Winter Tires

Dealer fix for free each time...
It had other issues...
Kinda cursed car...

A wheeled toilet. Sounds like it had the "Jimmy" syndrome.

Here's a pic of the Blizzak's on the truck:

I always liked how the Blizzaks always looked. I used to run them on the Neon. I just put four new tires on the Dak a couple of weeks ago, General Grabbers. Not very aggressive looking but they do the job. Of course, it doesn't help that they cost me nearly $700 and I still need front end work. Parts for that are still sitting in a box next to my coal stove. I decided to wait on tearing the front end apart until we get my wife a new car. As it stands, we're down to one car and I couldn't see tearing the Dak apart and risk "breaking" something that I'd have to wait to fix. It'd leave us completely carless.

+2 for the blizzard running them on the wife's crv and Titan.

I put on a very good used set on Winter Forces on my Element for $80 cash mounted and balanced. The dealer said some guy didn't like them because they where noisy! Good for me!!! Especially seeing how my work dried up. People are not paying their oil bills so my boss can't buy oil for me to deliver. Really stinks but I'm starting to like being a bum. No $700 sets of tires for me.

31X10.50 DOT slicks work better on snow than anything. Also if you install a wet nitrous kit, youll get better traction.

From Consumer Reports


Michelin X-Ice XI 2 Price: $106
Summary
The Michelin X-Ice XI 2 is a studless winter tire. T speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $106


General Altimax Arctic Price: $75
Summary
The General Altimax Arctic is a stud-able winter tire. Q speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $75


Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 Price: $164
Summary
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 is a stud-able winter tire. T speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $164

Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 Price: $93
Summary
The Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 is a studless winter tire. H speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $93

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R Price: $169
Summary
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta R is a studless winter tire. R speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $169

Continental ExtremeWinterContact Price: $87
Summary
The Continental ContiExtremeWinterContact is a studless winter tire. T speed rating. It has an asymmetrical tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed with the sidewall label noting this side out.
See model overview $87

Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 Price: $98
Summary
The Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 is a studless winter tire. R speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $98

Pirelli Sottozero 210 Series II Price: $115
Summary
The Pirelli Sottozero 210 Series II is a studless winter tire. H speed rating. It has an asymmetrical tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed with the sidewall label noting this side out.
See model overview $115
Dunlop Graspic DS-2

Dunlop Graspic DS-2 Price: $79
Summary
The Dunlop Graspic DS-2 is a studless winter tire. Q speed rating.
See model overview $79

Hankook Winter I*Pike Price: $88
Summary
The Hankook Winter i*Pike is a studless winter tire. T speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $88


Gislaved Nordfrost 5 Price: $102
Summary
The Gislaved Nordfrost 5 is a stud-able winter tire. T speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $102

Toyo Observe G-02 Plus Price: $118
Summary
The Toyo Observe G-02 Plus is a studless winter tire. T speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $118

Yokohama ice Guard iG20 Price: $84
Summary
The Yokohama Ice Guard IG20 is a studless winter tire. R speed rating.
See model overview $84


Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Price: $89
Summary
The Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice is a studless winter tire. Q speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $89

Firestone Winterforce Price: $70
Summary
The Firestone Winterforce is a stud-able winter tire. S speed rating. It has a directional tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed to rotate in the direction shown on the sidewall.
See model overview $70

Cooper Weather-master S/T 2 Price: $78
Summary
The Cooper Weather-Master S/T 2 is a stud-able winter tire. T speed rating.
See model overview $78

Hankook icebear W300 Price: $96
Summary
The Hankook icebear W300 is a studless winter tire. H speed rating. It has an asymmetrical tread pattern. - Check that the tire is installed with the sidewall label noting this side out.
See model overview

Had to revive this thread to add this:

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/20 ... cated.html


According to the article, auto shops are prevented from installing winter tires mounted on other wheels UNLESS they have tire pressure monitoring systems and the tire pressure monitoring system stays intact and working...................


Another gov't ruling that defies good logic !!!!



Rick

I bought 4 extra factory rims for our 2010 Escape. The rims were from a 2008, same rim but banded sensors instead of the newer valve stem type. I cut the bands and sold the sensors on eBay. Mounted the winter tires myself with tire irons and a rubber mallet, studded them myself. Sams club balances tires $16 for a set of 4. Tpms light comes on when i use the winter tires but i don't care. Inspection station didn't say anything. Some vehicles you can buy the sensor relearn tool for cheap, others its a dealer fix.

Rick 386 wrote:Another gov't ruling that defies good logic !!!!

It brings to mind the stupid rule, circa 1974, requiring a seat belt interlock. If your seat belt was not fastened, the car would not start. Needless to say, this caused havoc for millions of car owners because the system frequently failed. Fortunately, in 1974, auto electric systems were more basic than today's computerized systems, so it was pretty easy to hot-wire the interlock. Which is another reason the rule was so stupid -- didn't they KNOW people would just bypass it? The really astounding thing is, whatever government agency was involved actually rescinded the regulation pretty quickly.

This is just the beginning boys! We're only 28 days into Obama's re-election ... that's the frightening part!

Yet another of many many many many reasons I will NEVER buy new again. EVER.

SMITTY wrote:This is just the beginning boys! We're only 28 days into Obama's re-election ...
Yet another of many many many many reasons I will NEVER buy new again. EVER.

I think the tire monitor rules came before Obama, since they apply to 2007 cars.
I also shy away from newer cars, but eventually the cars that are new today are the one we will have to buy when they (and we ) are old.

I've been using Blizzaks every winter since 1994 and they've saved my butt numerous times. The reason Blizzaks they work so well is that in addition to silica in the compound, they are also designed to suck the water film between the snow/ice and the tire. This also is what causes them to be soft and wear out quickly. BTW, even though I should have them on all four rims, I've only had them on either the drive wheels. Doing that requires more careful driving and developing a "nerve" sense so you can react immediately to any slippage.

rberq wrote:I think the tire monitor rules came before Obama, since they apply to 2007 cars. .....

They issued that mandate in 2011. Unless I missed something, that was on Obama's watch.

It came WAY before Obama. It came about from the Ford/Firestone pissing match way back when Exploders were rolling over from underinflated tires. Obama has nothing to do with it.