Winter Tires?

[STIGuy023]

Originally Posted by HinshawWRX

You're late, I already linked it.

And still confused why OP won't fill out his profile. I know helping us out by stating make, model, year and location is too hard to ask when asking for help.

Haha yea I don't get it.

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[HinshawWRX]

TIL that placing even so much as make, model, and year in your profile, but even something as easy as a state, you're giving the world all your personal information AND will have your identity stolen.

Either way, with your attitude you won't go far. The "winter tire" subject is MORE then adequately discussed on this site. You didn't want anything but a spoon fed answer to stop you from researching from yourself. Here's the short and sweet. All seasons may be alright for winter, but a winter tire will perform better in freezing temperatures and snow. Simple. An all season will lack the performance in the winter because it's designed for year round use. Will you die not having winter tires? Not if you know how to drive. Will you be better off with winter tires? Likely.

Happy?

[caperex09]

Dunlop wintersport 3D

it is the best performance winter tire for less money!

when it is cold and dry, you can drive like it is summer.

in the summer they are still good to drive on if you had to!

in ice and greater than 8" of snow, they will still get you home. if you drive accordingly.

[Ziggyrama]

Sounds like perf winter tire is your best choice. Made exactly for what you want. Very good dry traction with respectable ice and snow capabilities. Studless ice and snow does not sound like the right tire based on the requirements disclosed. You'd be running a tire made for deep snow, typically more noise and less dry traction. Not exactly the right fit here.

[newrexer]

Originally Posted by HinshawWRX

TIL that placing even so much as make, model, and year in your profile, but even something as easy as a state, you're giving the world all your personal information AND will have your identity stolen.

Either way, with your attitude you won't go far. The "winter tire" subject is MORE then adequately discussed on this site. You didn't want anything but a spoon fed answer to stop you from researching from yourself. Here's the short and sweet. All seasons may be alright for winter, but a winter tire will perform better in freezing temperatures and snow. Simple. An all season will lack the performance in the winter because it's designed for year round use. Will you die not having winter tires? Not if you know how to drive. Will you be better off with winter tires? Likely.

Happy?

I posted this about 10 posts ago, "It sounds like the all seasons on the wrx would get me around just as good as the outback gets around with all seasons. Where a winter tire of some sort is going to be rock solid in the snow and on snow packed roads and fine on dry pavement as long as i'm not going break neck speeds. Assuming 65 to 75 mph are not break neck speeds."

So, i was happy without your explanation but I do appreciate it. Maybe you should have tried that from the beginning.

As far as attitude, i feel you started with attitude by telling me not asking to fill out my profile, and to try searching. It's my prerogative and i'd rather not, and not get grief about it. My original post was very clear on what I was asking and all the info needed to answer it was included. You can think what you want but i did search for an answer to my question but really couldn't find one so i asked. All I really wanted to know was if people thought i would get the same performance from my wrx with all seasons as our outback gets which as all seasons. They are two totally different cars so i thought i'd ask what other people thought. So sorry…

[HinshawWRX]

You got mad because I TOLD you to fill out your profile that will benefit YOU. Just like most mods would. And, once again, a SIMPLE SEARCH would have answered all your questions.

Either way, happy you got your answer. Next time, expect the same results. It's the internet, don't take it too seriously.

[xclayx]

Originally Posted by newrexer

I have a 2012 wrx with stock summer tires. I’m looking at getting a set of wheels and tires for winter driving.

Snowfall varies from a half inch to a foot or more. Roads are always plowed during and after storms when they occur. Temps on average are below freezing mid November through mid March and at times below zero.

I'm torn between all seasons or a snow tire because there is a lot of dry pavement driving. We also have a 2011 Outback which has the stock all seasons which got around great last winter. Is it safe to say the wrx would get around just as good with all seasons?

Thanks!

I've had a few sets of Snows on my Jetta. Makes it come close to our Subie with all seasons for starts but the snows own on the stopping power. I'd get them, you'll really notice the overall improvement when the going gets bad. Day to day, dry cold roads its going to be driving on marshmallows.

[PleiadesSTi]

Move to Key West and save the money on winter tires for drinks with little umbrellas in them.

[Bluefoton]

Originally Posted by newrexer

I have a 2012 wrx with stock summer tires. I’m looking at getting a set of wheels and tires for winter driving.

Snowfall varies from a half inch to a foot or more. Roads are always plowed during and after storms when they occur. Temps on average are below freezing mid November through mid March and at times below zero.

I'm torn between all seasons or a snow tire because there is a lot of dry pavement driving. We also have a 2011 Outback which has the stock all seasons which got around great last winter. Is it safe to say the wrx would get around just as good with all seasons?

Thanks!

Seriously, with all of the above, you still consider all seasons? Winter tires are not only for 4" snowy unplowed canyons. As it was already said, tyre-on-asphalt grip decreases dramatically for A/S tires, simply due to a compound which is tailored for higher temperatures. At +5F, your A/S behave like plastic , whereas winter tyres will offer a much, much better grip. Then there is ice. Condensation, residuals from the snowplow, slush which froze overnigh, black ice... and we haven't even mentioned driving in/during snow.

Get a set of steelies, winter tires, and call it a day. Given that your mileage will now be spread in between 2 sets, your effective cost won't be that high. ANY winter tyre you get will offer a bazillion times improvement over your A/S, but for plowed winter road conditions I'd vouch for Michelin Xice3 (they're silent, comfy, and excellent on ice).

[Ernest]

Easiest way to learn is just get some A/S tires. You will know right away whether they work for your conditions/driving etc. That is what I did. I upgraded to summer tires on new rims and used the stock rims with the crappy A/S tires in the winter and the car handled fine for my conditions. If the A/S had not worked so well, I would definitely have gotten winter tires.

But for me A/S worked just fine. I know this might sound stupid, but I almost prefer a little less grip in the winter - its fun and it keeps me driving slower which I should be doing anyway.

[Bluefoton]

It's not about whether A/S do or don't work in winter. You could be driving on Tonka plastic wheels and still survive. It's that winter tyres offer a MUCH BETTER grip - and you never appreciate it if you don't try it simply because it's impossible to just 'imagine' the improvement.

Prefering less grip in winter... with all due respect, it's one of the most idiotic things one could write on a public forum. Go visit a hospital and tell that to those who were injured in winter driving accidents, where that tiny difference in grip could have actually prevented - or lessened a crash.

[Ziggyrama]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Easiest way to learn is just get some A/S tires. You will know right away whether they work for your conditions/driving etc. That is what I did. I upgraded to summer tires on new rims and used the stock rims with the crappy A/S tires in the winter and the car handled fine for my conditions. If the A/S had not worked so well, I would definitely have gotten winter tires.

But for me A/S worked just fine. I know this might sound stupid, but I almost prefer a little less grip in the winter - its fun and it keeps me driving slower which I should be doing anyway.

Please take no offence to this but your attitude is ignorant. No one likes to hear this word but if you look up the definition, it fits the situation. I think you are not considering all of the scenarios that one may encounter while driving. A/S tires will surely do OK in 95% of daily situations. What winter tires give you is the 5% where you will REALLY need it and if you don't have them, you will really regret not having them. Real world example, you're going to work in the morning, you're cruising 70mph, someone in front of you stabs the brakes for whatever reasons, the following happens:

A. A/S tires - you stab the brakes or try to jump over to another lane but end up rear ending/clipping the guy in front of you because your tires have a consistency of a hockey puck at 20F. You destroy the bumper (best case scenario), or die (worst case scenario). Most likely, you end up with something in between, smashed front end and some injuries.

B. Winter tire - you stab the brakes or try to jump over to another lane which you succeed in doing because your car was equipped with correct tires for the conditions at hand. You say to yourself "that was close" and you get to work, get a raise, a bonus and come home to be a hero.

BTW, if you commute in metro areas, this scenario happens every week. You may say to yourself, heck, it's such a small percentage. What are the odds, right? I will probably be OK. Yeah, probably. You might as well cancel your insurance altogether. Odds are you'll be fine. You know, while you're in the saving mood, cancel your health insurance too. Get my point yet?

[Ziggyrama]

One more thing, if you're looking at it from cost perspective, that makes no sense either. If you get winters or all seasons, you're really signing up for the additional cost of the wheels themselves. As someone already pointed out, you will be using each set half of of the year, so the overall cost of use it still the same. You still eating the same amount of tire per wheel revolution. The difference is, you're buying an extra set of wheels to mount them on and you're fronting more cost upfront. But, it's really not THAT much different in the end.

Cost of A/S tires is comparable to winters. So, why would you spend the same money for a inferior product? Unless you're really looking to have just 1 set of wheels and tires, there is no reason to run all seasons in winter. None. A/S tire, jack of all trades, master of none.