Snow tires for New Jersey Winters? (Jersey City, Clifton: insurance, home, buy)

[Cali2NJ]

Hi, my wife and I are moving from California to Clifton, NJ this November. So I am absolutely clueless about driving in a NJ / NY winter! We have a 4wd Jeep Grand Cherokee with all-season tires. I was curious about the opionions from people on this board as to the need for snow tires for winter driving?

Thank you,

Cali2NJ

[regarese]

I live in Middlesex County and drive a Ford Focus with all weather tires. In the worst of storms I have never had to change to specifically snow tires. My husband drives a Chevy Trailblazer, and has worked in the Clifton area in the wintertime and has never had a problem with his all weather tires either. He switches to 4wd and away he goes. I think you'll be ok with what you have. And kudos to you being from California and already planning on venturing out when it snows!!!! No hibernation for you?-FANTASTIC!!!

[milliebfit]

My sister moved to Danvillie CA 7 years ago. No more snow for her!!! I agree with the others. I have all weather tires and never had a problem. I was an ICU nurse and had to go to work no matter what the weather. Always made it there just fine.

[BobKovacs]

I haven't seen "snow tires" around here since the mid 80's when bias-ply tires were still used fairly frequently. Since radials became the standard, there's really no need for anything special for the snow. Besides, if it snows enough around here that you're having traction problems with all-season tires, you'd better just stay home because even if you've got snow tires, there'll invariably be some idiot in an SUV who thinks he can still do 60 on the highway, and he'll total your ride.

I'd say that 9 out of every 10 accidents I see in the rain or snow involve at least one SUV, and it's uncommon to see them sliding all over while the small cars just cruise past. I guess the drivers get some false sense of security or something.

Bob

[christina0001]

No, you don't. Even in the highest elevations in more rural Sussex County, it's not really necessary. NJ keeps its roads quite nice; just drive slowly and carefully. ditto Bob, most of the cars I see sliding all over or off the road in the winter are SUVs. 4-wheel drive does not make the ice less slippery! lol

[JerseyMC]

I moved from NC and had all season tires and boy they sucked. Maybe people already living here got tires that may have some sort of winter weather feature.

My Honda Accord was all over the place last year, and has anyone tell you how people drive here. Very aggresive driving and getting used to "jug handles" will not make it easier.

I am getting winter tires this time, better be safe than sorry. Auto insurance here is very expensive, so any accident will dent your deductible also.

[christina0001]

JerseyMC raises a good point - if you are from a region that gets little or no snow/ice, then it's going to be a challenge for you the first few winters. But I really doubt snow tires will make a difference, and if you are "sliding all over the place," then it means you are driving too fast and snow tires will not compensate for it. You just have to drive slowly and carefully, give yourself extra time, leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you, don't go out driving unless you absolutely have to, and IMO in bad weather it seems safer to take the slower local roads vs. high speed highways, where some people will be speeding no matter what the weather is like. As for jughandles - I lived in Ocean County for 3 years, there are more jughandles there than anywhere else I think, and when I moved to Mercer County, I found it quite a challenge to figure out how to make left turns again! I still want to get into the right lane to turn left, which does not work well out here! lol

[emanuelfigueroa]

Originally Posted by Cali2NJ

Hi, my wife and I are moving from California to Clifton, NJ this November. So I am absolutely clueless about driving in a NJ / NY winter! We have a 4wd Jeep Grand Cherokee with all-season tires. I was curious about the opionions from people on this board as to the need for snow tires for winter driving?

Thank you,

Cali2NJ

I LIVE A FEW MILES AWAY FROM CLIFTON IN JERSEY CITY & NOVEMBER WEATHER HERE IN NJ RANGE IN THE 50-60 IN THE MORNING & 45 AT NIGHT...SNOW IS RARE ONLY MOSTLY IN JANUARY & FEBRUARY & NOVEMBER IS A COMFORTABLE CLIMATE...& U MAY KNOW THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS AT ITS HIGHEST POINT...SO NO NEED 2 WORRY ABOUT THAT!!!
SNOW IS VERY RARE IN NOVEMBER........SUMMER TEMPRATURES RANGE IN 85-95 & HEAT WAVES ARE NORMAL HEAR WHEN TEMPRATURES MAY GO UP TO 100-115!

WINTER TEMPRATURES HAVE COLD WAVES ONCE IN A WHILE MOSTLY DURING MIDDLE OF JANUARY & BEGINING OF FEBRUARY WITH HIGH TEMPS RANGING IN 20 & LOWS IN 15-16!!! SO DNT WORRY! DECEMBER IS EVEN A NICE TIME TO COME TO THE TRI STTAE AREA INCLUDINNG CLIFTON WHEN TEMPRATURES CUD TIP UP TO 70 DEGREES AT TIMES!!!

[kort677]

Originally Posted by Cali2NJ

Hi, my wife and I are moving from California to Clifton, NJ this November. So I am absolutely clueless about driving in a NJ / NY winter! We have a 4wd Jeep Grand Cherokee with all-season tires. I was curious about the opionions from people on this board as to the need for snow tires for winter driving?

Thank you,

Cali2NJ

I use snow tires on my car, they go on in oct and off in april, best thing you could do, my car went from being a hazard in the snow to outrunning 4x4's in deep snow. Don't think the crap being peddled as all season tires will work, they don't, so if you can afford it buy a good set of snows, I use Nokians and swear by them.

[ehs]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I haven't seen "snow tires" around here since the mid 80's when bias-ply tires were still used fairly frequently. Since radials became the standard, there's really no need for anything special for the snow. Besides, if it snows enough around here that you're having traction problems with all-season tires, you'd better just stay home because even if you've got snow tires, there'll invariably be some idiot in an SUV who thinks he can still do 60 on the highway, and he'll total your ride.

I'd say that 9 out of every 10 accidents I see in the rain or snow involve at least one SUV, and it's uncommon to see them sliding all over while the small cars just cruise past. I guess the drivers get some false sense of security or something.

Bob

Very true, and that's about what my experience has been... So, I clicked you a positive!!!