need tire advice!

[fdcg27]

I'll go against the grain of this thread a little.
Assuming that you live in a populous area with decent road service by the local DOT folks, you probably have no need for winter tires to begin with.
I've had dedicated winters on cars in the past and while they are awesome a day or two each winter, they suck for the rest of it.
In an AS tire, Michelin, Pirelli and Continental offer some good choices.
I'd check both Tire Rack and CR for their ratings of the tires you're considering and go from there.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
I'll go against the grain of this thread a little.
Assuming that you live in a populous area with decent road service by the local DOT folks, you probably have no need for winter tires to begin with.
I've had dedicated winters on cars in the past and while they are awesome a day or two each winter, they suck for the rest of it.
In an AS tire, Michelin, Pirelli and Continental offer some good choices.
I'd check both Tire Rack and CR for their ratings of the tires you're considering and go from there.


OP seems to notice a difference in another car he used them on, and separate summer/winter tires is a good idea if you can afford them.

Most people who live with snow but opt out of separate sets of tires do so for budget or storage reasons. If you can afford the cost and have somewhere to store them, there is no reason not to.

I actually gave the OP two suggestions for winter tires. One is the traditional studless winter, the Nokian R3. The other winter tire I suggested, the Pirelli Sottozero 210, is a "performance winter" tire, which gives up some of the absolute top-notch winter capability of the Nokian, but is better in dry and wet conditions where there is no snow or ice. Two different types of winter tires depending on the conditions OP faces.

And outside of winter, the summer tires will give better ride and handling.

 

[NewEnglander]

Nokian Tires! For sure in winter at least.

Check out the WRG4 if you are interested in one tire year round that also performs great in the snow. I am in Massachusetts too and have had three sets - all fantastic.

If not one tire, look at the Nokian zLine for the summer and the Nokian Hakka R3s.

 

[HangFire]

I well know the difference between winter and all season tire performance.

When my steep driveway is wet and icy, I cannot get a front wheel drive vehicle up it with all seasons. Neither can any of my guests.

I can, however, get my Corolla up with winter tires, or any 4WD/AWD vehicle.

Since I just got rid of the 4WD Pilot, and bought a Camry, it is getting Winter tires.

 

[NewEnglander]

Originally Posted by HangFire
I well know the difference between winter and all season tire performance.

When my steep driveway is wet and icy, I cannot get a front wheel drive vehicle up it with all seasons. Neither can any of my guests.

I can, however, get my Corolla up with winter tires, or any 4WD/AWD vehicle.

Since I just got rid of the 4WD Pilot, and bought a Camry, it is getting Winter tires.

I bet you could with Nokian WRG4s!

 

[krzyss]

Originally Posted by fdcg27

...
I've had dedicated winters on cars in the past and while they are awesome a day or two each winter, they suck for the rest of it.
..


You bought wrong winter tires, wrong kind.
Have you ever tried winter performance tires?

Originally Posted by NewEnglander
Originally Posted by HangFire

...
When my steep driveway is wet and icy, I cannot get a front wheel drive vehicle up it with all seasons. Neither can any of my guests.

I can, however, get my Corolla up with winter tires, or any 4WD/AWD vehicle.
...

I bet you could with Nokian WRG4s!


I would not be so sure. This is why Nokian makes Hakkapeliitta tires (R3 and 9 nowadays).

KrzyÅ›

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
I'll go against the grain of this thread a little.
Assuming that you live in a populous area with decent road service by the local DOT folks, you probably have no need for winter tires to begin with.
I've had dedicated winters on cars in the past and while they are awesome a day or two each winter, they suck for the rest of it.

I'm not sure that my winter tires "sucked" for most of winter, but otherwise I'd agree, too many days of bare pavement around here.

I did try summer tires once but IMO they are too much of a compromise, I found I was sweating bullets trying to put off putting on snows as late as possible. I knew the summers weren't good in snow at all. After that set of tires I went back to normal all seasons that could handle first snow and a bit of ice, as needed. Not really interested in having three sets of tires (summer, winter, spring/fall), although that'd be the way to have the best tire for the season, eh?

 

[HangFire]

Around here we need Leaf Tires for Fall!

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted by HangFire
Around here we need Leaf Tires for Fall!

Oh, come on, slide fest are not fun?
(had one with the brand new Nokian Entyres: I could not believe you could go lateral at 20mph make-a-right)

 

[Robertslowpoke]

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

fdcg 27: not a bad idea. my run flat tires were GREAT in winter, just rough and noisy. perhaps a GREAT summer tire, and use the run flats for winter!

I would say that all wheel drive and run flats worked great for 2 Massachusetts winters! it is just the rough ride and noise i dislike. especially in summer!

Lots of great ideas. thank you!

bob