Need snow tires or are brand new tires good enough

tjf1967 wrote

I do. Tires, really... kinda like should i get a new driver to hit the ball better.  Cami shouldn't you be at camp shooting things.

hahaha

One week from today I move in for 10 days of R&R, beer, wiskey, hunting, great food, no cell phone, no regular phone, no internet, no tv, and no shower-----the BEST time of year is upon us folks

Back on topic: IMO, if you have to ask about snow tires, just get em.

Noah John wrote

I'm just here to post on this very important thread.

I've run 4 Nokian studless snow tires on my Subies for 18 years now.  You can buy cheap rims from Tire Rack, mount them permanently.  I learned that the hard way.

campgottagopee wrote

Back on topic: IMO, if you have to ask about snow tires, just get em.

I feel like I should have asked before I got mine! I am doubting myself now!!!

My opinion is that front wheel drive with good snows is better than AWD without snows. Obviously AWD with snows trumps all but if I was given a choice between FWD w/snows and AWD w/o snows, I'm taking the snows every time.

If you live in the city you can certainly get away without snows. When I lived in MA, I did just that. Now I wonder what the hell I was thinking. If you are a skier, you drive when it snows. You drive right into the heart of the storm when it snows and go up access roads when it snows. It is worth the slight reduction in MPG to ensure you are going to get to your destination safely.

It isn't like you are saving money by not buying snow tires. You are eventually going to need to replace your new all seasons if you keep the car long enough. Snow tires wear down faster than all seasons. But a pair of snows can last 3-5 seasons which, depending when you put them on, might add 1-3 years of life to your all season tires. Obviously it isn't a one for one savings (especially if you buy good snows, which I recommend). But if you only see the price up front, you are neglecting the fact that you are saving tread on your all seasons and delaying the replacement of those tires.

Always boggles my mind how many AWD cars I see spun out on I-93 in NH. Usually the cars have MA plates and I would suspect no snows. Never fails AWD out number FWD in storm accidents despite being significantly out numbered on the road by the numbers.

Harvey wrote

I think you'll be ok with the OEMs for a year.  Our camp has a really steep driveway and our previous CRVs (1998, 2006) struggled to get up on all-season tires. For the 2006 I finally broken down an bought another set of rims and put snows on em.

During that time various friends in Subies (they all have the same drive train) scampered up without issue.

We now have a 2012 CRV and the difference is huge. I'm coming on my third season on the all seasons and haven't decided what to do.  I may just go for a new set of all seasons.

Come to think of it I'm putting those rims up for sale in Gear for Sale.

That said my drive is MOSTLY highway, followed by that steep drive. YMMV

tBatt!  Got a pic of your new wheels? Congrats.

I'm not so much worried about getting up a hill as I am going around corners and stopping.

Here is the new car. Hopefully to have a ski box, stackers, and a couple bike trays on the roof.

Sorry to pipe in here late but I always put new Blizzacks on our new SUV

That way you got like 5 or 6 years worth of rubber and the best now tires money can buy IMO.  Started doing that when I lived in Watertown and was driving to LP every week.  Never was off the road once with those tires and I have been using them for 15 years.

tBatt wrote

Here is the new car. Hopefully to have a ski box, stackers, a couple bike trays on the roof, a wife and 2 kids.

FIFY  :P

Seriously nice wheels.

Benny is right. If you keep taking tires on an off the rims you trash them.

This is where I don't get the no additional cost thing.  Unless every car you buy has the same rim size and lug pattern you are looking at an extra set of rims with every car.  Maybe you guys are keeping your cars longer than I am.  Because of rust issues, I'm replacing every six years.  My rims were steel and used and they were $550 (I think).

I decided to try the CRVs new and improved AWD with the all seasons up our driveway in 2012 when I got it - to see if I could get away with it and it worked.  Starting to realize that my situation (get up hill) is a bit unique though.

greif wrote

Got a brand new Subaru Forester-  

BTW, the new forester was named motortrends suv of the year ---- excellent choice

Harvey wrote

tBatt wrote

Here is the new car. Hopefully to have a ski box, stackers, a couple bike trays on the roof, a wife and 2 kids.

FIFY  :P

Seriously nice wheels.

Benny is right. If you keep taking tires on an off the rims you trash them.

This is where I don't get the no additional cost thing.  Unless every car you buy has the same rim size and lug pattern you are looking at an extra set of rims with every car.  Maybe you guys are keeping your cars longer than I am.  Because of rust issues, I'm replacing every six years.  My rims were steel and used and they were $550 (I think).

 I've had a few people ask me why I bought a mini van.

Keeping a car for 6 years? I've only been driving for 5, and have had 4 cars. I've had snows on 3, got each set of them for  <$400 for the tires and rims. I'm picking up a set of stock WRX wheels (same size as stock Forester wheels) for $100 and a set of almost-new Hankook snows for another $100. I'm pretty thrifty when it comes to buying things.

tBatt wrote

I've only been driving for 5, and have had 4 cars.

Bet you keep that one for more than a year.

re:: Forester car of the year
I dodged a bullet-   until you guys convinced me Subaru AWD was the way to go, I was looking at a Ford Cmax- which was just designated the car with the most "difficulties" by Consumer reports (mostly due to the touch screen (MyFord Touch?)).

Now I am getting highway 33mpg in the Subaru- so I don't think there would have been much savings in gas anyway!

Oooooo.... had Hankook All Weathers on my Odyssey , not snows, but very good rating in snow and they were nice.

Problem I have with new cars now is the air pressure sensors. Got seperate rims for my wifes 2012 Civic, had to buy sensors (aftermarket were $70 or so each), and the car has only memory for 4 tires- needs to be reset at each change. Dealer reset free are last oil change but if you tell them to do it they want $50 or $100!

Don't know if the Subaru has memory for more tires yet- I think I read it did not.

That's another thing that is pushing me away from dedicated snows. If you don't buy fancy rims you got a dash light on all winter. It harshes my mellow man.

   The Subaru TPMS light goes out when you put the stock wheels back on. IMO the light isn't too bothersome. I just picked up a set of black steel wheels and snow tires for my WRX. No TPMS sensors.  Bring on the snow!
  Love the site BTW.

Welcome Johnny and thanks. (Posting privileges are set now).

I was basing my comment on what the (Honda) dealer told me. Sounds like Subie has it together.

Another Honda complaint/whine... My low tire pressure went on last time I was in the mountains.  It doesn't tell you what tire and I had no gauge. I just added three dings to each tire. It worked, the light went out in about an hour, but not exactly precise.

DackerDan wrote

 From what people have told me, the best combo is a Subie with nokian hakkapeliittas - you will go through anything with those on.

Whoa. I did a search for those tires and this popped up.

http://www.rei.com/product/792642/nokian-hakkapeliitta-w240-studded-tire-700-x-40

CONTENTS DELETED

Our Ridgeline indicated which tire was low. The Subie doesn't. Apparently some Honda's have to have all 4 tires drained and filled at the same time to reset the TPMS.
  I bought my winter wheels off Craigslist. The guy had receipts and documentation when he bought them and sold the car 2 months later. 2500 miles on them for half price of new on Tirerack. General Altimax Arctic.
  FWIW a coworker of mine has had Blizzaks for 3 years (all year long) on his AWD VW. Haka's all the way too.

Well, shoot.  If you got a good formula for snow tires you should be able to apply to bikes as well as cars.  I run Nokian Hakkapellittas on my Subie.  Unless the state closes the roads during the winter, I go wherever I want.