Best Winter Tires?

"The Real Dacia Sandero" (the-real-dacia-sandero) 01/19/2015 at 13:30 • Filed to: None

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I'm looking at getting a winter set of tires for the Miata. There's just all seasons on the car now, and last winter was scary. The tire size I'd go with is 185/65/14 or 185/60/14. The 60 series is stock size, but my speedometer reads a bit high, so going with a slightly taller tire wouldn't hurt. The models I'm considering are:

Dunlop Winter Maxx

Michelin X-Ice 3

Pirelli Winter Carving Edge

Bridgestone Blizzak(not sure which version yet)

I know the Blizzaks are pretty popular, but I'd like input from real world experience. I need as much snow/ice grip as possible, as there's no traction control, abs, nanny systems, etc. I don't really "need" snow tires here in VA, but the Miata is my only car and I don't want to be stuck cause I can't safely drive. Plus, I want to get summer tires soon anyways, and those definitely can't be run in Winter.

Victorious Secret > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:31

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Pirelli are crap, stay away.

Dunlop no experience.

Have had Blizzaks and Michelins, and honestly? Pick whatever is a nicer price since both are nice.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:32

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I've had both Toyo and Bridgestones and loved them.. but this was in Scandinavia, so they may not fit your region.

TopSirloin > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:35

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You mean you don't want to give the DIY route a shot?

spanfucker retire bitch > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:35

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The Yokohama IceGuard52's that I've got on my Mazda3 have been fantastic this winter. I've had co-workers come in, complaining how they had to turn on 4WD in their trucks and they were still losing grip all over the place. Where-as I had absolutely no issues getting in.

But if you're asking for the absolute best? Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2's are probably the best winter tires you can buy.

The Real Dacia Sandero > Victorious Secret 01/19/2015 at 13:35

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I generally trust Michelin and Bridgestone, they usually have good stuff. I'll probably go with Michelin because they have really good wet/dry performance which is where 90% of the driving with these tires will be. The Dunlops are rated well in snow/ice, but bad in wet/dry from what I've seen.

thebigbossyboss > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:36

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The last winter was scary. Our river was still frozen...April 14th!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Victorious Secret 01/19/2015 at 13:38

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Got some year old, never mounted blizzaks for 200$. Not a single complaint other than they aren't the best mud tire if you do rallycross.

The Real Dacia Sandero > spanfucker retire bitch 01/19/2015 at 13:38

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I saw the Yokohamas in some tire rack tests but wasn't sure about them. I'd forgotten about the Nokians. I don't think I need quite that much, but I've heard good stuff about them lasting forever, so they may be a better option just for long term durability.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:40

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The Blizzaks are great, even if they do wear fast. That said, I haven't really had firsthand experience with any others apart from the X-Ice. The X-Ice are good, but are more geared towards ice than snow. They'll work, but in deeper snow you'll probably wish you had something with a little chunkier tread.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > spanfucker retire bitch 01/19/2015 at 13:45

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Were your co-workers on all-seasons...

On blizzaks I don't need 4wd most of the time. I turn it on because in all areas except braking it helps maintain driving dynamics that are very close to normal, but it isn't really needed most times.

spanfucker retire bitch > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/19/2015 at 13:47

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Were your co-workers on all-seasons...

Indubitably. One of my co-workers actually still drives his Focus ST into work during the winter. With the stock summer tires.

Not a day goes by I don't call him an idiot for doing so.

deekster_caddy > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 13:54

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I like Michelin and Bridgestone's winter tires, but I've also used the General Altimax Ice somethings and they are good too. Basically any tire sold as a dedicated snow tire is going to be a whole crap ton better than an all season in the snow, so if your budget is tight don't worry too much about brand name.

I have the Michelin X-ices on my wife's Passat Wagon and like them a lot. I have Firestone Winterforce tires on my Volt and like them a lot too.

The Real Dacia Sandero > thebigbossyboss 01/19/2015 at 14:00

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I had to drive home in a snowstorm last winter. It scared the shit out of me. I couldn't go above 2ooorpm in any gear without sliding and normally I'm never under 2000rpm. The drive that would take about 20 mins took me almost 50. That's only because I was behind a plow truck for the majority of the drive. probably would have taken a hour and a half otherwise. I spun out on an unplowed section about a mile from my house. Thankfully I made it home safe.

JEM > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 14:01

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Considering I didn't even have to engage 4WD in the Jeep XJ this morning (RWD so, just like a Miata, right?), and how icy it was, I am still swearing by my Firestone Winterforce tires. Used them on FWD hatchbacks for years and can't beat them for the price.

DrScientist > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 14:03

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real world experience:

on 2002 996, had a set of blizzak lm-25s (now discontinued). these tires were amazing in the snow. never felt loss of grip. abs or traction control activation when i didn't want it. even in blizzard conditions with a couple of inches on the ground and still falling at highway (~55mph) speeds. with blizzaks:

those eventually wore out, and switched them out for a set of pirelli sottozero ii's. i've only driven in the snow/slush/ice 2x this season in them, and already i believe they are inferior to the blizzaks. abs and traction control both going off at points that the blizzaks wouldve handled. and this is just putting around the city. with sottozeros:

[blizzaks, at the time of the lm-25's, had been known for skewing more toward a snow/ice grip than true performance, as they were supposed to be high performance winters. and so they sometimes were rated below the competitors — mostly for dry performance. i believe they may have switched their compound to a more dry-performance oriented rubber. but double check on where they are now. tire rack has good videos, the customer reviews are all over the place.]

i have a set of the michelin x-ice-3's on my 91 XJS. drove these tires from seattle to montana last march. through a couple of blizzards and through about 5 fresh inches of snow. they handled incredibly. only lost the tail end once, doing about 45mph around a downhill curve on a road coming out of the cascade mountains. These tires are not as "performance" oriented as the blizzaks or the sottozeros, but they were (and are) more than sufficient for the highway cruising i need for the jag. probably suitable for your miata as well. But even for "non-performance" oriented tires, they arent very cheap. then again, tires are one thing i don't ever skimp on.

question for you though... have you checked that any of these tires are available for 14 inch diameter wheels?

thebigbossyboss > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 14:04

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Hm. I live in Canada so I guess I am just used to it. But winter tires make a big difference. I got new ones this year and I can't believe how much traction I have.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 14:04

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I have Blizzak WS 70's on a Mazda 3, third year on them (10,000 miles total) and they are still working great. I also have the WS 80's on my Subaru Outback. This is our first year with dedicated snow ties on the Outback and the car is fucking amazing on snow and ice. I'm not a Bridgstone fan boy, they just happen to be reasonably priced where we live. Also DON"T BUY STUDDED SNOW TIRES THEY SUCK unless you are into ice racing. Consider putting some weight in the trunk-like 2x50lb sand bags, that will help the getting going thing.

The Real Dacia Sandero > thebigbossyboss 01/19/2015 at 14:25

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Well, I was on shitty all seasons and that was the first time I had ever really driven in any snow. Those were the best all seasons I could find in the stock size, but they still suck in snow. Being rwd doesn't help either.

The Real Dacia Sandero > DrScientist 01/19/2015 at 14:28

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Yes, all of those would be available in the sizes. I'm thinking about going to a 15 though, because I want to go to a newer Miata later this year. On those, the brakes are larger and the 14s I have won't fit.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 14:56

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I run Dunlop WinterSport 3D's on my STI and they are awesome. My wife's Escape runs Blizzak WS70's and those are also excellent tires. The Dunlops are a little better in the dry and wet while the Blizzaks are better in deeper snow and on ice. We are in the snow belt and see around 200"-250" of snow every winter.

It is time to replace the tires on the STI, they are getting old but still have a decent amount of tread on them. You can tell the rubber has started to stiffen up over the last couple years.

DrScientist > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 15:10

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yeah... and finding tires for the smaller diameter wheels is getting harder and harder.

anyway... my recommendation for you would be the x-ice 3's.

George McNally > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 15:36

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I have the newer version of Blizzaks (not sure of the model number) on my 2014 Elantra. In the rain- they are way better then all-season tires and in the little bit of snow and freezing rain we've had here in Central PA.....they are way, way better then anything I've had before.

We also have them on my wife's Outback and they are so good in the snow.....it's easy to go way faster then the rest of traffic and get yourself in trouble.

ranwhenparked > The Real Dacia Sandero 01/19/2015 at 15:44

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I have 4 Blizzaks on my Mustang right now, fantastic tires. Went from being the worst winter car I've ever owned to possibly the best just by putting those on.