All Weather or Winter Tires ?

[NO2]

I am looking at 2 options for a '23 Subaru Outback. We live in Northern Michigan, drive entirely on roads, and get a fair amount of snow (100"/yr) and a limited amount of ice. We travel south a few times per year and Michigan temps vary a lot during the spring and fall so we are considering all-weather tires.

Option 1: All Weather
a. General Altimax 365. Pros: Excellent snow and ice traction, less rolling resistance. Cons: Average wet and dry braking, average (60K) life
b. Michelin CrossClimate2 Pros: Excellent snow, better wet and dry traction, long life (85K) Cons: Average ice traction, more rolling resistance

Option 2: Winter tires / All season tires. Looking at Continental Purecontact LS or Michelin CrossClimate2/ Michelin Xice3 or Blizzak WS90 for snows
cons: hassle to store, seasonal changeouts, not ideal in varying temps pros: slightly better winter and summer performance.

What would you do? Please suggest different tires or a different mix.

 

[Oro_O]

What car and tire combination have you used in the past, what was your comfort level with that? You must have some comfort level with the winter conditions. The best recommendation would factor in driver experience and ability.

And the winter tires aren't going to give "slightly" better winter performance IME. They are going to be substantially better.

 

[99Saturn]

We travel south a few times per year and Michigan temps vary a lot during the spring and fall so we are considering all-weather tires.

What's the temperature range the tires are going to see? Are you saying its going to be in the 70s, 60s, 50s frequently?

We have a set of Xi3s on our Cruze and been happy with them in NY snow. Obviously a much different car.

 

[stormgol]

all weather tires have improved so much i am even considering them year round and i live in northern canada. i am going to florida this december and i will probably get the general altimax 365aw. in 225-45-18 v speed rating. in michigan, an all weather tire is all the tire you need, especially with a snow tank like an outback. but yes, dedicated snow tires will be better, but not as much as one might think. these new breed of all weather tires are impressive.

 

[ecotourist]

When I lived in Alberta, where there are hot summers, cold winters and unpredictable snows in the spring and fall I did the following:
(1) High performance all season radials with good snow capabilities for the "snow is gone" to "snow is here to stay" season
(2) Winter tires for the other half of the year (that's a slight exaggeration)

The high performance all season radials with good snow capabilities were to avoid getting caught by those unexpected snow storms that always seemed to happen when I was 3 hours away from home. The snow tires speak for themselves. Both sets of tires were on their own rims.

 

[UG_Passat]

I am looking at 2 options for a '23 Subaru Outback. We live in Northern Michigan, drive entirely on roads, and get a fair amount of snow (100"/yr) and a limited amount of ice. We travel south a few times per year and Michigan temps vary a lot during the spring and fall so we are considering all-weather tires.

Option 1: All Weather
a. General Altimax 365. Pros: Excellent snow and ice traction, less rolling resistance. Cons: Average wet and dry braking, average (60K) life
b. Michelin CrossClimate2 Pros: Excellent snow, better wet and dry traction, long life (85K) Cons: Average ice traction, more rolling resistance

Option 2: Winter tires / All season tires. Looking at Continental Purecontact LS or Michelin CrossClimate2/ Michelin Xice3 or Blizzak WS90 for snows
cons: hassle to store, seasonal changeouts, not ideal in varying temps pros: slightly better winter and summer performance.

What would you do? Please suggest different tires or a different mix.

Since you predominately drive in actual winter conditions, Go with Option 2.

In my situation, in the winter, I see conditions around 70 deg F, with the occasional trips to the mountains for ski season. So, an all-weather is better suited for me

 

[edyvw]

Based on location, real winter tires.
Not any kind of ALL tires.

 

[fsdork]

The trips south are the real challenge. As others have said, there is no beating snow tires in ice and snow. If you go to all-weather, you're dropping some winter performance for durability. If you go with dedicated winters, you risk burning them off on warm roads due to the trips south. Also, the soft rubber of winter tires, particularly when the tread is deep, is not confidence inspiring on warm, dry roads. I still remember a panic stop I had to make in those conditions on a set of X-Ice about 15 years ago. It was scary.

All factors considered, my vote would be for all-weather in your case. It's not what I'd want to drive on in Michigan in the winter, but that's not the only place you're driving, so a compromise is inevitable.

 

[edyvw]

The trips south are the real challenge. As others have said, there is no beating snow tires in ice and snow. If you go to all-weather, you're dropping some winter performance for durability. If you go with dedicated winters, you risk burning them off on warm roads due to the trips south. Also, the soft rubber of winter tires, particularly when the tread is deep, is not confidence inspiring on warm, dry roads. I still remember a panic stop I had to make in those conditions on a set of X-Ice about 15 years ago. It was scary.

All factors considered, my vote would be for all-weather in your case. It's not what I'd want to drive on in Michigan in the winter, but that's not the only place you're driving, so a compromise is inevitable.

Snow tire will be fine in any part of Michigan in winter. Unless he means South as Florida.

 

[Bighorn2500]

Snow tires on cheap OE steel wheels has worked out well for me in MI on my Ram truck. Wife’s AWD Durango has Michelin Defender LTX, if its real bad out we take my truck or stay home. Truck & sled trailer to the UP and snow tires have done great.

 

[John105]

What's the temperature range the tires are going to see? Are you saying its going to be in the 70s, 60s, 50s frequently?

We have a set of Xi3s on our Cruze and been happy with them in NY snow. Obviously a much different car.

I have those on my RWD Lexus, they are one of the noisiest tires I've ever owned, to the point of thinking I had a prob with the rear diff. If I could do it again, I'd try some flavor of Blizzaks. my .02

 

[edyvw]

I have those on my RWD Lexus, they are one of the noisiest tires I've ever owned, to the point of thinking I had a prob with the rear diff. If I could do it again, I'd try some flavor of Blizzaks. my .02

That might be an issue with that particular set. No Blizzak will be quieter than Michelin. Michelin Xi3 is also discontinued.

 

[John105]

That might be an issue with that particular set. No Blizzak will be quieter than Michelin. Michelin Xi3 is also discontinued.

After my initial experience, I googled the tires and many complaints on the noise. At the end of the day, their job is to perform in snow, and they are ok there. Just that most of the time our roads are dry and the noise can be annoying...I'm not exaggerating in any way. I bought a used Lexus in Oct 2016 and got the snows on rims literally a week prior to picking up the car. I swapped them within a week so i was not used to the car just yet. I actually thought something was wrong with the rear end, and when googling, the LS had no known issues with the rear diff but the Tundras did, so I believed I was the exception having a problem. As soon as the all seasons went back on spring 2017, quiet...

 

[dadto2]

I've had several different version of the Nokian WRs on the Volvos, and have the Nokian Rotiivas on my truck. They've all been fantastic year round choices. Need to replace the Rotiivas this fall after 52k miles of service.

 

[John105]

I've had several different version of the Nokian WRs on the Volvos, and have the Nokian Rotiivas on my truck. They've all been fantastic year round choices. Need to replace the Rotiivas this fall after 52k miles of service.

What feels like 30 years ago, probably because it was, I had the Hakkapeliitta 1's, and the 10's, both with studs. When in Vermont, do what the Vermonters do.

 

[edyvw]

After my initial experience, I googled the tires and many complaints on the noise. At the end of the day, their job is to perform in snow, and they are ok there. Just that most of the time our roads are dry and the noise can be annoying...I'm not exaggerating in any way. I bought a used Lexus in Oct 2016 and got the snows on rims literally a week prior to picking up the car. I swapped them within a week so i was not used to the car just yet. I actually thought something was wrong with the rear end, and when googling, the LS had no known issues with the rear diff but the Tundras did, so I believed I was the exception having a problem. As soon as the all seasons went back on spring 2017, quiet...

I am not saying you are exaggerating.
I had every Blizzak model in the last 10yrs and Michelin. Every Michelin snow had noise level like average AS tire.
But IMO, Continental VikingContact 7 does all things good. Better rounded snow tire than Blizzak or Michelin.

 

[Astro14]

I am looking at 2 options for a '23 Subaru Outback. We live in Northern Michigan, drive entirely on roads, and get a fair amount of snow (100"/yr) and a limited amount of ice. We travel south a few times per year and Michigan temps vary a lot during the spring and fall so we are considering all-weather tires.

Option 1: All Weather
a. General Altimax 365. Pros: Excellent snow and ice traction, less rolling resistance. Cons: Average wet and dry braking, average (60K) life
b. Michelin CrossClimate2 Pros: Excellent snow, better wet and dry traction, long life (85K) Cons: Average ice traction, more rolling resistance

Option 2: Winter tires / All season tires. Looking at Continental Purecontact LS or Michelin CrossClimate2/ Michelin Xice3 or Blizzak WS90 for snows
cons: hassle to store, seasonal changeouts, not ideal in varying temps pros: slightly better winter and summer performance.

What would you do? Please suggest different tires or a different mix.

Option 2*. Big steps:

1. Buy the all seasons of your choice.

2. Find a good set of used OEM wheels. Put a set of four Nokian Hakkapelliittas on them. Put on the car before Halloween.

3. Wait for the first big snowstorm, then laugh at all the SUVs and AWD cars that can’t stop or turn nearly as well as you can.


*Before some wag notes that I have Virginia Beach listed, I grew up in Winnipeg and Connecticut. I have lived in Northern Vermont and Colorado. I currently work in Colorado six months/year. I ski Utah, and my daughter lives there, and drives the 2002 V70 T5 with four Blizzaks on spare wheels. My son lives in Vermont and runs four Hakkapelliittas on used Volvo wheels on his 2001 V70. The FWD cars with four winter tires are absolute beasts in the snow.

 

[PF52]

If it were me, I'd use winter tires on cheap steel wheels. I've used them on regular FWD cars, and it made them unstoppable in the snow. I can only imagine how good an AWD would be!

So the other set of wheels..... I assume those would be all-seasons? Surely you're not using dedicated summer performance tires on the Outback.

If you're headed far enough south, and for an extended period of time, you could just switch back to the wheels with the all-seasons.

 

[Astro14]

If it were me, I'd use winter tires on cheap steel wheels. I've used them on regular FWD cars, and it made them unstoppable in the snow. I can only imagine how good an AWD would be!

So the other set of wheels..... I assume those would be all-seasons? Surely you're not using dedicated summer performance tires on the Outback.

If you're headed far enough south, and for an extended period of time, you could just switch back to the wheels with the all-seasons.

Hard to find steel wheels any more. Particularly that fit new bolt patterns and clear larger brakes. Even Tire Rack charges more for new steel wheels than good used alloy OEM wheels.

Just bought four reconditioned 17” Volvo wheels for my Colorado car for $500 - on which I will mount four winter tires.

 

[PF52]

Hard to find steel wheels any more.

That's a good point..... Even if your particular car has a base-model steel wheel option, they just might not clear the brakes of the higher-spec models.