Winter tire question

[Merjolie8]

We do use them on the minivan and they help. Last year we delayed putting them in and drove thru the first snow with the all seasons Michelins that were just a few months old. We noticed the difference when we changed over to the winter tires. Much more control.

We use the all seasons yearlong on the Subaru, though. Always wanted to get winter tires for it, but it's not in the budget for now.

[GregW]

I just had 4 winter tires (Nokian Nordman) mounted on my All Wheel Drive Subaru Outback wagon. This should take care of winter driving, including visits to the very rural parts of the White Mountains, for this year. I am going to put studded (not really necessary but I can get a set really cheap) on my Front Wheel Drive Buick sedan.

I strongly suggest for people that have not driven on snow or ice that they look up the Winter Driving course offered by Tim O'Neil's Driving School near Littleton, NH. The next best is to have someone that knows how to drive take you out on a snow covered empty parking lot before it is plowed and show you how to recover from slides and skids. Note: it is more important to learn how to stop in snow than how to go. My wife and I, with decades of snow driving each, do this with both of our cars every year.

Most years new, one or two year old, All Season Tires are adequate for most conditions. However there are conditions when they will let you slide into the other lane or a ditch when snow tires might have prevented the incident. Remember you are not put in danger by most conditions but by the extremes. It is usually too late to put on good snow tires when you are sliding into a tree, wall or oncoming traffic.

The best advice I could give to the OP is listen to the weather report and when they say extreme conditions are likely the proper thing to do is stay home until the roads are cleared.

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by GregW

Remember you are not put in danger by most conditions but by the extremes.

That includes the idiots on the road that have no clue how to drive in adverse conditions, this is the biggest threat to those that do.

[NHDave]

Here's an interesting video on the subject, tires make all the difference.


Winter Tyres or 4x4: which is best? - Auto Express - YouTube

[NewNHguy]

Originally Posted by Al Martia

.....just curious; does anyone switch to a winter tire for the season or just use year round all weather tires?

Really depends on where you live, and your road types and conditions.
Paved?
Dirt/Gravel?
plowing on a "Timely" basis?
Mountainous?
DRIVING HABITS.

On my Tacoma, I run 4 winter tires. Gravel roads lead to pavement.

[Nonesuch]

A good set of M+S tires (not worn out treads) on an SUV works for most people. Here in S.NH I do not see (hear) many people running studded tires in the winter.

Originally Posted by Aptor hours

I switch just for the winter. I just got four new winter tires. I couldn't get up my hill without them, but, it might be better since I'm moving to southern NH in a few weeks.

Just a little bit better. I have a 4x4 with all-season tires, carry bags of traction grit and a set of tire "chains" in the winter. Only need to use the chains perhaps once a year to get up my hill.

My chains are actually "Shur Grip Z class S cable chains" (aka traction cables), they are good up to 30 mph and for limited use on dry pavement. They are noisy, but not as loud or as damaging as studded tires.

The best advice I could give to the OP is listen to the weather report and when they say extreme conditions are likely the proper thing to do is stay home until the roads are cleared.

I'm fine with driving in/on snow, it's the ice storms we have every few years that I try to avoid. Just do what everybody else in New England does, stock up on milk, eggs, and bread the day before the storm is supposed to hit, then stay home and eat french toast.

[GregW]

Nonesuch has the best answer of all. Pay attention to the weather and don't drive if you do not have to.