was pretty warm, then had to rush the winter tires back on for another surprise from Old Man Winter. :) I need to get an impact wrench this year, doing it manually is not fun!
  • dona83dona83 Member Posts: 67
    The Xi2s are overrated... from what I heard from real owners of the tire, they're not that great in real world snow conditions although they are second to none on ice. The tread design is just not aggressive enough.

    The Blizzaks are a very good tire but like a broken record I repeatedly hear complaints about accelerated tire wear and how winter performance quickly drops off. Though the tread pattern is a bit better than the Xi2s, it's really not better by a whole lot.

    I wouldn't be worried with your decision with the Ultra Grip Ice.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Thanks; I appreciate that feedback.

    Still no snow here, which worries me! We really need some before it starts getting real cold (below 0F) or else the frost will start driving deep into the ground and that means broken pipes, root kill, etc. This is the first time (that I can remember) where we have dry roads this late into October. In '95, the first snow was on 10/15, and that was pretty late compared to most other years. :(

    Temps are no longer venturing above freezing during the day, though, so winter is all but upon us.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    The switch was flipped and it is now winter! Snow and ice yesterday, for the first time this year. My Escort, with the Kelly Snowtrekkr's, slips and slides. My Forester, with the Goodyear UG Ice, tells me it is summertime. I even jetted from an icy intersection going all-out and it never slipped a tire. ABS engaged briefly once at another icy intersection on a downhill slope, but judging by the slicks there, others had their hands full just trying to stop at all.

    So, long story short, the Goodyears are an effective tire: Very effective. :shades:

    Now I just have to see how they perform in extreme cold (-50F) and how well the tread wears.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • woodywwwoodyww Member Posts: 1,806
    I'm not familiar with the Goodyear UG Ice tires, but they sound terrific. I have new Dunlop Winter Sport M3's that I need to have mounted on my spare rims; I have high hopes for them, based on what I've read. But weather here in Mass. is 50-60 degrees F. this week (a rare gift), so I've been delaying......
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    Hahah; well, people here delay like that too, even when it is late October and they know winter conditions are inevitable! That is one reason I mount my winter tires on separate rims. Not only does it save money over the long term, but then I can put the tires on in a moment's notice whenever the conditions require it.

    If I were in a more temperate climate, that benefit would be even more pronounced because I would not need to run the winter tires during periods of warmer weather (which can often be multiple weeks and/or months). It only takes me about 20 minutes to do the deed, so I think it is well worth the effort.

    I considered the Dunlops, but decided to go with a more balanced snow/ice tire rather than a performance tire. Maybe if I had a WRX.... :D

    Please let us know how the Dunlop tires work out for you!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • clevelandredclevelandred Member Posts: 10
    I grew up in Cleveland Ohio, and learned to drive in a RWD Buick (usually with balding tires). In the worst of the winter I put chains on the drive wheels and motored off. Since 1970, I have lived in Maryland where snow is limited. I am giving my son (relatively new driver) a Honda Accord for use in upstate NY - real snow belt and not sure how to equip him for the snow. Is it best to look at snow tires, chains, cables or something else?

    Any suggestions - especially specific suggestions.

    Paul
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    I've spent my entire life up here in Upstate NY (sadly ;) ), and the best thing to do, by a longshot, is to get snow tires. Honda (and most other automakers) don't recommend chains or cables for cars much anymore, since they can do damage to quarter panels, and IMO it's a pain to go out in the bitter cold and snow just to try and install them.

    As for snow tires, Michelin, Dunlop, and the new Continental ExtremeWinterContact would be a good bet. I've run Michelin in the past and trust them, both my current vehicles have Dunlop snow tires on now (SP WinterSport M3 for my Mazda 6, Graspic DS-2 on the Altima), and the new Contis have tested very well in Tireracks latest winter tests.

    Bridgestone Blizzaks are good, but I've found that snow traction only holds up for the first 40% of treadlife, then falls greatly, worse than some all-seasons in the snow. I get another season or two easily out of the other brands compared to Blizzaks. Nokian also makes some very good winter tires, but are expensive compared to other brands, and I've found they don't last any longer.

    Good luck. :)
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