Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

It's that time for my yearly winter tire reminder. We have had flurries here Indiana already and a handful of places in the U.S. have experienced measureable snowfall.

Popular tires for moderate to low snow climates, that see more plowed roads than highways, tend to be the Bridgestone Blizzak LM60, their new LM-32, and Dunlops Winter Sport 4D. Both are considered very equal to each other in snow traction and in dry road handling/cornering and were the tires of choice in this category. The Bridgestone's move the balance closer to the snow traction side while the Dunlop does slightly better in dry. Both an ideal choice for someone having trouble deciding between the high performance snow tires that sacrifice a lot of snow traction and the Q/R rated snow tires that trade off too much in handling and dry grip.

Persons living in more rural areas or heavy snow climates lean toward the Bridgestone Blizzak WS lines or Michelin X-Ice Xi3. I've noticed when driving both that the added tread depth of the Blizzak helps deep snow traction on those early unplowed mornings. The X-Ice is a bit happier on ice surfaces and tends to handle a bit tighter on clear roads due to the 2/32nd's difference in depth compared to the Blizzak. The WS80, Bridgestone's newest member to the Blizzak family, will be replacing the popular WS70 this year. From our ice rink testing I can tell you it's already better than the original WS70 and out cornered/accelerated the Yokohama, Michelin, and Goodyear. Steering response is more crisp also.

Some more cost effective players to the game such as Yokohama's iceGUARD iG52c did well against tires like the General Altimax Artic. However, it is fairly new so jury is still out on long term results.

I would not wait too long, it's better to be proactive than reactive. Ordering early when most products are still available lets you choose what you want to buy rather than being forced to settle for what is left over. Best to be ready with products in hand before it snows so that you can put them on when you are ready, rather than waiting for a shipment to arrive after the first snow. We should have most inventory available now to mid November. Tires and wheels purchased together are mounted and balanced at no charge to make changeover easy and we do offer the oem pressure sensors.

You can view full winter tire and wheel packages at our winter upgrade garage.

Remember to mention "Neal ext 4624" in the comments section of your online order. This way I can review the order and process it faster. As always you may call me direct also.

gugarci

The snow performance of the LM-32's is the same as the LM-60's? I thought since they improved the dry grip on the LM-32 over the LM-60 the snow performance would drop slightly.

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

Comparing the LM's to the Dunlop line they are very similar. However, the LM's do have a slight advantage in acceleration and stopping distance (aka a bit better ice/snow bite) compared to the Dunlop.

sLADe781

iTrader: (1)

Hi Neal,

I was wondering if maybe you could help me with something. I need to get a new set of tires but my car is lowered with aftermarket rims (Work Gnosis) and I am worried that if I bought the wrong set, it will cause rubbing when driving. I currently have Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires on the car and it has practically no "bumper" to protect the rim against the curb should I run into it. However, due to my setup, I don't know if having a bumper would even be possible.

The current tires only lasted about 20,000 miles. My guess is that due to the size of the rims, the car had to be set with a good amount of negative camber to prevent rubbing which caused the inner tires to wear prematurely. The outside of the tires still have a good amount of thread left but the inner tires are practically bald up front (the back still has a decent amount of thread left).

I guess my question is...should I just stick with the Continental set or should I consider a different set of tires? My main concern is that since I cannot see the tires, I don't know how much bumper, if any, a tire has and so I wouldn't know if it will cause rubbing issues or not when installed. Also, are there any tires that are designed in such a way that the inner tires are more resistant to wear due to customers' setups? Or is that just wishful thinking.

My wheel specs are as follows:
-front: 245 35 20
-rear: 275 30 20

Order of importance to me: thread life, comfort, then performance.

Since I'm in northern California, I don't have to worry about snow so only dry and wet conditions apply.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

I would stick with those sizes (assuming it a coupe) as that's what we have found to work best. Really can't go taller for more cushion/protection as that may cause rubbing issues. To get order of importance you mentioned, the DWS is really the top dog. Everything else is sport summer based which means shorter life and stiffer ride. Sounds like you're right where you need to be already!

bobbo

Neal, dredging up an old post here, but 'tis the season. I'm between the Blizzak WS-80 and the Michelin X-ice for my 2012 G37X sedan. Wondering if there is a noticeable difference in road noise between these two? I had a set of the Michelins on my previous driver (2014 Subaru Legacy) and was very impressed with their overall performance and ride quality (especially vs. the lousy Bridgestone OEMS on the subie). I'll be doing mostly highway driving with some country two lane and will see plenty of icy conditions on the NYS Thruway this winter. Thanks for your expertise!

JSolo

iTrader: (14)

After owning a set of blizzacks some years back, I've always viewed it as more of a snow tire than a winter tire. It does great in the snow, but wears fast in the dry. Steering response isn't that great either as the sidewalls are fairly soft.

Running the xice2 now which doesn't do as well in the snow (but well enough that the car is still driveable) but overall driving experience is better.

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't say there is a large difference between the two when it comes to noise quality. If it was down to splitting hairs the Michelin may be a tad quieter. I've always ended up using the Blizzaks but you can't go wrong either way.

bobbo

Thanks Neal; my UPS man just dropped off my WS80s from Tire Rack today!

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

Great! Enjoy

Rodknock

Neal sent you a message the other day about wheel/tire package. Did you receive it? Just wondering if there is a forum discount of any type.

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the call! Sorry for the pm delay, been slammed lately. Enjoy!

Rodknock

No issue bud!! Just wondering if there was a forum member discount, but that's a negative haha
Looking forward to testing em out. Snow should be falling by Monday night!!

Tonewheel

Neal,

I'm reposting a thread from last year that I began on a different forum. I thought I might as well get your expert opinion. Long time Tire Rack customer. Here is my question....

I have a 2014 Q60 Sport coupe.

I have a set of mounted snow tires that were used one season on my 2013 M37 Sport.
Wheels are 18 x 8 and I know they will fit/work properly on my coupe. My question is the tires... and I think I know the answer but I need opinions more knowledgable than mine.

The tires are Blizzak DM-V1's, 235/55R-18. I mounted them on the coupe, and the larger diameter is obvious. They really fill the wheel wells, but there are no obstructions or rubbing.

Should I use these tires, or replace them with tires of the stock size 225/50R-18? My obvious concern is ABS and the other electronic features for stability. The drivability and handling seem OK, but certainly not as sure-footed as my stock Advans. Any other concerns?

Thanks!

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

Those are an inch taller than the oe tire. Although they may not rub now, remember that over bumps, hard turns, and when ice/snow gets packed into the wheel well you'll probably have issues. Speedo will be a bit off as well. The 225/50-18 really is the correct size to use here.