Deepwoods Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I have an 06 Spec B with stock wheels and summer tires--215/45-18 with life left on them. I am looking at either a set of winters to swap back and forth, or a set of all-seasons (set and forget). Will pull the trigger in the next few days. Considerations: I want to stay with stock wheels. I am fine with stock size, and know that limits selection, but I am fine with what is available. Cold weather considerations drives this decision more than snow driving. That said, I'd like snow-driving piece of mind. The Washington DC area gets cold, but not brutally so, and snow, though not tons. Spring comes in April, Cold in November. DC area has occasional warm days. I live in the outer suburbs/ country I don't mind driving into town to get the tires swapped. (I think...) Other Mid-Atlantic drivers out there with first-hand experience? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridandy Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I bought a set of aftermarket 17" wheels for the winter and Dunlop Wintersport M3's for my car after trying one winter on the stock RE050A's. The difference in overall grip is much different (don't lock up as easy or spin tire as easy) and when do you do push past the limit, the snow tires are much more progressive as they loose grip, as opposed to summer tires which just let go. It's a much more relaxed drive on the winter tires, almost to the point of being boring. I tried the tire dance on my Honda back in college and it's too much of hassle and the cost of having the tires switched twice a year plus rebalanced that buying a set of dedicated winter wheels isn't that much more expensive in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepwoods Posted December 3, 2008 Author Share Posted December 3, 2008 Hybridandy, Thanks. Honestly I go back and forth, though the upfront cost is a slight issue right now... But I may get a set of winters for the stock and then come springtime, decide on new rims and tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spec B Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 ^ That might be your best alternative. I sold my stock wheels (kept the tires) and bought a new set of Rotas and a used set of OZ's and new all season tires for them for the winter. I was hesitant to buy dedicated snow tires, my commute is literally 1.5 miles and I don't even pull the car out of the garage on snowy days unless I have to. I went with all seasons and I am pretty happy how they perform in light snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepwoods Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 Pulled the trigger on a set of Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero which should arrive on Friday at the local installer. (I basically flipped a coin between these and the Blizzaks that are the two winter tires in the Spec B's OEM size). I went back and forth on the A/S vs. winter for a while. As I noted, it is cold temps, not snow, that is driving my choice. In the end, I decided that because I have regular 30 mile trips from city to country, at night (with all the winter weather that allows for), where deer are prevelant (meaning braking and swerving are more likely), and because I might want to go adventuring when it does snow, I went with the winter tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 All seasons. Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfisher Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Check out the BFG G-Force Super Sports. They're a solid all-season. (See the other active thread about them). The tread pattern on them is siped like crazy, so I can't imagine them not performing good in light snow although we never get any of that here in Tx. Also, Tire Rack is running them on special right now super cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepwoods Posted December 10, 2008 Author Share Posted December 10, 2008 Thanks all. I went with the Pirelli Winter 240s. Time (and the severity of this coming winter) will tell whether this, or an A/S tire, was the right choice. They are definately not summer tires... that's for sure. But in the cold, there is more connection to the road, and there is the confidence that I won't "hockey puck" my way through an intersection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Nokian WR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el5y Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I'm still on stock re 92s which aren't bad as long as you don't do something stupid. though I certainly won't keep them when I have to buy new ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vet Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I can't justify dedicated snows in the DC area. Actual time with snow on the pavement has to be less than 2% around here. All-seasons beat snows the other 98% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Anybody ever heard of a Sweedish tire called Gislaved? The best winter tire I ever drove on. Made in Sweeden, the are unstoppable in snow esp if you stud them (half pattern studding). Volvo dealers distribute them. I liked then so much I used them year round on my old RWD '85 Supra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spect2k Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Goodyear eagle gt will be my next tire. a/s should be good enough, but I am going to eventually go with these because of their wet and snow road capability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krzyss Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Gislaved brand belongs to Continental, if I am not mistaken. Krzys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandman Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 For the life of me I don't understand why anyone would bother buying a good handling car, then running all seasons. It's really easy to tell cars with all seasons at an autocross: the ones that screech through every corner. The "M&S" designation on most AS tires is a manufacturers claim: there's no performance standard. So some "All Season," tires manage to suck at both: they're "No Seasons." An older but useful article comparing FWD and AWD cars with snows. Another C&D comparison of summer, A/S, and snows. The Nokian WR G2 or one of the other snow tires designed for central European conditions (maybe even the new Yokohama W.Drive) gives good performance in rain and snow, without being too noisy or wearing too fast. If you have expensive high performance summer tires, using snows for seven months a year might actually save you money. http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/421281831_EfcC5-L.jpg Nokian video Who Dares Wins スバル Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepwoods Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 Follow-up question, for those of you how went the A/S route: are these your year-round, all the time tires, or do you switch between summer and all-season during the year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spect2k Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 a/s all the time once I wear out my summers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 For the life of me I don't understand why anyone would bother buying a good handling car, then running all seasons. Because not everyone pushes their car that hard. I'll see if I change my mind about all seasons after this winter. Things got a little slick with the last snowfall, but nothing I couldn't handle by driving carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vet Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 My opinion for the DC area is that if you run snows for 4-6 months you are running less than optimum tires for those 4-6 months. Snows are only optimum for the 0-10 days when there is really snow/slush/ice on the roads (and I'm probably not going to want to drive for at least half of those days anyway). The rest of the time, during that 4-6 month period, a top tier A/S performance tire is the best choice. Bottom line for me in the DC area, what you gain in warm weather with summer tires you lose in the winter with snows so the extra expense and hassle isn't worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krzyss Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 If temperature stays below 45F in DC for a few months then high performance winter like Michelin Pilot Alpin or Primacy Alpin might be perfect (if you can afford them). Krzys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08specbsubie Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I run blizzaks on 17"RTX's for the winter where i live northern canada winter is long and cold + lots of snow so I save my summer 18's for August (summer in canada) haha but I think you would want a good all season for your ride winters sound like a waste of $$$ where you are, I only bought the winters as tire shops here charge $160 for 4 tires mount and balance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryLitho Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Goodyear's F1 A/S stock size and rims works for me pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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