Snow tires or All Season?
11-23-2013, 07:43 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-09-2011
Location: South Haven, MI
Posts: 372
All-seasons don't compare to a dedicated snow tire.
I run Firestone Winterforce's, awesome tires, awesome value when compared to "Blizzacks" etc. Absolutely kill Michigan winters with them!
Balloon tires :P-
Meaty fitment-
I run Firestone Winterforce's, awesome tires, awesome value when compared to "Blizzacks" etc. Absolutely kill Michigan winters with them!
Balloon tires :P-
Meaty fitment-
11-23-2013, 07:59 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-22-2012
Location: Rogers City, Michigan
Posts: 1,012
A good tire shop will recommend the right all-season tire for snow in your area.
Studded tires have been illegal in Michigan since the early 1960s.
My panel has snow tires and last year I did not have a problem But then again we didn't have hardly any snow (in my area).
I don't know how my SS with Michelins will act in snow or ice but I probably won't drive it if there is inclement weather especially if they are salting the roads. I have traction control but haven't had to use it.
Sweet lookin' red SS Joe from South Haven. You need 'em over there in Michigan's snow belt.
Boydie
11-23-2013, 09:56 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-26-2008
Location: Sequim Washington
Posts: 1,488
No Question ... The Blizzacks and Winterforce are both Excellent Real Winter snow tires.
But it sounded like the Op was looking for maybe something just a little better than an All Season Tire, and that is where the Michelin Ice 3 comes in.
Definitely better ... with the option to run all year around instead of taking off and storing winter tires.
SF
11-25-2013, 10:29 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-26-2008
Location: Sequim Washington
Posts: 1,488
Silver,
I am going to take a look at the Michelins you suggested. If I can run them all year long that is ok with me. I work in the Boston area so for the most part the highways and main roads are usually clear. Certain cities and towns do a lousy job of plowing during the winter and at times you might have one lane to go down a road and thats where I run into issues. I won't be driving this car thru snow packed roads like up in New Hampshire. I would take my full size truck up north but not this HHR. I use the HHR because its great on gas and has the room to store all my tools and parts. Its taken a little to get used too being so low and having those blind spots where the air bags are located. Its fun to drive in and around town and handles quite well on dry and wet pavement. I have 16 inch tires. I was thinking also of the 205 size too. Thanks for the responses so far!
Eddie
I am going to take a look at the Michelins you suggested. If I can run them all year long that is ok with me. I work in the Boston area so for the most part the highways and main roads are usually clear. Certain cities and towns do a lousy job of plowing during the winter and at times you might have one lane to go down a road and thats where I run into issues. I won't be driving this car thru snow packed roads like up in New Hampshire. I would take my full size truck up north but not this HHR. I use the HHR because its great on gas and has the room to store all my tools and parts. Its taken a little to get used too being so low and having those blind spots where the air bags are located. Its fun to drive in and around town and handles quite well on dry and wet pavement. I have 16 inch tires. I was thinking also of the 205 size too. Thanks for the responses so far!
Eddie
Back in the good old days of rear wheel drive, I could practically go anywhere in my 2 wheel drive 1/2 ton pickup with positraction rear axle by adding weight on the rear and putting on a set of rear Firestone Town & Country Sawdust/Walnut shell retreads and lowering the air pressure a little in the fronts.
If you hit a rough spot you could always get somebody to jump in the PU Box and add some more weight right over the tires.
A similar result could be done putting weight in the trunk of a car with the T&C tires.
Nowdays with front wheel drive you have the weight of the motor etc. sitting on the front tires and that helps, but it is pretty well a fixed static weight.
Add traction control and a set of compounded winter tires and you are getting closer to what my older pick up would do.
Personaly in winter snow I run a slightly narrower tire with the pressures slightly lower then stock summer settings.
SF
12-03-2013, 04:10 PM
#15
Join Date: 07-19-2013
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Posts: 4
I am looking for a good all season tire that does well in snow. The current tires I have on my car do not like the snow. If a couple of snow flakes are on the road my hhr slips and the tires spin like crazy until the tires grab the road. We don't get alot of snow in central Pennsylvania so I don't want to buy winter tires, but would like an all season tire that won't wuss out with a little snow.
12-04-2013, 08:36 PM
#16
Join Date: 02-27-2013
Location: Drexel Hill, PA
Posts: 5
I am looking for a good all season tire that does well in snow. The current tires I have on my car do not like the snow. If a couple of snow flakes are on the road my hhr slips and the tires spin like crazy until the tires grab the road. We don't get alot of snow in central Pennsylvania so I don't want to buy winter tires, but would like an all season tire that won't wuss out with a little snow.
12-05-2013, 08:49 AM
#17
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 36,598
I went with BF Goodrich Advantage T/A's, we have had a set on the '03 Sunfire GT for a year now and had great traction in the snow, the wife drives 90 miles a day round trip to work and they have not shown any sign of wear yet, I replaced BFG Traction T/A's which were great but they are no longer available.
12-05-2013, 12:22 PM
#18
New Member
Join Date: 11-22-2013
Location: Windsor, ON
Posts: 13
Running winter tires in spring, summer and fall months is a really bad idea. The rubber in winter tires is softer so it doesn't harden like the rubber in all season tires in the cold, but the softer rubber will wear way faster in the warmer months. You'll also be sacrificing traction. In the wet rainy summer weather winter tires are horrible. If you want something that is supposed to perform well all year round you might want to look at an all weather tire. Something like the Hankook Optimo tires are supposed to be good. I've never tried them but I've heard good things. All weather tires are different from all season. Whatever you do do not listen to those telling you to drive with winter tires all year round if you live in an area with spring/summer months. 7 degrees celcius is the warmest temperature recommended for winters.
12-05-2013, 01:46 PM
#19
Member
Join Date: 04-09-2010
Location: Traverse City
Posts: 46
No typo on the tire size. I chose one of the Tire Rack's packages and went with their "undersizing" philosophy. So far, so good. And I usually refer to Consumer Reports for tire reviews (and they Highly Rated the Michelin Xice2 and Xice3).
02-18-2014, 05:22 AM
#20
Join Date: 02-12-2014
Location: chicago burbs
Posts: 7
hi guys, yesterday was my first experience with snow and my hhr, it was awful. i slid thru every turn and did not feel safe out on the road so new tires will be on my list next fall. i don't want to spend money on having 2 sets of tires so i will be looking for a good all season tire and a sale. the hhr only has 22,000 miles on the tires but boy are they horrible. not sure what exactly they are but they are firestones. horrible tire