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You are entitled to your opinion, but a few other people have driven on snow than you and your father. I drove in snow in Central/Western NY saw the difference in winter traction between all-season and snow tires - and it was huge. Have been using them since the 90s - and would not save a handful of dollars to compromise my life and safety in winter driving. One avoided accident pays for a lifetime of snow tire purchases...
And, there is no perfect tire for all seasons - tire design involves a lot of trade-offs. Focus by season in snowy areas would inevitably lead to a better suited winter tire than what an all-season can accomplish. And, that's why a lot of people go for snow tires. And, it is not simply a matter of the materials, tread design but also often narrower tires in winter than maximize traction in snow/ice conditions.
All season tires are basically useless in snow, slush or ice or mud. They are useful for dry roads and wet roads.They are a tiny bit better than summer tires in snow, but I do not know anyone who drives on summer tires. (Why when almost all tires are all season?).
Many brands of supposed snow tires are equally worthless in snow and ice (or mud). There are three or four brands that make practical snow tires. Blizzack and Winterforce are the two I know. Both are great in snow. The difference is remarkable. Neither are great on ice, nothing is. Winterforce tends to be a little better on ice than Blizzack. Blizzack tends to be a bit better in slushy snow. There are a lot of test reports on various snow tires, tire rack has some, others are all over the internet. Study those and you will find the three or four good brands/models.
Good snow tires make a big huge difference not only in not getting stuck, but also in tracking (not sliding around in your lane) and stopping. You still need to make accommodations for sliding when you stop, but good snow tires reduce that impact considerable. Good snow tires can be more effective than 4x4 (unless the 4x4 has good tires as well).
Do not run your snow tires in the summer. You will wear them out in one or two seasons. Since they are soft, all that wonderful deep tread wears down very quickly on dry roads. By the next winter they will half as effective if you are lucky. After two summers, they will need to be replaced.
If you run your snow tires only in the winter, you may get five years or more out of them (depending on how much you drive).
I just swapped out my Pirelli all seasons, for Nokian Hakka R3s on my SUV.
For what it’s worth, I was going to get Blizzaks, but the guy at the tire store said for $5 more per tire, the Nokians will give me a few more years over the Blizzaks.
I only notice the difference in the ride from my all seasons, on warmer days, and only going around turns.
Living in northern Maine (170 inches of snow last winter....), we always use studded winter tires. But our new Outlander is SO good in snow that we might just stick with the all-seasons, for the first time. (I have been going 50 mph on our very snowy roads this month.....with no problem at all.)
Living in northern Maine (170 inches of snow last winter....), we always use studded winter tires. But our new Outlander is SO good in snow that we might just stick with the all-seasons, for the first time. (I have been going 50 mph on our very snowy roads this month.....with no problem at all.)
I was thinking of doing that, as my car is supposed to be excellent in snow too. But then, I figured I’m not really saving much money by skipping the winter tires. I will eventually need new tires anyway, but it will take a lot longer to wear down the tires when they are only on the car for 6 or 7 months, so it evens out in the end.
I just bought a set of used nokian happi 9's studded
excellent reviews found them on facebook marketplace 8k on them for 400 … picked them up on Saturday they look new.. and if new they cost 1k for my size tires
ive had all season, winter and studded, and I use to believe all season was fine....just go slower...but I drive a lot of miles. and most of the close calls were from others that I had to steer away from... or quickly accelerate away from in slippery conditions.....and all seasons don't grip well when very cold.... so im going with studded.....
slush or when that road is glare ice.. is the worst....but again ...its the other drivers I have to react to …
Snow tires are a thing of the past that’s why there are all season tires, my father used snow tires for a while on his 1962 RWD impala, but when all season tires came out there went the snow tires into the trash were someone took them. Why people freak out about snow is funny after your first winter in snow you learn how to drive in the snow. I had a 1974 Ford Pinto that i took to Erie PA in the winter we’re they were trucking snow out because they ran out of food to dump it, had no problem glass belted tires.
I am from Michigan too, so i get what you’re saying. However, do your not acknowledg that there are other places where things are different, where snow tires might be necessary?
I am from Michigan too, so i get what you’re saying. However, do your not acknowledg that there are other places where things are different, where snow tires might be necessary?
Snow is snow no matter we’re you live people just don’t know how to drive in it, some think having snow tires can make them drive faster than a vehicle without them is crazy. I’ve been driving in snow since 1971 and never had a problem, have i got stuck sure a couple times you just have to know how to rock the vehicle out it without burning up your transmission ir you’re clutch. FWD vehicle were not common when i was growing up RWD was the king back then.
Will they make you safer? Yes. Even in Michigan where everyone is an "expert" snow driver (there really is not "expert" qualification or method for driving int he snow and ice, Slow down a little, leave more stopping room, never accelerate rapidly, avoid torque. - it is all just common sense. I always snicker when people say "I have no problems driving in snow because i am an expert driver with mad skills not like all the other yahoos out there." I guess everyone likes to think they are special. I also find it funny when someone who has never driven on snow tires says they are unnecessary. How can you possibly know that? Oh because you have driven for years and not died in a snow accident yet?
It takes very little snow and even less ice to get stuck, slide around, end up in a ditch. Even just nine inches of snow is enough to get most cars with all seasons tires stuck. Ice is even more risky. You can be sitting at a light fully stopped and just slide into the ditch. Yup - in Michigan. But hey it is fine to think your expert driving skills on all season tires will prevent this because it has not happened to you yet. At least until it happens.
I'm in Denver and I run Blizzaks on my Lexus GX. I also had blizzaks on my Lexus GS. Heavy snow here today and I was passing stuck people left and right
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