My es100s are getting pretty low on tread, about -20% and winter is coming up. I live in southern illinois, and the winters here are pretty unpredictable. Last January we had like 12+ inches of snow.

I'm lookign to buy a set of snow tires, but since we may have a light snow this season, I dont think it is worth it to spend 3-400 bucks on snow tires for a couple months and then having to switch back to my Es100s that are next to bald. Then I would have to end up replacing the es100s and I would have a set of pretty new snow tires that I would have to unmount again.

Would it be a better idea for me if instead of getting strictly snow tires, but instead a set of all season? Last year, I had the great experience of going thru snow in a set of azenis.. that really sucked. I found that falken ziexs are all season tires and they are dirt cheap, but I dunno how well they are going to perform in the snow.

Do you think I can get away with a set of all seasons and what type would u guys recommend?

OR screw the tire idea all together and try to get a few more hundred bucks and find me a beater for around 1000bucks?

 

I would get a set of extra wheels with dedicated snow tyres on them.

However, a more preferrable option is to get a beater with dedicated snow tyres.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Reid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would get a set of extra wheels with dedicated snow tyres on them.

However, a more preferrable option is to get a beater with dedicated snow tyres. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree completely.... couple of years ago I was studying at a friend's place till really late and when I got up to leave, I was met with some nasty snow fall.

Long story short, gave the ABS the workout of its life causing it to still be fawked even today.... hopped a curb, broke a fence, took out a stop sign and froze my *** off waiting 2 hours for a tow truck...only to have my car fall back into the ditch RIGHT AFTER he leaves.....

needless to say I bombed my exam the next morning....

I cracked the chin, pwned the bumper, knocked out the alignment, scratched the wheel to **** as it knicked a concrete barrier and me being a total dumbass kept spinning the wheels AGAINST it...thinking I even had a chance to get out....

 

If you could afford to get a beater, then get it. But if not then look into some steelies and throw on some Brigestone Blizzaks.

Ali

 

Certainly, a set of winter tires mounted on a second set of wheels would be preferable to all-season tires. I don't think you disagree with that.

Your question is whether you can get by with a set of all-season tires, all year round, in order to save money. Here's what you need to consider. All-season tires are often called "compromise tires". They offer the ability to drive in all kinds of weather, but the compromise is that they're really not as good as specialized tires. More specifically, they will be okay in winter conditions, but won't perform as well as a true winter tire. They will be okay in warmer weather, but won't perform as well as a summer tire like your ES100. Are you willing to downgrade the performance of your car twelve months a year in order to get by with the same tires year round? (If so, I don't mean to diss you by saying this, but you might be better off not having an ITR. I say this because you would be better off selling the ITR, getting an otherwise-similar GS-R with good summer tires, buying a set of winter tires and wheels for the GS-R, and putting the left-over ~$5K in the bank. That would give you better performance in all weather conditions than an ITR with all-season tires, plus money in the bank.)

In other words, it's not so much which tires you use in winter that's the problem. With your mild winters, all-season tires might be fine. The problem is that your car won't have all that much performance the other nine months of the year, if you keep using all-season tires year round.

Here are some costs to consider:

Four new steel wheels from the Tire Rack: $168
Four Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 winter tires, 195/55-15: $352
(Or, four Dunlop Graspic DS-2 winter tires, 195/55-15: $280 - not as good as the Blizzaks, but they're real winter tires)
Mounting and balancing, when buying wheels and tires as a set: Free

So, for $448 to $520, you will get a set of wheels and tires, that you can swap on and off your car yourself, that will last you for many many winters, and will let you get to your destination in almost anything winter throws at you.

Sure, you'll need to get summer tires again when your ES100's finally wear out - but you won't need to spend that until next spring at the earliest, and once you buy them, they will be good for another 38,000 miles (that's how long mine are lasting on the GS-R).

 

I am a firm believer in spending money on proper rubber. It's amazing how the correct tire for a specific application can transform your cars performance accordingly.

I bought steel wheels mounted with snows when my R was a DD since I knew I wanted to drive the R on Azenis in the other 3 seasons and knew that these Azenis would suck *** and were not designed to handle 1 - 2 out of the 4 seasons and especially snow.

My R has since become an only fair weather toy. But FWIW I even still buy snow tires mounted on steelies for my other vehicles I own, IE wifes Trailblazer, and nice chunky AT's for my Yukon. Most SUV's these days are equipped with highway friendly 4 season tires that are more comfortable, quiet and a compromise than anything else. I want real all weather performance and snow tires not only provide traction but superior braking & cornering ability as well as hydroplane resistance.

Think of it this way, if you're thinking of a DD or beater instead of proper rubber for the R, you'll still have to look at proper rubber for the beater and if snow and winter are a concern, winter tires are paramount.

 

Here's what the Tire Rack's top technical expert has to say about winter tires:

"All other things being equal, a front-wheel-drive vehicle with modern snow tires will match or beat an all-wheel-drive car fitted with dry or all-season tires every time. Put the same set of snows on both vehicles and the superiority of all-wheel-drive will be evident, but not as overwhelmingly as one might expect."

 

Oh I can vouch for that. My Altima with just the cheap assed Winterforce rubbers would out drive all the soccer moms in Hummers & Escalades and Dads in AWD BMW's all day long and through the worst storms when commuting.

My wifes 4X4 Trailblazer never got stuck in the snow. It performed admirably with the stock Continentals but it wouldn't stop for **** and couldn't turn to save itself. Slapped on some Bridgestone Blizzaks and the thing is transformed into a confident winter driver now.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RRa_kcaLb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What would you do?? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Buy my snow tires and wheels for $200. Pickup only.

Yeah, snow tires make the aRR a pleasant snow-weather vehicle. Stopping and turning much improved. The Michelin Pilot Alpin's are also quite adept in the cold/dry/wet, which would be quite useful in southern IL since you won't have snow about 90% of the time (but you do have plenty of cold and other conditions that old/worn tires won't like).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Buy my snow tires and wheels for $200. Pickup only. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hey, at least he's in the same state. Even if Carbondale is 375 miles from Gurnee!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The Michelin Pilot Alpin's are also quite adept in the cold/dry/wet, which would be quite useful in southern IL since you won't have snow about 90% of the time (but you do have plenty of cold and other conditions that old/worn tires won't like).</TD></TR></TABLE>

Just to elaborate on this point... The Tire Rack classifies winter tires into two basic categories: (a) tires that are the best on snow and ice, but whose ride quality and handling are only so-so when the weather isn't that cold; they call these "studless winter tires", and (b) tires that are pretty good on snow and ice, although not as good as the previous category, but whose ride quality and handling are actually pretty good when the weather isn't that good; they call these "performance winter tires". Since it doesn't snow all that much where you are, you would be better off with "category (b)". Normally, category (b) is more expensive than category (a). But $200 for a set of Pilot Alpins already on steelies is a damn good deal. Heck, they're worth driving to Gurnee for.