Hey guys,

I'm thinking about buying a set of winter tires for the up and coming R... I get consumer reports and recently there was a pretty good article about all-season performance tires. So, the question as it stands is, do I go out and blow some big cash on the top rated (By computer reports anyway) Dunlop all season performance tires, or some other name brand all-weather tire... Or do I just go to discount tire and buy the $50 winter tires?

I mean, obviously you get what you pay for... but I'm going to be running these tires for daily driving, not really doing any racing or anything, which is why I wonder if the cheapies would be OK assuming all I'm doing is driving to and from work.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, model numbers, brands, etc. I'd much rather get my info from you guys than the chumps at the tire shop.

Edit: Oh, also, how much can I expect to spend per tire on anything you guys reccomend?


[Modified by io_burn, 1:25 PM 11/1/2002]

 

blizzaks

 

artic alpins or blizzaks will suffice for us chicagoans. They are good winter/snow tires and aren't too expensive. You don't need to go spend big money on hakkapeliitas or anything like that, in my opinion. You aren't going to be doing much 'spirited' driving in the winter, are you?


[Modified by 1107, 7:26 PM 11/1/2002]

 

I have Kumho on mine, dunno the type though... they are snow tires.. maybe I´ll buy tires with studs this winter, for my gf.

 

All season tires are compromise tires. They're good, not great, on snow and ice, and good, not great, on dry roads in the summer. They're perfect for a family car or minivan.

For a performance car driven year round, you're much much much much much better off using two sets of tires: a high-performance tire (like the stock RE010, Falken Azenis, S-03, etc) for most of the year, and a true winter tire (like the Michelin Arctic Alpin or Bridgestone Blizzak) during the months that have winter weather. Get an extra set of wheels (steel wheels are inexpensive) and you'll only have to mount them once. If you buy the wheels and tires together from a place like Tire Rack, they won't even charge you for mounting them.

 

I drove on s-03's last winter....

I wouldn't recommend a high performance tire for winter, even if that tire says 'all season high performance'. As ken stated, you comprimise performance for winter grip, so don't expect much of anything from azenis, re-010's, s-03's....

 

Tire Rack sells the Michelin Arctic Alpin in the stock 195/55-15 size for $78/tire. They have steel wheels for $42 each.

 

The only gripe I have about winter tires is that they suck in the rain. That is why I'm running All season Bridgestone Potenza RE930i's on Millenia wheels for winter. True they are an all season and a compromise, but they are one of the best all season tires Ive ever used. (discontinued unfortunately.) I even already had a chance to try them in the snow. not bad for all season tires

Dont use Any performance tire on snow. When i still had the Si I put my Si wheels w/ RE730s on too early last spring and we had one last snow/icing, and it totally sucked ***** All I did was slide to the side when braking or accelerating


[Modified by EbboyPSi, 1:38 PM 11/1/2002]


[Modified by EbboyPSi, 1:39 PM 11/1/2002]

 

P.S. Part of the difference between winter tires and high performance tires is not just their snow capability, but also their optimal temperature operating range. High performance tires are designed to operate in warm weather. Winter tires are designed for cold temperatures. So winter tires will grip much, much better than summer tires on frigid days even when the roads are dry.

 

Yeah that's what kind of worries me, because last year we had a real rainy winter... It's hard to say. I'd just like to spend under $100 a tire and be covered decently in just about any situation.

Edit: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....num=955VR5RE92 <-- These are the tires you're talking about? Those really look to be about the best bet. I have a 4 wheel drive jeep I can drive when the winter is really rough, but I just want something to keep me covered on the iffy days.


[Modified by io_burn, 1:46 PM 11/1/2002]

 

True winter tires are not great whenever the temperatures are moderate. When we get an occasional winter day when it's in the forties or fifties, the winter tires are not going to feel all that good, wet or dry. You are making a compromise with any tire.

An all-season tire might be best in places that get some snow but have many moderate days - St. Louis, DC, etc - because they'll be good, not great, in snow and better than the winter tires on the warmer days. Another option for those places is a winter tire that's slightly better for ride quality in moderate temps while not quite as good on snow and ice, such as the Michelin Pilot Alpin.

In colder places like Chicago, Boston, etc, most of the days are pretty cold (average high in January is 27F) and it rarely rains. We get snow (as you've probably heard) and sometimes it melts during the day and the runoff freezes at night, forming ice. Around here, a winter tire that's great on snow and ice makes more sense. The Arctic Alpin is inexpensive and does quite well. There are others that come in the OEM size, including the Blizzak and the Nokian, but they tend to be a bit more money.

Choose the tire that meets your needs best.

 

Man, well to tell you the truth I've never had to worry about what kind of winter tires to get before, the R has summer tires, so I really am not sure what to get... Pretty much whatever enough of you guys reccomend I'll buy

 

I was kinda torn between winter tires or all seasons when I purchased my all seasons. Winters are probably a better choice if your in Illinois ( I would thinK). They would probably be a better choice here in Omaha too but oh well........im confident i'll get around okay


[Modified by EbboyPSi, 1:50 PM 11/1/2002]


[Modified by EbboyPSi, 1:51 PM 11/1/2002]

 

Well, all-seasons can't be THAT bad I don't know, it's not like I drive on un-plowed gravel roads all day long or anything. I'm just worrying about when I'm driving and it first starts snowing, or during kind of slushy rain.

 

My advice: If you're only going to use these tires in the winter, and you have other summer tires to use the rest of the year, get real winter tires like the Arctic Alpin, not all-season like the RE92.

 

The question then would be with a winter tire, would driving in rain be worse, better, or the same as an all season tire?

 

If you are going to compromise, get the dunlop sport 5000's. If you are sensible you can drive through most snow. (Driving to Stowe in VT w/ 4" on the ground is possible).

They are also a pretty damn good dry tire. 320 treadwear, AA in the wet. My last set lasted me 28,000 before they were taken off and replaced with s03's.

Tom (who will be ordering another set of sport5000's in a few days.)




[Modified by Tomakit, 3:10 PM 11/1/2002]

 

An all season will generally be better in the rain. But we don't get much rain in Chicago during the winter. Last winter was unusual.

Besides, winter tires don't SUCK in the rain. You're still going to have traction - it's not like driving in snow with summer tires. They just aren't quite as good as all seasons.

I think you're better off planning for the worst conditions that you typically get - around here, that's snow and ice and frigid cold, not rain.

Just my O...

 

Alright cool, should I order some Alpins from tire rack, or just pick them up locally?

 

i had re-010 during my first winter, i bought the car in january, so basically the car went straight to winter, and it was snowing kinda bad too. I survived , but i didn't really travel anywhere other than back and forth to work, and only drive in dry weather elsewhere. then, i replaced the OEM tires with s-03, also went through a winter, and survived, and again, i kept the travelling to the minimal. i went snowboarding once, but the winter last year wasnt that bad. i think i wanna get a set of winter tires this year. either getting that and get my snowboard back on the slope, or find a friend who drive 4WD

 

I'd just buy on tirerack. Ive tried to get quotes locally here before and the prices are <U>USUALLY</U> rediculous. Tire rack's price usually ends up cheaper even with shipping


[Modified by EbboyPSi, 2:29 PM 11/1/2002]

 

P.S. I use the Arctic Alpins, if that helps.

You know the Tire Rack price, plus you'll pay shipping, but no sales tax.

Ask around locally and you can find out prices. Don't forget to add mounting/balancing and sales tax, and the price for wheels if you're buying those too.

It never hurts to compare prices. Just don't let them talk you into getting another tire that might be inferior to the one you're asking about.

 

I have used the Pirreli Snowsport 210P's( H rated) for the past 5 years. It has good grip on the snow but at the same time has good grip when it is dry. Most winter days in Toronto, the streets are dry after the plows have cleared all the snow so a Blizzak or similar tire would wear down very quickly...

AW

 

Arctic Alpin Pilots OWN. They don't take away too much of the car's handling and they TEAR through the snow. I've never found them to be remotely bad in heavy rain, either. I'm running 195/55HR15, BTW. (They are more like a 205, though. they rub more than my summer 205/50-15 Kumho 712's, which don't rub at all)

All seasons are bogus unless you have little skinny 185-section 14's--then they dig into the snow fairly well.

HTH

 

No such tire. Michelin makes two different winter tires. One is called the Arctic Alpin and it's their best on snow and ice. The other is called the Pilot Alpin which (as noted in the Tire Rack materials) "trades some snow and ice traction for more dry road handling and high speed capability". I believe both are available in 195/55-15.