All Weather Tire Experience members Needed or some Advice

[416GXM3]

MY bridgetone turanza's are not going to make this coming winter:

because I live in an apartment that has no storage, im really considering getting all weather tires. I haven't found a thread for TM3 members who are using all weather tires.
I know that nothing can beat a dedicated winter tires in the winter, but i'm just wondering if any of the members have experience with the following all season/ all weather tires

OPTIMO 4s
Extreme COntact dws
Nordman WR (KAL TIRE Nokian)
NOKIAN WRG3

any help would be appreciated or any experience of any of these tires.

[SKyactivmanny]

I switched from summer to all seasons the day of the ice storm last year and spent all this time till now on stock all seasons. I never really had a problem with them, LexaTm3 and i drove during the roughest snow storms from Toronto to st. Catherines and back also as far up north as Shelbourne during 0 visibility and extremely slippery conditions. It is possible to go through the roughest winters without dedicated snow tires but it is ballsy. I personally am thinking of doing the switch to winters this year just for a piece of mind. Hope this helps?

[Canadianbacon]

Using stock all season tires, no issues last winter.

[Flagrum_3]

MY bridgetone turanza's are not going to make this coming winter:

because I live in an apartment that has no storage, im really considering getting all weather tires. I haven't found a thread for TM3 members who are using all weather tires.
I know that nothing can beat a dedicated winter tires in the winter, but i'm just wondering if any of the members have experience with the following all season/ all weather tires

OPTIMO 4s
Extreme COntact dws
Nordman WR (KAL TIRE Nokian)
NOKIAN WRG3

any help would be appreciated or any experience of any of these tires.


You could consider getting snows and most dealers will offer storage for your tires at a minimal cost. If you decide to stick with all seasons, I'd suggest you add Michelin tires to your list....Nokian tires are pretty awesome, I had Hakkapalittas though (dedicated winter tire) and they were friggen amazing. Pricey but amazing.

_3

[silverstarmazda]

i forgot where, but there was a shop that would offer free tire storage if you bought new winter tires from them. see if any of the sponsors are on that deal.

pros of all seasons
-lazy way out AKA no switching between season
-you really only have to worry about one set of tires/rims
-no need for storage
-will "work" regardless of weather conditions IF driven sensibly
-not the worst of both worlds

cons of all season
-not the best of both worlds
-life of 1 set of tires can cost more than 2 sets of tires over a period of time
-they wear out quicker since theyre always in use
-rims will get ugly from year round conditions
-safety in severe conditions drops considerably
-sudden need for performance isnt as available

note:the above applies to both hot AND cold conditions. other factors such as the environment they are subjected to and the conditions of said environment. will the road be plowed all the time? will you take long trips? hows the traffic and the drivers? where will you be and what will you do when a tire fails? will they be subjected to high heat? how will your drive with them? will you take care of them? the list goes on!

all these questions you have to ask yourself and make the final judgement on wether its worth it or not. as for tire reviews, its best to look online and ask (as you have here) for real world experiences.

[416GXM3]

Thanks for the reply everyone. I've asked a lot of the tire stores and everyone is charging for tire storage which is why I'm debating on getting all weather tires

[S.F.W.]

To those that have replied, are you aware of the differences between all season and all weather tires ?
All weather typically carry the mountain snowflake emblem to indicate they are suitable for winter driving. Much more so than all season tires
http://read.wheels.ca/guides/104-all-weather-tires-are-not-the-same-as-all-season-and-heres-why

[midnightfxgt]

What is your deductible on your insurance? $500? $1000?

Let that sink in when deciding. A proper set of winter tires will cost you no more in the long run. Sure, storage may run you a little bit, but being able to stop a much shorter distance, and safely navigate where you want to go is worth it IMHO.

[silverstarmazda]

i got a discount in my insurance just for running dedicated winter tires too! this is something where if something was to go wrong, it goes way wrong

[S.F.W.]

Here is another article for perspective - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/are-all-weather-tires-a-good-compromise/article16190526/

"Foot-to-the-floor braking? Not so impressive. More expensive winter tires with softer rubber would have slid less as the B200’s anti-lock braking chattered ineffectively as the SRG3’s failed to grip.

On the other hand, when pulling out of parking spaces with the right wheels lodged in accumulated snow – standard Toronto fare – the Nokian WRG3’s bulldozed more capably than expected, belying their conservative tread pattern.

To be sure, they’re not nearly as safe-and-sound as the Nokian Hakkepelitta dedicated winter tire. I’d feel confident enough traversing a Toronto winter on WRG3s, but not while weekending in cottage country to the north in conditions colder than -10 C, with snow measured in feet rather than centimetres. "


Are they as good as dedicated winters ? No.
Are they an option to consider ? Yes. Caveat being, you need to understand you will need a longer braking distance.

[Timotee]

Safety above all. Although I truly understand the burden of having to pay for storage everytime you do a switch-over, I would imagine that your safety should come first. While some attest to the decency of all-seasons during winter time (at least for the tires first or second year from date of purchase) , winter tires have been rated just that......to handle winter conditions. However, if your mind is set in getting all-season tires, then I would suggest investing on high-end ones like Michelin. :)

I've had experiences in driving all-seaons on a winter time with both my 2010 3 and my wife's CX-5, I thought they were good when both cars had their first winter. But the 2nd winter was a different story, traction is not as good, obvious that tire wear is setting in.



MY bridgetone turanza's are not going to make this coming winter:

because I live in an apartment that has no storage, im really considering getting all weather tires. I haven't found a thread for TM3 members who are using all weather tires.
I know that nothing can beat a dedicated winter tires in the winter, but i'm just wondering if any of the members have experience with the following all season/ all weather tires

OPTIMO 4s
Extreme COntact dws
Nordman WR (KAL TIRE Nokian)
NOKIAN WRG3

any help would be appreciated or any experience of any of these tires.

[S.F.W.]

Safety above all. Although I truly understand the burden of having to pay for storage everytime you do a switch-over, I would imagine that your safety should come first. While some attest to the decency of all-seasons during winter time (at least for the tires first or second year from date of purchase) , winter tires have been rated just that......to handle winter conditions. However, if your mind is set in getting all-season tires, then I would suggest investing on high-end ones like Michelin. :)

The comparison is not all-season vs. winter tires. It is All-Weather tires vs. Winter Tires.

Please read above.

[Timotee]

Sincerest apologies S.F.W. , I somewhat misunderstood the thread. However, the OP did mention all-season in his first post hence my post.


The comparison is not all-season vs. winter tires. It is All-Weather tires vs. Winter Tires.

Please read above.


MY bridgetone turanza's are not going to make this coming winter:

because I live in an apartment that has no storage, im really considering getting all weather tires. I haven't found a thread for TM3 members who are using all weather tires.
I know that nothing can beat a dedicated winter tires in the winter, but i'm just wondering if any of the members have experience with the following all season/ all weather tires

OPTIMO 4s
Extreme COntact dws
Nordman WR (KAL TIRE Nokian)
NOKIAN WRG3

any help would be appreciated or any experience of any of these tires.

[roachkillah]

my wife has been using the Nokian Wrg2 for the past 4years, and in the winter i say these tires are nothing short of amazing.
coworker has the Optimo 4s, and he said, they are a tad noisy on the highway.

[416GXM3]

my wife has been using the Nokian Wrg2 for the past 4years, and in the winter i say these tires are nothing short of amazing.
coworker has the Optimo 4s, and he said, they are a tad noisy on the highway.
Thanks for the post roachkillah I'm thinking of getting the wrg2 aka nordman wr from kat tire . They quoted me at 740 mount and balanced

I appreciate everyone's comments here and I'm glad people are sticking to the topic as a lot of drivers do not have the luxury to buy winter tires . The cost does mount and with the plowed highways it's more likely the cost effective way for all weathers .

[roachkillah]

416GXM3 i must of called 8 shops or so, and the cheapest place i found was http://www.nantuckettire.com/

[sarujo]

416GXM3 I live in a building too without a storage locker and I easily store my set. Get a set of tire totes with the handles and a nice tarp. Can easily be stacked up in a closet even. The other trick is to buy a nice convertible dolly (on sale for 50% off at Crappy Tire). I set mine up in the "truck" mode, stack all 4 on a wheel them to the freight elevator! :)

[416GXM3]

sarujo that's not a bad idea at all.

[silverstarmazda]

and the advantage with that is you can always throw them into the shower and clean them super nice lol

[trulankan]

i have the all-weather nokian wrg2 which came with my car. I mainly use this as my summer tire now that I have michelin x-ice 2 for winters. they are decent tires and def better than all-season tires during winter. I don't care what all these guys say about having no problem with all-season during winter...i wouldn't take the risk. the cost of a simple fender bender will be much more than the cost of a set of winters or all-weathers.

[sarujo]

Uggh...no. I wheel them outside with my truck dolly and a large bucket of warm soapy water


and the advantage with that is you can always throw them into the shower and clean them super nice lol

[416GXM3]

i have the all-weather nokian wrg2 which came with my car. I mainly use this as my summer tire now that I have michelin x-ice 2 for winters. they are decent tires and def better than all-season tires during winter. I don't care what all these guys say about having no problem with all-season during winter...i wouldn't take the risk. the cost of a simple fender bender will be much more than the cost of a set of winters or all-weathers.

I agree with you but how was the wrg2 when you used it for the first time in the winter?

[trulankan]

I agree with you but how was the wrg2 when you used it for the first time in the winter?
Ive never actually ran them thru winter lol i was making a generalization when i said that. I got new rims and winter tires and ended up mounting the nokians on the new rims and the michelins on my stock rims for winter. I think i should have just gotten summer tires and used the nokians for winter tho...michelins are overrated for the price imo

[416GXM3]

We need to keep this thread going:
I'm pretty sure that lots of tm3 members use all weather tires.

Update: I was able to get a good deal on a set of winters for 300 bucks
Unknown brand Pacemaker Snowtrakker (the tires are made in alabama united states under Good year)
Almost brand new (10/32) with rims and I couldn't be happier with the fitting and how it looks on my car

Storage solution: had a good friend who has a storage allowed me to store my tires for the season so I no longer have issues with the storage for all season rims:

I would like to trade the rims (OEM 16 inch alloys 2011 standard) for 17 inch mazda oem rims)

Gonna share the pics in a bit!

Over all thanks everyone keep the thread going in your experience of all weather tires: this thread will be good for any members who will consider getting them.

[416GXM3]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/30/07b201a5ae4066cece666408b759c76f.jpg

Here she is.. I'm really liking the look on steel rims.. Winter mode

[GSXi]

All-Season (vs) All-Weather

Explained by CTV:
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2078011

[Punisher-One]

Even the most affordable set of winter tires will outperform a more expensive set of all seasons in winter conditions. I would never drive without winter tires on my car. You can find some very competitive prices on winter wheel/tire packages. When I bought my 3 in 2011 I picked up a winter tire/wheel setup for less than $700 brand new.
Like was said above a set of proper winter tires/wheels will save you more than even 1 small accident in this day and age.

[W_L89]

Would definitely be interested in hearing forum members experience with all WEATHER tires. I currently have a separate set of rims and tires for winter but in the future I would definitely consider switching to all WEATHER tires if they performed adequately year round.

[XTOTHEL]

I think this is really subjective, I've been on the stock all SEASONS for 80k before changing to winters this year. Used to commute from Guelph to Waterloo daily, had no problems, but since I have to switch tires now due to wear, I might as well put safety first and get a set of winters. Two set of tires will last longer and safer in the different seasons.

[DKazzed]

Old thread but I installed Nordman WRs on my Honda Odyssey. I have dedicated winter tires on my Mazda 3 but didn't want to keep two sets of tires in the garage especially since the Odyssey gets driven just 12,000km a year.

My initial findings so far is that they match a mid range winter tire in snow and budget to mid range winter tire on ice. The traction is there on ice but it's definitely no Michelin X-Ice 3 and requires finessing and caution. I think the more expensive Nokian WR G3 pushes both properties up a half a step.

I had Nokian WR G2s before which I ended up exchanging for dedicated winter tires because they were crummy in the snow. I heard Nokian messed up the rubber compound on the G2s so the WR has a softer tread compound that's much better in the snow, but you lose dry and wet weather handling. The WR G2 had pretty decent handling and steering response properties, as well as superb hydroplaning resistance.

Based on that, I would probably pay the premium for the Nokian WR G3 over the Nordman WR for the Mazda 3 to get the better handling features. But the 3 gets driven enough that I can justify having two sets of tires for it.

[bastymn]

All season tires are ok for winter use but for you to enjoy driving in the snow and ice, a set of winter dedicated tires is a must.

[S.F.W.]

All season tires are ok for winter use but for you to enjoy driving in the snow and ice, a set of winter dedicated tires is a must.
Discussion is all weather which is different from all season.

[W_L89]

Thanks for your review! Didn't even know about the Nordman's. Had always thought only all WEATHER tire options were the WR and hankook optimo.
Reading online that the nordmans are basically nokians WR G2's and is the lower price option compared to G3.

Still running dedicated winters as my tires still got some left in them but are starting to get old. With the mild winter we are having so far I think all WEATHER tires would definitely be an appealing option when the time comes.


Old thread but I installed Nordman WRs on my Honda Odyssey. I have dedicated winter tires on my Mazda 3 but didn't want to keep two sets of tires in the garage especially since the Odyssey gets driven just 12,000km a year.

My initial findings so far is that they match a mid range winter tire in snow and budget to mid range winter tire on ice. The traction is there on ice but it's definitely no Michelin X-Ice 3 and requires finessing and caution. I think the more expensive Nokian WR G3 pushes both properties up a half a step.

I had Nokian WR G2s before which I ended up exchanging for dedicated winter tires because they were crummy in the snow. I heard Nokian messed up the rubber compound on the G2s so the WR has a softer tread compound that's much better in the snow, but you lose dry and wet weather handling. The WR G2 had pretty decent handling and steering response properties, as well as superb hydroplaning resistance.

Based on that, I would probably pay the premium for the Nokian WR G3 over the Nordman WR for the Mazda 3 to get the better handling features. But the 3 gets driven enough that I can justify having two sets of tires for it.