Cheap&quiet winter tire?

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supton

supton

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Ok, I scheduled my vehicle inspection, and need to get tires in the next week or so. Is there a quiet, decent snow tire that can be had in 195/70R14? I see Goodyear Ultra Grips, and of course Winterforce; I'm looking for reasonably cheap, mostly quiet. Deep snow traction is not high on my list: if snow is predicted, I either stay home or drive the truck (plus the car is too low slung to tackle deep snow anyhow). Ice traction, cost, noise are the criteria. So unfortunately Nokian tires are out (great snow tires, loved the ones I had, but the value isn't there for me).

I plan to keep an eye open for summer rims, and will look into RT43's for summer duty. And honestly, if it's $400 to get snow tires I'm going to skip and just get RT43's, as the value isn't there for me (I'd just drive one of my other vehicles which have snow tires anytime the weather looked iffy, and get snow tires next year).
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
These are cheap and quiet and one of the best snow tires I have used.

http://www.gtradial.com/global/Tire-Details/CHAMPIRO_ICEPRO

Not available in that size, though, it seems.


They have a 185/65R14, but that is a -5.2% drop, which would be a pretty big error I'd think.

Still keeping any eye open for another set of rims, as I suspect my options open up if I had 15's.
 
I've ran both the Firestone Winterforce and General Altimax Arctic. For me the General's gave a much quieter ride and had better grip during most situations that weren't deep snow or polished ice. In those situations the Winterforce provided better grip.

If I was commuting 30+ minutes on the highway I would get the Generals. But if I was doing mostly low speed city driving I would end up with the Firestones.
 
Originally Posted By: 09_GXP
I've ran both the Firestone Winterforce and General Altimax Arctic. For me the General's gave a much quieter ride and had better grip during most situations that weren't deep snow or polished ice. In those situations the Winterforce provided better grip.

If I was commuting 30+ minutes on the highway I would get the Generals. But if I was doing mostly low speed city driving I would end up with the Firestones.


Hour each way to work, so I've pretty much ruled out Firestones (unless if I found a great used deal). I wouldn't mind the Altimax Artic, as I've had good experience with the RT43's, and have read good things about Altimax also.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
I wouldn't mind the Altimax Artic,

I like my Arctics and don't find them loud, but I don't think they're available in the size you need.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Ok, I scheduled my vehicle inspection, and need to get tires in the next week or so. Is there a quiet, decent snow tire that can be had in 195/70R14? I see Goodyear Ultra Grips, and of course Winterforce; I'm looking for reasonably cheap, mostly quiet. Deep snow traction is not high on my list: if snow is predicted, I either stay home or drive the truck (plus the car is too low slung to tackle deep snow anyhow). Ice traction, cost, noise are the criteria. So unfortunately Nokian tires are out (great snow tires, loved the ones I had, but the value isn't there for me).

I plan to keep an eye open for summer rims, and will look into RT43's for summer duty. And honestly, if it's $400 to get snow tires I'm going to skip and just get RT43's, as the value isn't there for me (I'd just drive one of my other vehicles which have snow tires anytime the weather looked iffy, and get snow tires next year).


winterforces are far from quiet.

too bad the General Altimax Arctic is not available in your size
 
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Originally Posted By: NateDN10
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct...ar=70&rd=14

Not too many options, it seems.


No, not lots. DTD would get my vote on Black Friday as the deals will beat local; but at the moment the locals are competitive with DTD's pricing.

I'm toying with not buying online this time, as I need to get an alignment, and it might be nice to just find someplace to do both at the same time (which is loads of fun, instead of just reading reviews on tires now I read reviews on shops--short story, all tires suck, all manufacturers suck, all shops suck).
 
I'd get the IG52c's again, they have good hwy manners and have gone to 7/32" in about 25k miles, so I think I will get 35k miles out of them. I'd get some 15" rims and find the tallest narrowest tires that will fit as I assume the 4spd auto isn't geared to tall to pull them.
 
No, it's not bad on the highway, 2,500rpm is about 70mph, give or take. I barely hear the engine actually, tire noise at the moment is winning.
 
Eljefino has Dodge Caravan wheels on his Camry, that might be another route to go (same lug pattern). The 205/65-15 tires seem to ride nicer than the 195/70-14 I had on my other Camry.

Actually here's a website with a list of cars with your lug pattern. Gives you more search options online like

"Toyota Tacoma wheels" or "Honda Accord wheels"

http://www.wheelsupport.com/bolt-pattern-list-5-x-114-3/
 
Discount tire ordered my Generals when they were not on their webpage or in stock. They were there the next morning. Call and talk to someone, their service is fantastic.
 
Originally Posted By: Dorian
Discount tire ordered my Generals when they were not on their webpage or in stock.

It's a slight challenge to order a tire that does not exist.
smile.gif
 
I've run the Hankook W419 IPikes before and found them to be a decent winter tire. Currently running a set of the Hankook RW11 IPikes on our Explorer. In general, I don't find them to be very noisy, though there is definitely a bit lower humm to them versus all season tires...

Treadwear was pretty good on both sets, had 10,000 miles on the W419's when I sold them and had only worn a bit...

I'd run them over a winterforce hands down!
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Eljefino has Dodge Caravan wheels on his Camry, that might be another route to go (same lug pattern). The 205/65-15 tires seem to ride nicer than the 195/70-14 I had on my other Camry.

Actually here's a website with a list of cars with your lug pattern. Gives you more search options online like

"Toyota Tacoma wheels" or "Honda Accord wheels"

http://www.wheelsupport.com/bolt-pattern-list-5-x-114-3/


Ah, thanks--the site I had found did not have center bore size. I had been just looking for Camry-specific rims, since, if I lucked out on OEM rims, I'd know they'd fit.

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Good winter tyres will make more noise, just turn on the stereo!


I like driving with the radio off, though. It's when I get bored that I start playing with the radio.

Two hours a day on loud tires won't be pleasant. Since I have other vehicles with snow tires, it simply isn't of a high value to me to have "proper" tires on this car.

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
I've run the Hankook W419 IPikes before and found them to be a decent winter tire. Currently running a set of the Hankook RW11 IPikes on our Explorer. In general, I don't find them to be very noisy, though there is definitely a bit lower humm to them versus all season tires...

Treadwear was pretty good on both sets, had 10,000 miles on the W419's when I sold them and had only worn a bit...

I'd run them over a winterforce hands down!


I have iPikes on the truck, and boy do they work in snow. Ok, I haven't had any other kind of snow tire on it, so I shouldn't say that--but that truck handles snow quite nicely now. I'm not sure I really notice when they are on; sound deadner is a wonderful thing.
 
Did some digging, turns out I had Nordman 2's in the past, which flat spotted on me after 30k. Of course I just emailed a shop about quote on them anyhow, at least I asked for a price on Firestone Precision Tourings while I was at it (about the only other tire I was interested in; they have some Bridgestones and Nationals, but are mostly Nokian).
 
My pick(both cheap/reasonably priced & quiet) would be the AltiMax Arctic however, you're saying that they aren't available in your size. The Winterforce are neither smooth nor quiet(by comparison) but they are reasonably priced. Or just get the RT43s as their snow performance is quite good for an all season tire.
 
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Didn't your wife drive RT43s in the winter? Maybe you can just get a set of those and drive the truck on heavy days, if it isn't a heavy day the RT43s are probably good enough.

But I also know nothing about driving in snow, so...
 
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