Tires seem to be worn out, recommend winter tires

[AstroManLuca]

I'm in the Honda repair shop right now due to a tire pressure light coming on. The guy who initially checked it out said the rear tires are getting low on tread and may need to be replaced.

Now what I'm thinking is, instead of replacing the two tires now, I order a set of snow tires (I live in Minnesota). Put those on my steel wheels and when spring rolls around I can get a new set of alloy wheels and summer tires to match. Seems like a win-win to me - better traction in the snow, better grip in the summer, better looks in summer, and the tires will each only wear at half their current rate.

Does that sound like a good plan? Anyone else do this? I've heard a lot of bad things about all-season tires and I think my money would be better spent on winter tires. Any recommendations for a set? My car is a 2008 Honda Fit with just 14" wheels. Was thinking of getting 15-16" alloys come springtime, but for now I think I should get ready for the snow we'll inevitably get in the next month and beyond.

 

[jlee]

Size & price range? I hear good things about Nokian Hakkapeliitta's...Bridgestone Blizzak rings a bell also.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Inflate to sidewall...your tires will last forever, you'll be popular in school, and your acne will clear up.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Well they came back and said one of the tires was punctured and is unrepairable. So rather than buying crappy all-season tires from the dealership for way too high a price (or waiting a week and a half for them to get more winter tires in stock!), I told them to just put the donut on and scheduled an appointment at a Discount Tire tomorrow. I can stick to city streets for one day.

They do have a pretty good selection, including the Blizzaks ($91/ea). I'll post a list of what they have in stock when I get a little more time this evening.

P.S. I'm aware I can get them cheaper online but since I'll be on the spare I can't just wait around forever for them to get shipped to me.

EDIT: List of winter tires they have with prices...

Hankook Winter iPike W409 - $63
Cooper Weather-Master S/T 2 - $70
Yokohama Ice Guard IG20 - $75
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 - $87
Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice - $89
Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 - $91

I'm not sure it's worth that much extra (more than $100 more) for the Blizzaks... I mean, I bet even the cheapest ones would be a huge improvement over all-seasons, and I want to save some money to spend on summer tires once the snow melts. So I'll probably just get the Hankooks.

 

[sdifox]

I like the Blizzak WS60s. Drove them (on my wife's 06 MB E350 4Matic) from Peoria, IL to Toronto on Dec 22nd 2008. Just got my sister in laws to buy (for her 06 Mazda3) these off tirerack too.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Inflate to sidewall...your tires will last forever, you'll be popular in school, and your acne will clear up.

Nah... 100psi is better

 

[jlee]

Well they came back and said one of the tires was punctured and is unrepairable. So rather than buying crappy all-season tires from the dealership for way too high a price (or waiting a week and a half for them to get more winter tires in stock!), I told them to just put the donut on and scheduled an appointment at a Discount Tire tomorrow. I can stick to city streets for one day.

They do have a pretty good selection, including the Blizzaks ($91/ea). I'll post a list of what they have in stock when I get a little more time this evening.

P.S. I'm aware I can get them cheaper online but since I'll be on the spare I can't just wait around forever for them to get shipped to me.

EDIT: List of winter tires they have with prices...

Hankook Winter iPike W409 - $63
Cooper Weather-Master S/T 2 - $70
Yokohama Ice Guard IG20 - $75
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 - $87
Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice - $89
Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 - $91

I'm not sure it's worth that much extra (more than $100 more) for the Blizzaks... I mean, I bet even the cheapest ones would be a huge improvement over all-seasons, and I want to save some money to spend on summer tires once the snow melts. So I'll probably just get the Hankooks.

Honestly the cheaper ones will probably be okay...just not 'as good'. How much snow do you get?

 

[AstroManLuca]

Honestly the cheaper ones will probably be okay...just not 'as good'. How much snow do you get?

We get a few major snowfalls per winter, with a bunch of small ones scattered around. The main thing is it gets very cold and stays that way all winter, so as soon as the first snowfall hits, there is snow on the ground until spring.

 

[Zap]

Now what I'm thinking is, instead of replacing the two tires now, I order a set of snow tires (I live in Minnesota). Put those on my steel wheels and when spring rolls around I can get a new set of alloy wheels and summer tires to match. Seems like a win-win to me - better traction in the snow, better grip in the summer, better looks in summer, and the tires will each only wear at half their current rate.

Does that sound like a good plan? Anyone else do this? I've heard a lot of bad things about all-season tires and I think my money would be better spent on winter tires. Any recommendations for a set?

Sounds like a WIN to me. Don't know why you've heard bad things about all season tires. They aren't as good as snow tires in the snow, but you drive them year 'round. For snow tires I would recommend that whatever brand you end up getting, get "winter performance" type (not studdable or studless) if the streets in your area gets plowed. If plows run, that means you are NOT actually driving on snow most of the time.

EDIT: Oh yeah, it is recommended to get a matching set of 4 winter tires. My wife once spun out on a freeway offramp during a snowstorm because the front tires had a lot more traction than the rear tires, so the rear broke loose as she turned (front wheel drive car).

 

[Colt45]

I've always run blizzaks in the past.. not bad but not perfect. I think I'll get some studded tires next round. ice can suxor.

 

[lurk3r]

Well they came back and said one of the tires was punctured and is unrepairable. So rather than buying crappy all-season tires from the dealership for way too high a price (or waiting a week and a half for them to get more winter tires in stock!), I told them to just put the donut on and scheduled an appointment at a Discount Tire tomorrow. I can stick to city streets for one day.

They do have a pretty good selection, including the Blizzaks ($91/ea). I'll post a list of what they have in stock when I get a little more time this evening.

P.S. I'm aware I can get them cheaper online but since I'll be on the spare I can't just wait around forever for them to get shipped to me.

EDIT: List of winter tires they have with prices...

Hankook Winter iPike W409 - $63
Cooper Weather-Master S/T 2 - $70
Yokohama Ice Guard IG20 - $75
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 - $87
Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice - $89
Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 - $91

I'm not sure it's worth that much extra (more than $100 more) for the Blizzaks... I mean, I bet even the cheapest ones would be a huge improvement over all-seasons, and I want to save some money to spend on summer tires once the snow melts. So I'll probably just get the Hankooks.

I'd tend to avoid the cheapest tire, since it is a Fit and we are talking winter, so the coopers or the yoki's would be my choice, leaning more to the Yoki's.

Oh look more at the ice traction then the snow if you can find numbers. Snow's pretty sticky and you'll nearly never have issues on it, ice is what will wreck your car.

 

[BassBomb]

astro, i am doing exactly as you describe (need new tires, buying winter + buying summer tires & new rims)

i chose the w41 which is basically the same as w409 but cheaper, you won't go wrong with w409 (its really good bang for buck)