GET YOUR DEDICATED SNOW TIRES NOW !!!

Interesting question… …and I understand all about budget, but when I'm thinking about cost, I always try to remember that when it comes down to it, the patch of rubber between you and the road, although quite small is the really the most important bit of all! (…but as they say: YMMV )

 

Me 4 5 or 6 hundred depending on size.

I'm most interested in wear because most tires I've used just work and if there is a problem it's usually not the tires at fault. But there is a huge difference in wear out miles, at least in my experiences.

 

I agree! Got the tires in last week (they look pretty great) and snagged some OEM 15" wheels from the sale threads for pretty cheap, big fan of the black wheels hidden under those hub caps and think it will look good with the black cherry pearl paint. Will be mounting this weekend and storing the 17" Persona wheels in the garage.. definitely wouldn't want to pay for 17" snow tires, ruin these rims, and constantly mount and dismount. I'll give my thoughts after some drive time and some snow here in Maryland.

 

HAVE Michelin xic 3 snows rims. And tpms ready for snow.

 

Tpms sensor 2020 prime

 

Another pic of sensor work great 2020 prime

 

Yesterday I finally put the Blizzak WS80 snow tires, which I bought on sale in September, on my (still somewhat) new 2019 AWD-e Prius. I had the occasion, today, to drive on unpaved roads which were plowed, but where the plowing seemed to polish the snow into a slippery surface. The snow wires and AWD performed well. Also, the Blizzak tires did not have a funny feel on dry roads, as my previous snow tires did.

 

It was predicted to snow here last night, first of the season. It rained. Hey, it was cold rain. I've had the snow tires on for about a month and a half now...

 

Getting socked in here:

 

Have a 2010. Yesterday we were out and about, forced to by circumstances. Roads were mostly unplowed, but well compacted, almost clear. About 4~5 inches on the lawns.

The Michelin X-Ice (about 9~10 years old, but good tread still, low miles) were very planted. Coming down one hill and had a light go red, could feel it starting to drift slightly, there are limits. Everybody's taking it easy, which helps.

Overnight it snowed heavy, wouldn't think about it today. About a foot now. Stopped about 10 am, then started up this afternoon. Meteorologist likened the pause to "eye-of-storm".

I'll take your advice, get a new set next fall, if only for their age, and brand-new tread will be nice.

 

I'm not at all sure of the wisdom of using the OE lug nuts on the aftermarket wheels with conical lug nut seats. The OE nuts have a very small conical seating surface. I'd be concerned about the nuts loosening either due to the small surface, or the wheel lug seat wearing due to the small seat causing the nut to loosen. I'm sure Rob will keep an eye on this.

 

I got these through a dealership:



steel rim lug nuts, part no: 90942-01007 (plain, open-ended, galvanized)

They're not pretty, but look at home on black steel rims. The open ends expose the stud tips, which will start to rust. I periodically put a tiny drop of 3-in-1 oil on the tips, spread it with an old toothbrush. Say once when installing the snows, and a second time halfway through winter.

 

Here's an update on the fast wear I'm seeing on the WS80s. The quoted post was wear from last season, with a whopping 4278 miles on the Blizzaks. This year I've probably put about 4000 miles on them so far. I'll have to check my service records and odometer to be sure. I plan to leave them on until at least mid march, depending on the weather. EDIT: 4156 miles on the Blizzaks so far this winter, 8434 miles total.

I just measured the tread depth with a penny. The rears started at about 7/32 and are now down to about 6/32. The fronts started at 10/32 and are now down to about 7/32. I'll check more precisely with calipers, but here are the measurements I used on a penny: Bottom of word "UNUM" = 6/32, top of Lincoln Memorial = about 7/32, and bottom of "lid" of Lincoln memorial - 8/23

I don't think I can get another entire winter out of these and still have them be useful as snow tires. 5/32 minimum is recommended for snow tires, and Colorado requires 6/32 minimum where the traction law is in effect (usually highways in the mountains). Depending on the precise amount of tread remaining when I take them off (if it's close to 6/32 or less all around), I might just leave them on for the summer until they are down to the legal limit (2/32), rather than throw them away. I can probably get most of the way there in one summer at the rate they are wearing.

Are they any good end of season deals on snow tires yet? I'll need some by the middle of next winter, if not sooner.

 

That seems like a very fast wear rate for the WS80 but I suppose they could wear very differently on different vehicle types.

The first set of WS80 I used on our FWD 2014 Sienna went three winters / 15,000 miles before they got down to 5/32" tread and I replaced them. Unlike the WS80 size for the Prius Prime, the WS80 size for the Sienna starts out with 12/32" of tread.

The second set of WS80 on the Sienna is now in its 3rd winter and has already gone over 15,000 miles. I just measured the tread depths and all are at or very near 8/32". I suspect that the reason that the second set of WS80 is lasting longer is that I have been more attentive to never letting tire pressures go below the minimum recommended on the door jam as outside temperatures rise and fall.

Are you always keeping your tire pressures above the minimum? That can be pretty hard to do when outside temperatures rise and fall in winter - about 1 psi for each 10 degrees of temperature change. I had the tire pressures adjusted for an expected 50 degree temperature drop last week before I took my van to Costco for a tire rotation and balancing. The Costco technician bled over 5 psi out of the tires. If I hadn't caught it, my WS80's would have been under-inflated by about 5 psi when the temperature dropped causing both a dangerous situation and much faster tread wear.

It's looking like I'm going to get the 2nd set of WS80's to 20,000 miles before they will be worn down to 5/32" of tread. The Sienna is very hard on tires so I'm very surprised that this 2nd set is lasting so well.

I've been buying our our tires at Costco during one of their frequent Bridgestone/Michelin promotions which usually discount their regular low prices by from $70 to $150 for a set. I'll eventually replace the WS80's with the new WS90 which is supposed to have longer life.