I was thinking about picking up an extra set of wheels cheap and getting some studded tires for them, but I'm wondering if anyone here has done it before and found it worthless or what. I'm in the PNW, so only a coupla weeks of snow, but it's going to be wet all the time and I'd rather play it safe. I feel my Prelude slipping around a bit when it's wet, and I can only imagine that it would be worse with RWD.

Anyway, I'm guessing if it is a good idea then I probably only wanna do the rear tires, right?

Any info is appreciated.

 

uhh, no, you would want to do them all.

just get some blizzaks and throw something heavy in the trunk, a sandbag or something

 

The problem with throwing something heavy in the trunk is that once the car starts sliding, it will be very hard to bring it back.

The sand in the trunk helps get you going from a light or something.

I never used sand or anything else with my 240SX back when I was 16. I also only had all season tires on that car...I have never bought winter tires for any car I've ever owned. The 240SX was also my first car and the car I learned to drive stick on. I never had an issue. But then again...I'm an AMAZING driver/person.

I don't drive the S2000 in the winter mostly because I have no motivation to. I store it and save on insurance. My EM1 is my DD because it just makes more sense. Maybe it might make more sense to just drive your prelude assuming you still have it?

 

Studded tires work best on ice and very hardpack snow. They would give you LESS grip on wet roads because the hard studs have nothing to grab hold of. You will be better off with a good set of all season tires.

I live in MN and even up here I use all season tires year round with no problems.

 

i just use hankook ipikes and they work great. my dad sears by studded tires but screw that a nice set of winter tires are worth their weight in gold

 

Studded tires in the rain??? Just get some good all-seasons if you have to drive in crappy weather. The S was NOT meant for the ice or hard snow.

 

agree. Studs are for hard snow. If you get mostly rain, good all season tires are the way to go. Or cheap winter tires if you prefer. Also, I've never tried them but I have friends that say swiping them is the way to go.

 

Siping tires provides snow/wet grip, but you lose dry grip and tire life.

Sounds weak.

 

Hmm, that's all pretty interesting. Everyone up here leaves their studded tires on forever, so I assumed that they were helpful. Must just be for when they go up to the mountains and they're too lazy to take them off.

What make/model all-season tires would you guys recommend that work well when it's really wet?

 

You don't need all season for wet. You need all season for snow, though.

Iduno, go on tire rack and look. The BFG super sport AS seems to get decent ratings, IIRC.

 

x2

You won't be disappointed.

 

I have the blizzaks and have been more than happy with them. I still try to avoid any heavy snow but every now and then I have no other options. I have seen other all wheel drive vehicles in heavy snow get stuck while I got through no problem with the blizzaks, great snow tires.

 

I got the Goodyear Eagle GT for Winter duty (MD Winters not nearly bad enough for a dedicated snow tire) as they were the highest rated "Ultra High Performance All-Season" tire when I made my purchase at Tire Rack. Not sure if I'd recommend them myself though. They are really good in the wet. Haven't really tried them in snow and my only other tire has been the stock RE050 which you can't even compare.

 

I've lived in Seattle nearly all my life - VW Beetle with studded tires on the rear, many front wheel drives (mostly Hondas) with studded tires on all 4 - yes, winter or all season tires are great and are easier on the roads. The problem in Seattle and the passes, however, is that we usually have snow on top of ice. And "only" studded tires will really grip the ice - the other problem with that, however, is that if you aren't careful, studded tires can act like skates on ice. So, if you can avoid driving when we have snow, stick with all season radials. If you may have to go out in the snow/ice or over any of the passes, though, you really need studded snow tires.