by "Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
Published 11/05/2017 at 15:28
by "Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
Published 11/05/2017 at 15:28
Tags: winter tires
STARS: 0
I decided that this winter will be the winter I decide to try winter tires for the first time. I want to pick the best one that works the best for me without breaking my bank.
The car: 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited. It currently has 17inch wheels on 215/45/r17 tires but I want to downsize to 195/65/r15 for winter tires.
Cost: I really would not want the tire to be over $120 per tire, especially since I need to get 15inch wheels.
I live on Long Island, but at least once a week I will be driving to the catskills or vermont to go skiing where it snows a shit-ton. My current employer gives me a company truck so I only drive my car once/twice a week.
Thoughts?
"Wacko" (wacko--)
11/05/2017 at 15:36, STARS: 0
Dunlop graspic ds-3
They were less than 90 Cnd each for the wife’s Elantra. So should be like 70 us each.
"Tekamul" (tekamulburner)
11/05/2017 at 15:40, STARS: 2
To not break the bank, I really like the Bridgestone blizzak ws80, and at that size, it should be less than a hundred a tire.
Or if you wanna go full on snow beast, nokian hakk 8s, but that’ll definitely crack the 120 mark.
"6SPD5.0" (6spd5p0)
11/05/2017 at 16:04, STARS: 0
Seconded. I have some 18" WS80s that were on my 2011 V6 Mustang for the only winter I owned it, have been on my 2014 GT for 2 winters, and are going back on in a few weeks for this one. In RI I’ve never once lost traction significantly with these tires except when the snow was deeper than my ride height one time.
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
11/05/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 0
I second this. I have the ws80s and they are fantastic.
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/05/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 3
Dunlop Winter Maxx
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
11/05/2017 at 17:06, STARS: 0
CBC did a pretty good report on them awhile back.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
11/05/2017 at 17:14, STARS: 0
I would consider downsizing to 205/55-16 instead of 15s. Winter tires have very soft sidewalls and rubber compounds, and their handling on dry roads is very mushy. Dropping down 2 wheel sizes and adding over an inch more sidewall height with those 15s is going to exaggerate that even more.
For a long time the go-to cheap ‘n cheerful winter tire was the General Altimax Arctic. It’s been replaced this year by the Altimax Arctic 12. They’re $95/each from Tire Rack in 205/55-16 or $76 in 195/65-15.
"MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig" (MR2_FTW)
11/05/2017 at 17:23, STARS: 0
My favorite budget winter tire is General Altimax Arctic
"MarquetteLa" (marquettela)
11/05/2017 at 17:47, STARS: 2
I’ve had really good experiences with these.
"JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t" (jawzx2)
11/05/2017 at 18:17, STARS: 1
good tires. I second this, mostly because I have zero experience with the current generation Blizzaks, but the Dunlops kicked the old BZK’s butt...
"JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t" (jawzx2)
11/05/2017 at 18:20, STARS: 0
I agree with this, it should also be easier to find a good variety of tires in 205/55-16 (the altimax arctics are good snow tires, but as dry-road commuters I don’t like them. Too much compromise for someone who will only be occasionally putting them to use in real snow IMO...) I’d go for a Dunlop MAXX or the Wintersport SP 4D at $117 ea
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/05/2017 at 19:21, STARS: 2
Studdable tires are useless without the studs, and studs are awful chewing up the roads, loud as fuck, with no real benefit except on ice.
Better off with a studless tire like the Dunlop Winter Maxx.
And 15's are just fine on an Elantra. 16/17-inch is just not necessary. The studdable tires are the worst in terms of dry handling. Again, studless tires are much better.
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/05/2017 at 19:22, STARS: 1
The Hakka 8 is studded, which has its own set of problems. The studless Hakka R2 would be a better choice in the Nokian lineup, but it is just as expensive as the studded H8.
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/05/2017 at 19:23, STARS: 1
those have since been replaced by the Winter Maxx, which is even better.
"Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
11/05/2017 at 19:47, STARS: 1
I’ve been thinking about these, I heard there’s a new version.
"Wacko" (wacko--)
11/05/2017 at 19:47, STARS: 1
I had graspics on 3 of my cars, still have them on my wife’s 2011 Elantra.
Bought some for My 97 civic hb, when I bought it in 2000. Then in 2003 I bought my protege5, bought some graspics for it, then on my 2010 SX4 when I bought that one new too.
So guess I have to look for wintermaxx next winter to replace the graspics on my wife’s car.
"Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
11/05/2017 at 19:48, STARS: 0
If I could get Nokian Hakka R2's for much less than that I’d probably go for them.
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/05/2017 at 19:55, STARS: 0
There might be. If that’s true, it means you may be able to get a good deal on the outgoing version
"Wacko" (wacko--)
11/05/2017 at 19:57, STARS: 0
I had no idea he was on 22 minutes.
To be honest I only really watched this hour has 22 minutes in the 90s back with the original cast.
"Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
11/05/2017 at 19:58, STARS: 0
Those are good points but I’ve read that you’d want a skinnier tire in snowy conditions. Smaller sizes would also be cheaper...
"Nymphicus Hollandicus" (nymhicus-hollandicus)
11/05/2017 at 20:01, STARS: 1
I find it kind of weird that my economy car has 17 inch wheels and low profile tires. It’s not even remotely sporty too.
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
11/05/2017 at 20:45, STARS: 0
Yeah, that’s where he started. Then he was a writer on H. Jon Benjamin’s show before getting his own.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
11/05/2017 at 21:12, STARS: 1
Stuff like the Altimax Arctic still has the siping, tread blocks, and rubber compound goodies of a studless winter tire, it just also happens to have the lugs for the studs. I doubt very many of the people who buy them bother with the studs.
Studless winter tires that aren’t performance winter tires still handle like glazed donuts, the studdable ones might be a little bit more glazed donut-ier but we’re not talking orders of magnitude of difference here.
Here in Wisconsin I see all kinds of cars rolling on Altimax Arctics and steelies and I’ve never seen a set on studs because studs are illegal here unless you’re delivering the mail.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
11/05/2017 at 21:19, STARS: 1
Generally yes, a skinnier tire is good in snow, because it distributes the weight of the car across a smaller area, so there’s less snow underneath that area pushing back against that same weight, and the tire is able to dig down into the snow more.
Comparing the 205/55-16 vs the 195/65-15 the 16s are 10 mm wider but the sidewall on the 15s is 14 mm taller. Neither of these is a huge difference, and the reality is any non-performance winter tire is going to handle like glazed donuts anyway. But going with the 16s will handle at least a little less like glazed donuts.
Going with a performance winter tire gives you dry/wet handling that does a halfway decent impression of a sporty all-season tire but there’s a tradeoff in ultimate snow grip.
I drive a lowered BMW 335xi with 225/40-18 front and 255/35-18 rear Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 performance winter tires on the stock wheels. It’s a sporty car and for me, if the snow is deep enough where the non-performance winter tire is going to have an advantage, I’m already screwed with ground clearance. So this way I get to run fancier rims the rest of the year instead of the stock rims as my summer rims and something smaller for winter. Not the most practical choice but neither is the car.
"Tekamul" (tekamulburner)
11/06/2017 at 09:18, STARS: 1
Yes studded, which is why I characterized it as ‘snow beast.’ The H8s aren’t messing around. Probably not that welcome on Long Island, though.
I had the R2s on my last car, they are good, but I don’t think they’re worth the price difference, especially since you can’t get them through places like Tire Rack.