Winter Tires or Cooper CS5?

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wn1998

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So the versa needs new tires and we were very happy with the cooper cs4's that are on there currently. We plan on keeping the versa for about 2-3 more years.

I have thought about a dedicated snow tire but is it worth it as we will then have to buy a cheap all season once the winter is over.

I want someone to convince me that a dedicated snow tire is the way to go!
 
Its a personal choice. I have 2 coworkers that I couldn't convince.. and they both had wrecks in the last couple years that totaled their cars...

Now they are just scared of "dangerous winter" driving

My best argument is the price of winter tires on separate wheels is less than your insurance deductible.

I wont go without them they are so much better than all-seasons. I drive in the lake effect snow area from lake erie and they make winter driving a joy vs a white knuckle affair.

Since you are only keeping the car another 2 years or so you might consider nokian wrg3. Its basically a "performance winter" tire you drive on all year.

That all being said if you can stay home till the snow is cleared a good all season may be adequate.
 
Scrounge for a set of used all seasons on rims. Like for $100-200. Yeah you probably need/want TPMS monitors, a hassle. Sometimes life lets you keep a car longer than you anticipated. Then spend the $$ on some decent snows.

OTOH you like coopers and they treat you well. What size are we talking?
 
Why not all-weather tyres with snowflake? Those are real winter tyres (although not as good as a top end only winter tyres) that are meant for use year-round.
 
We've just gone through a couple of serious winters in the upper Midwest.
If your wife was comfortable driving the Versa through those on A/S tires, then just get a new set of Coopers.
OTOH, to compare an A/S tire to a dedicated winter is an apples vs oranges thing.
We've had dedicated winters and while I don't really feel that they're a requirement for winter driving, they are really super in bad conditions.
After the plows and salt trucks have done their work, though, it really doesn't matter.
If you have the option of waiting out conditions, then you can do just fine on A/S tires.
 
Hello, Get a set of wheels (steel or scratched alloys) and mount a set of snows. You'll be glad you did.

The mounted set of 4 snows I bought is among the very best money I've EVER spent.

A guy told me "It's like night and day" before I bought them. I tell people that now.
It's true the plow and salter trucks lessen the need for snows BUT NOT ALWAYS or ON ALL STREETS ALL THE TIME.

I have a floor jack and a driveway to switch 'em. I've had 'em on for as little as 125 miles and as long as 1,200.
I want the darn things to last.

Get snows, be safer....you're already smarter! ! (encouragement) Kira
 
I've experienced a few close calls in snowy weather that could have ended very badly. I didn't buy snow tires for most of the time; they're to allow us to stop safely or get out of the way of a bad situation quicker.

That one deadly or harmful event may never present itself, but when it does I'd like to be a little better prepared.

The added benefit is being able to get to where you WANT to go safely, like work, the grocery store, etc.
 
The CS5 has great wet road traction, so for the 1st winter when the tread has the deepest grooves you should be okay...for the 2nd winter, I'd go with snows.
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Winter tires!
All Seasons are biggest scam in this society!


Spoken like someone who has limited experience with winter driving.
Those of us who grew up driving in snow and ice find modern A/S tires to be a revelatory experience as compared to what was available way back when.
Yes, dedicated winters are very good, but anyone who can't safely operate a car in winter conditions without them probably doesn't need to be driving.
It's all a matter of caution and learned skills.
 
It does not hurt to wear boots in winter vs flip flops.
Some all seasons are very poor in winter condtions and you will find it out in the most inopportune time.

Krzys
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Winter tires!
All Seasons are biggest scam in this society!


All season tires are quiet and last a long time. They have a very broad purpose. Winter tires (and to some degree summer tires) have a much more narrow purpose.

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Winter tires!
All Seasons are biggest scam in this society!


Spoken like someone who has limited experience with winter driving.
Those of us who grew up driving in snow and ice find modern A/S tires to be a revelatory experience as compared to what was available way back when.
Yes, dedicated winters are very good, but anyone who can't safely operate a car in winter conditions without them probably doesn't need to be driving.
It's all a matter of caution and learned skills.


+1

However! There are times when a winter tire may mean as little as being stuck vs being to make it to work or as much as crash or no crash. Both make winter tires here in New England worth the cost.
 
Originally Posted By: chrisri
Why not all-weather tyres with snowflake? Those are real winter tyres (although not as good as a top end only winter tyres) that are meant for use year-round.


Not many sold in the USA, nokian WRG3 is about the only one available currently.

I believe toyo has one soon but I have yet to see them here.
 
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Even cheap snow tires outperform the best all-season tires in winter weather.


+1
01.gif


If you can afford 2 sets of tires, then get some dedicated winter tires.
 
I like how my driving skills are being attacked because I prefer to safely equip my car for driving in the snow.

Our city and the state doesn't plow here. It sure is nice to be able to go up an unplowed road in my front wheel drive car to pass AWD and other 2wd vehicles that can't move thanks to all season.

I have driven in the snow in "all season" tires. If there is nothing hard packed and it's just 6 inches of fluffy snow, they will go. If there is anything hard packed ... they don't.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I like how my driving skills are being attacked because I prefer to safely equip my car for driving in the snow.

I have driven in the snow in "all season" tires. If there is nothing hard packed and it's just 6 inches of fluffy snow, they will go. If there is anything hard packed ... they don't.


Usually people who don't use winter tires haven't used a modern winter tire. I find it funny hes telling the guy in COLORADO he doesn't know winter weather driving
smile.gif


I doubt caution and care would get me home through a 12" lake effect snowstorm either
smile.gif


I also live on a long hill. Every year people get stuck going up. Or try to go down at 10mph and end up bombing into someone's front yard utility pole.

I will keep using winter tires. Its not that I didn't drive 7 years(w/4x4 truck) working in the snow belt without them. Its how nice winter tires make winter driving. You go from stressed out.. To watching everyone else.

But I really do understand fdcg27... I have multiple co-workers who have demolished their cars in preventable winter accidents that still dont want winter tires... they cost too much... or too annoying to store etc.

I had one coworker who was laughing at my blizzak ws-70 on my subaru.. "You have AWD you dont need those" she said...

she then mentioned they cost too much. That year she did a 720 on the interstate got hit head on by the person following her. Totalled her 15000$ car. Now has back problems.. Her solution a 40000$ toyota AWD and goodyear tripletreads

Now she is now terrified of winter driving.

She lives in an unplowed development. She calls off about 3-4 times during winter snowstorms

I personally thing 500$ for some winter tires on wheels would have been cheaper.
 
I think this winter I am going to get a dashcam setup for driving home. I live on a medium sized hill. Well, a series of 3 hills. The "main" road is 2 lanes up, 1 lane down. I often end up having to go up the down lane to pass stuck cars in the two up lanes that can't move.

Then there is also skill involved with getting through stuff. You can attempt to blast through the 3' bank from the snow plow with your CR-V. IT's going to get high centered. At that point, it doesn't matter. Meanwhile, I will either get out and shovel (seriously ... no one carries them any more) or just walk the car back and fourth a handful of times and make my own path. If it idles in, it will often idle right back out.

Of course there is stopping and turning. I almost got nailed at an intersection by a Subaru that couldn't stop or turn. Mid way through the turn it started sliding. I couldn't go either forwards or backwards due to other cars. Luckily it *did* stop about a paper away from my door.

But that's okay. I'll stick with my waste-of-money tires.

Now mudflaps. There's a debate. I think I am going to put ones on this year.
 
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