Let's talk WINTER tires 2015/16

[Tuner1]

It seems strange to post this on a sunny 28C September day but we all know that the white stuff will be here sooner than most of us would like! By this time last year we'd already been through the nasty snow storm that destroyed so many nice trees but that also kicked most of us into gear for getting the winter tire swap done early. By pure luck I was already running Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4s when the storm struck so getting around would have been easy if there were so many slow moving vehicles on the roads :D

Since I have a strange attraction to winter tires I usually start trying to find out what new tires will be available before the Canada Day long weekend but this year the research didn't take very long. So many of the major tire manufacturers were on a steep product R&D curve for the last few years but this year I haven't seen any earth-shattering product releases. Here is a snapshot of how I see some of the major players for this coming season…in no particular order.

Toyo - The GSi5 is a great winter tire for most standard vehicles and SUV at a nice price point. Their new G3-ICE is a very aggressive winter tire for people that want max snow and ice traction at the expense of dry road handling. Toyo really needs a new high-performance winter because the Garit GX is getting really old, plus it is expensive.

Bridgestone - The Blizzak WS80 will no doubt be a huge seller for us, partly because it is a good tire but mostly because BS pumps so much money into marketing it! They have a new SUV tire called the DM-V2 with is an evolutionary improvement on the older DM-V1 - same story here. In the fall we rarely go a day without installing at least one set of their high-performance LM-32 and it works well for people that want a compromise of dry and slippery road traction with decent tread wear.

Pirelli - The W210 and W240 Sottozero series is old but still offers surprisingly good all-around performance and is well suited to the Calgary climate, particularly on more powerful and sportier vehicles. We sell lots of them to Porsche 911 owners and vehicles that use Run Flats. The newer Sottozero 3 is a more modern take on a high-speed, high-performance winter tire but it wouldn't be my first choice on -30 blizzard days. Their new ICE ZERO looks interesting and should compete head-to-head with the Toyo G3-ICE in smaller sizes; aggressive tread and a low(ish) price point.

Yokohama - I am a huge fan of their iceGUARD iG51v for passenger car and SUV application. So much ice/snow grip, great price and it looks cool ;) Their ADVAN Winter is a good tire but it is so expensive that we usually only sell a handful each year so Yoko is really missing out on this part of the market.

Nokian - We get lots of calls and emails for this cult brand and while many of their tires are excellent I still think most are overrated, and if you ask our installers they will tell you that the construction quality lags behind some of the bigger brands. That said, if you want a tire with lots of ice and snow grip and don't mind faster wear rates and lower top-speed ratings this company has some great tires. We use a lot of R2 and R2 SUVs and the Hakka 8 sold well for us last year. It is just too bad that most of the Hakka 8 sizes are only imported with studs because I think the studless version makes more sense for our climate.

Continental - Often a bit off most consumers radar, the TS810 and TS830 are definitely worth considering for luxury and sporty application. They work really well in our climate and last longer than lots of the competitors. We also sell a lot of their Run Flat winter tires, mostly to BMW owners.

Michelin - Another famous brand with not much new to mention for 15/16. Their X-Ice Xi3 will be a top seller for us (Michelin Man marketing at work!) but it is genuinely a good all-around winter tire. The Pilot Alpin PA4 is a great high-performance option and after driving on a set for seven months last year I give it two thumbs up. It disappoints a bit on the nastiest winter days but it pays you back with all-season-like dynamics (that is a compliment) on warm chinook days. Their new Latitude Alpin LA2 is a great SUV tire but the sizes are limited and targeted mostly at Porsche vehicles.


That's it for now. I will continue with my $0.02 on other brands later.

Let's get a discussion started - post your thoughts, feedback and questions :thumbsup:

[Tuner1]

Reserved for more winter tire rambling.

Hankook - Their new W320 I*cept evo2 came as a surprise because the previous W310 was a great value and was already a newer design than some of the high-performance offerings for the bigger brand names. We don't have any road miles on these yet but I expect them to be the best price-point speed-rate winter tire this season. The Hankook i*pike W409, W419 and RW11 are our go-to aggressive winter tires when value is the main consideration. All three of these models work well in a variety of winter driving conditions, last well and tend to balance easily.

This thread is a bit dull with no photos so I am going to add a few vehicles that we did during the 2014/15 winter season.

http://www.tunerworks.com/share/Beyond/IMG_5271.JPG

http://www.tunerworks.com/share/Beyond/IMG_5404.JPG

http://www.tunerworks.com/share/Beyond/IMG_5637.JPG

http://www.tunerworks.com/share/Beyond/IMG_6000.JPG

[know1edge]

.

[shakalaka]

When is everyone planning to throw on the winter tires on their cars? I was thinking perhaps next weekend but now I am thinking that it might be too early.

[baygirl]

Originally posted by shakalaka
When I everyone planning to throw on the winter tires on their cars? I was thinking perhaps next weekend but now I am thinking that it might be too early.
spikerS got you beat...


He didn't take them off :nut:

[Tuner1]

Originally posted by shakalaka
When I everyone planning to throw on the winter tires on their cars? I was thinking perhaps next weekend but now I am thinking that it might be too early.

E92 M3? Sooner rather than later 'cause you don't want to get caught in the snow with that car and summer tires! Plus the winter tires are easier to drift with in the dry….on a track of course.

[JustinMCS]

I bought the WS80s last winter and I love them. They suck on dry and feel wobbly. Oh well.

[Bladeh]

I bought a Nissan Frontier Pro 4x in February so didn't really have a chance to throw some winters on, what would be recommended as this is my first winter in a 4x4 truck ever as I've always had a FWD car with Nokian's.

[That.Guy.S30]

On my rwd FJ I love the hakka 7 studs. Feels way better than my wife's car with awd and the xi3

[cyra1ax]

So Tuner1, between the GSi5 and the Hakka R2 which would you get? I've read the promo material for the GSi5 and it looks pretty good, however I have a set of the Hakka R2's for my Corolla and they've been absolutely amazing in both snow and ice. I thought dry performance was pretty good for a winter, but they were noisy though. This winter I need to get tires for my WRX so I'm looking between those two options.

[dj_rice]

How about them Federal Himalayas. Had numerous customers rave about how well they perform and surprised as these are dirt cheap.

[Asian_defender]

Originally posted by dj_rice
How about them Federal Himalayas. Had numerous customers rave about how well they perform and surprised as these are dirt cheap.

Best bang for your buck
I was skeptical but I've rocked them 2 years now and I'm a believer. I won't look at any other winter tire now. So cheap too

[danno]

I've had Dunlop winter sports and I'm not impressed with the handling in snow or ice. Coming from x ice 2's I'd go with them again, but i was thinking I'd try the Bridgestone this year. Just have to find a good place in town since tire rack is off limits at this exchange rate.

[relyt92]

Originally posted by Asian_defender


Best bang for your buck
I was skeptical but I've rocked them 2 years now and I'm a believer. I won't look at any other winter tire now. So cheap too :werd: Ran a set on my Civic a few winters ago, great tires for the pricing.

[frizzlefry]

Really happy with my PA4s. Good high performance option in Calgary. Handle well in bad weather but, aside from the winter tire rumble noise, you would think you had mid-range all seasons when it's dry. Got me through a major winter storm 2 years ago driving back from Edmonton but have never lost traction or skidded when driven hard on warm dry roads. Would buy again.

[Tuner1]

Originally posted by cyra1ax
So Tuner1, between the GSi5 and the Hakka R2 which would you get? I've read the promo material for the GSi5 and it looks pretty good, however I have a set of the Hakka R2's for my Corolla and they've been absolutely amazing in both snow and ice. I thought dry performance was pretty good for a winter, but they were noisy though. This winter I need to get tires for my WRX so I'm looking between those two options.

I think the Hakka 2 is a better match for a WRX, especially if we are talking 2008+ with 17" or 18" wheels. That said, the WRX is inherently so capable in the winter than you can get away with tires that are better in the dry than the R2, something like a Mich PA4, Hankook W320 i*cept evo2, Pirelli Sottozero, etc. I ran Hakka Rs on my 450hp STI but they came off after two days because I hated how soft and mushy the were on dry pavement.

[Tuner1]

Originally posted by know1edge
I thought Kaltire had Nokian exclusively?

If anyone wants Nokians we can help :eek:

[Tuner1]

Originally posted by Bladeh
I bought a Nissan Frontier Pro 4x in February so didn't really have a chance to throw some winters on, what would be recommended as this is my first winter in a 4x4 truck ever as I've always had a FWD car with Nokian's.

Like That.Guy.S30 posted the Nokian Hakka 7 studded is an amazing tire if you want to be King of the Road on nasty days and don't mind some extra noise on dry roads…..plus the price! If you tell me what size tires your Frontier has I'd be happy to offer some suggestions.

Hey That.Guy.S30, RWD FJ?? That must be a rare beast around here.

[That.Guy.S30]

Tuner1, misunderstanding with my post. All automatic slush box FJ are rwd with 4x4 shift on the fly (but I just call it rwd). The manuals are full time 4x4. But with the Nokian hakka 7 studs I never put it into 4x4 unless I am super stuck.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by dj_rice
How about them Federal Himalayas. Had numerous customers rave about how well they perform and surprised as these are dirt cheap.

DO NOT put these on anything even remotely performance oriented. I had these on my 135i and it was barely drivable because the tread blocks were so soft it would trigger traction control immediately anytime you even tickled the throttle.

[01RedDX]

.

[K3RMiTdot]

Hankook iPikes are on order for Oct 30th.

[asp integra]

Originally posted by dj_rice
How about them Federal Himalayas. Had numerous customers rave about how well they perform and surprised as these are dirt cheap.

Had them on my R32 and they were awesome, great price and even better tire

[googe]

Need actual data. Everyone has winter tire opinions, nobody has objective data.

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo


DO NOT put these on anything even remotely performance oriented. I had these on my 135i and it was barely drivable because the tread blocks were so soft it would trigger traction control immediately anytime you even tickled the throttle.

Good point! LOL Most of the customers that raved about them were in Versa, Sentras, Civics. So anything under 200HP :P :rofl: :rofl: but yes they are very soft almost soft as the X-Ice/Blizzaks.


For myself, I'm cheap as F, so I bought some GT Radial Winter IcePro's and got them studded for my 4x4 Pathfinder. Works good enough.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by googe
Need actual data. Everyone has winter tire opinions, nobody has objective data.

Um, both Tire Rack and Consumer reports have pretty good testing methodologies. Tire Rack's is the best, but they obviously only test tires they sell.

General Arctic Altimax's when studded are basically the best on ice and close to the best on snow. There isn't much of an argument on that subject, but then you are running studded tires which some people don't like :dunno:

They have plenty of non-studded tire tests that are very helpful.

Edit-
As I always say, rather than running $300 Yokohama special rally-tires of doom on the race car, the A034, I run studded altimaxes and they have worked out swell.

You can probably guess what I run on everything from my trucks (studded arctic LT's) to my cars.

[Maxt]

Ordering 6 scorpion atrs from Costco, they go on sale Sept 14, 21 bucks a tire off. My go to winter tire, the last set went 100k kms with average 2000 lb payload and some trailer towing.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

Can we please put some reviews for current cheap tires to discourage people from buying Motormaster/Goodyear/Tiger Paws/Champero/dunlop winters. Goodyear has one good winter tire, but the rest are absolute junk.

[tirebob]

Originally posted by googe
Need actual data. Everyone has winter tire opinions, nobody has objective data. Objective data is truly difficult... you can test every tire on the same car in the same conditions with the same driver and come up with a set of results, but next time do the exact same testing with the same tires, but put them on a car that weighs a lot more or a lot less, has a lot more or a lot less horsepower, with a driver that drives differently, and the temperatures are colder or warmer, etc, etc, etc, and I will gurantee you 100% that the results will be dramtaically different...

That is why it is important to not pigeon hole any product as good or bad in every situation. What is the right tire for one person, place, situation, vehicle will vary constantly from one person to the next. You need to assess you specific set of needs and let someone who gives a crap and actually knows what they are talking about help you evaluate your options honestly and objectively...

[killramos]

Originally posted by AE92_TreunoSC
Can we please put some reviews for current cheap tires to discourage people from buying Motormaster/Goodyear/Tiger Paws/Champero/dunlop winters. Goodyear has one good winter tire, but the rest are absolute junk.

The Goodyear ice wrt's on my truck work great. At least as good as the blizzaks I replaced with them.

[lee88]

I scored on kijiji a brand new set of Hankook ipike rw11 studdable 265/70/16 for $350 last week:clap: very happy to buy winter tires before the busy season. Anyone have any feedback with the hankook?

[benyl]

Originally posted by Maxt
Ordering 6 scorpion atrs from Costco, they go on sale Sept 14, 21 bucks a tire off. My go to winter tire, the last set went 100k kms with average 2000 lb payload and some trailer towing.

These?

http://www.pirelli.com/tire/ca/en/suv/sheet/scorpion_atr.html

I hope not. Most terrible tire in winter ever.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by lee88
I scored on kijiji a brand new set of Hankook ipike rw11 studdable 265/70/16 for $350 last week:clap: very happy to buy winter tires before the busy season. Anyone have any feedback with the hankook?

Shit those are exactly what I need. Cost on them is closer to $900 studded :(

[EF9 Sedan]

I'm thinking about putting Toyo Observe Garit KX winter tires on my AP1 S2000 since they come in the stagger size that I need. Are these good winter tires?

Are there any other winter tires that come in the AP1 S2000 sizes that others would recommend?

[Tuner1]

Originally posted by EF9 Sedan
I'm thinking about putting Toyo Observe Garit KX winter tires on my AP1 S2000 since they come in the stagger size that I need. Are these good winter tires?

Are there any other winter tires that come in the AP1 S2000 sizes that others would recommend?

Yes they are good winter tires and should work well on an S2000. The biggest knock against them is the design/technology is a bit dated and they are fairly expensive but they come in a few fairly unusual sizes - thanks Toyo!

[Maxt]

Originally posted by benyl


These?

http://www.pirelli.com/tire/ca/en/suv/sheet/scorpion_atr.html

I hope not. Most terrible tire in winter ever.
Yes those are them, and this will be my third set of these on this truck, and I had them on my old service trucks as well.. I've had 5 different brands on the current truck, including Blizzaks, the Atr's on my truck perform almost the same in winter, but last 5 times longer. I was sold when I towed a car hauler through BC to Vancouver in the middle of winter on ATR's and didn't have to chain up in snow deeper than my ground clearance. It may be that this tire just needs weight to work well, I won't put anything else on this truck...
I have also had General ameritracs,BFg commercials and bridgestone duravis 700's, all those tires were pretty scary in snow, I ended up using them as summer treads. The siping is very shallow on those tires.

[BMDUBS]

Anybody ever try the Kumho Izen KW27?

Just got a sick deal on 235/35/19". I will have them, on a 335i and drive less than 5,000km in the winter months

[BokCh0y]

I've run the BSB DM-V1 for my RX, great tire. Had the BSB LM-60 on my cayman and they seemed pretty good in the snow, and prety good on dry as well. Worst tire has been the BSB LM-25 I had on my IS a while back.

The boy has a set of the Hankook i*pike RC01 studded on his civic, don't know if they're any good since I haven't personally driven on them, bt they seem decent :dunno:

Going to go with a set of BSB WS-80 for his newer car this year.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

LM-25 get my vote for worst winter tires I've ever tried.

[Jonathanl10]

Does anyone know where I can buy Federal Himalayas for cheap and without getting robbed on shipping? Big box stores like Costco, CT and even Tirerack don't carry it. Or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough? :dunno:

[SkiBum5.0]

Just ordered BF Goodrich AT K02 for the truck. Can't wait to get them on for the looks and gravel performance alone. The fact they can manage in the snow is a great extra.

[relyt92]

Originally posted by Jonathanl10
Does anyone know where I can buy Federal Himalayas for cheap and without getting robbed on shipping? Big box stores like Costco, CT and even Tirerack don't carry it. Or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough? :dunno: I got mine a few years ago from Gary at UrbanX at a good price.

[SKR]

Originally posted by SkiBum5.0
Just ordered BF Goodrich AT K02 for the truck. Can't wait to get them on for the looks and gravel performance alone. The fact they can manage in the snow is a great extra.

Have you ever used those tires before? I haven't used the KO2, just the KO, but gravel and snow is definitely not where they shine in my experience. I think they're good on dry dirt and that's about it.

[benyl]

The KO2 is one of the few off-road tires that is 3 peak certified.

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by Jonathanl10
Does anyone know where I can buy Federal Himalayas for cheap and without getting robbed on shipping? Big box stores like Costco, CT and even Tirerack don't carry it. Or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough? :dunno:


Anyone who has Trican Tire Distributor as their supplier can get you Federal's. Which means most of the car dealerships and tire stores like UrbanX

[Sugarphreak]

...

[avishal26]

The 300c I bought this spring came with studded Hakka's.. will get to see what the hype is all about this winter.

I'm not sure studded winters are absolutely necessary ... would be nice if they had an option with the Hakka's for a non-studded winter.

I got around more than just fine last winter with Blizzak's on my QX60 - didn't need to adjust much for winter conditions which shows how good the tires are.

[btimbit]

Originally posted by SKR


Have you ever used those tires before? I haven't used the KO2, just the KO, but gravel and snow is definitely not where they shine in my experience. I think they're good on dry dirt and that's about it.

I liked the KO. Jack of all trades but master of none. Haven't tried the KO2 either

[Chandler_Racing]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Nokian

/thread

I am running a set of studded Hakka's on my Q5, and they are hands down the best set of winter tires I've ever run by at least a factor of 2.

Runner up would be Michelin X-ice

Everything else is a a sub-par choice IMO

Toyo takes my vote for worst winter tires for passenger cars. They make some tires that work ok for larger trucks, but as a dedicated winter tire I'd never run Toyo's again.

How long do the Nokian studded tires last? If I can get three seasons out of I intend to buy.

Only answer I can seem to get out of people is it depends on your driving habits.

They're going on an MDX - 6 months of the year, 6,000km/ year and no hard driving. Mostly highway..

[r3ccOs]

you just can't beat a set of Winter tires... but you can get away with snowflake rated A/T's on LT tires with enough weight (i.e. halfton or heavier)

I have to say that my duratracs are good, but aren't the best A/T's I've used... Surprisingly the LT/X for on-road snow conditions I think are the best... but I wouldn't say for deep stuff.

For the deep stuff, I'd say a mix ranging from:

toyo a/t2
hankook dynapro at/m
wild country radial xtx
the new KO2
GY Duratrac
Nokian rotiva a/t

but... these from cooper look proming:

http://ca.coopertire.com/Tires/Light-Truck/Discoverer-X-T-sup-4-sup.aspx vs... LT/X

Actual proper light truck winter tires with A/T type tread:

http://ca.coopertire.com/Tires/Light-Truck/Discoverer-M-S.aspx

[Sugarphreak]

...

[That.Guy.S30]

Originally posted by Chandler_Racing


How long do the Nokian studded tires last? If I can get three seasons out of I intend to buy.

Only answer I can seem to get out of people is it depends on your driving habits.

They're going on an MDX - 6 months of the year, 6,000km/ year and no hard driving. Mostly highway..

4th winter coming up on the hakka 7 studs. The tire thread indicator is between 6 and 4. Studs are still there. Not as sharp as new but I didn't expect them to last through 3 years. Can't wait to buy hakka 8 studs once I ditch these after this winter.

[syb65]

I had the KO's for maybe 1 week of winter driving, scared the bananas out of me, even in a 4wd 4runner. bought general altimax artics. very good tires for winter and reasonable price.

the generals were so good, bought another set for the wife's 4wd rav4. again super happy.

Just washed my winters' off all the mud for the 4runner last night and tadda, find a nail on the sidewall of one of the tires. because it's 4wd, have to get 4 new tires. Probably going for the Altimax Artics again.

Reading on Redflagdeals, try quattrotires.com. They are based in Quebec and do shipping. Easily cheaper than any retailers around here by 25% (1 tire).

[Aleks]

I bought Hankook Ipike RW11 studded tires online for the Tundra. Our minivan has been on General Altimax Arctic studded tires for 3 winters now. Wanted those but had trouble finding the proper size.

[blubs]

I've been quite impressed with the Duratrac on the Titan last winter. Was sure nice not to have to worry about getting pulled over in BC with the sled trailer on. Had a few deep snow days having to bomb through some deep stuff and they didn't let me down. They do wear quite a bit through the summer though with the soft compound.

Really looking forward to trying out the Toyo Open Country C/T. Doesn't look quite as aggressive, but hoping this will mean a bit better wear life while still being decent in the winter. A new option against the KO2 to consider as well.

http://www.toyotires.ca/tire/pattern/open-country-ct

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I drove on bald BFG Mud Terrains last winter for a while, that was downright scary.

[diamondedge]

I ran two winters with studded Federal Himalayas from UrbanX - best bang for buck. Couple that w/ AWD and it was actually enjoyable to drive in the winter. Tons of tread life when I sold them too.

This year I'll be trying out Hakka8 + studs.

[alien]

Anyone run the Cooper weathermaster WSC? I'm thinking about those this winter, or am i better off just running himalayas?

[heli212]

Hi there,
question, Mustang GT 2014 winter tires, X-ice 3 or Hakka R2 ?
:confused:

Thank's for your info!! :thumbsup:

[Swank]

Anyone heard of the Westlake sw608? They get really good reviews and are less than $500 for a set of 4
http://www.tirestest.com/wintercar_tires/westlake/sw_608/index.html

[schocker]

^^Hakka would be my bet but you have to want to spend the extra $$$

Third year for me on my federal Himalaya WS2 and still tons of tread contrary to what kaltire had told me :facepalm:

Had them put on my steel wheels last year and I installed extra TPMS so good to go for probably october.

:winter:

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


This will be the 3rd winter coming up and mine still have at least 80-90% left on them. The studs are also long lasting by design, not just pressed in.

I was driving to work every day, plus a few winter trips to Vancouver

Mmmm....that good hey? Definitely have me thinking now...

My DM-V1's on the RX are great tires as mentioned previously, but man do they burn off quick. I might might have to consider your recommendation in a year.

Thanks :thumbsup:

[Aleks]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


This will be the 3rd winter coming up and mine still have at least 80-90% left on them. The studs are also long lasting by design, not just pressed in.

I was driving to work every day, plus a few winter trips to Vancouver

How many kms in those 3 winters?

I always see people throw out percentages left especially on kijiji?

If a snow tires starts at 12/32, once it's down to 5/32 I would consider it close to done. So would 5/32 be 0% or do people still go with 0/32s being 0%?

[Sugarphreak]

...

[blownz]

Nokian and Micheline tires are the ones I have liked the most over the years.

Something to keep in mind with the studded tires, is that they will make a mess of your garage floor on a heavy vehicle. 3 years ago I bought studded Hakka 7's for both my Expedition and 535. The side of the garage where the Expedition parks is scratched up really bad from the front tires. Turn the wheel at slow speed and it will mark up the floor. I am anal so this bothers me.

Also about the cheap tires (Federal, Hankook), I wouldn't recommend them as you do get what you pay for. And for tires you are placing your safety on (and your family) is it really worth saving a few hundred bucks? Quite a few years ago I knew two people that each drove the exact same year of Saturn Ion and one bought X-Ice tires and the other had whatever Hankook's latest was. We did some braking and acceleration tests in a Canadian Tire parking lot one night and the difference was significant. And the price difference was just over $100. Don't be cheap on safety.

[blownz]

Originally posted by Aleks


How many kms in those 3 winters?

I always see people throw out percentages left especially on kijiji?

If a snow tires starts at 12/32, once it's down to 5/32 I would consider it close to done. So would 5/32 be 0% or do people still go with 0/32s being 0%?

Nokian winter tires have a 4/6/8 number in them which shows how many mm the tread is (have to double check though...) and after 2 winters both of my sets still have the 6 showing and I would say that is with about 10,000km per winter. I think about 40,000km is easy out of them before I would replace them.

[heli212]

Originally posted by blownz
Nokian and Micheline tires are the ones I have liked the most over the years.

Something to keep in mind with the studded tires, is that they will make a mess of your garage floor on a heavy vehicle. 3 years ago I bought studded Hakka 7's for both my Expedition and 535. The side of the garage where the Expedition parks is scratched up really bad from the front tires. Turn the wheel at slow speed and it will mark up the floor. I am anal so this bothers me.

Also about the cheap tires (Federal, Hankook), I wouldn't recommend them as you do get what you pay for. And for tires you are placing your safety on (and your family) is it really worth saving a few hundred bucks? Quite a few years ago I knew two people that each drove the exact same year of Saturn Ion and one bought X-Ice tires and the other had whatever Hankook's latest was. We did some braking and acceleration tests in a Canadian Tire parking lot one night and the difference was significant. And the price difference was just over $100. Don't be cheap on safety.

absolutely, safety is paramount, our cars ride in a small patch of the tire and the conditions are the worst to drive in, specially ice.
Think on the people around you when driving, your family and , may be, yourself? :D
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[heavyD]

I'm surprised how many people run studded tires. I can understand if you are going on ski trips every weekend but for Calgary winters they are major overkill. I've driven MR2 turbo's and Mustang GT's full winters without studded tires so I have no idea why you would put them on FWD or AWD cars.

[rage2]

Originally posted by danno
I've had Dunlop winter sports and I'm not impressed with the handling in snow or ice. Coming from x ice 2's I'd go with them again, but i was thinking I'd try the Bridgestone this year. Just have to find a good place in town since tire rack is off limits at this exchange rate.
You're comparing 2 different class of tires.

The Dunlop WS is a Performance winter, which gives great dry + cold handling and sacrifices snow/ice performance.

The Michelin X-Ice is a true studless winter tire, which gives much better snow/ice performance, but drives squirmy and can't corner worth shit in dry + cold roads.

[vengie]

Originally posted by blownz


Also about the cheap tires (Federal, Hankook), I wouldn't recommend them as you do get what you pay for. And for tires you are placing your safety on (and your family) is it really worth saving a few hundred bucks? Quite a few years ago I knew two people that each drove the exact same year of Saturn Ion and one bought X-Ice tires and the other had whatever Hankook's latest was. We did some braking and acceleration tests in a Canadian Tire parking lot one night and the difference was significant. And the price difference was just over $100. Don't be cheap on safety.

Have you ever driven on Federal Himalaya WS2's? I understand what you're saying about safety, huge concern of mine as well, but the WS2's truly are a fantastic winter tire (one of the best I've ever ran). Just because its economical, doesn't mean it isn't effective :thumbsup: .

[jabjab]

What's your take on the Falken Eurowinter?

[schocker]

Originally posted by vengie
Have you ever driven on Federal Himalaya WS2's? I understand what you're saying about safety, huge concern of mine as well, but the WS2's truly are a fantastic winter tire (one of the best I've ever ran). Just because its economical, doesn't mean it isn't effective :thumbsup: .
Yeah, I have those and there is nothing wrong with hankook either. The cheaper tires just generally seem to wear a bit faster I have found. One of the bets bang for buck winter tires on cheaper cars have been the general altimax arctic which I had my sister get and have been great for many years now and still tons of tread.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by heavyD
I'm surprised how many people run studded tires. I can understand if you are going on ski trips every weekend but for Calgary winters they are major overkill. I've driven MR2 turbo's and Mustang GT's full winters without studded tires so I have no idea why you would put them on FWD or AWD cars.

I initially put them on the minivan to try it. It overkill on majority of days in Calgary but a few really icy days I wanted the van to have the best traction with my wife driving it.

We put studded tires on my parent's Golf and they love it.

I ordered tires for the truck and wanted studs because last year even with "all terrain" tires these types of vehicles are pretty bad compared to everything else I've had when it comes to poor weather. Maybe that's why so many end up in the ditch? :dunno:

[Mibz]

Got studded on the BRZ for this winter. If I don't like them I'll go without next season, but so many people I know are rocking them and loving them so I figured I'd try them out.

[spike98]

I picked up a set of Gislaved Nordfrost 100's studded from Tunerworks for last winter and they were great. Id suggest them over the Himalayas as i feel they preform better for the same, if not less $$.

Great budget winter with lots of decent reviews.

http://www.gislaved-tires.com/generator/www/de/en/gislaved/tires/themes/winter-tires/nordfrost-100/nordfrost-100.html

[tha_bandit]

I picked up Gislaved Nordfrost 5's last winter from kijiji, same thoughts as above.

[civic_stylez]

Im going to be running a set of the Handjob RW11's on the Ram this winter. From what I have read, these have slightly firmer blocks on them and wont be super spongy which is nice for a larger truck. Does anyone have experience with these?

http://shina.com.ua/img/shop/shina_models/foto_1338.jpg

[tha_bandit]

Originally posted by civic_stylez
Handjob RW11's .. Does anyone have experience with these?


:rofl:

[JRSC00LUDE]

For my Tacoma this winter I was leaning toward X-ice or Blizzak but if anyone has experience with a tire for this truck I am listening....

[heavyD]

Originally posted by rage2

You're comparing 2 different class of tires.

The Dunlop WS is a Performance winter, which gives great dry + cold handling and sacrifices snow/ice performance.

The Michelin X-Ice is a true studless winter tire, which gives much better snow/ice performance, but drives squirmy and can't corner worth shit in dry + cold roads.

That's the problem I fined with the low speed winter tires is that we have so many dry road winter days in Calgary winters that you are running these horrible handling tires into April.

[alien]

Originally posted by civic_stylez
Im going to be running a set of the Handjob RW11's on the Ram this winter. From what I have read, these have slightly firmer blocks on them and wont be super spongy which is nice for a larger truck. Does anyone have experience with these?

http://shina.com.ua/img/shop/shina_models/foto_1338.jpg

I run these studded on my Armada and they are pretty decent. They're my first set of winters on this car though so all i have to compare them to are the all seasons i run in the summer which they are far superior. I think since they're a harder compound without the studding they may not be as good on ice compared to studless winters like the toyos or blizzaks. Good wearing tire too so far.

The studding don't make much noise in the cabin.

[SkiBum5.0]

Originally posted by SKR


Have you ever used those tires before? I haven't used the KO2, just the KO, but gravel and snow is definitely not where they shine in my experience. I think they're good on dry dirt and that's about it.

K02 is completely new and meets Quebec's standards for winter tires. It's like comparing the Mchelin PS2 to PSS. KO2 is new compound and tread design.

[Shax]

Originally posted by jabjab
What's your take on the Falken Eurowinter?

I got a banging deal on these and ran them on my GTI last winter. Not so great on ice or fresh deep snow but great everywhere else. They hold on tight on partially plowed roads but lose it a bit if there is a fresh snowfall. I have heard the wear on them sucks but so far after a season with them they look brand new. A bit of road noise as well. I only notice it on the highway.

Overall I would say, just okay.

[know1edge]

.

[Mostwanted]

Have General Altimax studded on my 99 4runner, Loove it! overkill on the studs i think, but i got it with a discount, so why not, plus i drive 1000km every week so its for the peace of mind.

but for the old corolla had the hakka 7 studded, and that thing went EVERYWHERE, raised the coilovers during winter and never got stuck even with a foot of fresh snow on the ground.

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by blownz

Also about the cheap tires (Federal, Hankook), I wouldn't recommend them as you do get what you pay for. And for tires you are placing your safety on (and your family) is it really worth saving a few hundred bucks? Quite a few years ago I knew two people that each drove the exact same year of Saturn Ion and one bought X-Ice tires and the other had whatever Hankook's latest was. We did some braking and acceleration tests in a Canadian Tire parking lot one night and the difference was significant. And the price difference was just over $100. Don't be cheap on safety.



Even the cheapest winter tire, will outperform the most expensivest all-season tire in winter.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Tires are expensive for the size I want for my Tacoma :cry:

[max_boost]

Been running the Hankook i-Pike W409 and RW11 on the vehicles for years. Studdable but I don't opt for it.

As usual, match the proper tire to the vehicle. Ask yourself what's most important.

Like rage2 said, you want a squishy soft Q/R/S/T tire that sticks to the snow and sacrifices dry road handling during the chinook days or you want a harder H/V compound tire that sacrifices snow traction in exchange for performance on dry roads?

Decisions decisions decisions.

[max_boost]

Waiting for speeddog to post how he's driven for 40 years without winter tires and has never been in an accident. Or has he done that already. :winter:

[HiSpec]

Originally posted by spike98
I picked up a set of Gislaved Nordfrost 100's studded from Tunerworks for last winter and they were great. Id suggest them over the Himalayas as i feel they preform better for the same, if not less $$.

Great budget winter with lots of decent reviews.

http://www.gislaved-tires.com/generator/www/de/en/gislaved/tires/themes/winter-tires/nordfrost-100/nordfrost-100.html



Originally posted by tha_bandit
I picked up Gislaved Nordfrost 5's last winter from kijiji, same thoughts as above.

I was using the same tires with my Impreza last year. The car felt really stable and surefooted on icy surfaces... can't say the same for dry pavements.

[Tuner1]

Silver on black - clean

http://www.tunerworks.com/share/Beyond/IMG_5802.JPG


Silver on black - dirty

http://www.tunerworks.com/share/Beyond/IMG_5962.JPG

[rage2]

Originally posted by heavyD
That's the problem I fined with the low speed winter tires is that we have so many dry road winter days in Calgary winters that you are running these horrible handling tires into April.
Yea, but for most drivers not us, they're more than adequate dry + cold traction. I threw Hakka8's on the gf's car because she doesn't need that much dry traction in the summer, let alone in the winter. She drives like a normal human being.

For me, I went with the Dunlop WS 3D, it's one of the worst Performance Winters out there, but the GLA has oddball sizes which makes it impossible to get the proper sizes in the good stuff, such as Michelin PA4, or my favorite, the good old Handjob IceBears. :rofl:

[blownz]

Originally posted by dj_rice




Even the cheapest winter tire, will outperform the most expensivest all-season tire in winter.

I am not comparing winter to all-season. Winter to winter. And that is the problem with most people claiming the cheap tires are good. They are comparing them to all-seasons and not other better winter tires.

If you are already buying winter tires, the extra 10-20% (it isn't much) to get the best is worth it IMO.

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by blownz


I am not comparing winter to all-season. Winter to winter. And that is the problem with most people claiming the cheap tires are good. They are comparing them to all-seasons and not other better winter tires.

If you are already buying winter tires, the extra 10-20% (it isn't much) to get the best is worth it IMO.


Sorry I should of added in my quote, who cares what people are running. As long as they are driving on winters at least is the main thing. You drive a BMW, you can afford the extra costs, other people drive Honda Civics and that extra $100 could mean no food for a week or not.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by rage2

Yea, but for most drivers not us, they're more than adequate dry + cold traction. I threw Hakka8's on the gf's car because she doesn't need that much dry traction in the summer, let alone in the winter. She drives like a normal human being.

For me, I went with the Dunlop WS 3D, it's one of the worst Performance Winters out there, but the GLA has oddball sizes which makes it impossible to get the proper sizes in the good stuff, such as Michelin PA4, or my favorite, the good old Handjob IceBears. :rofl: Yes. I'm leaving my GLK on all seasons and will drive it on the clear days lol too cheap to pay for a set of 20's lol I'll just use my two other cars with winters haha

[tirebob]

Originally posted by blownz


I am not comparing winter to all-season. Winter to winter. And that is the problem with most people claiming the cheap tires are good. They are comparing them to all-seasons and not other better winter tires.

If you are already buying winter tires, the extra 10-20% (it isn't much) to get the best is worth it IMO. Not always the case... I have just a wee bit more tire experience than the average bear and I have run most of the very best of the very best over many, many winters, and guess what I have been using for the past 3 winters on my own car and can say without an ounce of doubt that in regards to severe winter traction, they perform very, very close to the uber premium stuff, but for a SUBSTANTIAL amount less money? That's right... Federal Himalaya WS2's.

Now as I always say though, no one tire is the best of everything, and for the very generous combination on deep snow and ice traction that the Fed's give, they definitely are a squirmy tread block not designed for aggressive dry weather driving, so if you have a high performance car or you drive like a general d-bag (in a good way of course! :burnout: ) these will be the wrong tire for you, but if you are working on a modest budget and want a very high level of winter ability, the Federal is excellent...

And no... I am not comparing them to all seasons... lol

[JRSC00LUDE]

bob, what say you on my question of Tacoma? 150 km per week highway, daily city driving all winter!

[That.Guy.S30]

Originally posted by max_boost
Yes. I'm leaving my GLK on all seasons and will drive it on the clear days lol too cheap to pay for a set of 20's lol I'll just use my two other cars with winters haha

I like how you type in a way that makes you look the like average person. But in reality you are gonna drive a 911 TURBO with winter tires in winter. Thats super Ballin. :bigpimp:

[tirebob]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
bob, what say you on my question of Tacoma? 150 km per week highway, daily city driving all winter! Depends on what you want in regards to the characteristics that are your biggest priority vs what you are willing to sacrifice really...

Do you want maximum traction at minimum cost? Do you want smoother and quieter and better handling vs maximum deeper snow traction and ice traction? Do you want uber premium at any price or better balance at a more reasonable cost?

Thoughts?

[BMDUBS]

Originally posted by blownz


I am not comparing winter to all-season. Winter to winter. And that is the problem with most people claiming the cheap tires are good. They are comparing them to all-seasons and not other better winter tires.

If you are already buying winter tires, the extra 10-20% (it isn't much) to get the best is worth it IMO.

I purchased 235/35/19 Kumho I-Zen KW27 tires online for $214.00/tire and was unable to find anything even remotely close to that price for this odd ball size. Most tires in this size are close to $500.00 per tire and for driving 5000 km or less in the winter I am willing to take my chance with going with an unknown cheap winter tire.