Snow tires

[pcardude]

Anyone ever used Bridgestone blizzacks? Can you give me any info? Are they really better on snow and ice, are they worth 130 per tire? Thanks

[fastfredracing]

Jim? you got this one?

[billybek]

Snow tire thread/tread questions

[pcardude]

Thanks for the link. Should have searched first.

Winter sucks!

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Jim? you got this one?

Hahaha! I was distracted over in PARF.

[MRM]

Yes. I have them and I won't drive without them. Mine are considerably more expensive than $130 a tire but I will not go through a winter without them. Putting Blizzaks on a regular car makes it more capable in the snow and ice than the best 4 wheeler out there on regular tires.

Many years ago my wife hit a patch of ice and spun around, fortunately not hitting anything. She came home demanding we get a 4 wheel drive vehicle. I had just hear how you should try snow tires before going to a 4WD vehicle, and new tires sure cost a lot less than a new Jeep, so I tried it for my wife, hoping she'd be satisfied. The first morning she drove with them on she called me at work and said that they made such a difference I had to have a set too. I thought it was the stupidest waste of money but she insisted. After I put mine on I understood what she meant. We have been evangelists for Blizzacks ever since.

We started out with them on front wheel drive Toyotas and Mazdas. We now have all wheel drive cars and a Ford Explorer. Our AWD cars with Blizzaks are better on the snow and ice than the Explorer, even with Blizzaks. I can't tell you how many times they've saved me from an accident.

[Nordwest]

+1 for Blizzacks.

[imcarthur]

Blizzaks work very well on our C-Class awd.

Ian

[flipper35]

During our deer season we drove down into a field where we were dragging the axle and frame in the snow after the snow storm we had. Our truck is 2wd and did fine, though we were going pretty slow coming out because we had a lip and a drift. I only spun a little when turning around after driving in. Can't say enough good about them.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by MRM

Yes. I have them and I won't drive without them. Mine are considerably more expensive than $130 a tire but I will not go through a winter without them. Putting Blizzaks on a regular car makes it more capable in the snow and ice than the best 4 wheeler out there on regular tires.

Many years ago my wife hit a patch of ice and spun around, fortunately not hitting anything. She came home demanding we get a 4 wheel drive vehicle. I had just hear how you should try snow tires before going to a 4WD vehicle, and new tires sure cost a lot less than a new Jeep, so I tried it for my wife, hoping she'd be satisfied. The first morning she drove with them on she called me at work and said that they made such a difference I had to have a set too. I thought it was the stupidest waste of money but she insisted. After I put mine on I understood what she meant. We have been evangelists for Blizzacks ever since.

We started out with them on front wheel drive Toyotas and Mazdas. We now have all wheel drive cars and a Ford Explorer. Our AWD cars with Blizzaks are better on the snow and ice than the Explorer, even with Blizzaks. I can't tell you how many times they've saved me from an accident.

It is a common misconception that 4wd offers superior handling on icy roads. As the owner of multiple 4wd trucks with great tires, I can say with certainty that 4wd only helps with forward motion. She would have spun exactly the same in a 4wd SUV.

You made the right move. Good dedicated winter tires, (like Blizzak), are the only thing that makes driving on icy roads safer.

[speeder]

Blizzaks help a lot with forward motion as well, I should have added. But their main safety advantage is road-holding on ice.

[flipper35]

4WD only helps get you out of the ditch you slid into because you thought 4WD was a magic cure all for bad weather. Though you are less likely to spin around with all four wheels driving and you don't panic. Once you are stopping or turning 4WD is just extra weight, but it can be fun drifting around in bad weather with it.

[kanadary]

I have used the blizzack, Michelin ice and Nokia. I prefer the Nokian best

[mjohnson]

The lore is that the Japan tires favor one kind of frozen water and that the euro tires favor another kind. But really all of the premier tire makers' snow tires are so far beyond all-season tires that it sin't worth arguing between them.

I've had great experiences with multiple blizzaks and also the michelin x-ice and pilot alpin on various cars. All good - and all were ok on dry with handling and not burning up too fast.

I'm now experimenting with the cheap Firestone winter-something-or-other on my airport/ski taxi subaru. They also seem good.

Maybe just "winter tires for winter"?

[jyl]

Blizzaks are excellent. So are Nokians.

We switch the wife's car to Blizzaks every November and take them off in April. Used in that manner, we are getting about 4 years from a set. (Just replaced the last set, lasted 4 years.)

[Heel n Toe]

Geek out on this... https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1svyt2/how_do_snow_tires_work/

[Dave Kost]

Just for another data point…

My Buick Enclave with front wheel drive and 4 Blizzaks when right up my iced over driveway while my GMC Yukon 4-wheel drive with all season Michelin's slipped somewhat.
The Blizzak'a are quiet too.

My .02

[jwasbury]

Nokian's were the local favorite for the ten years I spent in Vermont. I had studded Hakkapeliitta's on my GMC Suburban...damn near unstoppable.

[jyl]

FYI, tire stores are now saying they are required to only install tires on wheels that have TPMS (tire pressure management system) sensors. So my bare steel wheels need TPMS sensors for $60/wheel, before the new Blizzaks can be installed. Okay, its only a one-time $240 cost, but still a surprise.

[sammyg2]

I'd try a different tire store. Sounds to me like someone is jacking up the sale.