For those of you who drive the R year round, please post up your winter wheel and tire setup. A pic is preferable if available. Please format as such:

Wheel - OEM
Size - 15 x 6.5
Tire - Hankook Winter iPike W409 (studded)
Size - 195/55/15


I'm currently looking into a set of Rota Track R's painted black for my ipikes. Look like steelies but a bit more pleasing to the eye. Basically these wheels, not sure if pictured are real sprints or not:

 

Steelies with 195/55/15 Hakkapeliitta. Type R's kick *** in snow.

 

Not the best snow tire but it has done pretty well for me to this point.

Stock rim
Kumho ASX 205/50/15




and LSD's and snow = FUN!

 

My ITR doesn't get many miles during winter. At one point I picked up a used set of 15" steelies with Pirelli winter tires in 195/55-15. They're not the best, but they're okay. They've gotten me back and forth to a couple of December events at VIR with part of the route in frigid cold and snow.

The winter workhorse in the garage is the GS-R. We've got some 15" steelies on it, too, but with Michelin Arctic Alpin tires in 195/55-15. This is the predecessor of their X-Ice and X-Ice Xi2, maybe the best winter tire available today. It's awesome in winter conditions.

If that's what you're actually using, you should be aware that (a) many of the northern cold-weather states ban the use of studded tires, and (b) studded winter tires don't grip as well as the better studless winter tires in most winter conditions.

I'm sure you're aware that the ASX is an all-season tire, not a winter tire.

 

[QUOTE=nsxtasy;41179323]

If that's what you're actually using, you should be aware that (a) many of the northern cold-weather states ban the use of studded tires, and (b) studded winter tires don't grip as well as the better studless winter tires in most winter conditions.
QUOTE]

My state allows it and I actually have another old set of winters for when the snow lets up.

I may look into those michellin tires for next season. I know you're the tire guru for our cars and trust your opinion. Would these be as rugged as a nokian tire?

 

I used steelies and Hakka's (studded). Then moved onto Hankook snow tires (can't remember the name, but not studded). Hakka's were good, but overkill. Hankook's were great. I also didn't miss the "click click" of the studs, either.

Also, the tire size was 195/60/15. I liked the extra bit of height for the snow.

 

Finally an R that doesn't roll Volks in the winter. . . LOL. For some reason I recently saw pics of 2 Rs in the snow with TE37s. I don't care what the conditions are. If there is snow on the road . . . roll steelies.

 

Yep.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "rugged". Nokian actually makes several different winter tires with the Hakkapeliitta name on them. They tend to be expensive and the big internet dealers don't sell them. And the studless winter tires made by Michelin and Bridgestone are really, really good, for less money. So I just keep using those. I haven't driven on the Nokian.

The Tire Rack did a side-by-side comparison test on snow and ice, and the tires finished in this order:

1. Michelin X-Ice Xi2
2. Bridgestone Blizzak WS60
3. Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi
4. Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice

They said about the Nokian, "The sliding factor of this tire made it the most fun to drive, but in the end it didn't offer quite the overall traction of the Michelin or Bridgestone tires." You can see the test at http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=111

Prices:
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 195/55-15 $79 at Tire Rack
Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 195/55-15 $79 at Tire Rack
Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi 195/55-15 $99 (shipped) at Tires By Web
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R 195/55-15 $154 (shipped) at Tires By Web

So for about the same money you can get better traction with the Xi2 or WS60 than the Hakka RSi. And the Hakka R is ridiculously expensive.