Blizzaks are awesome on my van.
Most Reliable Winter Tires?
- Thread starter Cooper
- Start date
- Status
I ordered the Blizzak WS70 tires. Pretty good deal since the WS80 is coming out soon....
Originally Posted By: Mr_Joe
Any are better than none. I usually get the Blizzacks.
Worst winter tire is better then best All-Season tire in snow.
Any are better than none. I usually get the Blizzacks.
Worst winter tire is better then best All-Season tire in snow.
We had a set of earlier Blizzaks on one of our old Accords.
They were dirt cheap on closeout from TR and they were very good in winter conditions.
Did you know that "Blizzak" is slang for "black guy"?
I didn't either until I mentioned that I'd bought a set to a black guy who then worked under me and he almost fell on the floor laughing.
I asked him what was so funny and he explained it to me.
They were dirt cheap on closeout from TR and they were very good in winter conditions.
Did you know that "Blizzak" is slang for "black guy"?
I didn't either until I mentioned that I'd bought a set to a black guy who then worked under me and he almost fell on the floor laughing.
I asked him what was so funny and he explained it to me.
I guess the major tire makers (Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, Michelin, Bridgestone) are probably the easiest to find. However, I thought that the ones from winter climate countries (Nokian and Vredestein) were among the best for this niche application.
What about a Vredestein Quatrac 3? Has the snowflake symbol and a 40K mile treadwear warranty.
I saw one place that has vastly different prices for the H speed rated one vs the V speed rated version in 205/55R16.
What about a Vredestein Quatrac 3? Has the snowflake symbol and a 40K mile treadwear warranty.
I saw one place that has vastly different prices for the H speed rated one vs the V speed rated version in 205/55R16.
Vredestein is Dutch, now Indian.
I have never heard about Holland having any winter to write about.
That is compared to Finnish Nokian that is a few thousand miles up north.
Of course it may not prevent them from developing good winter tires.
Krzys
PS Use your German or google translate and check this:
http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/rei...rcePageId=31821
The tests are not that reliable as they used to be after ADAC car of the year voting "adjustments".
I have never heard about Holland having any winter to write about.
That is compared to Finnish Nokian that is a few thousand miles up north.
Of course it may not prevent them from developing good winter tires.
Krzys
PS Use your German or google translate and check this:
http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/rei...rcePageId=31821
The tests are not that reliable as they used to be after ADAC car of the year voting "adjustments".
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: krzyss
Vredestein is Dutch, now Indian.
I have never heard about Holland having any winter to write about.
That is compared to Finnish Nokian that is a few thousand miles up north.
Of course it may not prevent them from developing good winter tires.
Looks like decent snow to me - enough that a polar bear at the Rotterdam Zoo had enough white stuff to play with.
I realize it's not Scandinavia or Siberia, but they get a heck of a lot more winter conditions there than where I live. I thought it was a place where speed skating (outdoors) over frozen rivers is an obsession.
Vredestein is Dutch, now Indian.
I have never heard about Holland having any winter to write about.
That is compared to Finnish Nokian that is a few thousand miles up north.
Of course it may not prevent them from developing good winter tires.
Looks like decent snow to me - enough that a polar bear at the Rotterdam Zoo had enough white stuff to play with.
I realize it's not Scandinavia or Siberia, but they get a heck of a lot more winter conditions there than where I live. I thought it was a place where speed skating (outdoors) over frozen rivers is an obsession.
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
I guess the major tire makers (Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, Michelin, Bridgestone) are probably the easiest to find. However, I thought that the ones from winter climate countries (Nokian and Vredestein) were among the best for this niche application.
What about a Vredestein Quatrac 3? Has the snowflake symbol and a 40K mile treadwear warranty.
I saw one place that has vastly different prices for the H speed rated one vs the V speed rated version in 205/55R16.
That is by EU standards all-season tire. Manufacturers are trying to introduce again all-season tires to EU, and they have to be good enough in the snow to meet standards to get snow flake. Reason is, in many European countries by the law you can drive from 11/15-04/15 each year ONLY with tires with snow flake.
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
I guess the major tire makers (Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, Michelin, Bridgestone) are probably the easiest to find. However, I thought that the ones from winter climate countries (Nokian and Vredestein) were among the best for this niche application.
What about a Vredestein Quatrac 3? Has the snowflake symbol and a 40K mile treadwear warranty.
I saw one place that has vastly different prices for the H speed rated one vs the V speed rated version in 205/55R16.
That is by EU standards all-season tire. Manufacturers are trying to introduce again all-season tires to EU, and they have to be good enough in the snow to meet standards to get snow flake. Reason is, in many European countries by the law you can drive from 11/15-04/15 each year ONLY with tires with snow flake.
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
I am sort of coming to the conclusion that the ice tires actually make a decent all season tire if you don't do a ton of miles. My local GM dealer found a set of new 2008 Xice in the back room, so for $200 all in I put them on the Tracker this spring. No unusual wear so far and they drive nice on the road, and are good for some mild off roading around our place. Probably by fall we'll have 6-7k miles on so I'll take some tread measurements when I rotate them and get some numbers.
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
I am sort of coming to the conclusion that the ice tires actually make a decent all season tire if you don't do a ton of miles. My local GM dealer found a set of new 2008 Xice in the back room, so for $200 all in I put them on the Tracker this spring. No unusual wear so far and they drive nice on the road, and are good for some mild off roading around our place. Probably by fall we'll have 6-7k miles on so I'll take some tread measurements when I rotate them and get some numbers.
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
I am sort of coming to the conclusion that the ice tires actually make a decent all season tire if you don't do a ton of miles. My local GM dealer found a set of new 2008 Xice in the back room, so for $200 all in I put them on the Tracker this spring. No unusual wear so far and they drive nice on the road, and are good for some mild off roading around our place. Probably by fall we'll have 6-7k miles on so I'll take some tread measurements when I rotate them and get some numbers.
All the siping makes them really squishy. It's really generally suited for one purpose. Not ideal if it's a performance car and there's dry road.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
I am sort of coming to the conclusion that the ice tires actually make a decent all season tire if you don't do a ton of miles. My local GM dealer found a set of new 2008 Xice in the back room, so for $200 all in I put them on the Tracker this spring. No unusual wear so far and they drive nice on the road, and are good for some mild off roading around our place. Probably by fall we'll have 6-7k miles on so I'll take some tread measurements when I rotate them and get some numbers.
All the siping makes them really squishy. It's really generally suited for one purpose. Not ideal if it's a performance car and there's dry road.
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
I am sort of coming to the conclusion that the ice tires actually make a decent all season tire if you don't do a ton of miles. My local GM dealer found a set of new 2008 Xice in the back room, so for $200 all in I put them on the Tracker this spring. No unusual wear so far and they drive nice on the road, and are good for some mild off roading around our place. Probably by fall we'll have 6-7k miles on so I'll take some tread measurements when I rotate them and get some numbers.
All the siping makes them really squishy. It's really generally suited for one purpose. Not ideal if it's a performance car and there's dry road.
Yeah, the Tracker has 75 series tires with a recomended pressure of 26 psi, so its not a real corner carver
I suspect though, that something like an Xice does perform better than a set of low end all seasons in the summer and low end winter tires in the winter for some amount of miles. The summer performance would get better with wear, and of course the winter would get worse. I'll see how it works out.
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: edyvw
However, I would not consider this real winter tires, bcs if you look right side of the tire, it is actually summer tread pattern.
Yup. And they really have no incentive to make good all-season tires. They'd be killing their summer/winter tire market if they did come up with one.
I am sort of coming to the conclusion that the ice tires actually make a decent all season tire if you don't do a ton of miles. My local GM dealer found a set of new 2008 Xice in the back room, so for $200 all in I put them on the Tracker this spring. No unusual wear so far and they drive nice on the road, and are good for some mild off roading around our place. Probably by fall we'll have 6-7k miles on so I'll take some tread measurements when I rotate them and get some numbers.
All the siping makes them really squishy. It's really generally suited for one purpose. Not ideal if it's a performance car and there's dry road.
Yeah, the Tracker has 75 series tires with a recomended pressure of 26 psi, so its not a real corner carver
I suspect though, that something like an Xice does perform better than a set of low end all seasons in the summer and low end winter tires in the winter for some amount of miles. The summer performance would get better with wear, and of course the winter would get worse. I'll see how it works out.
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Yeah, the Tracker has 75 series tires with a recomended pressure of 26 psi, so its not a real corner carver
I suspect though, that something like an Xice does perform better than a set of low end all seasons in the summer and low end winter tires in the winter for some amount of miles. The summer performance would get better with wear, and of course the winter would get worse. I'll see how it works out.
I thought this is what happens if you try to corner too hard:
Of course you could just go all the way and ditch tires altogether:
Yeah, the Tracker has 75 series tires with a recomended pressure of 26 psi, so its not a real corner carver
I suspect though, that something like an Xice does perform better than a set of low end all seasons in the summer and low end winter tires in the winter for some amount of miles. The summer performance would get better with wear, and of course the winter would get worse. I'll see how it works out.
I thought this is what happens if you try to corner too hard:
Of course you could just go all the way and ditch tires altogether:
- Status
