The Winter's Coming Winter Tires Thread

[Mango]

Very happy with my decision to get winter tires and today's debacle reiterated that. The money was well spent.

[Burninator]

Getting my winter tires installed this Friday. It would have made this morning a lot less white knuckled if I had them.

[Top Shelf]

Ordered a set of 4 Continental ExtremeWinterContact winter tires from Tire Trends last Friday. Hopefully in by the end of the week.

I bought Kumho's for the Minivan last winter from Urban Expressions and they were pretty sweet too, but I waited too long this year and the wait to get them would be atrocious.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by HitterD

By now you've probably alrady tested them , but i have hap Pilot Alpins on my G6 for 3 years now, and very happy with them.

I do a lot of highway traveling so they were great, as they are one of the very best tires when it comes to cold weather stability on dry surface. They don't bite in quite as good on snow and ice while driving in the city, but i've never had a big problem.

Yup. Bought them yesterday afternoon and went straight home to put them on. I must say I was really happy this morning to see snow. They're pretty good. Definitely better than my A/S Bridgestones were last year. I don't think they're a true winter tire, as I've seen them reviewed as a tire that can be used year round with less wear than a true winter tire, but they've got the CDA snowflake seal of approval, which all seasons don't have. Definitely better traction.

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Where did you score those?

Such a wicked score. I just pounded Kijiji all week after the winter tire thread came up last weekend. I bought them from some chinese guy up in the NW who purchased a new vehicle and no longer needed those tires. They were the exact size as my A/S, already mounted and balanced on winter rims.
I'm so happy about it because the cheapest tires I could find for my truck were (used) upwards of $600 without rims. I'd have had to spend either $~120 getting the tires mounted on my stock rims, or $~250 buying spare rims and getting them mounted.

Thanks so much, Gary!!

Now, if I could find a similar deal for my mom. Anyone have a set of 185 75 14 winter tires for sale?

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Such a wicked score. I just pounded Kijiji all week after the winter tire thread came up last weekend. I bought them from some chinese guy up in the NW who purchased a new vehicle and no longer needed those tires. They were the exact size as my A/S, already mounted and balanced on winter rims.
I'm so happy about it because the cheapest tires I could find for my truck were (used) upwards of $600 without rims. I'd have had to spend either $~120 getting the tires mounted on my stock rims, or $~250 buying spare rims and getting them mounted.

Nice. I have an '04 Tacoma (I think yours is a newer model, if I recall) so I have been nosing around seeing what there is for a light truck.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Nice. I have an '04 Tacoma (I think yours is a newer model, if I recall) so I have been nosing around seeing what there is for a light truck.

Yea, mine's an '09, but the wheels I got were off of a Nissan Frontier. Bolt pattern matched up perfectly. I'm sure there's a way to determine the bolt pattern, but I just used a tape measure and went from center to center on two bolts side by side, then center to center on two bolts opposite each other (my truck has 6 bolts), then compared on the wheels for sale. Perfect match.

[FFR]

Question re: winter tires. I'm not completely sold on them yet but I'm taking a look around. I don't have a lot of money lying around for the upfront cost but if I found a good deal I might bite the bullet.

My question is - how do you know whether you're getting good winter tires or not. Looking at various websites shows such a huge discrepancy in prices. For my car (2009 Saturn Astra) there are tires from 119 to 300 each. I can't afford 300 each for tires, but I'd be worried to spend 119 and end up with something that's no better than my all seasons (which are pretty decent tires).

[The Goon]

Thanks to reading this thread, I decided to get winter tires put on this year. I had some Bridgestone Blizzaks put on my Accord earlier today, and now that the main roads are bare, I went to some side residential streets to get an idea. All I have to say is, wow. I was on one road that was still fairly icy and the grip was outstanding.

I almost can't wait for the next snowfall. Almost.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by The Goon

Thanks to reading this thread, I decided to get winter tires put on this year. I had some Bridgestone Blizzaks put on my Accord earlier today, and now that the main roads are bare, I went to some side residential streets to get an idea. All I have to say is, wow. I was on one road that was still fairly icy and the grip was outstanding.

I almost can't wait for the next snowfall. Almost.

Blizzaks are so incredible. Back in the day I had them on my '87 Celica GTS. I hit the ditch in deep snow and was able to DRIVE out. Good choice!

[Claeren]

Originally Posted by FFR

Question re: winter tires. I'm not completely sold on them yet but I'm taking a look around. I don't have a lot of money lying around for the upfront cost but if I found a good deal I might bite the bullet.

My question is - how do you know whether you're getting good winter tires or not. Looking at various websites shows such a huge discrepancy in prices. For my car (2009 Saturn Astra) there are tires from 119 to 300 each. I can't afford 300 each for tires, but I'd be worried to spend 119 and end up with something that's no better than my all seasons (which are pretty decent tires).

Research with some trial and error?

I have had more trouble with expensive winter tires over the years than cheap ones.

I just got to try out my Walmart Nexen winter tires and they were awesome, better than my expensive Toyo and Pirelli's from other years, though not as good as some clearance Yokohama's I got last time around.

They were only $73/tire ($360 installed) at Walmart. For perspective I was also quoted $860 for Nokian All Weathers and $680 for ContiWinterContacts(?).


My Nexen's are not as good as either of those other tires, but they are less than half the price and better than any all season tire in the winter.




Claeren.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Claeren

Research with some trial and error?

I have had more trouble with expensive winter tires over the years than cheap ones.

I just got to try out my Walmart Nexen winter tires and they were awesome, better than my expensive Toyo and Pirelli's from other years, though not as good as some clearance Yokohama's I got last time around.

They were only $73/tire ($360 installed) at Walmart. For perspective I was also quoted $860 for Nokian All Weathers and $680 for ContiWinterContacts(?).


My Nexen's are not as good as either of those other tires, but they are less than half the price and better than any all season tire in the winter.




Claeren.

I agree with this. I had some Yokohoma ice radials that were useless compared to the Wal-Mart specials I had on another vehicle.

[Jedi Ninja]

Originally Posted by Claeren

Research with some trial and error?

I have had more trouble with expensive winter tires over the years than cheap ones.

I just got to try out my Walmart Nexen winter tires and they were awesome, better than my expensive Toyo and Pirelli's from other years, though not as good as some clearance Yokohama's I got last time around.

They were only $73/tire ($360 installed) at Walmart. For perspective I was also quoted $860 for Nokian All Weathers and $680 for ContiWinterContacts(?).


My Nexen's are not as good as either of those other tires, but they are less than half the price and better than any all season tire in the winter.




Claeren.

Getting winter tires (or any service) at WalMart is a bit like winning the lottery. Though, your chances improve a lot if you get there at 5:00AM and line up. Ultimately, you'll find that they don't have tires in your size and they can't (or are too lazy) to order them and can't tell you when they'll have any in. If they can't take you that day, they'll just tell you to try coming back some other day.

The more I see of Walmart, the more disbelief I have that they're the largest retailer in North America. So. Poorly. Managed.

[Mango]

My puppies were golden this morning. They got me to work in one piece and I felt very safe. I can't imagine I went through last winter without them and having to carry a shovel around everywhere was a nightmare.

I know it's early in the winter driving season, but I'm so happy with my decision.

[Tyler]

Just got back from Urban Expressions. Thanks for the new winter tires Bob!

[The Special One]

I tried getting my tires at Urban Expressions, but every time I called it went straight to message. I ended up going to Fountain Tire instead.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by The Special One

I tried getting my tires at Urban Expressions, but every time I called it went straight to message. I ended up going to Fountain Tire instead.

Unfortunately due to Bob's awesomeness, he's even too busy to answer the phone. You essentially have to go there and line up.

[The Special One]

Yeah, not going to happen. Why would I go there to line up if I don't even know if he'll be able to fit me in?

[Burninator]

Bump

I've been out in the snow and ice a couple times with my new tires now. I drive an 06 Mazda 3 and I got the tire package from the dealership. 4 Firestone Winterforce tires mounted and installed on steel wheels for $750. There is no comparing these tires with my stock all seasons (which are awful tires). I went to pick up some take out food on Friday night and had no trouble in the snow or on the ice. I was able to grip going up hills and had no trouble in slow driving, high snow, parking lots.

The only downside I have noticed with the tires is if I am stopped at a set of lights that is especially icy the tires do slip a bit when I start to move. This may be normal with most winter tires, I don't know, but it could probably be remedied partly by me being a little lighter in the foot. But they are still substantially better than my old tires when stopped a set of lights (which sometimes I would miss the light because I couldn't get moving).

They are so much better when it comes to stopping as well. Like way better. I did some hard breaking to test them out and the difference was amazing. I've become so use to my old tires sliding all the time when I needed to slow down that I was shocked when they didn't slide, but instead came to a solid stop. I feel so much safer in my car now and completely regret not buying winter tires for the last two winters. I am very happy with my purchase and I consider it money well spent.

[Old Yeller]

I've had the Nokians out for the first time in this snow... I would just like to announce that I am in fact invincible now.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Burninator

The only downside I have noticed with the tires is if I am stopped at a set of lights that is especially icy the tires do slip a bit when I start to move. This may be normal with most winter tires, I don't know, but it could probably be remedied partly by me being a little lighter in the foot.

Very normal for a FWD car with an open differential and a light front end.

When it's very slippery your open differential will send all the power to one wheel, so yeah, slippery surface, and only one wheel trying to get you going, and this is what you get. I'm sure once you're going you find them fantastic though, and of course the important parts, turning and stopping.