2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Need better contact with the ground? Come on in.

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Sabre »

Hey all,
After a couple of seasons on my winter tires, it's time to get some new ones! I figured I'd start a new thread since there are new tires every year seemingly! (all prices for 225/45R17 unless otherwise noted)

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 - Currently the top rated tire on Tire Rack. ~$152 ebay ~175 TR
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 - Another highly rated Ice/Snow tire. ~$149 TR
Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 - Elzorro's favorite ;) ~137 TR
Hankook Optimo H727 - Consumer Reports Best Buy 225/50/R17 ~$105
Michelin Primacy MXV4 - Consumer Reports Best Buy ~$156 Tires2Go ~$176 TR
Michelin HydroEdge - Consumer Reports Best Buy 225/55/R17 ~$143 TR
Dunlop Wintersport M3 - $187 TR
Dunlop Wintersport 3D - ~$146 TR
General AltiMAX Arctic. - ~$107.00 TR

What's everyone's thoughts? Here are the ones that I have owned and some quick thoughts:

Conti Extreme Contact: Moderate in price, handled try/wet/snow/ice very well.
WS-50: Moderate in price, handled well in most conditions.
Revo 1: Cheap, but didn't handle very well in dry. Wet traction was not good at all. Snow traction was average.
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
chicken n waffles
Moderator
Posts: 6314
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:15 am
Location: Alexandria

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by chicken n waffles »

i was more than happy with my blizzaks. can't speak for the others.
-Ben
Image
User avatar
sirwilliam
Resident Poop Expert
Posts: 7226
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:27 pm
Location: The Wild Serengeti Suburbs

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by sirwilliam »

My old WS-50s were great in snow and ice but lacked in handling due to soft sidewalls.

My new Michelin Primacy Alpin P3s work good in snow and ice but are better suited for higher speeds and have a stiffer sidewall.

It is really up to you what you prefer and it is kind of hard to really judge winter tires if you can't just go through the whole lot of them in the same day.

I know a bunch of foz owners really like the Hankook iPike but I personally haven't tried them out.
2004 SG Model A PearlBlackObsidian (RIP)
2008 SG Model D BlueRallyWorld

"When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story." -Barney Stinson
"Nothing shuts my pie-hole but pie." -Shawn Spencer
User avatar
complacent
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 11651
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: near the rockies. very.
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by complacent »

I've also had great results with the Blizzaks.
colin

a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
User avatar
Cereb Daithi
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 3747
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:07 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Cereb Daithi »

You forgot the Dunlop Wintersport M3 and 3D. Both VERY good winter tires. I used the 3Ds last year and will be using the M3s this year.

Both work well in the ice and snow and offer some of the best dry traction of any winter tire I've come across.
User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Sabre »

Added :)
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
User avatar
Cereb Daithi
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 3747
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:07 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Cereb Daithi »

I just purchased M3 run-on-flats. I'll post a review once I get a chance to actually put them on and use them.
User avatar
darwin
I'm a n000b
Posts: 37
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:28 pm
Location: Alexandria, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by darwin »

I have Bridgestone Blizzaks on the '04 Evo and they work pretty well. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas I used on Eagle Talon during the Alcan Winter Rally were fantastic and the non-studded version was also excellent.
'04 Evo
User avatar
zaxrex
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 6350
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: asiandale

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by zaxrex »

Studded in VA/DC/MD? :rolllaugh:
I know we get a lot of freezing rain, but comeon, is that enough to run illegal tires?
Blizzaks are have kept this Zak on the road...
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears
thermobox
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:00 pm

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by thermobox »

I'm a huge fan of the conti's but they have dropped the name/tread pattern this year. I'm debating which one to use also.
User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Sabre »

darwin wrote:I have Bridgestone Blizzaks on the '04 Evo and they work pretty well. The studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas I used on Eagle Talon during the Alcan Winter Rally were fantastic and the non-studded version was also excellent.
zaxrex wrote:Studded in VA/DC/MD? :rolllaugh:
I know we get a lot of freezing rain, but comeon, is that enough to run illegal tires?
Blizzaks are have kept this Zak on the road...
lol, the Alcan is on the West coast of Canada and in Alaska... I'd be wearing studded tires too!
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
User avatar
darwin
I'm a n000b
Posts: 37
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:28 pm
Location: Alexandria, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by darwin »

The studded tires were for Canada and Alaska. The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.
'04 Evo
User avatar
complacent
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 11651
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: near the rockies. very.
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by complacent »

darwin wrote: The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.
semi-related - i reeeeeeely want to do this on a ice-ready motorcycle. 8)
colin

a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
User avatar
ElZorro
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 5958
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: USA! USA!

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by ElZorro »

complacent wrote:
darwin wrote: The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.
semi-related - i reeeeeeely want to do this on a ice-ready motorcycle. 8)
They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch. :)
Jason "El Zorro" Fox
'17 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
DCAWD - old coots in fast scoots.
User avatar
sirwilliam
Resident Poop Expert
Posts: 7226
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:27 pm
Location: The Wild Serengeti Suburbs

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by sirwilliam »

ElZorro wrote: They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch. :)
I think this was a planned quote, eh? :wink: :lol:
2004 SG Model A PearlBlackObsidian (RIP)
2008 SG Model D BlueRallyWorld

"When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story." -Barney Stinson
"Nothing shuts my pie-hole but pie." -Shawn Spencer
User avatar
WRXWagon2112
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 3314
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Livin' the dream

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by WRXWagon2112 »

ElZorro wrote:
complacent wrote:
darwin wrote: The roads were ice and there was racing on frozen lakes.
semi-related - i reeeeeeely want to do this on a ice-ready motorcycle. 8)
They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch. :)
My parents used to do that in Cornwall, Ontario with their '67 Mustang. Pre-children, of course.

--Alan
User avatar
complacent
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 11651
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: near the rockies. very.
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by complacent »

WRXWagon2112 wrote:
ElZorro wrote: They did it on lakes in the area I grew up in, was amazing to watch. :)
My parents used to do that in Cornwall, Ontario with their '67 Mustang. Pre-children, of course.

--Alan

I remember your moms talking about that at your wedding reception! :nana: w00t!
colin

a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
scheherazade
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 727
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:19 am
Location: nova

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by scheherazade »

zaxrex wrote:Studded in VA/DC/MD? :rolllaugh:
I know we get a lot of freezing rain, but comeon, is that enough to run illegal tires?
Blizzaks are have kept this Zak on the road...
I had no idea... so I looked up what I could find...
This is what came up.

http://www.tire-information-world.com/t ... tions.html
Maryland Not permitted except in western counties Nov.1-March 31.
Virginia Permitted Oct. 15-April 15.
Dist. of Columbia Permitted Oct. 15-April 15.



Oh,and :

http://www.dieseljo.com/images_ice_pict ... e_bike.jpg

:D

-scheherazade
User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Sabre »

Have an appointment on Monday to get WS-60's put on :)
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
User avatar
sirwilliam
Resident Poop Expert
Posts: 7226
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:27 pm
Location: The Wild Serengeti Suburbs

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by sirwilliam »

Sabre wrote:Have an appointment on Monday to get WS-60's put on :)
A very logical and wise choice, indeed.
2004 SG Model A PearlBlackObsidian (RIP)
2008 SG Model D BlueRallyWorld

"When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story." -Barney Stinson
"Nothing shuts my pie-hole but pie." -Shawn Spencer
User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Sabre »

Especially for $650 installed :)
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
User avatar
drwrx
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:00 pm

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by drwrx »

There is one tire that nobody has mentioned and since it rated very highly in a TireRack test I felt I needed to pass it along:
General AltiMAX Arctic. Yes they are Studdable but got very high ratings w/o studs. 8.39 w/o studs 9.28 with
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/tes ... p?ttid=123
The price is also very appealing: 225/45R17 $107.00 (each)
schvin
DCAWD Groupie
Posts: 1659
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: washington, dc
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by schvin »

scheherazade wrote:
!!!!!!
2004 impreza outback
1964 beetle
User avatar
complacent
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 11651
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: near the rockies. very.
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by complacent »

scheherazade wrote: Oh,and :

http://www.dieseljo.com/images_ice_pict ... e_bike.jpg

:D

-scheherazade

That's exactly what I'm talking about! The "burn outs" are quite funny too.

:ya:
colin

a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
User avatar
Sabre
DCAWD Founding Member
Posts: 21432
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Springfield, VA
Contact:

Re: 2009/1010 Winter tire discussion

Post by Sabre »

Updated the first post with Darrin's suggested tire as well :)
Sabre (Julian)
Image
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
Post Reply