Snow tires....

[ZX-12R]

So the price on the 235/45R18 WS90s was from BJ's and wasn't valid until today. I went to order them and now it seems like they can't get that size. I tried entering BJ's number and the manufacturer's number and nothing comes up. I dropped down a width to 225/50R18 which they can get and the new number is $618 mounted and balanced ($154.50/each).

For comparison, another shop I use wants $980 for the same tires mounted and balanced ($245.00/each).

[DirtDawg21892]

I was doing it with my truck too, and chickened out. The ATs are almost worn out, but we had one storm that was supposed to dump up to 6 inches a couple weeks ago. I threw the snows on, but didn't really need to in the end. Oh well. I wrapped my last truck around a tele pole in slushy crap on mostly worn out tires back in 2011 (wasn't even dicking around that day). I've vowed to not take that risk again...

Now I've got to debate whether to find a deal over the winter (I might steer back to a more highway tire for the summers), or throw the ATs back on in the spring and use the little bit of them up.

I've been running duratracks on my truck, and they're amazing snow tires! I was always a Blizzak guy, but these make me not feel the need to have 2 different wheel sets.
(I still have a bunch of wheels, but I mostly swap them out to save the big tires from the big highway commutes during the semester.)

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[MHenry600]

I eyeballed some duratracs when I was shopping for ATs a couple of years ago. Ended up going cheaper with Kumho AT51. ATs are cool and all, but I think I've come back to realize I just don't really need them. Even if I head up north and go explore some dirt/logging roads during the summer, I'm really fine with highway tires. Then it makes more sense to maintain two sets. I drive like a dick in the snow anyway, so I'd rather have the grip of snows.

[RandyO]

Good to see how obsolete the 15" wheel size is and how nobody stocks that size.

think they are hard finding in car/p rated tires, try finding em in a light truck 10ply

[Kurlon]

Hakas mounted on the Jeep today, even with the studs they are quieter than the KO2s. Only time you hear the studs is at parking lot speeds on coarse pavement, once rolling there is no stud whine.

[Garandman]

Put 250 miles on the R3 SUV. Very impressive upgrade. Most of the driving was in heavy, cold rain and they are better than the R2’s, and quieter. Don’t know about mpg yet.

[Tricky Mike]

I have a hundred miles or so an a set of Hakka LT3s. Did extremely well in heavy, cold rain yesterday.

Really quiet and not too stiff for a load range E tire. So far so good.

[ZX-12R]

Don’t know about mpg yet.

I don't recall the R3s doing anything significant to my mpg. The change in fuel to the winter formulation is much more severe.

[Garandman]

Just sold my Hakka R2 take-offs to a friend’s son. Easiest sale Evah, he’d driven my car with them last winter.

[Vovchandr]

I have an opportunity to mount and try out Nokian WRG4 for the first time this week.


They are winter biased all seasons? Or something like that.


Not something I usually go for, but it's a free trial and even my friend who deals with tires doesn't like to admit that they work so well that I don't even need to switch between winters and regular all seasons with these. "I'd love to sell more tires and dedicated winters all day long but these work damn well".

He's had them just mounted on his car which he's not using this winter and I was about to order snows so I'll see how the trial goes.


I was skeptical but the internet seems to be in agreement that these are good.

[Garandman]

We had WRG2’s on several vehicles, including my WRX. We used them on company cars that we didn’t want to have a second set of rims for. They were designed originally for Europeans who drive down the Autobahn to the Alps, then start climbing: winter tires are required in those regions. They just about invented the “Performance Winter” category.

For people who live in SNE or mid-Atlantic states, or drive a lot of miles they are just about perfect. Good dry and wet road handling, snow and ice performance that’s as good as most dedicated winter tires. One of our employees called me to say they saved his life! He was driving a 2011 Accord V6 N in Hartford, CT and a tractor trailer jackknifed on the road ahead. Several car piled into it. He was able to quickly slow down, check his mirrors, and dive for an exit. Turned into one of those 20 car pileups.

The only downside we found was they got noisy when worn down. Nokian has made big advances in mpg and noise so the G4’s are likely much better.

Here’s a comparison of the WRG2 (L) versus the concurrent Hakkapelliitta - 8 or 10 years ago. The main difference is the rounded shoulder. Compound is probably different but you can’t see that. I want to say the lasted 40K miles.



They were fantastic on the WRX. The only reason we stopped using them was the stock tire was 225/45x17. I punched out three of them in potholes. Subaru has a very tight spec on rolling diameter so had to replace a pair each time. Switched to 16” rims with a taller sidewall and it’s never happened again.

[Vovchandr]

I'd like to report that I'm quite impressed with WRG4's Nokians

If I didn't know any better I'd say they are dedicated snow tires. Performed close to or just as well as my snow tires of yesteryear. Gave me no trouble at all through all sorts of snow depths.

I was able to back up INTO a plow mess of snow on the side of the road to make a parking spot for myself and pull myself back out of it without a problem on the side of the city street.

Was also able to "plow" myself through the snow thats taller than my undercarriage on my side street.

Full disclosure. Volvo XC70 as the vehicle. AWD certainly helped with "go" but turning and braking was great too.

[Tricky Mike]

Nokian LT3s worked great this morning. We picked up 12" overnight.
I could get ABS and traction control to step in, but it took a bit of pushing to get there.
No need for 4wd, even pushing into a snowbank to make room for a plow.
Tons of grip.
I'm impressed.

[Kurlon]

Yup, LT3s made this morning's commute boring. KO2s would have forced 4wd to get out of my driveway.

[csmutty]

My car was parked at the airport shorn with worn Dunlop Direzza sport tires when I landed back home this morning at 4am...

I had to rock back and forward 10 times just to get out of my parking spot...

Wish I had known snow was coming and I would have put snows on. That drive sucked.

[Kurlon]

4Lo + lockers this morning getting out of my driveway?! Next set of snows will not be stock size, 285s just have too much flotation I think.

[scottieducati]

Very happy with the performance of my intermediate tire choice. BF Goodrich gForce Comp 2A/S. Meaty all season tire with excellent wet and slush dissipation. First donuts of the year last night after driving to and from hockey, found a snow/ice covered lot for some fun on the way home... the grip is there for just about anything shy of pure stopping grip.

My 540iT is RWD, 300HP with a third pedal, just me and my hockey gear in the back so running fairly light. Was super pleased with the car’s handling through very mixed conditions. Got a bit of everything last night and she never had anything close to a moment.

Drive accordingly and these tires are an excellent AS option for those where they plow frequently. A++++ recommendation.





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[loudbeard]

Happy enough this morning with the Wildpeak AT3/W's. We don't salt much in Rehoboth so even plowed the roads are still snow packed. Not snow tire performance, but decent enough to stop-go-turn in a tail-happy pickup truck for the 7 miles I have to work.

[Garandman]

Now had a chance to drive the R3 SUV in dry, wet and snow. Better in every dimension than the R2’s. Really glad I coughed up the $ for the change.

4Lo + lockers this morning getting out of my driveway?! Next set of snows will not be stock size, 285s just have too much flotation I think.

What do have for tires?

Much different vehicle but I went to a 205 from 225 on my WRX after reading a review in the Norwegian magazine which seemed to show better snow performance. Didn’t really find a noticeable improvement in snow, and they were much twitchier in dry/wet. Might work better on a pickup or SUV which weigh a ton+ more.

Had the summer tires [Michelin Pilot Super Sport] on the WRX after the first (3”) storm. Had to drive uphill about 30’ to get it in the garage. Went about five feet and just sat there! Had to back down to 100’ of clear gravel to get enough momentum to get up the hill and into the garage.

[golden chicken]

Couldn't make it back up the (heavy thick snow/plow mess covered hill) street on my three season's old (this is the beginning of season 4) X-Ice's XI3 on my 2014 Mazda3 once I lost momentum waiting for a plow. Could've tried again and made it with a running start but I backed down the hill and went around the block instead to avoid the plow. The other way around had even more snow/plow mess but I kept up the momentum and made it fine. I'll measure the tread depth sometime soon and report back. I have a feeling my wife's 2010 Mazda3 with Altimax Arctics with more tread depth (same age, fewer miles) would've crawled home no problem.

[Trajiks9]

Put my new Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady’s on my 2008 Civic through a good measurable amount of snow these last few days. Coming off a set of Toyo A/S. These branded All Weather tires are pretty impressive. My wife’s 2005 Camry is wearing a set of Toyo Celsius, which I feel might have a slight advantage over the Goodyear as the stopping and starting grip are impeccable. I’m definitely sold on these hybrids. Bye bye all season tires.

[RandyO]

Hercules Terra Trac T/G Max tires are great all terrain tires but SUCK as snow tires

[Garandman]

Put my new Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady’s on my 2008 Civic through a good measurable amount of snow these last few days. Coming off a set of Toyo A/S. These branded All Weather tires are pretty impressive. ////.

Never heard of that specific tire so looked them up. Looks like competition for the Nokian WRG4. UTQC 700 wear rating with Severe Snow certification. $75 online rebate or $150 store to boot. 11/32nd starting tread depth.

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires...e-weatherready

[aldend123]

I've got the new Altimax Arctic 12 revision, and just got my first test in the snow. Wasn't the best sample, not very deep and pretty slushy. But they got the job done great. Pretty good with the icy sections too.

Compared to the original, they seem a little tighter and confident on-center in the dry, but they wallow a ton once you get in to anything more than a slight turn. Maybe I need to bump the pressure up. Also feels like the dry grip in even mildly aggressive situations isn't as good as the original. I know that's not really what they were made for. I guess it was kind of weird how well the classic Arctic did in the dry.

My car was parked at the airport shorn with worn Dunlop Direzza sport tires when I landed back home this morning at 4am...

I had to rock back and forward 10 times just to get out of my parking spot...

Wish I had known snow was coming and I would have put snows on. That drive sucked.

Every couple of years I keep my summer tires on just a little too long and find myself in the wrong weather. Every time it re-affirms how tremendously difficult it is to drive the car.

Yeah, it was really sketchy in towns that didn't bother treating...

So, I still need to get tires.
Question for you guys that have experience: How much do I need to worry about the random warm spell with winter tires?

Pretty sure Blizzak's used to advertise that once the tread was below a certain depth, to use them in the summer and finish them off. Something along those lines. Not enough tread for snow, but still a functional tire. And if you're not in deep podwer, the rubber composition means a nearly bald one is still decent on ice, and not the worst in a dusting of snow. They really suffer in slush at that point though.

You don't have to care. In theory they wear faster, but they don't seem to melt or pill. Run higher tire pressure to help keep the carcass temp down. Snow tires are usually pretty vague feeling, so it's nice to get off them for that reason.

[Falko]

Happy enough this morning with the Wildpeak AT3/W's. We don't salt much in Rehoboth so even plowed the roads are still snow packed. Not snow tire performance, but decent enough to stop-go-turn in a tail-happy pickup truck for the 7 miles I have to work.

Same tire and pretty much same experience. In 2wd they get you there, just not always straight. In 4wd they do pretty well, and will pass through about any road condition barring glare ice. I think the compound is really kind of hard to be a good winter tire, but they grip in when needed.