Winter Tire Preference

I have been looking at getting some winter tires, but wonder if they’re really make much of a difference, say over studded mud tires. If any of you switch to winter tires every winter season, how many seasons do you typically get out of them? The tire that I’ve been looking the most at is the Michelin X-Ice, though I’m having a hard time finding them in the size I want.  I think that having winter tires, and mud tires for winter and summer, would be better than running all terrains all year. Any thoughts? Preferred tires?

I had Michelin X-Ice on a minivan.  They were great tires, expensive though.  I would definitely recommend switching to winter tires in the winter as they made a huge difference for traction, especially stopping.

The tires I have for sale on here (someone please buy them :imp: ), I used for most of two winters and I am sure I would get several more winters out of them.  That included several trips to Terrace and shames, and that lovely shames mountain road.

I use Michelin Ice X winter tires on my car and am very happy with them.  I just had them put on today…storing my all-season radials until spring ( I saw some snow up here in the Pineridge area). :smiley:

i would think that it would make a big difference.
winter tires are more soft so they grip the ice and snow better.
and if im correct mud tires would be harder rubber so even if you did get them studded they wouldnt have as good of a grip on the ice and snow as studded snow tires.

thats just what i would figure anyways

I agree with BubbaSteve.  Winter tires are made of a softer compound to increase the grip.  They are way better than the All-Terrain types.

yeah i would figure all terrain type tires would be of a harder compound to get through all that mud and muck.

i dont know though.

I’m too cheap to put them on my own cars, but as a mechanic, I am a pretty big believer in winter tires.

Basically, you sacrifice tire life for better traction.

If you were a body repairman then you might argue against them…

after all, winter is the big money season… :stuck_out_tongue:

Look at the tread pattern of your tires, too.

Lots of aggressive looking sipes (the little gouges carved into the tread blocks) == mo’ betta.

So if you’re shopping for winter tires, especially if you are worried about encountering ice (even in Rupert, we get that “glaze” in the mid-evening), then you want a tire tread that looks nothing like the regular block pattern of your summer tires.

I’ll try to find some pictures of what I mean in the sober light of morning.

Funny, I was just about to add to my post, saying that you want to maximize the life of your winter tires by using them as little as possible (in Rupert, that would mean November to March), because they are more expensive, and wear faster.

However, saving 10% of the life of your $500 worth of tires might not be as important as preventing a $2000 fender bender.

On late-model cars, even “minor” repair parts like headlights and bumpers are ridiculously expensive.

Apparently the Nokian “All Weather” tires are pretty good. These Finnish tires are made for 4 seasons as opposed to the “All Season” tires. A Finnish friend tells me that they are widely used in Finland. Look up the Nokian Hakkapelitta WR All Weather.

bfg ats get a ‘severe winter performance’ logo but i still hit the ditch twice last winter…

I still like good old studded tires … there noisy but what the hell they work good  :smile:

P235-60 17" tires for the Vue… I will look again but I passed on winter tires last 2 winters, they’d come down to $1400 for a set of 4.

I also wonder why car makers use such shit for OEM. Mine are nearly BALD at 60,000km

60,000km on stock tires is pretty normal (maybe even above-average) these days. Factory-installed tires are brutal.

Speaking of winter tires, it’s 4 for the price of 3 at Rainbow Chrysler on Michelin, BFGoodrich, and Uniroyals. You still have to pay for installation and all that jazz though. Sale runs until the end of the year, I believe. This includes winter tires. </shameless plug>

i like rainbow chrysler… theyre probly the best dealership in town… (no not for the make, but the service. im a chev girl at heart)

haha doesnt help that theyre also my dads client!

but its probly the best idea to get winter tires. especially on a newer vehicle.
we have to every year because herman hill is brutal in the winter. we totaled a station wagon one year coming down that hill. lucky he was there to stop us or CRASH into the house across the street. :unamused:

I’m having a hell of a time finding a winter tire in 265/75R16 here… The ones they do have, I don’t want and they’re $285 a tire. Maybe I’ll find better selection/price in a 255/70R16 at over an inch less diameter… I can’t believe that the average tire shop charges $115-$130 to mount and balance 4 tires, even if you buy the wheels AND tires from them. Doesn’t that take 15 minutes? Out of 5 tire shops called, only Walmart was under $110 at $50 for 4…

I believe Entire Tire Shop beside Napa gives free mounting,valves,and balancing with the purchase of tires.

Anyone ride the Winterforce tires yet? I think Firestone makes them, but they’re marketed differently in Canada. I can’t get over how inexpensive they are considering the positive feedback they’re getting. ~$110 for 265/75R16 online.

I’ve used Winterforce tires for two winters now on a KIA Sorento.  I drive all over the northwest and have to say I am pretty happy with the tires.  I wanted Michelin tires but Dwayne at Entire talked me out of them in favour of the Winterforce tires - he said the Winterforce were better because they would throw out wet snow and slush better than the Michelins - so far so good - they stick to the road like s**t to a blanket.  My research shows they are made by Dunlop.