The Winter's Coming Winter Tires Thread

[Calgary14]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Im not reading thru all the pages here (im way too lazy for that), any recommended places to buy steel wheels? What kind of price per am I looking at?

I got mine here: http://www.costco.ca/Steel-Wheels%2c...100018256.html

I also got them installed at Costco and it went well

[btimbit]

Michelin X-Ice Xi3's are on sale at Canadian Tire. Even cheaper than Costco. Very solid tire, you won't be disappointed

http://tires.canadiantire.ca/en/tire...e-xi3/2085633/

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by worth

I have Blizzak WS70's on my car now and I think they are a real downgrade as opposed to the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R's I used to have. Really disappointed in the WS70's.

Blizzaks are garbage. Continental's are far superior IMO.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

I looked around and Costco seems to have the best price. I was looking at the Michelin - X-Ice Xi3 or the Bridgestone - Blizzak WS80. I was looking at the Michelin - Pilot Alpin PA4 but that looks like it is a semi-winter tire, mainly for milder winters?

Pilot Alpins are performance winter tires as there isn't such thing as a semi-winter tire. Typically you would use these on a performance car that rides on 18"+ wheels and low profile tires. You can argue that they are a pretty good fit in Calgary seeing our roads are dry for the majority of winter as performance winter tires are superior to studless ice/snow tires in the dry. In deep snow they are not as good as studless ice and snow tire so you have to accept that trade off.

I'm running Pirelli Sottozero Serie ii performance winter tires and they work for me in Calgary as due to the cars I drive I'm always stuck having to use performance winter tires (it's hard to get studless ice and snow tires in 40 or 35 series profiles) and I've never had an issue getting around in Calgary. If your car is a Civic or family sedan you are better off going with a studless ice and snow tire as I wouldn't advise running a performance winter tire on a car that doesn't require V, W, or Y rates tires.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

I have a question that has probably asked here before - Does AWD help compensate the lack of winter tires?

Doesn't matter how many wheels you have being driven, if none of them have traction.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Doesn't matter how many wheels you have being driven, if none of them have traction.

Partly true but my wife's Outback is still riding the OEM all season Contintentals and they are still good enough to get around in Calgary winters. If we did a lot of skiing and winter highway driving I would probably fit some winter tires. The best setup is AWD with winter tires without a doubt but you can get by on AWD and all-seasons. The bottom line in winter is that it still comes down to 80/20 driver/tires as if you drive properly according to the conditions you can get by with all-seasons on an AWD car. Unfortunately a good percentage of drivers in Calgary are extremely poor which is why if this province ever implemented mandatory winter tire laws I would be fine with it.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

they are still good enough to get around in Calgary winters

The question wasn't "Is AWD with all-seasons 'good enough' for Calgary winters?". The question was "Does AWD compensate for a lack winter tires?".

[Shazam]

AWD doesn't help you stop.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

I have a question that has probably asked here before - Does AWD help compensate the lack of winter tires?

I've found the biggest difference with winter tires and all season tires is the stopping distance. Something that isn't affected by AWD. But AWD and winter tires is a great combo.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Shazam

AWD doesn't help you stop.

And this is 90% of the reason you buy winter tires.

"But...but... I always keep a safe distance." Which makes sense if nobody made unsafe lane changes, didn't blow through intersections with their non-winter tires, and no pedestrian ever darts out into the street.

There is only 1 excuse for not running winter tires nowadays, it's because you are a tight wad cheap ass. And every other excuse is just a cover up for that fact.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Pilot Alpins are performance winter tires as there isn't such thing as a semi-winter tire.

Not entirely true. Cooper AT/W's are a primarily winter tire, that are tweaked for year round use. I have them on my Jeep, as my is driven Jeep is 90% winter, and 10% summer. So for me, switching for the 1 time a month I drive the thing in the summer makes no sense.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by pylon

There is only 1 excuse for not running winter tires nowadays, it's because you are a tight wad cheap ass. And every other excuse is just a cover up for that fact.

I disagree. $1000+ is a lot of money for some families to spend on a set of extra wheels/tires. Due to the outrageous Calgary housing market a lot of families are house poor. Don't assume just because a lot of people at this site have disposable income that it's a fact everyone in this city running all season tires is a cheap ass because that is totally false.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by pylon

Not entirely true. Cooper AT/W's are a primarily winter tire, that are tweaked for year round use. I have them on my Jeep, as my is driven Jeep is 90% winter, and 10% summer. So for me, switching for the 1 time a month I drive the thing in the summer makes no sense.

So they are all weather tires. There is no such classification as semi-winter.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by pylon

There is only 1 excuse for not running winter tires nowadays, it's because you are a tight wad cheap ass.

Meh that's not even a valid excuse. Sure it's a second set of tires, but you're taking wear off the other set.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I disagree. $1000+ is a lot of money for some families to spend on a set of extra wheels/tires. Due to the outrageous Calgary housing market a lot of families are house poor. Don't assume just because a lot of people at this site have disposable income that it's a fact everyone in this city running all season tires is a cheap ass because that is totally false.

I disagree with your stance. If you really can't afford a second set of winter tires, then I'd argue your only set of tires should be either winter tires, or at least all weather tires. All seasons are garbage for winter, period. No excuse for any car to have them during the winter IMO.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I disagree. $1000+ is a lot of money for some families to spend on a set of extra wheels/tires. Due to the outrageous Calgary housing market a lot of families are house poor. Don't assume just because a lot of people at this site have disposable income that it's a fact everyone in this city running all season tires is a cheap ass because that is totally false.

The money excuses pisses me off more than any other excuse. I'd rather you be dumb and not believe in winter tires than be too stupid to realize $1000 is a bargain to keep you, your family and others on the road safe. Not to mention what Kunkstyle pointed out which is owning the winter tires takes wear from the other set, so it's really a wash (or close to it).

Owning a car is expensive. Should I feel bad for a guy that doesn't maintain his brakes because brakes are expensive? Give me a break. The sooner we can mandate winter tires, the better.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I disagree with your stance. If you really can't afford a second set of winter tires, then I'd argue your only set of tires should be either winter tires, or at least all weather tires. All seasons are garbage for winter, period. No excuse for any car to have them during the winter IMO.

So you expect family A that owns a Honda Civic to scrap their OEM all-season tires that are in perfect shape to add the expense of winter tires? You realize that studless ice and snow tires wear down extremely quickly if driven in the summer which means that family now has to purchase tires semi-annually because you think there's not an excuse to not have them?

Sorry guys but I find your stance pretty selfish.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sliver

The money excuses pisses me off more than any other excuse. I'd rather you be dumb and not believe in winter tires than be too stupid to realize $1000 is a bargain to keep you, your family and others on the road safe. Not to mention what Kunkstyle pointed out which is owning the winter tires takes wear from the other set, so it's really a wash (or close to it).

Owning a car is expensive. Should I feel bad for a guy that doesn't maintain his brakes because brakes are expensive? Give me a break. The sooner we can mandate winter tires, the better.

Yes. Yes it is which is my point in that lower income families struggle as is.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So you expect family A that owns a Honda Civic to scrap their OEM all-season tires that are in perfect shape to add the expense of winter tires? You realize that studless ice and snow tires wear down extremely quickly if driven in the summer which means that family now has to purchase tires semi-annually because you think there's not an excuse to not have them?

Sorry guys but I find your stance pretty selfish.

Really? I find your stance equally, if not more selfish. Driving is a privilege, not a right. You're endangering other people on the road needlessly by being a tight wad about your own safety, and the safety of other people. I just can't fathom how a family can drive their kids around in an unsafe vehicle just for the sake of saving $1,000 over 5 years. Maybe don't buy that iPad or change that iPhone every year?

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by pylon

There is only 1 excuse for not running winter tires nowadays, it's because you are a tight wad cheap ass. And every other excuse is just a cover up for that fact.

I have two cars and only one car has winters on. I am pretty confident driving on all season tires if there's no snow on the ground even if it is -30 out. Of course you have to adjust your stopping distance and driving habits. When it gets messy out there, I'll only drive the car with winters on for sure. And when it snows badly, people don't tend to drive much or cut short their trips.

I don't think all season makes you unsafe per se, just less safer than winters.