Snow tire suggestions

[Soopa009]

Was wondering what everyone is running for winter tires, and their reviews of them. I drove to to my 8am class this morning and it was a joke I couldn't move at stop signs/lights, it's time to finally break down and buy snow tires. Thought the LS was getting stored for the winter but that didn't happen so....
What tires are you running/ review?

 

[pektel]

I run Winterforce, and am very satisfied. Although it should be noted that these are the first and only winter tires I've ever purchased. I know there are better ones out there, but these along with some weight in the trunk over the axles, and I get around just fine in northern MN. Plus, at $125 each installed, they are very inexpensive to boot. I run them on my stock 17's.

 

[2000sport]

I run Bridgestone Blizzak's on a set of aftermarket 16" wheels.
Even with no weight in the trunk, I still get around just fine.

Pete- you have an LSD... I am still considering doing this over the winter... But am trying to find a used diff that is in decent shape.

How much would you say it helps?

 

[05Linc_LS_V8]

I have Cooper snow tires and they're great. Ran through four inches of snow just fine. Still keep the 60lb sand bag in the trunk though. Highly recommend

 

[pektel]

I run Bridgestone Blizzak's on a set of aftermarket 16" wheels.
Even with no weight in the trunk, I still get around just fine.

Pete- you have an LSD... I am still considering doing this over the winter... But am trying to find a used diff that is in decent shape.

How much would you say it helps?

Well, I will say it helps tremendously to have power to 2 wheels instead of 1 to get going from a stop. However, I make a habit of turning ON the advancetrac while cruising on the highway. I keep it off in town. It's WAY more fun to drive sideways for a half block of I want to. Highly recommended.

 

[jinx8402]

I have the General Altimax Arctics. Have worked perfectly to keep snow off the ground so far.

I haven't had a chance to test them out since it has yet to snow since I put them on. I've heard good things about them, and I got them for a steal at walmart @ 75 a tire.

 

[Bullschmidt]

I also run Winterforce's and would highly recommend them. 225/55 on my OEM 17's

 

[2000sport]

Well, I will say it helps tremendously to have power to 2 wheels instead of 1 to get going from a stop. However, I make a habit of turning ON the advancetrac while cruising on the highway. I keep it off in town. It's WAY more fun to drive sideways for a half block of I want to. Highly recommended.

I guess this will be next on my list then.

I actually managed to drive all the way to work in 3-4" of snow with traction control (Don't have advancetrack) turned on. All city streets, none plowed.

 

[jolinc01]

I'm running Fuzion HRi all seasons on my stock 17's with decent success. They're fairly cheap too at around $70 each.

 

[pektel]

I'm running Fuzion HRi all seasons on my stock 17's with decent success. They're fairly cheap too at around $70 each.

I run Fuzion ZRi's on my fondmetals. I wish they were that cheap. 245/35 on 19's are relatively cheap at a little north of $200 each.

 

[jolinc01]

I run Fuzion ZRi's on my fondmetals. I wish they were that cheap. 245/35 on 19's are relatively cheap at a little north of $200 each.

For the price their good tires. Just FYI they are made by Cooper in case you didn't know.

 

[pektel]

I had no idea who they were made by. Quik recommended them, as he runs them on his lotus.

 

[M4rk]

Cooper = junk. Contrary to above discussion, Bridgestone's Winterforce isn't the greatest winter tire. It lacks in several areas as it's a budget tire after all with a very outdated design.

Watch this:

Tire Rack - Winter Testing at the Arctic Circle: Studdable Winter/Snow - YouTube

I run the General Altimax Arctic in 215/55R17, and they are excellent tires, IMO. They are very quiet for being a winter tire (no roaring, etc), and the handling isn't as bad as I had imagined. Similarly, I feel no difference in comfort between them and my summer set. They grip very well in everything the Canadian winter can throw at us

So far I've driven through hard packed snow, slush and about 10" of freshly fallen snow with no problems at all. You can't go wrong with them. The treadwear is also reportedly great, easily lasting a few winters.

 

[pektel]

Contrary to above discussion, Bridgestone's Winterforce isn't the greatest winter tire.

I don't see anywhere in my posts that claimed Winterforce is the greatest winter tire. In fact, if you reread my first post in this thread, I blatantly state that there are better ones out there. I also do not see anywhere where the OP asked which winter tire is "the best". Maybe I'm missing something. Have you personally ran Winterforce before? Or is your perspective based solely on someone else's observations?

Again, I am not stating that Winterforce is better than another tire. Just that they work fine for me.

 

[05 LS8]

I have to say, i am surprised to see so many members exerting about how bad the LS is in the snow.

I have never had any problems going through snow with mine. I think the car does extremely well in the snow. I have always had all season high performance Sumitoms in all four corners. And, i wouldn't even consider them winter tires.

My car is equipped with Advancetrac, that may be why i never have issues.


Anyways, i am currently running Toyo proxes S4s - all season.

 

[mlara1129]

on my second set of Blizzaks and they're great. Plowed through 6-8 inches of snow with no problem...pricey tho.

 

[02LincLS]

I use the conti extreme winters on my oem 17's (225/50). snow and ice traction is very good, and you don't get punished with noise when theres no snow. Coming from low profile summer tires, they feel a little boaty, but no worse than others i imagine. The car is very driveable in normal wet/dry conditions. Tread seems to be lasting a long time, a rarity for me. Fairly cheap too at $104 a piece. I have not tried blizzaks or altimax's myself, but these tires are comparable based on reviews I have read.

 

[pragmatic]

I'm on my third set of Dunlop Graspic DS3 215/60-16 on Jaguar S rims. Great in the snow for 12 - 15,000 miles (three winters for me if I drive my truck in the dry during the winter).

They are somewhat cheap and I find they work well in the conditions I drive. Only downsides are they are a little squirrelly in the dry and tend to allow too much wheel spin in wet.

 

[cirelle]

Got Cooper R3's All Seasons here in NH, had blizzaks and they were hell on the highway during dry conditions (lots of back end sway), I think the sidwalls on the blizzaks are soft which exacerbates the problem. Also I don't think the blizzaks are rated for a very high speed.... I may be wrong, but I think the pair I had on the back (on when I bought the LS) were rated at 60 mph.

Dedicated snows are not known for high speed ratings, but from what I remember, the low speed rating surprised me.

 

[embe]

Michelin X-ice are good so far this winter. Blizzaks before but one blew out bad

 

[knollskid]

i have been happy with the Blizzaks i have. Purchased from a member on this site. check the classifieds and craigslist. you should be anle to track down a set of tires and rims for under 100.00 a wheel.

 

[jmtiseo]

3 month thread revival.

Considering a second set of wheels to run winter tires on as I'm considering Sentas or other replica :shifty:. I normally don't have a problem putsin' around town if it's snowing; if I am going anywhere and I question the conditions I drives likes grandmas. It's when I'm making the long haul back home that I'm concerned with. I'm considering a set of Blizzaks or similar tire but I question their life/safety when driven extensively on the highway.

If not winter tires, I was considering an aggressive dedicated all-season tire. This is assuming that all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Any further input is appreciated but not necessary. Just looking for your guys pov instead of no name reviews elsewhere on the net.

 

[pragmatic]

My experience has been all of the soft compound tires, any tire advertised as turning into a regular tire when half the tread is gone, are only good in the snow for at most 15,000 miles of use. They are useable in non-snow for maybe another 15,000 miles. They only have half tread depth of soft compound because anymore would get even more squirrely than they already are. The soft tread compound displaces too far when loaded during turns to use it at full snow tire depth.

Lower priced harder compound snows (Cooper Weathermasters for example) will provide more consistent traction for a longer time (though not as much traction as a good soft compound tire).

My compromise is to not drive the LS on dry pavement once the snows are on it. After 2 to 3 seasons (~15K miles) of use I leave the snows on all summer and buy new ones in the fall. So far I'm on my third set of snows and just bought my third set of non-snows (General G-Max AS 03) in 9 years and 110K miles of ownership.