I need new tires for my DD outback xt. Consumer Reports thinks that all seasons are a bad compromise for snow. In fact their testing showed that in wet conditions winter tires perform better than all seasons and second to summer tires. I do not have the space or the discipline to store winter tires correctly in the sumer, and I do not want to spend the money on a second set of rims. I am thinking of buying winter tires and using them year round. From my research Nokian WR G3's seem to be best for this type of application. I do not know where to buy them to have them mounted etc. What do you think of using winters all year? I do not want to mess with ordering online and then taking them somewhere to mount. I'd rather just go to a shop and have them purchase and mount. Who might sell the Nokians? Are there better brands that I should consider? Thanks!
You've used the WR G3's? My Girlfriend had snow tires put on her prius when she bought it last winter. We didn't make time to put summer tires on them and they still have a ton of tread left.
Nokian wr g3 is fine year round. They are really the only (easily accessible) year round tire that is still competent in the snow and ice. Much better than any snow biased and siped all season Ive driven (I had the og WRs before switching to dedicated winters/summers). Norms Tire in Little Canada/Roseville used to carry them. Give them a try.
. Not them specifically, just winter tires in general. I didn't see these wouldn't be for a performance oriented discipline, so if you're not brappin around the corners I suppose they should be fine.
They'll be fine. I've run snows year round before and they don't disintegrate like people would have you think. In hot/dry conditions they don't handle/stop as well as a summer or all season tire but they're not horrendous.
In July you'll come out to your car one day in the parking lot and it will be sitting on the rims with each one surrounded by a pool of black liquid.
I heard the g2s are better and can still find them. Is this true? If so I will probably be getting some.
My parents ran the old WR year round and got great wear life out of it. I also ran snow tires year round as an experiment on my 01 RS, and didn't see any ill effects or serious wear issues. If you're not driving like a jackass on public roads they'll be fine. That being said, there are better options as snow tires are a bit squirmy on hot, dry pavement due to their tread design and rubber compound. What do you mean by "storing snow tires correctly"? I run the Conti DWS as my 3 season tire and then run the General Altimax Arctics in the winter. The DWS is ok in snow, but it's certainly not a dedicated snow tire. The Nokian WR G3 would be a great tire for what you're looking for. In the past we've used Norm's Tire in Roseville for group buys, they are a Nokian dealer and their website is http://www.normstire.com/tire-brands/nokian-tyres.aspx I've owned several sets of Nokians over the years and would recommend them.
I ran the DWS through last winter and made out OK, but this year I got snows. I'd say they're really 3-season tires that are better than the average all-season in snow, but nothing like a true snow tire.
The rubber needs to be wrapped to protect it. If the tires oxidize they lose some of their ability after 2 seasons.
Says who? The tires are going to be sitting outside anyway if they're on the car, so oxidization is going to be a factor either way. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Mine sit in garbage bags.
So Norms can sell me WR G3's for $984 installed. I don't think I've ever spent close to $1000.00 on tires before. So now I'm hesitant. I'm not sure what I expected though. The reason I've got a hard on for these is they are considered the best winter performance on what might be considered an all season tire. They are judged as winter tires by the california state patrol etc. I want to be safe and have control. I figure if I buy all seasons and winter I'll be at a $1000.00 or more anyway with the additional hassle of having to flip tires every 6 months. I'm probably going to eat it and get them.
Sounds about right. An alternative is to get some winters on steelies for around $800 depending on size. Otherwise, some shops let you store out of season tires there... but by the end of the life cycle of the tires, you've paid about the equivalent of an additional set of wheels in mounting/balancing. If storage isn't an issue the multiple sets route makes sense. On the other hand, the convenience factor of running a single set for 3-5 years makes a lot of sense on a commuter.
I dont drive a heck of a lot and I'm cavalier so I'll end up pushing them 5 years. Sounds like a plan.
I still believe the best option, if budget/space allows is to get a good set of winter performance tires on a dedicated set of wheels. Then a good set of summer performance tires based on what you plan on using the car for. I think a good summer performance tire will work better than a winter tire, or all season tire in wet summer conditions. I store my off season sets in the basement. I haven't bothered with garbage bags. My first set of winter tires was purchased used through Craigslist for $300.00 and I got 3 winters out of them. Perusing Craigslist, or other want adds can come up with good deals on wheels, and sometimes packages much below retail and can provide a look into setups without investing as much for a trial basis. Buyer beware, do your research. If buying used, purchase a tire tread depth gauge and use online resources to determine what the original factory tread depth should be. Try to stay within 2-3/32 of new for best performance and value.
There are a few sets of 17" snow tires on craigslist. My size is 225 50 r17. What range of tires can I get?
I run a 215/50/17 on my WRX. A stock size will work fine and also keep speedo numbers the same. I've run a 205/55/17 also. I wouldn't go any wider than your stock size. Narrower is usually better for a snow tire to help prevent the tire "floating" on top of heavier snows.
Keep in mind that snow tires are usually a bit heavier than summer tires. That may make a difference on how quick your car feels (based on your other thread).
I too like the concept of a "true" all season tire but just make sure you understand that you are compromising a few features of the traditional all season tire for the convenience of a snow tire driven year round. - decreased maneuvering/road grip - slower reaction time - increased stopping distance - heavier tire (as mentioned above) - increased rolling resistance. If you're getting 20 mpg now, expect 18 mpg with the winters.
I've always thought driving on snow tires when it's warm was comparable to driving on mashed potatoes.
I guess I'm not sure what anybody's opinions on here are about Goodyear UltraGrips, but having owned an ex-police car I can see why the state troopers use them year round. They were awesome in the snow (for a RWD boat...) and handled great in the summer. I was more than pleased with mine. I'd also vote the buy a secondhand set of wheels (steelies or stockers) and just have a dedicated winter set. Being a cheap ass, I have no problem scoring deals on craigslist for slightly used tires and/or wheels. They really don't take up that much space, plus you can swap them on/off at your own will without any extra expense or time wasted at a shop.
So after more research and not wanting to spend $1000 at the moment I'm thinking of getting some dedicated winter tires and rims. If I get dedicated winter rims and tires and store them and change them at home do I need to have them balanced each season also? I think the convenience of buying rims is that you don't have to go to the shop and pay for the change over.
I'm going to try to find rims locally for cheaper. 250 for steelies plus 150 for shipping tires. I think used rims plus discount tire is the cheapest route.
Read the post I have quoted below... If you shop around, you should be able to get out the door with a dedicated wheel and winter tire setup for $600-800. This.
Does anyone know if these will fit my outback? http://mnsubaru.com/threads/wts-wtt-16-mb-weapon-wheels-w-winter-tires.47576/#post-783339 -Wheels: MB weapons -size: 16x7 -offset: +40 -bore size: 72mm *will come with Gorilla center rings -tire brand: Michelin X-Ice -tires measurement: 205/55/16 9/32nd My current wheel size is 17x7, 48 offset, 5 x 1oo bolt pattern
I'm torn... With ebay i can get wrg3's for 880 installed. The next option is xi3's for 680 installed and buy new rims now or later with anothe 500+ in tires in 6 months. Or I get a cheaper winter tire now and figure out again come April. I've wasted way too much time thinking about this. My fear is I get the wrg3s and regret it. I know my outback is not nearly as nimble as my old forester.
Dude, seriously. You don't seem to be taking any advice to heart. If you are having this much trouble, I highly recommend getting in contact with Justin Tilus @ Vision Speedworks. Send him a message and have him call you. He can get all types of tires, and will honestly be able to help you decide what you need. His prices are on par with Ebay, TireRack, etc., can mount and balance, and depending on your location will pick up and deliver. If you are on a budget, get a good set of winter performance tires now. Mount them on the stock wheels. In the spring, get a set of summer wheels and a set of good summer tires. You can budget for this expense over the winter and this should make less of an impact. Or just pull the trigger and get something.
