Anyone have snow tire suggestions?

"cazzyodo" (cazzyodo) 11/18/2013 at 12:16 • Filed to: Snow tires, Winter, Focus ST

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It's been relatively mild in Boston so far but I just realized something...it's almost freakin' December. So I figured I should get my act together and look into some snow tires. This is a new concept to me as I have never bought snow tires. That's right, I ran all-seasons last year.

But this year I have low profile summer tires courtesy of the stock set-up on the Focus ST. I have no idea what I'm looking for but I am leaning towards getting a cheap smaller wheel so I can have thicker walled tires. I don't want to spend a ton because of the following reasons:

1) I'm kinda cheap

2) I will likely only put a few thousand miles on them this winter

3) I am not overly concerned about snow...so it's really a just in case kinda thing

Anywho, I am more than receptive of suggestions on tires and wheel combos. Feel free to toss color ideas as well...the ST is red.

Black doesn't look too bad.

CalzoneGolem > cazzyodo 11/18/2013 at 12:21

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I run all seasons all year long. I live in rural Maine and rarely have a snow issue that wasn't directly my own fault. I've failed many scandi flicks and ended up in snow banks.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > cazzyodo 11/18/2013 at 12:42

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I was about to suggest Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8.. but they're generaly only good on ice and snow, and not so good on wet tarmac (and perhaps you can't have studded tyres?).. so.. hmm Nokian WR D3 or W+ perhaps? I'm currently using Vredestein Snowtrac 3 on my DD, not sure if that's available in the US.

noise > cazzyodo 11/18/2013 at 12:47

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I run winterforce cheapos on my shitty focus. They work just fine, dont cost much, and are actually the wrong size for my car... but they dont scrub so dodged that bullet.

To be honest if you dont plan on leaving town dont bother. Just take the T the day it snowed and by the next day the DPW will have the roads scraped down to bare asphalt. Gotta love that city overtime.

unless by "in boston" you mean "in quincy" or "in waltham" In that case, cheapy winterforce it is. Check some of the local salvage yards they usually have good deals on winters in fairly good shape, you can even get steelies to put em on

cazzyodo > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 11/18/2013 at 12:48

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No need for studs here. Main roads get cleared well...hell I may likely get away with the summers on. But last year was brutal and the roads sucked for a while. I'll look into both suggestions. Thanks!

cazzyodo > noise 11/18/2013 at 12:51

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Yeah, I mean pretty much Quincy area. If I was in town I would suck it up haha. While my commute to work is short my weekly "excursions" are a little further and I anticipate a handful of snowboarding trips to NH.

noise > noise 11/18/2013 at 12:51

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also i run bright orange covers on my steelies, as you can see from the cover image for my bitchfest a couple months ago. Anyway if your gonna paint your steelies go bold. Everyone has black or rusty hubs, you could be the only bastard in town with forest green wheels. Or metallic yellow. Who gives a shit, lifes too short

NinetyQ > cazzyodo 11/18/2013 at 12:51

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Michelin Blizzaks

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > cazzyodo 11/18/2013 at 12:58

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As a Norwegian I simply can not fathom that whole thing with "I drive on my summer tyres all year long" :) I've actually got three sets. Summers, autumn/spring AND winters. And it's not like we've got THAT much snow here either.. but we usually have snow even on the motorway from the middle of november to february.

Textured Soy Protein > cazzyodo 11/18/2013 at 13:14

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I would go to a 16" wheel and 215/55-16 tire. Narrower is better in the snow, and also cheaper.

There are two main sub-sets of winter tires:

"Performance" winter tires that have better snow/ice traction than all-season tires, while trying to give you some sporty-ish handling.

Regular winter tires that give better snow grip than the "performance" winters but their handling would charitably be described as vague.

If you don't care about looks and have a Discount Tire near you, you can get fresh brand new steelies for $62/pop: http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findWhe…

Otherwise both Tire Rack and Discount Tire have assorted cheap alloys for your car. And both kinds of winter tires.

cazzyodo > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 11/18/2013 at 13:17

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That's what happens (usually) here. I'm new to the summer tire thing. I had a leased vehicle for the past two years so I didn't care to get winters and before that I was in school so didn't have a car and just used the family truck.

cazzyodo > Textured Soy Protein 11/18/2013 at 13:21

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Good stuff. I'll either look around a couple places nearby today or save it for this weekend's project.

JEM > noise 11/18/2013 at 13:25

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I'll second the winterforce tires and I live in Worcester, on top of a huge hill (because Worcester), and I used those for about 10 years on various hatchbacks and really liked them. I think I actually still have a pair of brand new studded ones somewhere.

Most importantly, you DO NOT WANT to drive sport all-seasons around here in the winter, simply for the temperatures being below 30 for a good portion of the time. Sport tire compounds are horrid in those temps. It'll feel like you have bricks mounted to the wheels.

JEM > CalzoneGolem 11/18/2013 at 13:26

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Yeah... around here in Boston the snow banks are made up of buried BMWs so they are a lot less forgiving than the Maine type ;-)

noise > JEM 11/18/2013 at 13:36

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Good old worcester. I lived in leominster and fitchburg for most of my life so, i know dem hill problems. Hence the winterforce haha

CalzoneGolem > JEM 11/18/2013 at 14:43

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Ours have bears those fuckers can hold a grudge.

cazzyodo > noise 11/23/2013 at 12:45

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Where'd you get the covers? Haha. Thats pretty sweet.

Im guessing you just get some hubs and paint those. If so, suggestions on what paint?

I'm thinking yellow.

noise > cazzyodo 11/23/2013 at 20:26

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Yep, safety orange tractor paint.

Got it at the farmer coop, they got john deere green, IH red, new holland blue etc

good shit it is

cazzyodo > noise 11/23/2013 at 23:42

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Ordered my wheels this afternoon...got a buddy who is checking on some options for me in regards to coloring them in some way. Looking forward to I haha

NinetyQ > NinetyQ 11/25/2013 at 12:29

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Woops. Just noticed this should be Bridgestone Blizzaks.