[notfarnow]

I run studded winter tires on my Jetta. You really notice a difference on ice, sluch & compacted snow. They are pretty loud though.

This past April, I drove to Montreal through Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont. The weather had been calling for a bit of rain. I almost put my summer tires on before leaving, but got too busy. The first 3-4 hours of the drive, I complained about the noise. By the time we hit NH, it was freezing rain. Through the white mountains, it was raining in the valleys and freezing rain on the high spots.

The whole drive, there were SUVs in the ditches, 18 wheelers against the guardrails and even a salt truck off the road. We motored along without drama, keeping an eye out for huge SUVs on "all season" tires.

You really can't beat studded tires, as long as you can put up with the noise.