Cooper Weather-Master S/T2

[novadude]

Anyone use this winter tire? From what I can tell, it is a relatively new offering from Cooper. Consumer Reports tested it, and the nearly IDENTICAL Mastercraft Glacier Grip II (made by Cooper), and they said good things about the Mastercraft (and were not as kind to the Cooper, even though it is THE SAME TIRE, other than a SLIGHTLY different tread). Since Coopers are more available for me than Mastercraft (local stores), I was thinking of trying a set. Anyone have any opinions?

 

[rpn453]

I really like my Weathermaster S/T2's. I'd definitely buy them again. They grip well, they have nice big gaps that eat deep snow, they're quiet on the highway, they've worn well, and they're studdable, which I consider a requirement for real winter tires. My Mazda3 came with Goodyear RS-A's. They're all-seasons and I couldn't find any inexpensive steelies with the proper offset so I thought I'd wait a bit and try to find some OEM 16" aluminum ones on E-bay. Well, then it snowed. I couldn't get in or out of my parking lot, I couldn't get up the hill from my apartment, I couldn't turn a corner without running into a snowbank, I couldn't back out of the snowbank, and almost everytime I put the brakes on the ABS would come on and extend my stopping distances even further. So, I sucked it up and bought some OEM steelies for $120 a pop and put some 205/55R16 Weathermasters on. The difference was comparable to riding a snowboard down a mountain vs. a piece of cardboard. One works great, the other should be illegal. My ABS came on maybe twice, and very lightly, the rest of the winter. My buddy used the Cooper Discover studded tires on his suburban and they also worked very well.

 

[novadude]

quote:

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I really like my Weathermaster S/T2's. I'd definitely buy them again. They grip well, they have nice big gaps that eat deep snow, they're quiet on the highway, they've worn well, and they're studdable, which I consider a requirement for real winter tires.

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Sounds like everything I am looking for. Thanks! It was either these or the Winterforce (Firestone) tires, but I like the idea of supporting an American company. I have also read mixed reviews on the winterforce, with respect to wear, noise, and dry pavement handling.