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Winter tire thread...

M

m4gician

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
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Location
Toronto (Woodbridge)
I know for the cars running 205/60/15 1010tires.com has some tires that are marked down for winter, and I was looking at price vs. performance and I have a shortlist of tires im considering (had a scary moment today in the snow, several)
prices in CAD/tire
Bridgestone Blizzak LM18 (or 22 whichever I can get cheaper) @ 100
Hankook icebear w300 @ 100
Kumho kw17 @115
Kumho kw19 @109

Everything else is over $120 and based on the reviews not much better unless I step up and pay around $160 a tire for some michellens. I've been in a car (Maxima) runinning the blizzaks and they were quite good and quite comfortable in the snow. Any thoughts? maybe a special connection I can get to? :) TIA CEG
 
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Any winter tire is going to be leaps and bounds ahead of an all season tire. I think the differences between all those is negligble!

Ive currently got some yokohama Guardex's on the front, and som blizzaks on the back since they blizzaks were free and replacing a dead guardex.
 
Pudmunkie said:
Any winter tire is going to be leaps and bounds ahead of an all season tire. I think the differences between all those is negligble!

Ive currently got some yokohama Guardex's on the front, and som blizzaks on the back since they blizzaks were free and replacing a dead guardex.
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heh heh called em up, got a better then website deal (charm :D) blizzaks on the way. Thanks guys. Really your one liners really help, all the time, everytime :)
 
thats right, snow tires are much better then all season ... as my father put it after his first season using snow tires its like driving down a clear road in the middle of summer, just at a reduced speed ...
 
BrApple said:
thats right, snow tires are much better then all season ... as my father put it after his first season using snow tires its like driving down a clear road in the middle of summer, just at a reduced speed ...
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Oh, the reason I got the blizzaks is basically based on your first response. I just have a curious question, If I run them maybe for about 3 or 4 months, what am I looking for in terms of tread life? I've seen a lot of people saying they'll be getting about 5 or 6 winters out of them at 2000km a month? I'm going to be getting me some summer tires.
 
depends on how you drive, if you abuse them then they will last a shirter length of time ... yes I have heard of people having them last 6 years before getting new tires .... I think we have a set of dunlop graspics ds-1's that we have run on a car for about 5 years now, I have three winters on my set ... definately get a summer set, your have a great performing car all year round that way ...
 
they are basically going to be good hopefully for at least 3 winters, I don't estimate the tread to wear SO much, especially on wet roads.
 
easily will be good for 3 winters .... I think most snow tires have a special snow rubber that will wear off in time but they will still work well ... iirc half worn snow tires perfomed better on my car then relatively new all seasons .... and I don't go and get the $15 wal-mart all season tire special either ...

bottom line as I have said before you should spend the money on brakes and tires, they are what keep you on the road and safe ...
 
Look for a local place that sells used tires. I found a set for $200. They are normally $150 each new (Nokian WR's). The reviews said that they aren't the best snow tire but much better than an all season. They are unidirectional and the tread looks like every other snow tire. They are noisy when coming to a stop. Only down side I've found. I can't imagine a tire being much better than these in the snow. Just point and shoot. I don't know if I can drive on an all season in the snow again. LOL! In MI you only have a few days of snowy roads so I was under the impression all seasons were fine. I can drive so much more confidently in these that it's scary. Might find myself going too fast for conditions. Have to remind yourself that ice forgives no tire.
 
I can't comment directly on the tires you have but for me.

Average driving about 600km/wk (I think about 360/m)

GoodYear Ultra Grip ICE = 3 years and still had 3-4 32nds left.
Michelin X-Ice = 3 years

Just threw Blizzaks WS-50's on the wife's car so can't comment on the tread-wear until they come off, but she does about 600 miles a week.
 
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