Snow tires. Which is better out of these two.

[skyking]

Glad this did not get moved, it had more traffic here.
It reinforced my desire to get a second set of rims and tires for my wife's Pilot.

 

[Triumph]

Glad this did not get moved, it had more traffic here.
It reinforced my desire to get a second set of rims and tires for my wife's Pilot.

And reinforces the need to merge the garage back into off-topic.

 

[KK]

And reinforces the need to merge the garage back into off-topic.

SHould have never been split. We were told when they split it that they would give it a few weeks, and then do a poll. Well that poll never happened, unless I missed it.

 

[Iron Woode]

I am using Pacemark Snow Tracker snow tires (205 60 15). For an off brand (Kelly Tire), they are pretty damn good. Traction in snow, slush and ice is excellent.

 

[thescreensavers]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=123

 

[Esiuda]

Wintersport 3D's

You can not go wrong with them.

Also, with any of the High Performanc snows, you are better off with them front and rear, NOT just on your drive wheels! Just putting them on one end of your car, and YOU WILL have handling problems.

received them last year, and they were great. This year, the weather in Chicago has been like a real winter so far, and they have not let me down, also went to Colorado and back, had snow the night before I left to come back to Chicago, and they were GREAT in the Mountains!

 

[Minjin]

Wintersport 3D's

You can not go wrong with them.

3D tires! What will they think of next!

 

[Colt45]

I've got these on a few different cars now, great performance (studded at least, never tried them studless. Your region may or may not let you have studs) "Gislaved nord-frost 5"

I used to always run blizzaks before these, but... no comparison. I think a few of the nokians are similar too. These are made by conti in germany.

 

[Iron Woode]

I've got these on a few different cars now, great performance (studded at least, never tried them studless. Your region may or may not let you have studs) "Gislaved nord-frost 5"

I used to always run blizzaks before these, but... no comparison. I think a few of the nokians are similar too. These are made by conti in germany.

studded tires are illegal here and it pisses me off.

My dad used them before they were banned and they were awesome. He drove a 1968 Pontiac Parisienne and had amazing traction.

studded snow tires > all other snow tires. Everyone knows this.

 

[Spicedaddy]

Which of these two tires would be better in your opinion?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=Altimax+Arctic&partnum=055QR6AMAXA&wTire=6&autoMake=Pontiac&autoYear=2001&autoModel=Grand%20Am%20GT%20Coupe&autoModClar=

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...2001&autoModel=Grand Am GT Coupe&autoModClar=

Moved from OT

Anandtech Moderator
KeithTalent

The Generals will be better on ice, while the Firestones will be better in deep snow. You said you lived in the mountains, so I'd get the Firestones.

 

[MentalIlness]

Yea, I live in the mountains. Even over in town, 95% of the streets is either up or down inclines. Not alot of leveling off here, cant really think of a place that is perfectly level to be honest.

Yea, I would "rather" have deep snow traction. Last year, we got a hair over 3 feet all at once.

Studded tires are legal here in Maryland. Personally I have never used studded tires before. But my dad does every year. This year I may. Hmm....maybe.

So you think the Firestones would be better for "deeper" snow ?

 

[CraigRT]

#1. They are awesome, I have those on my sedan.
I have Blizzak WS-70's on my wagon and they are not as good as the Altimax Arctic's or Nordfrost 3 or whichever variant of that tread pattern you get. (They are sold under a few names, I have the Generals)

 

[MentalIlness]

#1. They are awesome, I have those on my sedan.
I have Blizzak WS-70's on my wagon and they are not as good as the Altimax Arctic's or Nordfrost 3 or whichever variant of that tread pattern you get. (They are sold under a few names, I have the Generals)

Have you had them in deep snow ? If you have, how are they for stopping and cornering ?

 

[ShawnD1]

Yea, I live in the mountains. Even over in town, 95% of the streets is either up or down inclines.

foooooock.

That's it, you need a new car. My open differential pile of shit can stop on a dime, but trying to accelerate is hopeless. My friend with the Subaru Impreza (cheap model) has shitty all season tires and he can't stop properly but he can still accelerate a hell of a lot faster than I can. He also never has problems going up hills even though I do have problems with hills.


edit
My point is that winter tires will not help you accelerate. If you have a shitty car, then that's what it comes down to. A shitty open differential with good tires is still a shitty open differential.

 

[MentalIlness]

foooooock.

That's it, you need a new car. My open differential pile of shit can stop on a dime, but trying to accelerate is hopeless. My friend with the Subaru Impreza (cheap model) has shitty all season tires and he can't stop properly but he can still accelerate a hell of a lot faster than I can. He also never has problems going up hills even though I do have problems with hills.


edit
My point is that winter tires will not help you accelerate. If you have a shitty car, then that's what it comes down to. A shitty open differential with good tires is still a shitty open differential.

Please note, that they are not "steep" inclines. Inclines are probably a "hair smidge" less than something like a wheel chair ramp at a grocery store. Hell, even the "main" stop light over in town, sitting at it...I am sitting on a "slight" incline.

Winter tires are going on this. It has anti-lock and traction control as well.

 

[ShawnD1]

My car has traction control as well. It doesn't help you accelerate. What traction control does is prevent you from spinning the tires which would then cause the car to understeer and potentially fly off the road (if you were doing this while turning). It can also prevent the car from getting stuck sometimes. It's a nice system and I'm glad it's there, but it doesn't seem to help with acceleration on ice. On snow, the traction control actually makes things accelerate a lot slower. If I turn it off, the tires can spin and throw a bunch of snow which helps accelerate a little. With the traction control on, it doesn't allow that to happen and the car sloooooowly accelerates.

Of course Toyota and GM use different logic systems, but it's the same underlying idea.
There is really no replacement for a good limited slip or locking differential, unfortunately.

 

[MentalIlness]

My car has traction control as well. It doesn't help you accelerate. What traction control does is prevent you from spinning the tires which would then cause the car to understeer and potentially fly off the road (if you were doing this while turning). It can also prevent the car from getting stuck sometimes. It's a nice system and I'm glad it's there, but it doesn't seem to help with acceleration on ice. On snow, the traction control actually makes things accelerate a lot slower. If I turn it off, the tires can spin and throw a bunch of snow which helps accelerate a little. With the traction control on, it doesn't allow that to happen and the car sloooooowly accelerates.

Of course Toyota and GM use different logic systems, but it's the same underlying idea.
There is really no replacement for a good limited slip or locking differential, unfortunately.

Points Noted

However, its not the accelerating that I am going for. I just want good traction for "deep" snow, and to be able to stop when I want to

And good turning is a plus as well. Where I live, no one really runs over 40 in anything over 6 inches.

In a nutshell, Id like to be able to pull out when I need to without sitting there spinning with traffic behind me.

 

[jlee]

I have Firestone Winterforce tires on my Forester XT -- I haven't had any deep snow yet, unfortunately, but in the snow I have had to play with they grip pretty well. I towed a Scion up a decent (snowy) hill with no wheelspin on my end.

I have also heard very good things about the General Altimax Arctic - if I hadn't found an incredible deal on the Winterforce tires, I was going to buy the General tires.

 

[iGas]

SHould have never been split. We were told when they split it that they would give it a few weeks, and then do a poll. Well that poll never happened, unless I missed it.

I don't remember a poll. However, IMHO guns and related topics should have their own forum, because it is annoying as hell to see similar gun threads popping up several times per week.

 

[CraigRT]

Have you had them in deep snow ? If you have, how are they for stopping and cornering ?

I think they are great in pretty much all conditions.
The biggest thing I like about the Altimax's is they are very composed on pavement. In other words, they don't squirm all over the place like my WS-70's do. They just drive like a good all season tire but stick like glue in the snow. They are my favorite winter tires I've had overall.