Winter Tires 2011/2012

Joined
Dec 9, 2003
Messages
4,905
Location
Decorah, IA
Car(s)
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI (USDM)
It's about time I get a new set of winters for my car, and I've been looking at a few places in order to get some relatively objective information, such as:
Does anyone know of other places I could look?

I currently have Nokian WR tires (The old ones, not the WRG2).
Before that I had Bridgestone Blizzak tires (not on the STI), but I didn't care for the driving on jelly feel.
Winters here tend to be mostly dry with occasional snow and ice, so I don't mind compromising a little bit on snow and ice traction in order to get better dry performance.
I'm leaning towards getting a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 tires.
 
You're bang on time, the ADAC tests for this year were published yesterday :D

I'm on the lookout to buy winter tyres for the Fabia. I guess I'll just do what I did for the Octavia and buy Continental TS830s. They won everything back then, and still win today :dunno:
 
I actually was waiting for the 2011 tests. :)
However the 2010 test are more useful for me because of the tire size.
I was thinking about the TS830p but that doesn't appear to be available in the US.
There is an ExtremeWinterContact model available, which evidently is known as Viking Contact 5 elsewhere in the world, but that is a different category tire with less dry weather performance.
 
I believe the Viking models may be for the Scandinavian market... hence more snow-oriented.
 
I'd love to add to this thread:

I'm also looking for some replacements for tires this fall. I was going to go the Blizzak route after driving on a set of them for a demo over ice...(Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!), but I know that in general, snow tires start to lose their advantage at about 50-55 degrees.

And here in Ohio, even in the dead of winter:

One day 2 feet of snow...then the next, a solid layer of ice.....then 3 days later, driving around in 60+ weather on dry roads. Then monsoon style rain, then maybe back to the "Blizzard of the Century!" before it goes all balmy again. Even here in the snow belt....there's no rhyme or reason as to what tire I'll probably need today.


So...snow tires are still on the list, but can anyone recommend a good all around all season tire? I have no problem in paying more for them if they do what I want them to do. And I do tend to do baaaaad things to cars. I will run them hard.


I do know how to change tires, obviously....but my 'garage' is really just big enough to store some boxes in, so I'd do the changes each season on the darn street. I have shopped around at TyreRack.com and places like that, but almost all of the reviews on each tire are 50-50. Either thought of as better than sliced bread...or not worth giving them away to cover your shame.



So...a proper snow tire, then a good set of all seasons...??

Or a really really awesome set of All seasons, the kind that actually work?


Also, I live close to work, I'm fairly good on the snow...I don't drive like a lunatic, and worst case scenario, I have chains. And a snowmobile in the garage area:p
 
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Summer tyres plus snowmobile sounds like a great solution to me.


Seriously, the advantage of snow tyres on, well, snow is far greater than their disadvantage in 60?F weather. Sure, they may wear a bit more, but on average you're better off. I'd say proper snow tyres and proper summer tyres. No need for all-seasons if you intend to use snow tyres for the winter :dunno:
 
Summer tyres plus snowmobile sounds like a great solution to me.


Seriously, the advantage of snow tyres on, well, snow is far greater than their disadvantage in 60?F weather. Sure, they may wear a bit more, but on average you're better off. I'd say proper snow tyres and proper summer tyres. No need for all-seasons if you intend to use snow tyres for the winter :dunno:
Uncharacteristically I'm with narf on this one. I had Pirelli P6 and they were OK on snow but not all that great, the Eagle GTs I'm running now are actually worse but they are also 20mm wider and low profile so that makes a bit of a difference. Also keep in mind that my car is AWD so outside of stopping I generally get more traction for turning/accelerating that 2WD with same tires. If you get proper ice on the roads then I would say go for winter tires, hell I say get a set of cheap steelies and mount winter tires on them this way you can easily change wheels.
 
I've always been partial to Michelin X-Ice tires. They are a true ice + snow tire, but they don't give up a whole bunch on clear, dry pavement. The only thing I don't like about them is that the road noise they generate is pretty bad, especially at or near typical urban speeds. Still, I've fitted X-Ices (or equivalent) to all my BMWs and not once have I been let down by them, even in the worst that Canadian winter can dole out. Plus, they're relatively cheap (at least, as Michelins go).
 
I kinda like my Hankook Winter I*Cept Evos, and according to reviews they're in the top quadrant, good on snow and dry road, slightly less good in the wet and high rolling resistance. Besides, they're one of the few 195/65R15 winter tyres not with a T speed index, so I can still do proper speeds in Germany. I'm keeping them in storage for now, it's not like temps warrant me switching over already. As soon as day temps plunge below 7C or night temps go below freezing, then it's time to switch. not gonna run my winters in the current 16-19C day temps.
 
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Continental will sell you winter tyres in T, H, V, and W speed ratings. Not sure on the 195 width though.

Edit: For 195/65R15 they only go up to H. Enough in the winter though :nod:
 
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ViB Test Sandinavian Winter Tries Autumn 2011
Studded:
  1. Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7
  2. Runner up: Bridgestone Noranza 2 EVO
Friction:
  1. Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R
  2. Runner up: Continental VikingContact5

All of these tires are highly rated (5's and 4's) on snow and ice, less so on wet and bare tarmac (3's and 2's).
 
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I've Hakkapeliitta 7s waiting for colder weather. I didn't use them last year because of my exchange studies, but the I've driven the year before with them. If I can remember correctly, they were pretty shit to drive on the dry tarmac, but worked well in snow and ice and were excellent to drive on these conditions too. So a true winter tire in that sense. If there's something I'd like to complain in addition to capabilities on dry tarmac it's the difference between 7s and Hakkapeliitta 4s. I didn't notice a huge improvement even if my old 4s were pretty shot at the time of upgrading. That was a small let down, because the 7s have been praised really much in the Finnish media, so maybe I expected too much and got just a good successor to a great product.

I've also some experience on the Michelin X-Ice. I'd recommend these if you mostly drive on dry or wet tarmac (they're excellent to drive for a winter tire), but on the ice or even on a hard snow they find barely grip at all compared to even the best friction tires. They're not bad winter tires at all, but they're clearly developed for a milder winter than couple of last ones we've had in Finland. I actually think they're even advertised for winter tires for central Europe, and I'd guess they're pretty excellent there.
 
Damn, you win me on the the most skinniest tire competition. :p My 14" Daisys have 185/65 R14 Conti WinterContacts from year 2000. They're excellent when you want to learn basics of RWD handling at roundabout. At 20km/h :D
 
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I'm in the process of buying some for my MKV Golf. Just curious for those who have TPSM in their cars do you forgo them in the winter?? Honestly, I wish I had a VAGcom to just turn that feature off.
 
it's 31 outside with a windchill of 24 and my car is covered in frost. Starting to think I shouldn't wait to get my snow tires on... Originally I was planning on putting them on towards the end of November

Even without actual snow on the ground all you need is wet weather to have winter tyres exceed summer tyre performance.

 
it's 31 outside with a windchill of 24 and my car is covered in frost. Starting to think I shouldn't wait to get my snow tires on... Originally I was planning on putting them on towards the end of November

4 to 6 inches of snow tomorrow night. Fuck this shit. I refuse to put on snow tires in October.

Oh and Narf, you also need low temperatures as indicated by your graphs. Of course, current conditions around here fit that too...
 
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