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Old 04-03-2013, 07:55 PM   #1
Brent22
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Default PA: Summer/Winter tires on stock WRX - worth it?

My '13 WRX hatch will be here in June/July. I'm trying to decide what my best route will be with tires.

1) Keep the stock summer tires, run them for ~3 months, buy winter steelies (~$400?), buy winter tires (~$600?), and have them mounted ($60).Estimated cost: $1000-$1300

2) Sell the summer tires, ($225/tire new, so maybe $180/tire used). Buy Conti DWS All seasons ($135/tire), and then mount them ($60). Estimated cost: break even or maybe a small profit.


I'm not doubting that option 1 will do better in their respective season, I'm just questioning the worth. I don't red light race and I won't be taking it to the track. I just want a little excitement in my commute.

2 of my friends have similar cars (Modded 09 Si, modded Genesis 3.6) in terms of market/speed/class/etc. They both say option 1 but that sounds like a waste of money to me. I feel like I wouldn't even max out the capability of the all seasons. What do you guys think?
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Old 04-03-2013, 09:15 PM   #2
OrbitalEllipses
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Always worth it to have seasonal tires.
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Old 04-03-2013, 09:47 PM   #3
Brent22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses View Post
Always worth it to have seasonal tires.
Can you explain?

As I said, I have no doubt I will have better traction with seasonal tires but in this scenario would it be worth the additional money? I could understand if someone wasn't getting enough traction from their all seasons but what would someone do with a DD that a good all season tire couldn't handle?
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Old 04-03-2013, 10:28 PM   #4
MD04WRX
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Check the classifieds here, people are having a hard time selling the stock WRX summer tires for more than $350 for all 4. I also don't think you will be happy with DWS as a year round tire since they have soft sidewalls. If you want to run all seasons year round there are better choices.
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Old 04-03-2013, 10:43 PM   #5
Brent22
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Originally Posted by MD04WRX View Post
Check the classifieds here, people are having a hard time selling the stock WRX summer tires for more than $350 for all 4. I also don't think you will be happy with DWS as a year round tire since they have soft sidewalls. If you want to run all seasons year round there are better choices.
I run DWS's on my Spec V and I think they're pretty swell.

What all season do you recommend?

In regards to the poor resale of the stock WRX tires, maybe I'll look in to getting some cheap wheels and then put the all seasons on for winter and use the summers (during summer) until they wear out.

Edit: Looks like I can get wheels for $104, tires for $110, so it comes out to $950 shipped after mount and balance.

Last edited by Brent22; 04-03-2013 at 10:58 PM.
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Old 04-03-2013, 11:08 PM   #6
wicknetzel
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If you're patient, you can find someone unloading winter wheels and tires for under 500. I got mine well below that with only a season of use. I run 16 inch wheels on my 2012 WRX in the winter since the tires are way cheaper and it's easier with the potholes up have more sidewall.

Do you need winter tires... No. But it's great insurance. I'm not a crazy driver either, but I always like to know that if someone else loses control I can make a safer move defensively.
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Old 04-04-2013, 12:05 AM   #7
MD04WRX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent22 View Post
I run DWS's on my Spec V and I think they're pretty swell.

What all season do you recommend?
I've had DWS on 2 cars, they came on wheels I had picked up used. They were fine on my SVX (taller side wall and soft suspension) as a DD all season tire. They were not so great on my WRX (low profile tire and stiff suspension). A better DD all season would be the RE970AS. I would still suggest separate summer and winter tire / wheel set ups if you can afford it.
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Old 04-04-2013, 07:50 AM   #8
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+123 to having two setups.

I have '04 BBS wheels with Nitto tires (235/45/17) for summer and '07 Stock WRX wheels with Dunlop WinterSport 3D tires (225/45/17) for winter.

Granted we have not had a ton of snow the past few years ( ) but they are always nice to have just in case we do get bad weather. Peace of mind.

Where in PA do you live? I don't see any exact location.

Ultimately the decision is up to you... We can give you our advice/opinions but it depends if you really want to go with them.

It sounds like you are leaning towards Option 2. I like option 1. I've had two sets of wheels/tires since around 2008.
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Old 04-04-2013, 08:54 AM   #9
Brent22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 96accord View Post
+123 to having two setups.

I have '04 BBS wheels with Nitto tires (235/45/17) for summer and '07 Stock WRX wheels with Dunlop WinterSport 3D tires (225/45/17) for winter.

Granted we have not had a ton of snow the past few years ( ) but they are always nice to have just in case we do get bad weather. Peace of mind.

Where in PA do you live? I don't see any exact location.

Ultimately the decision is up to you... We can give you our advice/opinions but it depends if you really want to go with them.

It sounds like you are leaning towards Option 2. I like option 1. I've had two sets of wheels/tires since around 2008.

I live in Lancaster. South central part of PA.

I have no preference on either choice. I just want to do what is most cost effective. When I thought I could get $180 a tire for the stock tires Option 2 was more attractive because I could break even. Now I'm considering getting winters/allseasons off of craigslist and when my summers run out I can always replace them with all seasons and be done with it. Since I have some time I should be able to find a deal.

I'm not really sure what to look for though. I know tires are 235/45/17 but I don't know what I have to match with wheels. Do we have a resource for that?

I know I'll need 5x100 and 17"x7.5. As someone said above, I could use 16". Is there anything else I need to take in to account?
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Old 04-04-2013, 09:31 AM   #10
OrbitalEllipses
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent22 View Post
Can you explain?

As I said, I have no doubt I will have better traction with seasonal tires but in this scenario would it be worth the additional money? I could understand if someone wasn't getting enough traction from their all seasons but what would someone do with a DD that a good all season tire couldn't handle?
Whether or not it's worth it is up to you. For me, when I made the switch to seasonal tires it was NIGHT and DAY different from All-Season tires. I've had a few Max Performance Summer setups and only one winter setup...my traction and grip in each season is uncompromised. An All-Season isn't great for summer traction and isn't great for winter traction, it's mediocre all-around when compared to a seasonal tire compound.

Never skimp on tires...they're the 4 things holding your car to the ground. Is it expensive? Yeah. Is it gratifying to have the best grip in all seasons because I have the right tires for each season? Yeah.

DD? That means lots of rain, driving in winter weather, AND beating on it in the summer. Can one tire really do all that WELL? Can you skip getting ultra super duper maximum high performance tires? Yes. A DD doesn't need ZII Star Specs, unless you're autocrossing and not switching wheels.
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Old 04-04-2013, 09:38 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent22 View Post
I live in Lancaster. South central part of PA.

I have no preference on either choice. I just want to do what is most cost effective. When I thought I could get $180 a tire for the stock tires Option 2 was more attractive because I could break even. Now I'm considering getting winters/allseasons off of craigslist and when my summers run out I can always replace them with all seasons and be done with it. Since I have some time I should be able to find a deal.

I'm not really sure what to look for though. I know tires are 235/45/17 but I don't know what I have to match with wheels. Do we have a resource for that?

I know I'll need 5x100 and 17"x7.5. As someone said above, I could use 16". Is there anything else I need to take in to account?
I use a set of stock 02 WRX wheels for winter. 2 advantages are the smaller wheels means cheaper tires, and the smaller wheels perform better in the snow/ice conditions that you are buying them for. And I was able to pick up the set real cheap, like $250 or so, keep an eye out on craigslist for a set. You are kinda stuck in the middle of the state, not close to a lot, but you might be able to find something if you are willing to drive a couple hours.

Looks a bit better then steel wheels too.
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Old 04-04-2013, 09:45 AM   #12
nightdown fox
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Yep, I have stock summers and a set of Michelin Alpin PA3s. World of a difference between those and all-seasons. Don't really like the stock "Dumblops", but they do feel better in the summer than my MS6 felt on the DWS tires. The DWS has a soft sidewall, and it gave my MS6 a TON of squishy feelings even hyper inflated. Granted, the MS6 is a heavy car and those tires didn't feel as squishy on my SRT-4... But I'm glad I went to dedicated seasonals.

Meanwhile, the PA3's are considered more of a "winter performance" tire. Amazing handling in any weather under 45 degrees, amazing rain handling, pretty damn good (read better than all seasons) in the snow.

You're in Lancaster so you might see decent snowfall. And the extra money you spend, you have two sets of tires that will last longer than one set. Been running the PA3s all winter with zero signs of wear. Spend the extra cash now on two sets of tread that will give you better results for a longer period of time, or over time with multiple sets of floppy all-seasons...
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Old 04-04-2013, 10:00 AM   #13
Brent22
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I have a friend that will sell me some wheels he had on his SRT4

http://www.amazon.com/Motegi-Racing-MR2048-Gloss-5x100mm/dp/B00267T9S4/ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Make=Subaru%7C13&Model=Impreza%7C62&Year=2013%7C2013&carId=005&n=15684181&newCar=1&s=automotive&vehicleType=automotive
He said $200 for the set of 4. So how can I look at that and find out what tires I want to run on it? I think he runs 215/45's.
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Old 04-04-2013, 10:09 AM   #14
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I bought DWS for this winter and I run them on the stock WRX wheels. I will be buying new wheels to put on the stock summer tires sometime soon. To me it makes more sense to have them that way, it's an easy swap when you need to go back to winter set up anyways, and personally I don't want my car to look ridiculous with steelies for the winter so I just beat the hell out the stock wheels.

Ps. Buying new winter tires, plus mounting and balancing and all that good stuff shouldn't run you anywhere around 1000-1300. I paid $830 for mine total.
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Old 04-04-2013, 10:17 AM   #15
X Mon
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Being about an hour south of Lancaster, I would HIGHLY recommend going to a 16" wheel for winter. The road conditions might not always warrant the need for a dedicated snow, but the extra tyre sidewall is nice for all the frost heaves and potholes we get in winter. If you travel any of the Amish traveled roads, it's nice to have something to combat the ice grooves as well.

I would recommend a friction ice tyre over a traditional snow tyre. Right now the hot ticket is the Michelin X-Ice 3, though a set of Hakka R2s would also be a good choice. You can use this "configurator" to figure out tyre sizing: http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp
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Old 04-04-2013, 10:17 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Captn_stock View Post
I bought DWS for this winter and I run them on the stock WRX wheels. I will be buying new wheels to put on the stock summer tires sometime soon. To me it makes more sense to have them that way, it's an easy swap when you need to go back to winter set up anyways, and personally I don't want my car to look ridiculous with steelies for the winter so I just beat the hell out the stock wheels.

Ps. Buying new winter tires, plus mounting and balancing and all that good stuff shouldn't run you anywhere around 1000-1300. I paid $830 for mine total.
It will be $950 (cheapest) to order from Tirerack. That's with other wheels though. I only put about 9k on a year so I would have to swap them multiple times so it seems more cost effective to get other wheels.

But as I said in my other post, my friend will sell me those wheels above assuming they'll work. When I looked in to them it appears they'll work but I'd feel better with a second opinion.
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Old 04-04-2013, 10:57 AM   #17
Brent22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent22 View Post
I have a friend that will sell me some wheels he had on his SRT4

Motegi Racing SX5 MR2048 Gloss Black Wheel (17x7"/5x100mm) : Amazon.com : Automotive

He said $200 for the set of 4. So how can I look at that and find out what tires I want to run on it? I think he runs 215/45's.
Using the calculator (http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp) it looks like I can get those wheels with 215/45/17 tires. Does that seem right?
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Old 04-04-2013, 11:06 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by Brent22 View Post
Using the calculator (http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp) it looks like I can get those wheels with 215/45/17 tires. Does that seem right?
I think stock wheel size on the WRX is 17x7 or max 7.5, which is basically the same as those Motegi wheels. Stock tires on a WRX are 235, so I would run the same size on those wheels or maybe 225.
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Old 04-04-2013, 11:07 AM   #19
Brent22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Captn_stock View Post
I think stock wheel size on the WRX is 17x7 or max 7.5, which is basically the same as those Motegi wheels. Stock tires on a WRX are 235, so I would run the same size on those wheels or maybe 225.

I think the stock wheels are 17x8 +53
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Old 04-12-2013, 05:39 PM   #20
Brent22
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I'm going to pick up those Motegi wheels soon. Besides getting tires mounted and balanced is there any other cost associated with this?

Each season I'll be putting the car on jack stands and switching them myself. I assume each time I put the winter tires on I will have a TPMS light on the dash but shouldn't that go away when I put the stock tires back on?
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Old 04-12-2013, 07:09 PM   #21
acumenhokie
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Originally Posted by Brent22 View Post
I assume each time I put the winter tires on I will have a TPMS light on the dash but shouldn't that go away when I put the stock tires back on?

Yup. I got TPMS sensors put in my winter and summer sets because I go all ADD when the light is on
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Old 04-14-2013, 08:12 PM   #22
Brent22
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So once I get the tires there are no other costs associated with swapping them on/off myself? Is there anything I need to be aware of when running a smaller tire (besides speedometer being slightly off)?

I think TPMS comes to ~$150 so I think I'll hold off on that for the winter tires.
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Old 04-15-2013, 11:46 AM   #23
MmmTabasco
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I think you should be set on costs unless you've intentionally altered the camber to your wheels. I never had any costs back when I used to swap, but I was stock.

And let me say: I think you made the right choice. I currently run DWS due to space constraints in my apartment and I wish I hadn't. They're fine for the mild Maryland winter but just no fun in the other seasons...

Edit: accidentally hit send too soon

Last edited by MmmTabasco; 04-15-2013 at 11:52 AM.
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Old 04-15-2013, 02:16 PM   #24
Brent22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MmmTabasco View Post
I think you should be set on costs unless you've intentionally altered the camber to your wheels. I never had any costs back when I used to swap, but I was stock.

And let me say: I think you made the right choice. I currently run DWS due to space constraints in my apartment and I wish I hadn't. They're fine for the mild Maryland winter but just no fun in the other seasons...

Edit: accidentally hit send too soon
At this point I intend to swap them until my stock Summers are worn and then I want to go all-seasons. However, I don't put too many miles on my car so it will give me a few seasons to decide. If it's worth it I may invest in some new wheels because it looks like I'll have to run 215's with this current setup. I know thinner tires will actually be better in the snow but I don't like the idea of it during the cold non-snow parts (majority).
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