Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Thursday March 28, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
North West Impreza Club
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC Chapters > North West Impreza Club Forum -- NWIC

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-27-2009, 05:30 PM   #1
nozirev
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 169158
Join Date: Jan 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: WA
Vehicle:
2005 WRX
CGM

Default All Season Tires vs Dedicated Summer/Winter

Do any of you think it's worth it to have dedicated summer and dedicated winter tires for the area that we live in (Pacific Northwest)? I've been really leaning towards the PZero Nero all season tires, but as Tire Rack so famously puts "all seasons are jacks of all trades but masters of none". I still have my stock rims with stock wrx tires on them as well and they seemed to do fine in the winter, but we are talking potential here people! I would eventually replace the stock tires on them for dedicated if I choose to have two sets. I just don't want year round squishyness if unnecessary lol. What do ya'll think?

I know there are plenty of tire threads on this forum and I'm not looking for specific tire info, so no flaming on that :P
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
nozirev is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 07-27-2009, 05:39 PM   #2
sea-scooby
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 94297
Join Date: Aug 2005
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Renton Wa
Vehicle:
2005 FXT VF39
2005 Forester X

Default

I run dedicated snow tires in the winter, but I went with a high performance all-season for the rest of the year. A summer only tire is scary under 40 degrees, and we have nights well below that at late as May and as early as October. I wanted to be able to run my "nice" wheels longer than mid-May to mid October. With All-season I can run them March to late November.
sea-scooby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 05:48 PM   #3
Dave D.
NASIOC Supporter
 
Member#: 130990
Join Date: Nov 2006
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Menzel Lake, WA
Vehicle:
06 Red Ltd.Wagon
Dom 1.5xtr JJ tuned

Default

If you are a skier/snowboarder winter tires have unbelievable traction compared to all-seasons.

Came in pretty handy this last winter, too.
Dave D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 05:55 PM   #4
misfitracer25
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 213101
Join Date: Jun 2009
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: somebody poisoned
Vehicle:
the waterhole!

Default

depends on where you live here.... and what you do with your car. me personally i am running three sets... dedicated ws60 blizzacks for winter... im a big snowbaorder and i go to canada alot. i only but my winters on when the first snow falls and take them off in like end of feb... i run all seasons in the spring and fall and june july and august i am running dedicated summers for racing.
misfitracer25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:03 PM   #5
JasonLHall
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 111318
Join Date: Mar 2006
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave D. View Post
If you are a skier/snowboarder winter tires have unbelievable traction compared to all-seasons.

Came in pretty handy this last winter, too.
+1 also, the rocks chip the hell out of your rims. So if you have invested a couple bucks for some nice rims, save them and get some crappy ones for winter.
JasonLHall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:07 PM   #6
CosmoTheCat
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 3409
Join Date: Jan 2001
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Oly
Vehicle:
98 My FMIC
Is bigger than yours.

Default

Dedicated snow/ice tires are awesome, but most people don't need them. If you're running to the pass to go skiing or you live on a nasty hill, then yeah. Otherwise all season M&S tires work great.


Having said that, when I had snow tires on my Jetta I was able to cruise around Bellingham after the awesome freezing rain that turned all of downtown into an ice rink. Going up Ellis towards Lakeway/Holly/Samish I stopped, then passed an OBS on (probably bald) all seasons that was sliding sideways down the hill.
CosmoTheCat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:07 PM   #7
kaptainkevlar
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 80109
Join Date: Jan 2005
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Auburn, WA
Vehicle:
07 spec B

Default

I have two dedicated sets of wheels and tires, and would never only run on one set year round. End of story. When Fall comes I'll retire my RE-01R's and throw on my other wheels (this years winter tires have yet to be bought) and rock em til snowboarding season is over. If you drive anywhere near the mountains, I wouldn't even think twice about all seasons. The way I see it, if you're semi-comfortable with driving in the snow all seasons will probably be good enough for you to get around, however I like the added safety margin of being that much more able to avoid accidents in the snow. I don't worry about myself as much as the other idiots on the road, and being able to get out of their way is priceless to me.


putting the summer tires back on in the spring time and hittin corners is pretty gratifying too
kaptainkevlar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:16 PM   #8
DrnknZag
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 138473
Join Date: Jan 2007
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: PNW
Vehicle:
2005 Project FXT
CGM

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave D. View Post
If you are a skier/snowboarder winter tires have unbelievable traction compared to all-seasons.

Came in pretty handy this last winter, too.
I cannot agree more with this comment. The traction and just overall feeling of my Blizzaks in the snow blows my Goodyear Eagle F1 all seasons out of the water (which weren't bad to begin with). If you spend any time at all in the mountains (or on the east side of the state for that matter) in the winter, I would highly recommend snow tires.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sea-scooby View Post
I run dedicated snow tires in the winter, but I went with a high performance all-season for the rest of the year. A summer only tire is scary under 40 degrees, and we have nights well below that at late as May and as early as October. I wanted to be able to run my "nice" wheels longer than mid-May to mid October. With All-season I can run them March to late November.
This is a pretty good point as well. As stated above, I have all season as my 'summer tires,' mostly because I got new tires for my BBSbefore I ever got snow tires. To lengthen the life of my snow tires, I don't put them on until the day before I head up to the mountains for the first time, which is usually early December. There are times prior to, as well as after ski season, where the temperature can be well below what can be 'safe' for a summer tire.
DrnknZag is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:21 PM   #9
JamesBernard
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 180038
Join Date: May 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Tigard, OR
Vehicle:
IB You dont even
own a subaru!

Default

sounds like the question is:

Traction or no traction year round?
JamesBernard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:21 PM   #10
medamullet
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 99442
Join Date: Oct 2005
Chapter/Region: International
Location: Man of Mystery
Vehicle:
2006 SGM STI
I'm on CORN YO!

Default

I run all seasons in the summer (last longer) nt-01 on the track, and snow tires in the winter.
medamullet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 06:28 PM   #11
tazswing
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 63767
Join Date: Jun 2004
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: PDX
Vehicle:
2009 OXT 5-spd
2011 STi hatch

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by medamullet View Post
I run all seasons in the summer (last longer) nt-01 on the track, and snow tires in the winter.
This is what I will do with the Outback. I was running full summer/winter with the STi. I don't drive the outback very hard so a higher wear-rating and the occasional colder night fall/spring make the all season good.

but man, if you have never run a full winter tire in winter conditions on a Subaru, you ain't seen nothing yet. crap, I would take a front wheel drive car with great snow tires over a Suby with all seasons in poor conditions.
tazswing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 07:08 PM   #12
nozirev
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 169158
Join Date: Jan 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: WA
Vehicle:
2005 WRX
CGM

Default

Cool cool, good info on here! I appreciate the input! I just discovered one of my RE070's has a nail in and it appears to be too far on the side to be fixed. So, the hunt for tires started. I do have to say I like the idea of an all-season tire for my summer tire, but coming from the 070's? Don't know if I will like my summer performance as much because yes I also enjoy the spirited corner driving haha. But for sure I'll mount some Blizzak's onto my stock rims one I have the money to do so.
nozirev is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 07:10 PM   #13
nozirev
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 169158
Join Date: Jan 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: WA
Vehicle:
2005 WRX
CGM

Default

Oh and yes I tend to find myself boarding and making drives on forest service roads during the winter - to support my point of mounting blizzaks on my stockers
nozirev is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 07:18 PM   #14
06WHTWRX
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 173690
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: The Sticks, Warshington
Vehicle:
2005 Ferd
F-TeenThousand

Default

I run kumho ecsta SPTs in the summer, Dunlop Wintersport 3D's in the winter. I swap tires, not rims but my rims are about to be powder coated so rock chips aren't a worry.
06WHTWRX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 07:36 PM   #15
CosmoTheCat
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 3409
Join Date: Jan 2001
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Oly
Vehicle:
98 My FMIC
Is bigger than yours.

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nozirev View Post
Cool cool, good info on here! I appreciate the input! I just discovered one of my RE070's has a nail in and it appears to be too far on the side to be fixed. So, the hunt for tires started. I do have to say I like the idea of an all-season tire for my summer tire, but coming from the 070's? Don't know if I will like my summer performance as much because yes I also enjoy the spirited corner driving haha. But for sure I'll mount some Blizzak's onto my stock rims one I have the money to do so.


Winter trips to the mountain means dedicated snow tires are a major plus.

I ran Yokohama S-drives on my LGT and they were fine in all but the nastiest slushy ice, but then again I didn't take it up on forest service roads or skiing or anything like that. I did swap my RE92s though, because it was my work car and getting in a wreck with clients and having summer tires on the car would be a bad idea.
CosmoTheCat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 08:02 PM   #16
mnc2fan
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 187907
Join Date: Aug 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Spokane
Vehicle:
'87 BMW 325i
A few.

Default

For me just around town all terrain year around. Little more aggressive than all seasons, ok summer performance. Given my truck can't drive like your cars. Not to mention I actually enjoy driving on snow and stuff with my tires. Quite fun. Rear wheel drive adds to that though. Just don't get me on slops, or anything too deep.

You want to learn some winter driving, keep those all seasons on. Keeps you on your toes.
mnc2fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 10:30 PM   #17
_FOoM
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 216210
Join Date: Jul 2009
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Our Turf is Blue
Default

Running all seasons here. As a daily driver, I don't think it warrants a full range of wheels for the current season, especially if you only deal with mild snow conditions. The wear is great on them and my personal philosophy is to save the "track" wheels for the closed course. I was running real soft tires prior, but I found myself throwing money away when I lose a ton of tire on mundane freeway type commutes.
_FOoM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 10:43 PM   #18
Smoke
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 172486
Join Date: Feb 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Cheney, WA
Vehicle:
95 V4 STi-RA swap
Stage 49.8

Default

If any of you watched the news, our area was featured during the winter for really bad winters.

That's about as worse it could get. About 1-2 feet of snow.

In all the student body, only 2 people had 4WD/AWD. Me and my classmate with his Dodge.

Everyone else had FWD and all seasons. Poor chaps! (some of them deserved to get stuck, because of the asshat driving style they do)
BTW, I have studded Nokian Hakka's. And congress wants to ban studs?
Smoke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 11:05 PM   #19
Misanthrope789
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 174595
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: The Kumite
Vehicle:
2005 STi
Frank Dux Edition

Default

Nick.... Goodyear F1 all seasons ftw! Roush, wagonmafia dave, mdash and I run them.

I ran them in the snow, rain and they handle great in the dry.

I got a pretty sweet deal and warranty at discount tire bt the super mall.
Misanthrope789 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 11:06 PM   #20
BKRush
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 169125
Join Date: Jan 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Tacoma, WA
Vehicle:
2005 2.5 RS
Black on Black

Default

i usually have all seasons on most of the time cause you never know when its gonna rain and puddle up somewhere. then in the winter blizzaks FTW
BKRush is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 11:38 PM   #21
wrxwagon06
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 205834
Join Date: Mar 2009
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Beaverton, OR
Vehicle:
2006 WRX Wagon
WRB stg 2

Default

I run Yokohama W.drive in winter November-March on stockers, and 235-40-18 BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDW NT the rest of the time. A lot of "summer tires" are designed for rain now which is nice, if you don try to push your car on those few cool nights you have the best traction all around. +you have stockers why not and you paint them its fun
wrxwagon06 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2009, 11:45 PM   #22
06WHTWRX
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 173690
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: The Sticks, Warshington
Vehicle:
2005 Ferd
F-TeenThousand

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Da-Risin-Smoke View Post
And congress wants to ban studs?

All for it, this is LONG overdue.

Gotta love all the western washington retards who run around with studded tires nov. 1- april 1, every year for the maybe 2 slightly snowy days we have. They tear the roads up, and the compromises you make in dry and wet traction to have that little bit more ice traction are ridiculous. People need to understand you don't need studs to have traction in snow. Take a ride with me on a snowy day with my wintersports on.
06WHTWRX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2009, 01:00 AM   #23
vecdran
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 162932
Join Date: Oct 2007
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Kenmore, WA
Vehicle:
2020 Tacoma TRD Bro
Super White

Default

Summer tires make the car so much more fun to drive. And it's not hard to swap wheels or something...

Quote:
Originally Posted by 06WHTWRX View Post
Gotta love all the western washington retards who run around with studded tires nov. 1- april 1, every year for the maybe 2 slightly snowy days we have. They tear the roads up, and the compromises you make in dry and wet traction to have that little bit more ice traction are ridiculous. People need to understand you don't need studs to have traction in snow. Take a ride with me on a snowy day with my wintersports on.
Amen. Hell, I got around just fine last winter with just my all season Toyo Proxes 4.
vecdran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2009, 01:05 AM   #24
JasonLHall
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 111318
Join Date: Mar 2006
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Default

at this point and time I will pimp my tires and rims that will be going up for sale shortly.

Winter wheels

JasonLHall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2009, 01:55 AM   #25
Amnizu
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 178854
Join Date: Apr 2008
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Seattle
Default

I pretty mirror what everyone else has said here. Dedicated summers that go on once the early mornings are consistently over 45 degrees. Sometimes this is March, sometimes its May just depends on the year. I don't let my calendar determine when I change tires.

The truth is most all season tires still have decreased traction below 45 degrees, so even if it isn't snow or ice you are talking about, just cold pavement on a standard all season tire can increase you stopping distance.

Remember with AWD you should have no trouble getting going, its stopping that is the true test of the performance of a tire in winter conditions.

As far as studs, horrible idea in this area. Studs actually lower the amount of contact that the rubber on your tires makes against the road on non-iced / snow packed roads. Meaning, when it rains (i forget, with these 95 degree temps does it rain here?) hydroplaning becomes a much greater danger on studded ice/snow tires.

Long and short, if you want to drive your car all days of the year, make sure you have the proper equipment. If you want one solution that will get you by 90% of the time, get an all season tire. Just realize you will pay for that with about 1-2 weeks of a parked car, or curbed wheels and or scuffed bumpers if you are dumb enough to drive when it gets nasty.
Amnizu is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
All season or winter tires - which is better? b0nd18t Tire & Wheel 13 09-22-2007 11:00 AM
185/70r14 all season or winter tires tonzo Tire & Wheel 1 08-21-2006 03:55 PM
WTB/WTT: DC/MD/VA your wheels w/ all season or winter tires. GonzoWRX Mid Atlantic Impreza Club -- MAIC 1 12-07-2005 08:19 AM
WTB: 17" wheel/all season or winter tires cheap casualsurfer Private 'Wanted' Classifieds 4 11-10-2005 05:10 PM
WTB: All Season or Winter tires wrxwookiee Mid Atlantic Impreza Club -- MAIC 2 10-27-2004 03:39 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.