Are snow tires needed for SE Michigan winters?

[a2gtinut]

I call A/S tires -no season tires. so so in wet or dry and terrible in snow.
We have two cars and both have set of winter shoes and set for sticky "Summer" shoes.
Quality winter tires handle like A/S on dry but better when gets colder.
Winter set is a cheap insurance.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: a2gtinut
I call A/S tires -no season tires. so so in wet or dry and terrible in snow.
We have two cars and both have set of winter shoes and set for sticky "Summer" shoes.
Quality winter tires handle like A/S on dry but better when gets colder.
Winter set is a cheap insurance.

I have DWS on Tiguan for late Spring, summer and early fall.
Here, snow can fall any time except June, July and August, and if you are in mountains, oh well. I was driving once over Independence Pass in early August, half an inch of powder was on the road. So good A/S tire helps actually in those months. But once November hits, only true snow goes on car.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have to say how impressed i am with these GT Radial snow tires. Excellent value. Once this first winter is over I'll have to create a review.

Decided to go riding around the University area of Syracuse last night. Usually it's not plowed since most people there walk to campus. And it's hilly.

Got behind a superior driver (no snow tires) in a Grand Cherokee (WJ model). Came to one of the hills and I stopped at the bottom and watched the Grand Cherokee struggle to get up. There was a plow truck behind me.

I think the guy in the plow truck thought he was going to have to help tow me up. I started out in first gear, killed the traction control and made it up in 1/4 of the time of the Grand cherokee without even trying. Obviously the plow truck had no problem.

I did have to admit defeat. I was trying for one hill - the one that got my Jeep last year - and almost made it up. It was 8'' of unplowed snow wit ha few wheel tracks. Almost at the top there was someone walking down the road even though the sidewalks were shoveled. Ended up catching a bit of a snow drift and had to stop because there was a bunch of garbage cans in the road.


Originally Posted By: madRiver

Friend of mine got in another significant wreck with his car ... due to can't afford snow tires. Last time his insurance deductible would have bought a nice set of winterforce, and EASILY bought a set of GT Radial or Imperial snow tires. This one was another pretty good one and may have totaled out the car.



I went out with the Sonata when we were getting the 20". I called it quits at around 10 inches as I was hitting to many ruts and didn't want to trash my plastic bumper and switched to Sequoia.

Prior to switch at 8-10 inches I stopped to help a lady in an Accord on A/S stuck halfway in main road (heading to a wedding). Her husband had left to walk home to get a shovel (about 1/2 mile away). I used my avalanche shovel and cleared 1 foot front and back of each wheel. Explained the traction control button that she had no clue because she said the wheels wouldn't really spin either and car had no power. I got it out with no real issue and put it in the gas station that had tracks going through it so she could wait. Told her I'd check after 7-11 coffee run if she wasn't gone yet. Husband came back and they were stuck in the tracks still not using TC off.

I proceeded to make MANY tire tracks from her car out to main road (while husband cleared a path in front of tires until he got to the packed area. Packed down half of gas station I think, no wheel spin at all with the Blizzaks. They actually asked what I had and took a picture of tire/name so they could buy some. They were amazed that I had no concern about traction issues and saw that wheels didn't spin the whole time.

Maybe I need a lift kit for the Sonata? My son (15) tried my car and my Father-in-laws AWD CRV (on 4 two week old Michelin defenders in the cul de sac. He was amazed that my car had better traction starting and stopping.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Love how one persons experience with no issues for 25 years and not ever trying snow/winter tires is supposed to outweigh those who have actually tried them and convince someone they really don't need snow tires...

Should tell you something...


It does tell you something you can drive near 50 years combined on all-seasons in winter conditions without dying or body work to car.....Lots of drama on this board...

I have driven on winter tires when I had a company car BMW 323i at my disposal. They made a useless in winter car usable in the snow due to RWD and turned/stopped better. However for the 1-2 weeks of winter we actually get I just did not see it worth purchasing winter tires for myself and my wife neither. They plow and salt/sand like crazy. Traffic is slow anyway when this happens.

Just another prospective. And yes my parents have made it near 45 years each without snow tires driving in New England and no accidents...

No idea what OP sees for winter in SE Michigan. Winter tires are nice to have for many and requirement for some.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Love how one persons experience with no issues for 25 years and not ever trying snow/winter tires is supposed to outweigh those who have actually tried them and convince someone they really don't need snow tires...

Should tell you something...


It does tell you something you can drive near 50 years combined on all-seasons in winter conditions without dying or body work to car.....Lots of drama on this board...

I have driven on winter tires when I had a company car BMW 323i at my disposal. They made a useless in winter car usable in the snow due to RWD and turned/stopped better. However for the 1-2 weeks of winter we actually get I just did not see it worth purchasing winter tires for myself and my wife neither. They plow and salt/sand like crazy. Traffic is slow anyway when this happens.

Just another prospective. And yes my parents have made it near 45 years each without snow tires driving in New England and no accidents...

No idea what OP sees for winter in SE Michigan. Winter tires are nice to have for many and requirement for some.


Some of those 45 years were driven without seat belts. Many without airbags.

Does their experience now prove that those things are not needed, either?

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Love how one persons experience with no issues for 25 years and not ever trying snow/winter tires is supposed to outweigh those who have actually tried them and convince someone they really don't need snow tires...

Should tell you something...


It does tell you something you can drive near 50 years combined on all-seasons in winter conditions without dying or body work to car.....Lots of drama on this board...

I have driven on winter tires when I had a company car BMW 323i at my disposal. They made a useless in winter car usable in the snow due to RWD and turned/stopped better. However for the 1-2 weeks of winter we actually get I just did not see it worth purchasing winter tires for myself and my wife neither. They plow and salt/sand like crazy. Traffic is slow anyway when this happens.

Just another prospective. And yes my parents have made it near 45 years each without snow tires driving in New England and no accidents...

No idea what OP sees for winter in SE Michigan. Winter tires are nice to have for many and requirement for some.

People who have accidents always have one for the first time.
My dad was rally driver, after that put xxxxxxx miles etc. One day he hit huge rock that was part of actually ver small rock slide. But this one rock was pretty big. It was slick, and he did not have time to touch the brake. He hit with right front side driving Lancia Lybra 2.4jtd. Rock actually sliced shock absorber like it was cut with precision cutting knife. Axle was torn out of differential, etc, etc. Now he lost brakes since brake line was cut. Car kept going and only reason why he stayed on the road and not ended up in frozen river were new Good Year Ultra Grip 7 snow tires that managed to keep car in straight line on slick road. You could see tire marks as momentum was put on tires.
In the end it is not all about you. Here people too drive on A/S and then when snow hits, they need 8hrs to go down from Breckenridge to Denver. Last year there was 68 car pile up on I70 Eastbound going down from mountains to Denver. It was not snowing etc, just bit slick. I bet a lot of those people drove their cars all their life on A/S tires.
And last week in CO? I cannot remember how many cars with AS tires got stuck in my street.

 

[beetleything]

Ed - your are a rarity - someone with common sense and a sensible way of looking at things.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Sequoiasoon
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I have to say how impressed i am with these GT Radial snow tires. Excellent value. Once this first winter is over I'll have to create a review.

Decided to go riding around the University area of Syracuse last night. Usually it's not plowed since most people there walk to campus. And it's hilly.

Got behind a superior driver (no snow tires) in a Grand Cherokee (WJ model). Came to one of the hills and I stopped at the bottom and watched the Grand Cherokee struggle to get up. There was a plow truck behind me.

I think the guy in the plow truck thought he was going to have to help tow me up. I started out in first gear, killed the traction control and made it up in 1/4 of the time of the Grand cherokee without even trying. Obviously the plow truck had no problem.

I did have to admit defeat. I was trying for one hill - the one that got my Jeep last year - and almost made it up. It was 8'' of unplowed snow wit ha few wheel tracks. Almost at the top there was someone walking down the road even though the sidewalks were shoveled. Ended up catching a bit of a snow drift and had to stop because there was a bunch of garbage cans in the road.


Originally Posted By: madRiver

Friend of mine got in another significant wreck with his car ... due to can't afford snow tires. Last time his insurance deductible would have bought a nice set of winterforce, and EASILY bought a set of GT Radial or Imperial snow tires. This one was another pretty good one and may have totaled out the car.



I went out with the Sonata when we were getting the 20". I called it quits at around 10 inches as I was hitting to many ruts and didn't want to trash my plastic bumper and switched to Sequoia.

Prior to switch at 8-10 inches I stopped to help a lady in an Accord on A/S stuck halfway in main road (heading to a wedding). Her husband had left to walk home to get a shovel (about 1/2 mile away). I used my avalanche shovel and cleared 1 foot front and back of each wheel. Explained the traction control button that she had no clue because she said the wheels wouldn't really spin either and car had no power. I got it out with no real issue and put it in the gas station that had tracks going through it so she could wait. Told her I'd check after 7-11 coffee run if she wasn't gone yet. Husband came back and they were stuck in the tracks still not using TC off.

I proceeded to make MANY tire tracks from her car out to main road (while husband cleared a path in front of tires until he got to the packed area. Packed down half of gas station I think, no wheel spin at all with the Blizzaks. They actually asked what I had and took a picture of tire/name so they could buy some. They were amazed that I had no concern about traction issues and saw that wheels didn't spin the whole time.

Maybe I need a lift kit for the Sonata? My son (15) tried my car and my Father-in-laws AWD CRV (on 4 two week old Michelin defenders in the cul de sac. He was amazed that my car had better traction starting and stopping.


I overheated my Focus one winter, by driving it through snow that deep. It plugged up the grille completely.

Apparently you can't plow with a bottom breather car

 

[SLCraig]

I swear by them. (SW Ontario)
It's easier to eat the cost when you figure that by having 2 sets of tires, you are also allowing your all season or summer set to last quite a bit longer as well.

 

[Sam_Julier]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Love how one persons experience with no issues for 25 years and not ever trying snow/winter tires is supposed to outweigh those who have actually tried them and convince someone they really don't need snow tires...

I once thought that way - I got by on all season tires for years. One bad set of all seasons, and I tried a set of snows. Haven't looked back. All my vehicles, including my 4WD pickup and 4WD Explorer get snow tires.

Should tell you something...


Yeah...the logic is: with a sample size of zero, I can draw a firm conclusion...

Tells me a lot.

My now ex-wife used to ascribe to the "I have a 4WD, so I don't need snow tires" school of thought, bolstered by the "I grew up in Vermont, so I know how to drive" syllogism.

Then one day, an icy wintry mix in Stowe, VT, she slid all the way down our road to Rte 100...ABS chattering all the way as the Ford Expedition went faster and faster, unable to grip the road with its all terrain tires. She barely made it, and nearly wrecked as she slid out onto 100.

I had no problems that same morning in my RWD Volvo 240 SW equipped with 4 Nokian Hakkapelliittas.

So, the Expedition got 4 Bridgestone truck snow tires (DMZ-something).

Same road on which the Subies all wrecked by the way, the victims of the limited snow/ice traction provided by their all season tires.

Traction matters.

And true winter tires have up to TWICE the snow/ice traction of all season (or all terrain) tires. That's not a minor difference. That's a phenomenal difference that has to be experienced to be believed.


+ 1
I''ve been running Volvo 240, 740 and 960 RWD wagons from CT to Stowe VT every winter since the early 1990's with Bridgestone Blizzaks. Never a problem. Traction rules.

 

[Astro14]

Sam - where do you stay in Stowe?

I've been skiing that mountain for 30+ years. I was just there last weekend. My daughter still lives there, so I get up there often....