Best All Season tire?
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Re: Best All Season tire? (streetdoc)
While there are better all-seasons, the Kumho ASX is about the best performance/dollar tire you can find in that category. The Pirelli PZero Nero M+S is better as per this test but not significantly. Theyre also about 50% more expensive. From that, if it were my car Id have the Kumhos
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Re: Best All Season tire? (Voyage34)
If you can, you're better off getting a cheap second set of wheels, and getting real winter tires, rather than all-seasons. That way, you can get the best performance year round - winter tires in the winter, and summer tires the rest of the year.
However, if you HAVE TO use the same tires all year round, I agree with Voyage34. The very best all-season tires IMHO are the Kumho ASX, Pirelli PZero Nero M+S, Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, and Michelin Pilot Sport AS. The Kumho ASX is the least expensive of these and so it's the one I recommend, as long as you have 15" wheels or larger. If you have 14" wheels, get the RE960AS, which is the only one of these available in 14" sizes.
However, if you HAVE TO use the same tires all year round, I agree with Voyage34. The very best all-season tires IMHO are the Kumho ASX, Pirelli PZero Nero M+S, Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, and Michelin Pilot Sport AS. The Kumho ASX is the least expensive of these and so it's the one I recommend, as long as you have 15" wheels or larger. If you have 14" wheels, get the RE960AS, which is the only one of these available in 14" sizes.
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Re: Best All Season tire? (cinci27)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cinci27 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">When I lived in Chicago, Evanston to be exact, I rolled on Kumho ASX and I'd recommend them.
Tried studless winter tires there and found them to be a waste.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I live in the Chicago area too, and have found studless winter tires to be far, far better for our winters than all-seasons. You may get lucky and have a mild winter, but you may not - and when it isn't mild, they just perform way better than all-seasons.
Tried studless winter tires there and found them to be a waste.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I live in the Chicago area too, and have found studless winter tires to be far, far better for our winters than all-seasons. You may get lucky and have a mild winter, but you may not - and when it isn't mild, they just perform way better than all-seasons.
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Re: Best All Season tire? (cinci27)
Mild winter or not, Chicago has too many temperate days mixed in where you're far worse off on winter tires. Gotta be careful you're not overprotecting yourself. They have a place; such as when I lived in Winnepeg and Minneapolis. Cheers 
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Re: Best All Season tire? (cinci27)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cinci27 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Mild winter or not, Chicago has too many temperate days mixed in where you're far worse off on winter tires.</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's absolutely not true, and it's terrible advice, too. You shouldn't buy tires based on the best conditions you're going to face. You should buy tires based on the WORST conditions you're going to face.
It sounds to me like you've only lived in Chicago for a short period when the winter happens to have been mild, like a few recent years. First, let's talk about NORMAL Chicago winter weather. Chicago averages over 38 inches of snow per year, with daytime temperatures averaging below freezing and nighttime temperatures averaging in the low teens (ref) - not at all what any reasonable person would term "temperate". In half of Chicago winters, the temperature drops down to -10 F or colder.
Now, let's talk about when winters here are worse than normal. I've been here when we broke our all-time records for coldest temperature (-27 F), for consecutive days with the temperature staying below freezing (44), for consecutive hours with the temperature staying below zero F (100), and for the most snowfall in a season (90 inches).
In Chicago, you really NEED winter tires if you have to be able to drive around on frigid and/or snowy days. If you have another vehicle or you have the option of staying home, then you may be able to get by with all-seasons. If you have to use the same tires all year round, you may be stuck with the poorer performance of all-seasons, in winter as well as the rest of the year. But there's no way all-seasons can compare when dealing with Chicago winters. If you have the ability to swap your tires for winter, you really need to get winter tires, not all-season tires.
Please don't post BAD INFORMATION or BAD ADVICE like that on the forums. It's a disservice to all of our members.
That's absolutely not true, and it's terrible advice, too. You shouldn't buy tires based on the best conditions you're going to face. You should buy tires based on the WORST conditions you're going to face.
It sounds to me like you've only lived in Chicago for a short period when the winter happens to have been mild, like a few recent years. First, let's talk about NORMAL Chicago winter weather. Chicago averages over 38 inches of snow per year, with daytime temperatures averaging below freezing and nighttime temperatures averaging in the low teens (ref) - not at all what any reasonable person would term "temperate". In half of Chicago winters, the temperature drops down to -10 F or colder.
Now, let's talk about when winters here are worse than normal. I've been here when we broke our all-time records for coldest temperature (-27 F), for consecutive days with the temperature staying below freezing (44), for consecutive hours with the temperature staying below zero F (100), and for the most snowfall in a season (90 inches).
In Chicago, you really NEED winter tires if you have to be able to drive around on frigid and/or snowy days. If you have another vehicle or you have the option of staying home, then you may be able to get by with all-seasons. If you have to use the same tires all year round, you may be stuck with the poorer performance of all-seasons, in winter as well as the rest of the year. But there's no way all-seasons can compare when dealing with Chicago winters. If you have the ability to swap your tires for winter, you really need to get winter tires, not all-season tires.
Please don't post BAD INFORMATION or BAD ADVICE like that on the forums. It's a disservice to all of our members.
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Re: Best All Season tire? (nsxtasy)
For Chicago I recommend BF Goodrich Traction T/A's. Have used them over several winters. Never felt like I was stranded. 
Winter tires in Chicago is overkill unless you drive through South Bend or out to the mountians. If you're that worried about traction you should stay in for risk of someone hitting you because nobody has em there.
Winter tires in Chicago is overkill unless you drive through South Bend or out to the mountians. If you're that worried about traction you should stay in for risk of someone hitting you because nobody has em there.
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Re: Best All Season tire? (CardDealer)
More bad advice and bad information.
Wow, not only a mere all-season tire, but a really crappy one as well. 
(BFGoodrich does make a pretty good, albeit expensive, all-season; it's the g-Force T/A KDWS. The Traction T/A is just designed to be cheap.)
Again, if you must use the same tires all year round, the best all-season tires are listed above. But if you can swing it, you'll get better performance in winter, and better performance the rest of the year, with two sets of tires, winter tires for Chicago's harsh winter and summer tires for the rest of the year.
Absolutely NOT true. You need winter tires if you want decent traction in snow, on ice, and when it's frigid cold (even if the roads are dry). They give MUCH better traction than all-season tires. All-seasons are okay when there's light snow, but they won't grip anywhere near as well as true winter tires.
Incidentally, even though South Bend gets more snow than Chicago, Chicago winters are colder, on average, than South Bend. And winter tires grip much better in extreme cold than all-seasons do, even when the roads are dry.
Also absolutely NOT true. Many people in Chicago use winter tires; in fact, the Tire Rack sells more winter tires to customers in the Chicago area than anywhere else.
Here's what the Tire Rack says about the difference between all-season tires and winter tires:
You can also see an ice test of two winter tires against an all-season tire and a summer tire here.
The original poster's question has been answered. Too bad it had to get mixed in with so much wrong information and bad advice.
Originally Posted by CardDealer
For Chicago I recommend BF Goodrich Traction T/A's.
(BFGoodrich does make a pretty good, albeit expensive, all-season; it's the g-Force T/A KDWS. The Traction T/A is just designed to be cheap.)Again, if you must use the same tires all year round, the best all-season tires are listed above. But if you can swing it, you'll get better performance in winter, and better performance the rest of the year, with two sets of tires, winter tires for Chicago's harsh winter and summer tires for the rest of the year.
Originally Posted by CardDealer
Winter tires in Chicago is overkill unless you drive through South Bend or out to the mountians.
Incidentally, even though South Bend gets more snow than Chicago, Chicago winters are colder, on average, than South Bend. And winter tires grip much better in extreme cold than all-seasons do, even when the roads are dry.
Originally Posted by CardDealer
If you're that worried about traction you should stay in for risk of someone hitting you because nobody has em there.
Here's what the Tire Rack says about the difference between all-season tires and winter tires:
Originally Posted by Tire Rack
But Do I Really Need Winter Tires?
The primary concern that our customers express is that they don't want to get "stuck" in the snow (or in the ditch) during the winter.
While in cities like Atlantic City, Memphis and Seattle located at the extreme edges of the snow belt, relatively new All-Season tires will probably work just fine. But the odds change as you move further into the snow belt or the All-Season tires have a few years of wear on them. And who wants to gamble...especially when their collision deductible and future insurance premiums are on the table.
We all know that tires are a compromise. One tire can't be the fastest on the track, most controllable in the snow, and longest wearing. The Ultra High Performance tire that grips the track with tread temperatures of 200° is incompetent as its tread compound becomes like "hard plastic" at below 32°. Today's 80,000-mile tires require tread designs and compounds that maximize long, even wear... not winter traction. And while many of today's all-season tires (Original Equipment, touring and performance) address some of these issues, they still emphasize longer wear, a quieter ride or greater performance...not winter traction.
Only winter tires are designed to excel in the colder temperatures, slush, snow and ice that many parts of the country experience for three or more months a year.
It's also important to note that the recent advancements in electronic driver aids, such as ABS and traction control don't provide more traction. They only help prevent drivers from over braking or overpowering the available traction of their tires. The only thing the driver can do to increase traction...to actually get more grip and control... is install better tires.
Won't All-Season Tires Work Just Fine?
By design, All-Season tires are a compromise intended to provide acceptable traits under a wide variety of conditions. However, that compromised goal prevents them from being a master of any one of them. The All-Season tire tread designs and compounds that are engineered to provide extended mileages and durability under the summer's sun are less effective in winter's freezing temperatures, and through snow and on ice. Specific winter tires deliver much better snow and ice performance than All-Season tires because their tread designs and tread compounds are engineered to master those conditions, while summer tires are engineered to deliver better handling in the rain and on dry roads. Why not have the best tires for each of the conditions you'll encounter?
The primary concern that our customers express is that they don't want to get "stuck" in the snow (or in the ditch) during the winter.
While in cities like Atlantic City, Memphis and Seattle located at the extreme edges of the snow belt, relatively new All-Season tires will probably work just fine. But the odds change as you move further into the snow belt or the All-Season tires have a few years of wear on them. And who wants to gamble...especially when their collision deductible and future insurance premiums are on the table.
We all know that tires are a compromise. One tire can't be the fastest on the track, most controllable in the snow, and longest wearing. The Ultra High Performance tire that grips the track with tread temperatures of 200° is incompetent as its tread compound becomes like "hard plastic" at below 32°. Today's 80,000-mile tires require tread designs and compounds that maximize long, even wear... not winter traction. And while many of today's all-season tires (Original Equipment, touring and performance) address some of these issues, they still emphasize longer wear, a quieter ride or greater performance...not winter traction.
Only winter tires are designed to excel in the colder temperatures, slush, snow and ice that many parts of the country experience for three or more months a year.
It's also important to note that the recent advancements in electronic driver aids, such as ABS and traction control don't provide more traction. They only help prevent drivers from over braking or overpowering the available traction of their tires. The only thing the driver can do to increase traction...to actually get more grip and control... is install better tires.
Won't All-Season Tires Work Just Fine?
By design, All-Season tires are a compromise intended to provide acceptable traits under a wide variety of conditions. However, that compromised goal prevents them from being a master of any one of them. The All-Season tire tread designs and compounds that are engineered to provide extended mileages and durability under the summer's sun are less effective in winter's freezing temperatures, and through snow and on ice. Specific winter tires deliver much better snow and ice performance than All-Season tires because their tread designs and tread compounds are engineered to master those conditions, while summer tires are engineered to deliver better handling in the rain and on dry roads. Why not have the best tires for each of the conditions you'll encounter?
The original poster's question has been answered. Too bad it had to get mixed in with so much wrong information and bad advice.
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