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Snow Tires, are they worth it?

17K views 179 replies 51 participants last post by  tanscrazydaisy 
#1 ·
So...I drive a FWD car and I just chain up as needed....not a huge deal, I can do it super fast, but I hate driving with chains on. I hate finding the best place to put them on and then take them off.

What I'm wondering is, are snow tires really that superior? My dealership is offering free storage with a purchase of them so it's got me thinking about it. It would certainly be cheaper than getting a SUV for now....

What is your experience and thoughts on this for those who switch over to them in the winter? And I'm talking non-studded....don't get me started on those....
 
#2 ·
Been doing the switch for years. Now I just have an extra set of wheels and boom, its a 15 minute change 2 times a year. no big difference most of the time, but MASSIVE difference in garbage weather/fresh snow/ice. those times alone make it worth it for me.
 
#3 ·
studded only help starting and stopping. The true advantage for snow tires is keeping linear stability and I believe they are worth it but am not sure that opinions on this forum, including mine, are really the best source for safety advice :) Not really the most conservative, safe group around eh :hairy:
 
#4 ·
For a FWD or RWD only vehicle, snow tires are essentially a must if you live in an area that gets any real snow or you want to travel to and from snowy areas with any regularity. Keep the chains in the trunk as a backup, but you'll likely find yourself needing them far less often if at all. Snow tires make a BIG difference.
 
#7 ·
Any noticeable difference in gas mileage?

In the good old days we would have the snow level drop pretty low, but now that it's been higher I've probably used chains a total of 3 times and that doesn't include last season.

Yes I was wondering if I had snow tires would I need chains at all and I should clarify that I have cables not chains, if that makes any difference.

I remember driving to Bend once and it took forever. I didn't need chains but once the sun was gone those roads were a melted frozen crunchy mess. I'm assuming snow tires would have been much better?

Meh people here will have more experience and information than the guy who is wanting to sell a chick snow tires...."oh yes you absolutely NEED these" etc

Now, if I could just find a guy who snowboards with an SUV all my problems would be solved hahaha
 
#11 · (Edited)
Questions like this surprise me as having snow/winter tires in wintertime is the absolute normality over here.

Winter tires are not only made just for snow... their rubber composition is in general optimized for cold temperatures. Breaking distance of summer tires in cold temps gets very bad, not only on icy or snowy roads, also in simlpy just wet n cold conditions. Their rubber composition just doesn't grip in cold temps. They are made to have grip in warm and even hot temps (when winter tires suck as they won't grip well in hot temps).

IMO, if you live somewhere where you get <7°C and precipitation - rain - winter tires are a should; if you get snow n ice, they're a must.




Considering gas milage: my SUV uses 9L/100km with summer tires and 9.5L/100km with winter tires. Only a small increase. The more unnerving thing is that winter tires are louder... but this seems to depend on the brand/model as well. I chose the brand with the best testresults on snowy conditions as I have to drive on steep roads on snow a lot and didn't care that this particular tire model is a bit louder.

Also not every snow tire is as good as the other snow tire. Some are better on snow, some better on wet roads... and some cheepo ones are just lousy anyway. I once had a snow tire which was so lousy, I ended in the ditch twice in 2 days along our steep road with my Subaru Legacy 4x4... the car slipped sideways along the sideway pitch of the road while driving upwards. Never happened again since I go for good winter tires
 
#12 · (Edited)
The difference is huge and it's a must on all veicles, not only FWD or AWD, because it doesn't matter fwd, rwd or awd, all of them are stopping the same, hence AWD, beeing heavier, stops slower.

all weather tires sucks dick big time. I had and awfull experience driving with michelin PILOT HX MXM4 on rear and continental sport contact 3 on front of my bmw540i, it was undriveable in wet, front was holding strong and the car was overteering ir normal everyday driving. Finished them in 4 months. There were thread for 3 more seasons, but i hated them and burned them in like 2 minutes before puting winter tires on my car for winter season.

This year I bought a 14' jetta from iaai auctions for my mother, it came with Bridgestone Turanza EL400-02 all weather tires, they are awfull, noisy, bad grip in every conditions. Put on a winter tires, gislaved eurofrost 5, and they are much more quiet and I can bet on my house, they would crush those all season shits in every winter condition.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Technically they are "all-season" tires, and to be called "all-season" (technically M+S aka Mud & Snow) they just need to meet a minimum void to tread ratio.

In europe, there is a new market for "all-weather" tires, that was pioneered by Nokian originally for the North American market. These all-weather tires still have the mountain-snowflake (an actual traction test, it's a low standard though), but trade the ultimate snow & ice traction so that it can be used year-round, especially for people that do not have the storage for multipe wheelset/tires.

With the Nokian's it started with the WR, then the WR G2, and now the WR G3 (which for passenger cars, is a combination of the A3 & D3). Hankook jumped in and offered a lower priced alternative, Optimo 4S. Michelin & Goodyear are also offering an "All-weather" tire now also.
 
#24 ·
I actually ordered a new set of tires last night for my truck. $1500. I run them year round. I have about 50000 miles on my current set and ordered the same ones again.

If you are getting a tire just for winter and will be swapping them off in summer than get the best true snow tire you can afford.
 
#26 ·
I have about 50000 miles on my current set and ordered the same ones again.
This is incredible! My brother told a similar number and I never believed him cos he has a huge car, uhm, Suburban something, and I couldn't imagine that this is possible, especially with that heavy car. I put two seasons on my winter tires and then they're done. That's only abt 13'000miles :eyetwitch2:
 
#25 ·
I will never ride without snow tires. Been doing it for years, and I make the switch every season.


Tire Rack will ship them with steelies all balanced and mounted for you. Then, you can just bolt them on and go. Depending upon the tires/size, you're looking at around $600-700 shipped.

$700 and 30-60 minutes to change them twice a year is worth every penny knowing you will not be stopped or nervous in snow season after season. My snow tires will last 5+ seasons, too.

Snow tires I recommend:

General Altimax
Firestone Winterforce

I've used both of those and they are great. No need to spend tons of money on "top" snow tires. Those two brands above are on the lower end of price and function amazingly. The Winterforce are a little louder than the Altimax on road.


OP, what kind of car do you have?
 
#27 ·
I've never bothered with dedicated snow tires on a 4wd, but to each their own. I just don't want the hassle of having to swap out tires and store the tires not being used. Storing tires for a full size SUV is a bit different than storing tires for a Honda Civic. That's a good chunk of the corner of your garage.

Plus, I don't like shoveling my steep driveway. While dedicated snow tires are great for packed snow conditions you find on the road, they aren't nearly as effective in deep, unplowed snow that you find in my driveway. :hairy:
 
#30 ·
I'm currently running the Goodyear Silent Armors on my Tahoe and I'm on my 3rd set of them. Always loved them, but this is my last set of Goodyears. They claim they haven't changed anything, but bullshit. This set is wearing twice as fast as the last two, I've fought two persistent slow leaks and had one catastrophic high speed blowout. The wife has a set on her 4Runner too and she has one with a persistent slow leak as well.

So, Goodyear... :finger1:
 
#31 · (Edited)
Here in CO they are finally supposedly enforcing passenger vehicle equipment laws, which basically requires you to have snow tires.

Modern snowtires actually out perform chains unless you are in deep doodoo, and even then, that's questionable at best. Chains turn your handling to shit.

Snowtire technology has radically evolved from where it was 15-20 years ago, the good ones work really, really well, Tirerack ftw.

People without snowtires need to stay off the road that takes the rest of us snowboarding. Period.

edit. I've recently had bad experience with Goodyear snow tires as well (they simply did not perform, gave zero confidence in weather), as opposed to amazing performances from Dunlop and General.
 
#32 ·
Get winter tires! it's a no brainer. Unless you do like 2 or 3x a yr and nver hunt for pow...

A single ditch episode costs more than a set of winters plus a ruined day. Getting yourself or others hurt... no price to that.

I got my winters super cheap. Used, but virtually brand new. Pirelli extreme ice control, with OEM alloys. Paid like $400 CAD. Cheap as hell.

Most of my winter kms are highway anyways, so i dont mind the loss. Handling is definitely better with summer. Winters are softer and the deep threading loses some dry grip; but i've seen a lot of cops on the highway lately.... so if i stick to the speed limit (or about +20kph) i will not skid one bit.
 
#38 ·
I have had great luck with my Cooper AT's in the snow. They aren't snowflake rated but do better than BFG AT's which are. Lots of siping and a grippy compound really help. I wouldn't hesitate to try Cooper's winter car tires if I had a car, they're a great value.

I got burned by Goodyears once, won't ever run them again. The "all terrain" SR-A's I had got 10 flats between the 4 of them and only made it 22.000 miles. Awful traction on top of it all.

Neni, my current tires are at 28,000 miles, and should make it to 50,000 with plenty of tread. :hairy:
 
#39 ·
I'm finally switching to real winter tires this year. We have an SUV and it eats tires. We've always put all-season tires on it, but they tend to suck in real snow. This year I'm going with full-on winter tires (Bridgestone Blizzak) and switching them out in Spring. I have 18" wheels, so any tire is expensive, but I found them online for $125 per. Of course, then I have to pay to ship them and install them, but still works out cheaper.
 
#41 ·
I have ATP's, the Zeons are more of a sport truck tire than an all terrain in my opinion. Next set, I'll either go with AT3's or the new ATW. AT3s are very similar to what I have now and it seems that a lot of locals run them. ATW has a snowflake rating and looks like a good choice even here, its pavement traction and wet traction is supposed to be amazing.
 
#42 · (Edited)
I have a 96 Accord and i swap tires for winter(General Altimax artic) that lasted for four seasons. I ordered a new set last season for $280. This year i purchased a set for our SUV, same brand though it was more expensive($500)due to size. I like this tires cuz they work really well up here in Montana winter weather, they are not too expensive and last longer if you do not try to speed past 80 mph on dry roads.
To the OP, it is well worth it, though your gas mileage goes down a little bit, it is not a big deal especially if your gas prices are low. I travel about an hour to 3 hours depending where i want to go. I do not really worry about the gas mileage but more to other people driving out the snowy roads.
 
#44 ·
Like them or not for years I used studded tires which work great in the snow. I had doubts about the effectiveness of the new stud less snow tires but About six years ago I tried Bridgestone Blizzak and to my surprise they worked just as good. Alway had my winter tire on spare set of rims so they are easy to switch. Also always carry chains but have not used then in probably two decades.

I get about four winters use out of a set of Blizzaks. My feeling is that while they cost extra I most likely, with a little luck, will not have to drop money on paying insurance deductible because of an accident and the ensuing headaches dealing with an accident.
 
#45 ·
Rogue, what year and "trim" is your Mazda 3?

click the link and put in your vehicle's info: http://www.tirerack.com/content/tirerack/desktop/en/winter_snow/packages.html

Choose the 15" packages. Choose the General Altimax Arctic or the Firestone Winterforce (best winter tires for your buck).


I've used both of these specific snow tires and they are amazing. I like the Winterforce better for all out snow, but they are louder than the General's and not as great in the slush. I once drove 6-hours to Minneapolis in a whiteout blizzard with my winterforce tires on a sedan with not one ounce of worry. It was ironic when I saw all the 4x4 trucks on the side of the road, spun out, flipped, etc when I was just cruising.

Another example: Last year I got plowed in on the street. I couldn't even open up my door. I cleared a spot for my exhaust, rocked back and forth a few times and got out with ease. These were in my General Altimax Arctic tires. So, like I said, both are great winter tires!












if you get them with the steelies, which I recommend, you can have them shipped to your door all mounted and balanced ready to be installed. Do yourself a favor and get the steelies. Makes it SO much easier to switch tires between seasons.

All said and done, you'll probably spend between $550-$650 for the tires and the steelies with shipping. Worth every penny when you're safe, can get anywhere at any time and know that you'll never be stranded to or from the mountain. Plus, you'll have them for 3+ seasons guaranteed.


I guessed on your vehicle year, so the prices may not be accurate. But these are the tires/steelies you should be looking at. As I said, I've used both of these. I currently have the Altimax on my Golf TDI, and my gf got her Altimax in the mail waiting to be put on her Acura.






 
#49 ·
Too many people think in terms of snow tires improving your traction in deep snow or so that you don't spin your tires when the light turns green. They do do that, but the real safety feature is the straightline traction for braking and the lateral traction to prevent skids. They improve those things even on dry pavement. Non-snow tire braking and skid control deteriorates below -7C even on dry pavement because their rubber gets hard.

If you live where it gets that cold, even if you don't get much snow, then snow tires help. And they make my all-seasons last that much longer
 
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