Snow/Ice winter tires

sequoiasoon

Not much for the 19" as you said. Not sure if the 17" or 18" fit on yours (did they upgrade calipers for the sport package?) If the 18" fits here is a good link for you on e-bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate- gory=38662&item=2448526827

This would allow you to pick up 235-60-18 Nokian SUV or Nokian WR which are both EXCELLENT snow choices. The SUV's would give you the deepest tread (15/32) but are only T speed rated. The WR are V rated but you only get 11/32.

You could also look for the 17" in a 235-65-17 if you can find rims and they fit. Either choice might be better than trashing your nice 19" rims with salt and everything else. The 17's open up choices from Bridgestone blizzak to Michelin Alpin and Dunlop Winter sport also.

If the optional/smaller rims are an acceptable alternative, you might be able to get a good looking set of aftermarket rims also.

rdeschene

Just my 2cents worth.

We have a 2000 Alero running on Michelin Arctic Alpins (seasonally) since the winter of 2001. We had a set for its predecessor: a 1995 Corsica.

Like a lot of other posters I don't have a major problem with all-season tires' performance on snow, it's ice where the trouble begins! I've often seen freezing rain and black ice at the beginning and end of the "snow season" so we tend to put the winter tires on early and take them off late (e.g. in Brockville Canada, on by mid-October, off by mid-April).

My parents live in North Bay, and we frequently go up to Ottawa, so there can be some pretty serious weather transitions during those drives.

At any rate, under these conditions the Arctic Alpins have performed very well on snow-covered, icy, dry and wet pavement. We have good snow removal here, so I'm not concerned about it, but these wouldn't be GREAT tires in 3" (7-8cm) of snow. They're good on deep snow, but not great. Better than our all-seasons though, I'm sure.

Also, there's still a lot of tread left on these tires (2 years old) and we drive about 16000km (10000 miles) with them on.

xellil

I would like to take my Mustang from Indiana to Texas this Christmas (approximately 900 miles), and the roads will mostly be dry.

However, several times in years past Indiana has had snow in January when we return and sometimes the roads are pretty nasty. I don't want to drive on those roads with regular tires.

I have Blizzak snow tires and I wonder if anyone has done a long drive on dry highways using snow tires - I know it will really wear the tread out but is it safe? The tires have about 1500 miles on them so they have plenty of thread right now.

hpulley4

I should have put the Alpins on our Saturn last month during its oil change but thought I'd wait. No accident, luckily but we've had enough snow that I'll put them on for the November oil change from now on. Going on tomorrow. My MINI has had them on since last month since it has summer tires the rest of the year while the Saturn has all-seasons which can at least cope somewhat with the white stuff.

Running on dry pavement isn't too bad if you are just driving. Make sure the tires are well inflated and you'll be OK. Doing burnouts will hurt them but just a long trip at a constant speed isn't too bad. There is wear of course but if you might meet snow, it is better to have a little wear than to have an accident.

cdnp5

I just returned from a 6000+ mile road trip from London Ont, Canada to California and many places in between. I decided to be safe to put my snow tires on before leaving as I had to cross over a few moutain ranges before getting to the ocean. I would say that I only needed my snow tires for 5 of the 30 days that I drove but was very glad that I did so. Driving on the dry pavement never caused me any problems or concerns plus the car always felt in control. I drive mostly 80mph on the freeways.

rdeschene

We have one October trip between Brockville & Chicago (more East-West than North-South) on the Michelin Arctic Alpins and, in the end, been driving on dry roads. These tires handle dry and wet roads quite well too, so I knew we'd have good handling all around.

I'm not familiar with the Blizzaks, but if it's a tire with lots of sipes (channels to allow water to escape from under the tire) it will probably handle very well on wet roads too. So, personally, I would go for it -- especially considering how well these tires would handle icy conditions, and how poorly all seasons tend to.

If you're not used to driving on these tires in dry conditions (although you probably have some experience there), give yourself some time to learn how they feel and handle.

pluto5

driver1000

Hi, topspin628 -- I read your post (see below). I just picked up a 2002 330i w/Sport Package. I clearly need snows after testing the car out in 3" snowfall the other night!

Can I ask how you decided to go with 16" wheels rather than 17" for your snows?

Also, what brand tire and wheel package did you pick? (I'm leaning toward Dunlop M2s)

Thanks

topspin628 Nov 30, 2003 11:33pm

kyfdx

RE: 225/45/17 on BMW 325i sport pkg..

I thought this might be of interest. I just got my 2003 325i sport and wanted to put winter tires on it right away, in the same size and on the same wheels. I looked on Tirerack to find only four choices in 225/45/17. Two Bridgestones, Michelin Artic Alpin and Pirelli 240.

I called my local tire guy (small independent). He said he could get either the Bridgestone or Michelin, but that he also could get Goodyears. And, they would be about $60 cheaper for the set than either of the others (amazing for Goodyear).

These tires aren't even offered by Tirerack, and the local Goodyear store (the one with Goodyear on their sign) had not even heard of them when I called.

They are Goodyear Eagle Ultra-Grip GW3.. And, they are V-rated. You can see them at Goodyear.com. I just put them on yesterday, and they seem to handle and ride well, for what little driving I did. I'll report back after the first snow.

regards,
kyfdx

george94

I replaced my original OME Conti on my MY03 BMW 530 Sport package and I couldn't be happier. I purchased them thru tirerack, great service & people plus price. I had the chance to drive in NE snow with my summer tires. Would not recommend it to anyone. I was sliding everywhere even with BMW DSC on. These Michelin tires made a huge difference. Even in dry conditions, which we have now, the car feels rock solid. I took it up to 130 mph recently and could not see a big difference. No tire noise at all. I would recommend them to anyone. Good luck.

ecasano

I recently bought these tire bags called Seasonal Tire Totes, they are used to carry and store snow tires. I came across them while at the SEMA show in Vagas. I bought a couple and used them this winter for the first time. It was great. It made it easy to carry two tires at a time without getting dirty or the interior of my car dirty. Also they look better in my garage than a stack of dirty tires. Two Thumbs up. The company is http://www.tiretote.com.

touhead

I have 255/55/18 on my VW. I would like to find a decent AT tire but have had no luck. I could switch to a 17 inch wheel if that would help widen the choices. I do mostly highway driving but enjoy the occasional off road fun.

petpad

Just happened to drop here, and might as well report on my 1st winter on Nokians Hakka 1's, on my Mazda 3. 205-55/16's. GREAT , AMAZING winter tire. If you have the opportunity to install them, go for it. Also, Artic Alpins were on our Villager van for 3 years, and they were excellent as well, but I would rate the Nokians ahead of the Mich for road noise and grip. The Alpins have a distinct whine, not too bad, but there. Our new vans has average Canadian Tire Nordic Ice or something like that... But overall, Nokians are the best I have used.

Pet

mtbon

Can anyone share some experiences with snow tires on their full size SUV. I am looking to outfit my '04 Chevy Tahoe with some aggressive snow tires to tackle New England winters. Thanks.

akangl

I've run Bridgestone Blizzaks for years here in Alaska. I had them on a 1990 Chevy Suburban and it did great, also ran them on an Explorer and a Blazer.

I used the Bridgestone Winter Dueler on the Suburban and the DMZ3 on the Explorer, both great winter tires.

Unfortunatly if you have 18s on your Tahoe you will have a rough time finding winter tires, that's what I've run into with my Titan.

We are putting Blizzak WS-50 on our Focus and Blizzak W965 on our Ram 3500.

mavis

geoffdgti

mtbon writes:
Can anyone share some experiences with snow tires on their full size SUV. I am looking to outfit my '04 Chevy Tahoe with some aggressive snow tires to tackle New England winters.

I run studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUVs on my Mercury Mountaineer. I found some 16" Mountaineer wheels on eBay so I don't have to swap the stock 17" summer tires. The car goes skiing every weekend from sea level so I decided to optimize for traction on black ice. Braking and downhill cornering on a heavy SUV is horrible with stock tires and this setup provides a substantial safety margin. I wouldn't recommend this setup on a car that does a lot of commuting but the traction is incredible. The beefy tires and studs do create additional road noise and you can feel a slight tingle of vibration from the studs at 75 mph. Nokian is in the process of broadening their size selection and they appear to be building tires this winter to accomidate most US monster SUVs. Check their web site:
http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/tires_popup.cfm?id=29&w=1

sequoiasoon

I'll second geoffdgti and recommend the Nokian SUV. I've had them on my old Explorer and now my Sequoia for the past 6 winters (as well as running other Nokian models on my Corolla, summer and winter versions for the past 9 years) The difference in winter traction is a HUGE improvement over stock. All of mine have been non studded since I see a lot more dry and wet normally (the studs reduce traction in both of those situations, but rule on black ice and hard packed snow). I also have all my snows on spare rims either from junkyard or e-bay. Keeps the nice rims looking nice longer, les stress on sidewalls and beads and normally $100 to mount in fall and another $100 to swap back in spring, the spare rims are paid for in 2 seasons.

geoffdgti

sequoiasoon writes:
All of mine have been non studded since I see a lot more dry and wet normally (the studs reduce traction in both of those situations, but rule on black ice and hard packed snow)

That certainly used to be true with old skool studded snows but it's no longer the case. The Nokians are wide and fairly soft so they have ample traction on dry pavement. They channel water very well and I haven't noticed any problems in the wet.

aaargh

Anybody know anything about Semperit snow Tires, how good they are, etc...?

shammy323

Hi, I own a 2004 Honda Accord Coupe V6. I am looking at getting winter tires soon. My current tire size is 205/60R/16. My question is, I am looking to get winter tires that are a bit smaller, 15" rims instead of 16," and a smaller diameter for cutting through snow maybe 195. What size should would work on my car?

BTW I am looking at getting the Michelin X-Ice tires as I live in Canada where there can be quite a bit of snow.

Thanks for your input.

kyfdx

You realize, if you get 15" tires, you have to have 15" wheels to put them on?

195/70-15 are almost a perfect match in size for the 205/60-16.

regards,
kyfdx

shammy323

Thank you for your response kyfdx,

I forgot to mention that I would indeed be getting steel 15" rims to go with the winter tires.

Do you know by changing the size of the tire to smaller ones, would it have a big inpact on the handling and driving attributes of the vehicle to the point where it might be a bad idea to do so?

Thanks

kyfdx

I don't think 195/70-15 is going to be too bad.. Normal handling should be similar, and ride might be improved..

Of course, handling at the edge won't be as good, nor will the lateral grip, but your tires will be the same overall diameter (height), so the normal handling dynamics will be preserved.

It sounds like a good plan...

regards,
kyfdx

kyfdx

Make sure the steel wheels you buy are guaranteed to fit your car.. Brake clearance issues are most common.. Tirerack will guarantee fit..

sduford

Has anybody tested these two tires?

I'm getting ready to buy winter tires for my 2005 Outback XT and because I live in the mountains I need excellent snow and ice traction.

I know the WS-50 is awesome on snow and ice but they are not so good in terms of dry traction, handling, noise, and wear. According to The Tire Rack the Dunlop M3 appears to be superior in all those categories, but how much snow and ice traction would I be giving up over the WS-50?

evile

I have a 2004 Acura TSX and had a great deal on 16" snow tires but Acura did not recommend that if I go down to 16". Major loss in fuel economy and handling would not be as good.

Acura also said that I wouldn't need winter tires for the first year since it's new but I'm not sure about that.

Pretty clueless since I've had SUV's all my life so I'm not sure what driving a fwd sedan in the winter is like. Any advice would be much appreciated

akangl

Is no substitute for a dedicated winter tire!!! Acura obviously doesn't know what they are talking about, the age of the car has NOTHING to do with the tires.

My Focus is only 2 months old but I put winter tires on it and am darn glad I did. I can't find winter tires in an 18 that will fit my Titan so I'm dropping down to 17s (its an optional size on the truck anyway) and am going to put winter tires on it. We also run them on our 1 ton Dodge Ram.

sduford

I think they meant the age of the all-season tires, not the car.

But I agree with you, all-season tires are really not much help on snow and ice. Good quality winters like Blizzaks make a HUGE difference. And it is not about getting stuck, it is about staying on the road and being able to stop.

I think there would be a lot less accidents if everybody was using proper winter tires in these parts...

kmurp

What would be a good snow tire for this vehicle? We live in an area that gets 70 in. of snow a year and suffers with "black ice". This is my wife's car. She rarely goes out in deep snow- they clear roads well around here. She does, on occasion, need to take highway trips with the vehicle.

akangl

Personally I would go with a Bridgestone Blizzak, I've had good luck with them and will be putting them on my Titan this winter. I live in Alaska, land of the horrible roads and pathetic snow plowing.

robr2

I have the Michelin Arctic Alpin on my Odyssey here in Boston. They also do a good job of clearing the roads here once traffic dies down so many times we drive on dry roads. The thing I like about the Alpins is that they are designed to work well in deep snow and also do well on dry roads. The only drawback is that they "sing" on wet roads.

evile

Has anyone tried the Dunlop Winter Sport M3?

geoffdgti

robr2 writes:
I have the Michelin Arctic Alpin on my Odyssey here in Boston. They also do a good job of clearing the roads here once traffic dies down so many times we drive on dry roads. The thing I like about the Alpins is that they are designed to work well in deep snow and also do well on dry roads. The only drawback is that they "sing" on wet roads.

I noticed the other day that BJ's Wholesale Club, the northeast version of Costco and Sam's Club, carries Arctic Alpins. Common sizes like 195/65-15 were sub-$100.

pulleydog

I can't provide personal experience, but I've ordered a set of Semperit Sport Grips and should have them next week. Semperit is now owned by Continental and have been around for a long time - started in Austria in the 1800's and started making tires around 1900. I have read some good reviews on the tires and have talked to a few people that have them and they are very happy with their performance. The price on the Sport Grips is very reasonable too - I'm paying $54 for 195/65/15. I know they also make the "Winter Grip" tire, which are Q and T rated. The "Sport Grips" are T & H rated - I'm getting the H-rated for my Passat. So, I'm taking a chance and hope I feel good about my purchase when I am driving around in the snow this winter! I had a hard time finding them. I'll report back with my 'review' of them, but it will probably be too late to help you make a decision this year.

schip

I just ordered & bought a set of 4 Arctic Alpin snow tires today at Discount Tire. They cost $94 each; I also got black steel wheels at $39 each. They gave me a $50 discount for ordering 4 tires (had to be 14 or 15 inch). In addition, I will be sending in the rebate form for $60 (any set of Michelins are eligible if bought by Oct. 31). I really like the Arctic Alpins; I just bought a 2004 CR-V this summer and also had a set on my 2001 Accord. The traction is great, they are super in snow, and though studless, do well on ice, too. I thought $94/tire was reasonable for P205 70R 15 tires, and am looking forward to having them on this vehicle. Good luck with yours!

adp3

anyone have advice for the following:

I have a 2004 Volvo XC90, 2.5T AWD, 7-seater

I have 235 65 R17s (I think) on them

I live in the SF Bay Area, but I go to Tahoe (over a snowy pass) on the winter weekends, and I want a Snowflake/Mountain (severe service) rated tire.

I am not sure whether to go to a 16 or stay with the 17

Volvo recommends going to a 16 (unless you have a 7-seat T6,l which is heavier than the 7-seat 2.5T)

I've heard good things about the Nokian WR, which is an all-season but has snowflake/mnountain on it, and a user recommends them on another site

thoughts?

also, what is a good source for wheels?

stever

Tirerack.

Go see Connor (Ask Connor at The Tire Rack) :-)

Steve, Host

toyotadriven

I just put on a set of 4 Nokian WR. Only have 100 miles on them, mostly testing them out. Mine are H rated, so I did a lot fast hard turns, high speed runs up to 85 and faster than normal exit ramps. They out performed my oem"s by a large margin. No wondering at 85 mph, no wallowing in sharp hard turns. Sticks like glue and are very quite, especially after you see the tread pattern, you first think they will be noisy, but they aren't. I am waiting for snow, this is their strong suite. They are available in 235-70-16 105H (tread depth 14/32)and 235-65-17 108V (tread depth 11/32). You will have a Severe Snow Service rated All Weather tire.
I drive a FWD '02 Highlander, these tires have given the Highlander an all new dimension, FUN TO DRIVE. I forgot to mention the 50k warranty , 2 ply sidewall, and 2 steel+ 2 polyester + 1 nylon belts under the tread.

mteer

I drive a 2000 Maxima SE with 225/50/17 wheels. I am considering the Glacier Grips for my car, but in a 55 vs the 50. I've got Coopers on my car now and have no complaints, but what has everyone heard/experienced with the Glacier Grips?

akangl

Glacier Grips taken off my Focus and put Blizzaks on it. Ran the glacier grips (with studs) for a month and the car was nearly uncontrollable on slick roads. Switched to Blizzaks and have no more trouble.

cptplt

I had the predecessor, the NRW on a Subaru Legacy for 2 seasons and they are great. Have had the WR on a Ford Windstar for a year (all year round) now and the tread wear is abysmal, down to half already after 1 year. The Nokians don't seem to do as well tread wear wise on heavy vehicles.

CRJ

Hi...I was wondering if anyone can offer their opinion about snow tires for a 2003 G35 Coupe Leather. The car currently has the Performance Tire and Wheel Package with the 18" alloy wheels and performance tires (225/45R18-front & 245/45R18-rear). I was looking at Bridgestone Blizzak's at TireRack. They recommend either the 17" WS-50 (225/50QR17 & 225/55QR17) or the 18" LM-22 (225/45VR18 & 245/45VR18). Has anyone used either of these tires on the G35 Coupe and if so what's your opinion of them? Since the car came with the 18" tire package, will it matter if I put 17" snow tires on the car? I am also looking at dedicated wheels for the snow tires. There is a significant savings if I go with the 17" WS-50's instaed of the 18" LM-22's. I live in northeastern NY, and we do get a lot of snow so the tires performance in the snow is most important to me. From what I have read the WS-50 seems to be rated slightly better in terms of being able to handle snowfall. Have others found this to be true?

Thanks in advance for your opinion.

sduford

I think you should definitely save your money and go for the narrower 17" tires. Narrower tires work much better in the snow.

The WS-50 is provides awesome traction on snow and ice, but be aware that they will make your G35 handle more like an SUV. You might want to look at the Dunlop Winter Sports M3. Not as good as the Blizzaks on ice, but much better for your everyday driving on dry pavement.

peeete

I had the Blizzak WS-50's on my G sedan last winter. I found very little degredation in dry handling, and the snow driving was fantastic. I took the car out to a park after a foot of snow and tried my best to make the car lose control..couldnt do it. THe tires with stability will give you a lot of confidence.

kyfdx

The 17" winter tires should be fine for your car... Much better than 18".. But, if you can get the LM-22 or LM-25 in the 17" size, they will handle much better on dry roads than the WS-50.

The WS-50 are great in the snow.. but, if you want good handling for the 95% of time that you are on dry roads, go for H or V-rated winter tires... Those should be available in the smaller 17" sizes as well.

regards,
kyfdx

rik4

I put nokian hakkapelita Q on my car. Handles very well so far. Got a great deal 139.00 each. The RSI are made from canola oil. I was afraid to try them so i opted for the Q's made from petroleum.

sduford

The last couple of years I had Blizzaks on my car and I was truly impressed with their ice and snow performance. However, I found them to be noisy and they seriously affected the quality of the handling and steering response, feeling rather "spongy"

So this year for my 2005 Outback XT, I decided to give the X-Ice a try. They are newer technology and were created in response to the Blizzak WS-50, so I figured they should be at least close to the Blizzak's winter performance.

So far, on dry pavement only, I am very happy with them. They are actually quieter than the OEM Bridgstone RE-92A that were on my car. I also couldn't detect any change in steering response and only a slight deterioration in cornering stability. So far so good, this tire is much more pleasant then the WS-50 in dry conditions.

I will report again as soon as I get to try them on snow or ice.

sequoiasoon

Got the receipt from when you got them? They have a 50k treadwear warranty. Any Nokian dealer should honor it as long as you have the documentation.

surfgeb

I live in suburban Boston; I have a 04 Acura TL with Bridgestone Turanza EL42's as OE;
While I know that winter tires will provide much better control and traction, I am more concerned about whether I MUST get them or it's a nice to have.
Acura touts their traction control and while not the best, the Bridgestones are all-season.
Does anyone have real world experience driving the TL with the Bridgestones in the winter?