Talk to me about tires fellers...

[oldfart1956]

Folks it's time to put some new rubber on the 2010 Toyota Corolla and I need some imput. Most folks have some small form of paranoia whether it be of snakes/rats/heights/flying or whatever. My particular downfall is driveing in snow/winter weather. I simply come unglued. I despise winter. Hate snow and in particular hate driving in it. Don't know why...don't care. It's an unreasonable fear hence a paranoia. Anyways, for those folks living in the snow-belt give me some ideas an winter radials. And if you have a Corolla or other front wheel drive car that's a plus. Not interested in 4 wheel drives/all-wheel drives. Don't plan on changing vehicles. I have a 86 F-150 4X4 sitting in the driveway that doesn't go as well as the Toyota in bad weather. I live in south-central Pa. so it's not like I have to deal with it a lot but when I do....I get physically ill doing so. This past weekends drive back from Erie, Pa. has convinced me all weather radials suck. And these are Firestone Infinity M&S with only 24k. miles on them so not cheap tires. I'm looking at Michelin X-ICE-X13's and Bridgestones Blizzaks (state police run them) and possibly Firestone Winterforce tires at present. No studded tires as I plan on running them all year round. I'll buy a new set every fall if need be...don't care. The tire shop opens up at 8a.m. Wednesday and I'll be there when the doors open. I stay with this particular shop because I trust them...and they sell me wheel weights when they have em. So lets keep the focus rather narrow. Front wheel drive cars, winter radials, not studded and preferably a name brand. And lets refrain from brand bashing. I've had good and bad tires from all major brands. Thanks folks....I'll check back in until Wed. morning. Audie...the Oldfart...

[wantoutofca]

We have run arctic claws for a few years now and they work very well. Fwd, awd, 4wd, worked great on all.

[Sweetpea]

I ran Blizzak's in Minnesota... they were just great!

BUT... you don't want to run them year round. They are soft rubber and for the money, dry pavement just eats them.

I think you will find that with any good ice/snow tire.

[thenaaks]

What you need is a dedicated set of wheels/tires for the winter. Snow tires are great in the snow, but not good in the summer. Surely, your tire shop can help you get a set of winter wheels to go with your snow tires.

[nhrifle]

For pure traction on ice and snow, Blizzaks cannot be beat at any price by any tire. I delivered auto parts for four years working at a Ford dealer and I drove through the mountains of SW NH and southern VT year round. We tried all the winter tires out there and those worked best. Cooper Weathermasters are pretty good. As has been said, the Bridgestones will wear out rapidly on dry pavement, but no other tire compares to them, period.

[boltons75]

Ask them about a good reason tire, and see if they offer siping service, it really helps on all of the tires I've had it for to for ice traction.

[starmac]

Blizzaks, and we have run them in the summer too. They may wear a little faster, but not all that bad. I will say something isn't right if your 4X4 doesn't get around as good as the corolla.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i run Michelin on my F150 4x4 plus about 240lbs of sand in the bed

[jonas302]

I sell I lot of the firestones and cooper weathermaster just put a pair of coopers on my cavalier and feels glued to the road I have a few guys running them all year and they don't last to bad for a snow tire
Pretty much any winter tire I have used has performed very well in snow trust your locals opinion and you won't go wrong

[Roosters]

Oldfart no matter what tire you decide to buy know how to read the date code on the sidewall if you don‘t already. ABC 20/20 did a story on tires. People were buying new tires having blowouts and wrecking well you know how reporters are. :twisted: Anyway some new tires on the rack they checked were as much as 6 years old .
I had a buddy bought a set of Bridgestone for his truck after 3 months and less than 3k miles he said the sidewalls were starting to crack. We checked the date code and three were 4 years old and the other was 2.
If I was going to buy a new tire that’s what I want not one that is 4 or 5 years old.

Here is a link that shows you how to read the code
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11

[RayinNH]

Audie, you said you trust your tire dealer, ask his advice. Tell him of your phobia. He knows the road conditions and the weather in your area better than we do...Ray

[starmac]

Oldfart No tire will satisfy you, if you are truly scared of snow. i would go with a good siped snow tire and studs too, and swap them for the season if you are truly paranoid.
You will at least have the comfort of knowing you have the best you can have.

[fatboy]

I have been running the firestone winter force for 2 years now on my toyota tacoma 2wd and love them. Im in North Dakota and we dont get much for winter, but when we do they are great.

[uscra112]

Michelin. I'm now almost 70, and have have bought dozens and dozens of tires over the years. The only brand that doesn't go out of round before (sometimes long before) they wear out is Michelin. Every time I get mad at the French for their politics and buy some other brand I end up sorry. Latest fiasco was Coopers. Before that it was Firestones. I once went through eleven Goodyears before I got a set that stayed round. Eleven - that's seven tires that were replaced under warranty in a period of five or six months. When I was in the trade we referred to Bridgestones that came on the new vehicles as "rim protectors", to be replaced with real tires before the 1000 mile checkup. Sorry for the rant, but I just paid out a lot of money to replace Coopers on my van that were thumping and shaking after just ten months and 7500 miles. Back to Michelins, and s'welp me I want to be beaten with a tire iron if I ever suggest that I might buy another Cooper.

[winelover]

Michelin would be my first choice. Goodyear, second. Generals weren't too bad. Wouldn't touch Firestone with a ten foot pole. My newest van came equipped with Bridgestones. After 20,000 miles they still look new and handle like the Michelins. YMMV.

Winelover

[oldfart1956]

Fellers thanks for all the good advice. I'll talk to my tire guys as well since they haven't let me down in 20+ years. Also, I don't drive much...avg. 7K a year and the one time I really need em' is for that trip (hunting) up to Erie. I had thought about a dedicated set of rims for winter tires but the cost of just rims at a salvage yard would make ye squeal. And no local tire dealer will install just two on the front. Has to be all four. Even if I have to replace them every 2 years...I'm good with that. I'll talk to my dealer about mounting new all-season tires come spring if he thinks it's o.k. to re-mount the snow tires next fall. Might be a possibility there. Again...many thanks. Audie....the Oldfart..

[oldfart1956]

I will say something isn't right if your 4X4 doesn't get around as good as the corolla. Starmac, I've got both vehicles sitting in the driveway. 1986 F-150...fully loaded with all options/4X4 with new (less than 7k.) Firestone Destination A/T's and as long as the snow doesn't come up to the underbelly of the Corolla it runs circles around the truck. The truck also has 500lbs. of gravel (in bags) planted over the rear axle.....and a 200lb. Leer cap. I drive the truck so little (less than 1000mi. a year) it's now up for sale. Anyway...thanks for the tips and the Blizzaks are looking better and better. Audie...the Oldfart..

[fecmech]

Audie--Pay for the rims once and you're done, a simple swap of tires spring and fall. A couple of remounts and balancing will pay for those rims pretty quick. With the miles you drive, dedicated snows and rims would easily last 4-5 yrs.

[farmerjim]

Move South and forget about snow.
May I never see it again.

[blackthorn]

In BC you will get a ticket if you run "all season" tires between October 1 and April 1! I used to think All Seasons were fine until I spun-out my Nisson Pathfinder and had a choice of either taking it straight into the ditch or likely rolling it over. Took it into the ditch off a three+ foot bank, pulled it into 4WD and drove up the ditch till I found a place to climb back onto the highway. My thoughts---Buy a set of extra rims. Buy a set of dedicated Snow tires (4). Have them "sipped"(sp?) (as suggested above) and studded. Studded tires assist in keeping the vechical straight when braking on ice. Around here, if you buy a set of tires, the dealer will often offer free tire changes (Spring and Fall) free flat repair and free rotation. I really do not have a particular brand to recomend

[John Ross]

I cannot say enough good things about Blizzaks. Put a set on my 4200 pound 1995 Impala SS and couldn't believe the control I had in snow. The car with Blizzaks at 50 MPH in snow was safer than at 20 MPH on the factory tires.

Sell a gun you never shoot and buy a set of dedicated rims.

[mjwcaster]

I have had great luck with Blizzaks, used them when they first came out.
There are a lot more choices now, just don't cheap out, I did that once and went back to blizzaks.
Made my Mustang handle great in the snow, better than a FWD on all seasons.
The down side of them is they are not great summer tires. It is not just that they will wear fast, they do not stop like a good set of summer tires and I wouldn't like to drive them much at high temperatures.
I almost rear ended someone in city traffic the day I switched from summer to blizzaks, the stopping distance on dry was much longer, and I was driving like a jerk (gotta be honest), using every last inch of road.
But in snow/slop there was no comparison, blizzaks worked, all seasons I was headed off the road.
Get a second set of rims, they will save you money in the long run.

[Jamezius Maximus]

You could always let some air out of your tires, this gets more tread and area on the ice and gives you better traction.

[bosterr]

I'm a Michelin guy myself, but Blizzaks are great, especially if the police run them. One thing everyone should look out for, tires made in China. I just retired from the gas company, and many, many bad experiences with company vehicles that were shod with these poorly made tires. Very, very fast wear-out and broken belts.

[Lloyd Smale]

I live in big snow country. Last set of tires i put on the wifes car were cooper weathermasters. I bought them to be honest because they were cheap. Theyve been great in snow and we gave the car to her son last fall and it had 20k on the tires and they still looked like new and in my opinion did as good in the snow as any car tire ive owned has.

[Blacksmith]

Here is a comparison of winter tires:
http://www.usroads.com/journals/aruj/9712/ru971202.htm

[ubetcha]

For many a years i have heard about a good winter tire,although I have newer used them,but they are called (and I know this is not how it's spelled,just sounds like it) Hock-a-pletaas.