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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.
Correct, the blizzaks are softer rubber so they wear faster. Make sure to still rotate your Nokians. You should always still rotate snow tires every 3-5k miles. More towards 3k if you are in mountain areas as they will wear at a much higher rate
We put the Blizzaks on our car a month ago when we got a big snowfall. Then it warmed up a bit, and yeah, they were noticeably squishy. Now it's cold again, and back to normal. My husband is in the business, and we'd never go without winters.
I was chatting with a friend who says she and her husband don't put on winter tires because they spend most of the winter in warmer climates. But she borrowed her daughter's car recently and said she nearly put herself through the windshield when she stopped, because she was expecting to slide like she does in her car. Her daughter had winter tires. She now believes that winters are a great idea!
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.
Never said i was an expert believe me i drove a wrecker in the snow before was a old F250 built in the 1960’s and not a 4x4 . I guess i’v been lucky than to each their own though.
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.
I grew up with RWD too. I have lived in 4 states. I learned that conditions are not exactly the same everywhere.
Correct, the blizzaks are softer rubber so they wear faster. Make sure to still rotate your Nokians. You should always still rotate snow tires every 3-5k miles. More towards 3k if you are in mountain areas as they will wear at a much higher rate
Thanks, but I typically only drive about 500 miles per month in the winter, so I will probably only be driving 3 or 4 thousand miles until it is time to switch back to the all seasons.
Originally Posted by easy62 View Post
I’ve been driving in the snow since 1970 we get allot of snow in Michigan we are the winter wonderland.
In early 60s, we lived in Michigan in Northern Suburbs of Detroit.. I was rear ended 4 times, while sitting at a red light in front of my office by people with regular tires (not snow tires) in 2 months. They really beat up my new car. I again was waiting for the light to change, and the brand new delivery van ahead of me, thought he had put it in first gear put it in reverse and gave it lots of gas, and took out front end my car. Traded it in for a new car, as I was being transferred back to Silicon Valley .
I agree they get snow, I know from experience, drivers there do not believe in snow tires, and don't know how to drive in snow.
A former “car guy” co-worker with a BMW M3 used to quip that his car with snow tires felt like he had four gum erasers for tires. If you’re used to low profile tires with a stiff sidewall, snow tires certainly feel mushy.
The Nokians went on last Monday. I always forget how noisy they are.
I did a Tire Rack Blizzak package once. The ice grip on the Blizzaks went away at 12,000 miles and I went back to Nokian where I get 30,000+ miles out of the tires.
I really notice the difference in downhill stopping distance between a 3,200 pound VW GTI and a 3,700 pound 6-cylinder Outback. Both with Nokian friction tires. I used to run studded tires on my much heavier body on frame SUVs. My SUVs were frightening on black ice with stock tires. They wanted to go straight regardless of what you did for steering and braking input.
I went to college in Burlington VT with a RWD car with summer tires, skied all the time, and never got stuck. I used to take a Mustang with performance tires skiing every weekend. I remember driving a rental Geo Metro from DEN to Aspen when all the flights cancelled for snow. I ignored the chain signs and made it over the passes in 8” of unplowed slop with the gas pedal mashed to the floorboards. I don’t “need” snow tires but I can afford them and it dramatically improves my safety margin.
If you don’t have the storage space for winter wheels or don’t want to spend the money, the Nokian WRG4 is a good compromise. It’s a hard compound all weather tire you use all year that has good snow and ice performance. Not as good as a soft snow tire but way better than stock all season tires.
A former “car guy” co-worker with a BMW M3 used to quip that his car with snow tires felt like he had four gum erasers for tires. If you’re used to low profile tires with a stiff sidewall, snow tires certainly feel mushy.
The Nokians went on last Monday. I always forget how noisy they are.
I did a Tire Rack Blizzak package once. The ice grip on the Blizzaks went away at 12,000 miles and I went back to Nokian where I get 30,000+ miles out of the tires.
I really notice the difference in downhill stopping distance between a 3,200 pound VW GTI and a 3,700 pound 6-cylinder Outback. Both with Nokian friction tires. I used to run studded tires on my much heavier body on frame SUVs. My SUVs were frightening on black ice with stock tires. They wanted to go straight regardless of what you did for steering and braking input.
I went to college in Burlington VT with a RWD car with summer tires, skied all the time, and never got stuck. I used to take a Mustang with performance tires skiing every weekend. I remember driving a rental Geo Metro from DEN to Aspen when all the flights cancelled for snow. I ignored the chain signs and made it over the passes in 8” of unplowed slop with the gas pedal mashed to the floorboards. I don’t “need” snow tires but I can afford them and it dramatically improves my safety margin.
If you don’t have the storage space for winter wheels or don’t want to spend the money, the Nokian WRG4 is a good compromise. It’s a hard compound all weather tire you use all year that has good snow and ice performance. Not as good as a soft snow tire but way better than stock all season tires.
Very true. My first car in 1987 was a Toyota Supra, which was my daily driver, even in snow, and on many ski trips to VT. Sure, I managed, but it is not ideal.
As to whether people can “afford” winter tires, as I noted, you are not spending any extra money when you buy winter tires. If you have the car long enough, you are eventually going to have to replace the tires anyway. Having different tires on in the winter is going to reduce the amount of time you are driving with your regular tires, so it is going to be that much longer before you have to replace them. It is just a matter of whether you want to spend the money now on the winter tires, or later when you have to replace your regular tires. It all evens out in the end.
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