Im toying with the idea of getting a set of these to replace mt Blizzak WS60s that are down to 5-6/32nd. Im thinking this might be a better match for my situation. My primary set are summer tires so I take them off when the temp gets down to about 40-50F. So I drive for awhile on dry or wet roads. I was reading the reviews on TR and seen quite a few claiming to run them year round. Im planning on driving down to Vegas around christmas and my concern with the Blizzaks has been that Ill burn them up driving down there and back. So Im going should I run the Blizzaks or the summers. I know Ill be trading off ultimate snow traction for the better wear but I think I can handle it now that Im used to it.
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
- Thread starter Colt45ws
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Those tires are not ice rated, the WS60s are. Something to think about.
I know. The WS60s though are getting to the point of losing that special rubber anyway sooo...ehh.
The new Michelin X-Ice Xi2 has surpassed the Blizzak WS series if you look at the tests.
Really? From what I had seen they were all pretty close.
Tire Rack showed the Xice having a slight edge, last I checked.
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Tough call. You still got another season on the Blizzaks.
I say run 'em - Vegas trip and all. In Washington State you can get away with a performance winter tire as replacements for the Blizzaks and end your dilemma in the future. Your balding Blizzaks will still be better than most of what your fellow motorists will be sporting.
Then again, if your summers are on dedicated wheels, slap 'em back on before the trip then switch back after. Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean the weather/roads will be bad. Let the weather dictate what you do.
Like I said, tough call.
I say run 'em - Vegas trip and all. In Washington State you can get away with a performance winter tire as replacements for the Blizzaks and end your dilemma in the future. Your balding Blizzaks will still be better than most of what your fellow motorists will be sporting.
Then again, if your summers are on dedicated wheels, slap 'em back on before the trip then switch back after. Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean the weather/roads will be bad. Let the weather dictate what you do.
Like I said, tough call.
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Yeah last time I put my 18s back on for the trip. But that was after I found out the Exclaim UHPs I had were All-Season.
Any snow tire will get absolutely shredded if you run it in warm temps. The rubber compounds do not last long.
Yeah, I know, but it isnt going to be THAT warm in the middle of December. Middle of August and its 110F, sure.
I think I might do what Oil Changer said and roll the Blizzaks. If they shred, and I need new ones when I get back, oh well. It wouldnt be like I lost money since I would be throwing them away anyway. Just it would save ~2kmi or so off the new ones.
I was kinda debating because of the rebates on winter tires right now.
I think I might do what Oil Changer said and roll the Blizzaks. If they shred, and I need new ones when I get back, oh well. It wouldnt be like I lost money since I would be throwing them away anyway. Just it would save ~2kmi or so off the new ones.
I was kinda debating because of the rebates on winter tires right now.
Originally Posted By: dparm
Those tires are not ice rated, the WS60s are. Something to think about.
not ice rated on what?
They are performance snows not max traction snows.. but still fine on ice?
I had the dunlop M3's which were the predecessor of the 3d and they werent the best snow tire I've ever run but they were great in all conditions.
esp in dry and wet. vs other snow tires I've had.
Those tires are not ice rated, the WS60s are. Something to think about.
not ice rated on what?
They are performance snows not max traction snows.. but still fine on ice?
I had the dunlop M3's which were the predecessor of the 3d and they werent the best snow tire I've ever run but they were great in all conditions.
esp in dry and wet. vs other snow tires I've had.
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Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: dparm
Those tires are not ice rated, the WS60s are. Something to think about.
not ice rated on what?
They are performance snows not max traction snows.. but still fine on ice?
I had the dunlop M3's which were the predecessor of the 3d and they werent the best snow tire I've ever run but they were great in all conditions.
esp in dry and wet. vs other snow tires I've had.
+1 on loving Dunlop Wintersports. Great winter tire on dry, wet and slush (ugly wet, warm snow that we get here in Pac NW). Pretty darn good in snow and ice with decent driving technique. They behave very nicely and don't demand many compromises in wear life, ride or noise. I've gotten more than 5 winters out of 3 sets (different versions) on 3 different cars.
Originally Posted By: dparm
Those tires are not ice rated, the WS60s are. Something to think about.
not ice rated on what?
They are performance snows not max traction snows.. but still fine on ice?
I had the dunlop M3's which were the predecessor of the 3d and they werent the best snow tire I've ever run but they were great in all conditions.
esp in dry and wet. vs other snow tires I've had.
+1 on loving Dunlop Wintersports. Great winter tire on dry, wet and slush (ugly wet, warm snow that we get here in Pac NW). Pretty darn good in snow and ice with decent driving technique. They behave very nicely and don't demand many compromises in wear life, ride or noise. I've gotten more than 5 winters out of 3 sets (different versions) on 3 different cars.
Another thread mentioned the Hankook I*Cept Evo W310. I looked it up, and it is available in the size I use. Has anybody seen anything on this tire? I looked all over and cant find much on it. What I have found from Hankook I found interesting is that it is using 3D sipes like the Dunlop.
It is cheaper than the Dunlop by over $100 for a set. Not including MIR currently on the Dunlops. Im willing to pay the difference for better performance; Im not buying on price alone, but it does affect my decision somewhat. Something I like about the Hankook is that it is asymmetrical as opposed to directional like the Dunlop.
It is cheaper than the Dunlop by over $100 for a set. Not including MIR currently on the Dunlops. Im willing to pay the difference for better performance; Im not buying on price alone, but it does affect my decision somewhat. Something I like about the Hankook is that it is asymmetrical as opposed to directional like the Dunlop.
I have a set of the Dunlop Winter Sport 3Ds, size 205/55-16, on a Subaru Impreza. After two years of winter time use they still look brand new. I could not be more satisfied with these tires. Their performance in snow, wet roads and dry is amazing. I can't really comment on glare ice traction because I try to avoid driving on ice rinks. The biggest suprise was that the Dunlops were better in all driving situations than the Bridgestone RE92s that were original equipment on the car, and that includes dry road cornering.
Wow, that impresses me that they are better than an A/S in dry road conditions. Even though they ARE OE tires I still think that is remarkable.
Even though the WinterSport 3D has been superceded by the 4D, the 3D is still a highly regarded performance winter. It very frequently scored in the top 3 in the various objective tests over the last few years, and it gets lots of good subjective reviews. It is a safe choice, especially if ice traction is not a top priority.
The iCept Evo is an interesting tire, but buying it would be riskier than buying the proven 3D. Consumer Reports did however give the Hankook high marks.
The iCept Evo is an interesting tire, but buying it would be riskier than buying the proven 3D. Consumer Reports did however give the Hankook high marks.
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