Snow Tire recommendations

You can afford a brand new Prius but you can't afford quality tires?

 

I guess your question to my question is an answer implying the generic brand Chinese made tires are inferior in quality than tires from brand names such as Michelin or Bridgestone, etc. That's how I feel inside too but do we have any road test results to proof this theory? If I can spend less than half of what Michelin or Bridgestone is charging me but have the similar performance results, what is wrong with saving my hard earn dollars?

 

I just purchased a set of 4 Michelon X-Ice tires plus steel wheels from Discount Tire Direct for $649 with a $70 rebate. With rebate I spent $579 total shipped to my house.

With the rebate on the Michelons they were almost the same price as the other cheaper brand names that I could find.

 

Since we switched to 15" Michelin X-Ice during our first tank, I can't objectively compare, but still I'm very impressed with our mileage with them. They are listed as LRR, fwiw. By the end of a couple of tanks of everyday driving, the in-dash is typically displaying 5.2 liters/100km (my calc'd. was about 5.5). This is in increasingly chilly weather, mostly short trips.

Tanking up on Sunday afternoon downtown and resetting Trip A, the in-dash was displaying 3.6 liter/100km when we got home, about 50/50 highway and city streets.

 

I'm on my second set of Nokian WGR2. They do great in the snow but if you're in a mountain town all the time (I'm not) or drive on hardpacked snow/ice all the time, I would definitely go with studded Nokian Happas.

 

With Chinese tires, it's buyer beware - Business - Autos - msnbc.com

Go for it, and get back to us on how that works out for you

 

My ride is a 09 Prius. I am nearing 40K miles on the OEM tires. It has been very icy this winter (stupid freezing rain followed by snow and cold temps) and with the mileage on my OEM tires, I feel like I am driving with skates. I plan to invest in snow tires for the first time ever in the next day or two. Right now, I am leaning towards General Tire Altimax Artic with studs from Tirerack.com. $67 per shoe and $15 for studs.

Can I run studded snow tires on the front and continue with my all-season OEMs in the rear without any significant issues?

My OEM tires are 165/85R15. What size is optimal for snow tires? This might be a silly question since I am hoping to run the OEM all-season tires on the rear.

Thanks guys. This thread has been a good read.

 

That is a dangerous combination. You'll swap ends and be out of control when you brake while cornering on ice.

I have 500 miles on set of PaceMark (Sam's Club) studded snows. It was about $380 with tax and studs. Though I really hate the additional road noise from the studs, they work great and it was the best purchase I've ever made for a car. These tires have a really aggressive blocked tread and are great on black ice and deep snow. We have lots and lots of black ice on the highways in the winter in northern Wyoming. I follow the idiots in their monster 4WD trucks that go too fast in bad winter storms! We zoom past all the panty-waisted SUV's with their white-knuckled paranoia-filled drivers who are rolling on regular street tires. Whiteout conditions are no problem if I'm following someone else's taillights.

 

That was my fear.

 

No no NO

See this video series

Be Tire Smart – Play Your P.A.R.T. - Videos

never ever run studded or winter tires on one axle and "all season" tires on the other. That is incredibly dangerous

 

Just enjoyed my first blizzard in NYC with Winter tires. I have had 2007 prii, and now a 2010 prius. Picked up 4 blizzack ws-60 tires and new alloy wheels from tirerack for about 675, shipped. arrived in 1 day. (with ground shipping). I put them on about 1 week after thanksgiving and we got nothing really.. until Sunday 12/26.. approximately 24 inches. Haven't gotten stuck at all. Slipped a little on a few turns on unplowed roads... was able to come up a steep badly plowed hill towards my house... no problem stopping on steep downhills. I must say it is totally worth the investment. safety and convenience...totally worth the $675 or so. 1 avoided accident will pay you back the money easily. and No, the TPMS is not worth it. Check your tires one every two weeks with a $2 pressure gauge. And ignore the light. or put electrical tape over it.

 

FYI: See additional (parallel) thread about winter tires here.

 

This is my first post and my first winter with a Prius. I just talked to the dealer about getting snow tires and he didn't understand why I wanted to buy 4 since it is a front wheel drive. Why does everyone on here say to buy four?

 

Not QUITE "everyone" I purchased only 2 for the front................

 

What did you buy and how are they working?

 

Because you *brake* with *all 4* and you drive on bends with all 4.
It is not just about traction generated from the engine...
Clearly the dealer never drove a car with only 2 winter tires in snow/icy road...

 

I went with 2 Michelin X Ice (non studded) on the front only. They are working just great here in Minnesota. We have NOT had our usual Winter here (as far as depth of snow). We have had some freezing rain, about 2 inches of snow at one time that melted/froze.
I run 42 psi in them and have not taken too big of a hit in mpg (down to about 46-48). To this point, I have no complaints in the handling/stopping at all.

 

You wouldn't drive around in the summer with different tires on the front and rear so don't do it in the winter. Car handling will be confused with different tires mounted. My first car was a 1969 BMW 1600. I put snows on the rear only and the handling was totally messed up (as in dangerous). The owner's manual said to put on four snows but I was too cheap. Learned my lesson!!

 

You are absolutely correct and many years ago I had a crashed BMW to prove it!!

 

re: on 2 snows on the front

Scary dangerous! Did that while in college with a VW Rabbit and became too familiar with doing 180 and 360 degree spin outs. Just dumb luck I never had a crash. As others have said the problem is when you brake. I'd say either get two more snows or put your all season tires back on the front.

re: TPMS

I'm getting snows for our new 2011, and the independent shop here in MA will not install them on my car without TPMS. It's all about legal stuff and liability. The guy is a one man shop, and I'm guessing his position represents the predominant viewpoint (and I'm sure there are exceptions out there). He did say a car being inspected in MA will flunk if the car is TPMS equipped and you don't have the monitors. Guess next year I'll get the car inspected a month early so I can sneak it through in early December before doing the change over. From the mechanics standpoint he is building up a set of wheels for my other car which I'll have to install myself.

Plan on getting the Nokian WR G2. Our old 2005 Prius had the same tires (except first generation), and were wonderful for general winter use. Not ultra-extreme winter driving, but never found myself without traction even when starting up on a slippery hill (but not glare ice). Two winters ago took the kids sledding and witnessed a 4wd Explorer spinning its wheels trying to leaving the parking lot as we entered. When we left, pulled right out without any problems. Same experience testing the Prius on a street across from our house with a significant hill. As long as the road surface isn't smooth ice you can get the car moving. The beauty of the WR G2 is that it's a good all around tire as well so you get very good performance on the winter roads we see 95% of the time in this area - dry, cold pavement.