*sigh* another winter tire thread

[Airman Jack]

Hey guys, I\'m getting winter tires! (no big surprise there) I\'m looking at some very nice tires, Pirelli Winter 210, Dunlop M3, Yokohama AVS 901, or Michelin PA2\'s... all in the same price bracket, all very good highway/performance winter tires. From a review I found online, the Dunlop M3\'s get the best user reviews. Any thoughts?
As it sits, I\'m leaning towards the Dunlop\'s or the Michelin\'s.

Oh yeah, I went to Green + Ross by Yorkdale yesterday to compare prices (they\'re expensive there). I said \"hey do you guys have any of those shaped steel wheels, like you\'d find on a Toyota RAV4 or something?\" The guy gave me the dumbest stare I\'ve ever seen and said \"I\'d have to search for HOURS to find out what you\'re talking about!\" Then a Highlander drove by outside, I pointed and said \"Like those ones right there!\" And the reply \"Yeah I\'m still not sure where I\'d find thouse\".
I showed myself out. :sarc

[majic]

from the tires u mention above i would get the M3s if you live and drive primairly in the T.O.. i was originally going to buy those as well but for $300 less i got the W300s from Hankook.

M3s will wear slower than PA2s and 210s (from what i\'ve read from reviews and the tire design) but i don\'t know about the Yokos..


EDIT: btw.. u can just use the search feature (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/search.php) ya know ;)

[Airman Jack]

I\'m moving out to saskatchewan, so I need some pretty good snow tires, not just cold slushy way-too-much-salt-cuz-we\'re-too-lazy-to-plow-properly tires :)

thanks for the tip on the search :p but there\'s not much discussion about the tires I\'ve mentioned, most people have chosen hankook or khumo tires!

[majic]

oh ok.. got it.. ok.. so scrap M3s and forget PA2s.. too expensive for what they can do.. (as is with MOST michellins)

pirelli 210s or 240s (one is softer than the other) might suit you well then.. as well as some softer blizzacks (not sure with ones WS50 or the LM-22/25)

try the canadiandriver forums.. bob and another guy there have done a lot of recommendations

[super_vixen]

I\'ve been looking for a local place that has some winter tires (no luck yet unless I want to pay thru the *&#@*!@ or unless I want some no-name brand)...

But I called Active yesterday also, and they quoted me $1100 for the tires with steelies, mounting, balancing, etc. taxes OUT. I didn\'t even sit there to listen to the type of tire, cause I can\'t afford that.

Im really having no luck locally, and I can\'t drive out to Toronto or farther west for tires....
I hate this kind of shopping.

[Dr Butcher]

I\'ve got 15\" PA2\'s on my car and I love \'em. I can\'t comment on tire wear as I only have about 700km\'s on them but so far they are very very nice. They handle great in the rain, and dry roads. I didn\'t get a chance to try them in the good snow last Monday so I can\'t really comment on that as of yet. Road noise isn\'t too big of an issue because the tread design isn\'t too aggressive but I\'m assuming the same could be said for the Kumho KW17 which was my second choice. The major drawback of the PA2 is they are pretty expensive. I\'m sure you could find a tire that performs similarly for less cash but I have had no issues with mine so far, best of all it feels like I\'m driving on pillows compared to my summer tires.

[majic]

Originally posted by super_vixen


I\'ve been looking for a local place that has some winter tires (no luck yet unless I want to pay thru the *&#@*!@ or unless I want some no-name brand)...

But I called Active yesterday also, and they quoted me $1100 for the tires with steelies, mounting, balancing, etc. taxes OUT. I didn\'t even sit there to listen to the type of tire, cause I can\'t afford that.

Im really having no luck locally, and I can\'t drive out to Toronto or farther west for tires....
I hate this kind of shopping.



hey super_vix.. try ED @ espec.. he\'s got another deal coming (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=1273) and he can probably meet up with you in the east if necessary.. just give him a call.. that\'s where i got my W300s.. and they are very good in wet so far (no snow experience yet)

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Nokian RSi - most all of the tire shops in the west are recommending this tire

[ESpec]

Hey guy, how are you?
I still have some W300 for sale.

Besides from the W300, I have some Gislaved NordFrost 3. made by Continental
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/com/en/gislaved/automobile/themes/pc_tyres/winter/nord_frost_3/master_nf3_en.html


If interested, give me a call.

Thanks.

[ESpec]

Yup, that is correct, we are very flexible in meeting up for pickup or delivery.

Thanks.


Originally posted by majic



Originally posted by super_vixen


I\'ve been looking for a local place that has some winter tires (no luck yet unless I want to pay thru the *&#@*!@ or unless I want some no-name brand)...

But I called Active yesterday also, and they quoted me $1100 for the tires with steelies, mounting, balancing, etc. taxes OUT. I didn\'t even sit there to listen to the type of tire, cause I can\'t afford that.

Im really having no luck locally, and I can\'t drive out to Toronto or farther west for tires....
I hate this kind of shopping.



hey super_vix.. try ED @ espec.. he\'s got another deal coming (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=1273) and he can probably meet up with you in the east if necessary.. just give him a call.. that\'s where i got my W300s.. and they are very good in wet so far (no snow experience yet)

[Airman Jack]

I\'ve settled on a set of Toyo Observe Garit HT\'s on the RAV-4 steelies from Tires23, got \'em for $880, now I just have to find a shop to install them!! Odd, on friday afternoon, no one wants to look at you!

[M34ME]

I have the michelin alpines 16\". They were pretty expensive, cost me $1080 for (4) with rims (steelies) from costco. The tread design on them looks really good (it is a directional tire). I dont think they are going to wear that fast, the rubber isnt as soft as the michelin x-ice which is super soft, but soft enough to perform well with lots of little groves in them. I read alot of reviews on these before spending that kind of cash and heard 90% positive feedback. To me this is great since I figure most people that are going to go out of their way to write a review would probably be unhappy with them. Havent had much of a chance to try them in any test worthy conditions (Damn snow plows) :D

[MZ3_GS]

I have the PA 2\'s too.

I\'m disapointed though. Wheel Spin even at a 3K launch. :p
J/k damn snow tires.

[civiclad]

Installed my Winter tires last Saturday.....purchased the set from Wheels Direct on Sheppherd Ave E/McCowan. They are in the same plaza as the \"Firestone\" auto shop.

Cost me under $800 for 4 tires/steelies, installation & taxes.
205/55/16 (no-name brand winter tires) My daily commute is only 15kms and I didn\'t see the need for expensive tires.

[Airman Jack]

in order to prevent duplication, here\'s (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=1397) a little review of my impressions on the Toyo\'s so far. If you\'re too lazy to click, I love \'em! :p

[FLIPDADY]

So how many people on this board have snows? It\'s one of the best add-ons that I\'ve done to the car so far.

[VeRmiLLioN]

Agreed...Snow tires are a godsend!

[Airman Jack]

I would NOT be able to drive my car on the roads here in Saskatchewan safely without snow tires. Even still, I don\'t go anywhere NEAR the car\'s limits as I would in the summer (common sense, right?). Here in Sask. it\'s often too cold to use salt, so they just plow what they can and then sand on top of it, so after a few days it\'s either a skating rink or the rutts have made it down to the paved surface, and I have to watch out for bottoming out!