The Winter's Coming Winter Tires Thread

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I find when I leave enough space because of bad conditions, there are lots of nutso drivers willing to fill up that space, thus thwarting my efforts.

Yes that is very frustrating. You purposely leave a good car length or more behind the car ahead of you in poor conditions and some turd thinks that's an invitation to quickly squeeze in and take that spot because he thinks it may save him 5 seconds on his commute. If you are real lucky the turd may even signal instead of wandering on the middle line for a few seconds then moving right in.

[Shawnski]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You purposely leave a good car length or more behind the car ahead of you in poor conditions....

Wow, how generous! So how close do you drive in GOOD conditions?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

There are no cons and I stand by that. Irresponsible is arguing against snow tires in this part of the world.

I see- you are unaware then. Sorry, let me spell a few of them out for you. I will keep it simple just to make sure you understand.

- Increased cost.
- Increased maintenance schedule.
- storage concerns

There, now you know a few of them. Sorry, I thought those were pretty obvious; but apparently they were not to you.

Anybody else reading this- please be aware that I firmly beileve the benefits provided by winter tires greatly outweigh any of the cons mentioned above. I just wanted to make sure people have the whole picture, and not just a part of the picture. That way you can make an informed and intelligent decision.

[CRXguy]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Are the tires directional; and you have one or more going backwards?

Yes, they're directional and yes, I don't have the tires mixed up.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I see- you are unaware then. Sorry, let me spell a few of them out for you. I will keep it simple just to make sure you understand.

- Increased cost.
- Increased maintenance schedule.
- storage concerns

There, now you know a few of them. Sorry, I thought those were pretty obvious; but apparently they were not to you.

Anybody else reading this- please be aware that I firmly beileve the benefits provided by winter tires greatly outweigh any of the cons mentioned above. I just wanted to make sure people have the whole picture, and not just a part of the picture. That way you can make an informed and intelligent decision.

No kidding Captain Obvious. An extra set of tires costs money? An extra set of tires means you will have to store a set? Great insight there sport.

May I ask you what the cons of getting a 2nd vehicle would be? Let me guess what you would say;

- Increased cost.
- Increased maintenance schedule.
- storage concerns

There you go people. If you are ever considering adding a 2nd vehicle to your family then I hope that you see the whole picture now and can make an informed and intelligent decision.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

No kidding Captain Obvious. An extra set of tires costs money? An extra set of tires means you will have to store a set? Great insight there sport.

Increased maintenance schedule is plain horse crap but this is the internet where any person with zero knowledge can proclaim themselves as an informer.

What's with the condescension? If he's got a point, then he's got a point. You were trying to say that it's a no-brainer for people to have winter tires, and he said that while he agrees that winter tires are a great idea, there are some costs involved that people need to consider.

Hilariously, you're talking down like he's the idiot. EE, I have to give you credit. You are the same guy here in the OTF, as you are in the FOI.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 4X4

What's with the condescension? If he's got a point, then he's got a point. You were trying to say that it's a no-brainer for people to have winter tires, and he said that while he agrees that winter tires are a great idea, there are some costs involved that people need to consider.

Hilariously, you're talking down like he's the idiot. EE, I have to give you credit. You are the same guy here in the OTF, as you are in the FOI.

Lets rewind the camera here. Did you forget the part when he called me "irresponsible"? To come out with that and back it up with a post that is so blatantly obvious to anyone here that I felt my intelligence was insulted. Unless there's a winter tire fairy I'm at a loss to explain how anyone couldn't comprehend that there is a cost involved. Think about what you are arguing. Forget for a minute you probably don't like me but think about the topic and how silly you sound defending that.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by worth

As you say, the problem may well be other people. You may be a great driver and leave lots of space, but the idiot beside you who swerves into your lane or flies over the median in front of you is the problem. It doesn't matter how good of a driver or how much space you leave, emergency situations can be out of nowhere and not your fault at all. Spending the extra money upfront for a huge advantage in winter tires is a no brainer for me. Driving a 4000lb death box, I want to make sure I can do everything possible to be safe, not 80% safe.

Defensive driving and watching what the other driver does has helped me to avoid countless accidents. I also have the luxury of not having to drive when the roads are really bad.

To be fair i've driven my mothers Fusion a few times during this winter and her all seasons are dangerous. At least my Michelin M/S tires have traction in the snow and on the ice.

I looked at the costs and the amount of snow we get each winter and decided it wasn't worth the cost.

[kevman]

I think one of my favourite parts about not having winters is how worked up some people get as a result. I wouldn't be surprised if some posters started going around slashing all seasons as a form of protest to get the law changed. Viva La Revolution!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I find when I leave enough space because of bad conditions, there are lots of nutso drivers willing to fill up that space, thus thwarting my efforts.

That's why I avoid the Deerfoot

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

There are no cons and I stand by that. Irresponsible is arguing against snow tires in this part of the world.

To argue with you is like talking to a brick wall.

[vtec260]

If anyone is still thinking about getting winter tires, check out Walmart for their clearance section which can reduce initial cost a lot, although selection might be slim with their 60% off sale. They are not well known brand name, but still passed the standards imposed by the federal government. Like saying goes, worst winter tires is better than all seasons. For a set for $200 for four 17" tires, it's probably worth considering, rather than buying used winters on Kijiji. People might be hesitant to purchase unknown brand on this side of the shore, but brands like Hankook and Kumho, etc. had to start somewhere before they became more well recognized.

http://www.walmart.ca/en/automotive/...er-tires/N-257

You will have to click on the size of your choice to see the discounted price and size availability.

[btimbit]

Canadian Tire is having a winter tire clearance sale right now too. 30% some good ones.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Dion

That's why I avoid the Deerfoot

That's cool. I moved more than a 1000 Ks away to avoid the Deerfoot, kidding. I go by my old boy scout motto of 'be prepared'. Still it's more a case of do as I say, not do as I do as my current tires are only Nokian M&S rated but my next set will be all weather as we rarely have snow here.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Dion

I use M/S tires on my Ford Escape and have zero problems with traction this winter. Nor have I held people up or been in any accidents. For sure winters might help but from what i've seen people need to be taught how to drive for the conditions during the winter months. That to me is the bigger problem.

Maybe driver training is the bigger problem and maybe not, but it is a distinct and separate problem. It is also the more difficult and costly one to solve. Even if training is the more pressing problem, it still doesn't mean we can't solve problem of people like you opting to put the wrong and less safe tires on your vehicle by making them mandatory.

In fact, your attitude towards winter tires is exactly why they should be mandatory. You say you haven't had problems with traction this winter, but it is an indisputable fact that winter tires increase stopping distances and improve handling - two basic functions your car needs to be safe. Just because you haven't encountered a situation yet this year where an added 10' of stopping distance means the difference between running over a six-year old and stopping before him doesn't mean you won't this afternoon.

The added cost of winter tires is negligible. If you don't have them on your car, you're doing it wrong.

[The Yen Man]

I can see the arguments for not getting winter tires (cost, storage, and hassle), but to me, I think it's a small price to pay to make sure I have the best tools to tackle winter roads. I mean, it's like wearing a helmet. You can technically bike or ski without a helmet and compensate with better skill, but why not add on top of your skill with more safety measures?

I guess I wouldn't really care if was like the helmet, where it only affects the individuals that choose not to use one. But I have to share the road with people who don't use winter tires, which puts my safety more at unneccessary risk.

[Wormius]

I will chime in with this little anecdote. I have always had winter tires, except for last year when I cheaped out because both sets of winter and summer tires needed replacing. That winter, I had the most near misses in braking situations ever. Traction has never been an issue with my AWD regardless of the tires but control when braking in winter sure sucks.

[CarlLester]

Maybe early for this bump but someone had to do it!

I have a quote for new winter wheels and tires. The quote says I can choose the new Blizzak WS80 or the Michelin Xi3 for the same price. I have done the obligatory research on tirerack.com, etc and read a bunch of reviews.

Does anyone have any input for selecting one of these tires for driving in Calgary? I can only read so much about one being better on clear roads, one better in snow, one not as good in slush, etc.

I have never used winter tires before () but this year I need to. Any input from somone who has used either Blizzaks or Xi3s would be appreciated.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CarlLester

Maybe early for this bump but someone had to do it!

I have a quote for new winter wheels and tires. The quote says I can choose the new Blizzak WS80 or the Michelin Xi3 for the same price. I have done the obligatory research on tirerack.com, etc and read a bunch of reviews.

Does anyone have any input for selecting one of these tires for driving in Calgary? I can only read so much about one being better on clear roads, one better in snow, one not as good in slush, etc.

I have never used winter tires before () but this year I need to. Any input from somone who has used either Blizzaks or Xi3s would be appreciated.

My wife had blizzaks on her van last winter. They were good and we didn't have any problems or issues. Also seemd to wear well.

[Nyah]

Every time I see this this thread bumped, I wish it was titled The 'Winter Is Coming' Winter Tires Thread.