Hankooks $10 premium per tire over Michelins

[Finklejag]

It looks like like my girlfriend wants to buy some snow tires these week. We won't be installing them until December though. We narrowed it down to the Michelin X-Ice or the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice WRT. Now I see America's Tire locally have the Hankooks I*Cept Evo W310 in stock. The two former are T rated, and the Hankooks are V rated. The Hankooks are $170.00 a piece, and the Michelins are $160.00.

My girlfirend drives 70 miles a day, all highway. For the most part, we get a solid 3 months of rain in the winter, with temps down to mid 30's. We do get the occasional ice storm or snow storm. We also usually get a week a dry cold weather in the 20's.

So I was looking at a snow tire that would perform better in the cold rain and not slush or heavy snow. The Michelins look to be the best for this condition. Now that I see the Hankooks are V rated. Im thinking these will be better for highway speeds in the cold rain?


These will be going on a Chevy Cruze, 215/55/17's


Hankook

Michelin

 

[JHZR2]

doubtful. "Highway speeds"? She better be careful or she will end up dead, snow tires or not. Winter tires should not be considered a substitute for VERY careful driving when conditions arent right.

They are a tool to get through, not to allow someone to pretend that it's dry out.

Might the car handle slightly different? Well, what was the basis of the stock tire? I can't say I noted a difference going from H to W rated tires on my saab. Would I notice a difference going to T? Perhaps.

But again, driving in the conditions they are designed for, more care is necessary anyway, so the opportunity to "feel" the difference should not exist.

 

[Colt45ws]

The Hankooks appear to be performance winter tires. Theoretically, they will have better wear than a studless winter such as the Xice.
They will be more biased towards the type of weather you speak of; rather than ultimate snow/ice traction.
One thing Im liking about the Hankook is the higher speed rating and the fact that is is asymmetrical. Bad part is, I cant find a whole lot of substantial info on the Hankook.. It must be a new tire because I cant find it in any comparison.

 

[sciphi]

OEM tires on the Cruze Eco he's talking about are the same GY Assurance FuelMax tires on mine. Likely 580/A/A, V speed rated. They're not a wet-weather tire at all.

I'd look hard at getting those in 215/60-16 mounted on a set of cheap alloys. The cost of mounting/balancing snow tires on the OEM wheels will pay for the alloys. Even at $50 every time, that's $100/year. 16" alloys for the Cruze run about $100 each, so she'd have the alloys paid for in 4 years.

To the original question: Likely the Michelins will be just fine, even though they have a lower speed rating. Even more likely is that she won't notice. I didn't notice going from a T-rated all-season to a Q-rated snow tire last year.

I looked hard at the Michelins, but decided against them since for the deeper snow/slush I'd need to get through they weren't reviewed that well.

 

[Seguino]

T rated tires are approved to 118MPH so there is no need to use a V rated tire unless she is going to exceed that speed.

Comparing a V rated tire from one manufacturer with a T rated one from another manufacturer is a little like the apples and oranges thing.

Check out the Toyo Garit K/X. I have had them for three winters and they work beautifully and wear like iron. Winter weather where I live is similar to yours.

Best of luck.

 

[Colt45ws]

I wouldnt take speed ratings quite so literally.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I wouldnt take speed ratings quite so literally.


Yes. My Cruze has S-Rated (!!!) Tires that do just fine on the highway and in wet weather. Time will tell how they do in the snow (We don't buy snow tires in my family).

 

[Seguino]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I wouldnt take speed ratings quite so literally.


Is a T rated tire going to blow to smithereens at 119MPH? Of course not.

Are T and V rated tires perfectly adequate at speeds 99percent of people do on the highway? Absolutely.

 

[Oil Changer]

There are "snow and ice" winter tires and there are "peformance" winter tires. Judging from your post you do want the performance winter tire. Even the performance winter tire is substantially better than the best all season during winter temperatures.

I will pile on with the others and say that winter tires do not allow you to be reckless. Physics will win every time. I own the I2's and they come close.

Be aware that Michelin makes an X-Ice I2 and the X-Ice. It is the I2 that is the top rated tire.

 

[dailydriver]

That's strange, because in my size (225/55-16), the T-rated X-Ice 2 Michelins are MUCH more than the V-rated, Hankook Ice Bears at DTD.

 

[Finklejag]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
That's strange, because in my size (225/55-16), the T-rated X-Ice 2 Michelins are MUCH more than the V-rated, Hankook Ice Bears at DTD.

The Ice Bears are being replaced by the I*CEPT.

I didn't mean she will be driving 80 mph when it's 30 degrees out and raining. I was thinking the V rated tires would have a stiffer sidewall and less thread squirm at highway speeds.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Finklejag
Now that I see the Hankooks are V rated. Im thinking these will be better for highway speeds in the cold rain?

Speed rating has little to do with rain traction, so you can't really judge the two tires based on this alone. But yeah, the V-rated tire will probably be slightly better in terms of steering response when it's dry out, but unless you drive in a very spirited way, you'll barely notice it. My winter tires are Q-rated (215/60), and they handle highway speeds (dry or wet) perfectly fine.

The Michelin one you posted looks like it'd handle snow/slush better.

 

[Finklejag]

Well it looks like she wants the Michelins. I think they will fit the bill. They have a 40,000 mile treadlife warranty. The majority of the winter tires don't have a treadlife warranty. The I-ICE xi2's are also LRR. That's what is on her Cruze ECO right now.

 

[weebl]

I don't know enough about these tires. I will add my comments though, when I lived in a climate quite similar to Portland. I had my Mazda Protege living in Vancouver, BC, and the winter tires I had were the Kumho KW-11 (no longer sold). Not the best tire for deep snow, they were more suited to rain, slush and were decent in ice. You will likely want to pick the tire that does dest in rain/slush, and is capable of decent ice traction for those frosty mornings. Better treadwear should also be a factor, as I suspect 75% of the time or more, it will be bare or wet pavement.

Change your focus, though if she'll be making a lot of mountain trips during the winter (like heading up for skiing).

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I wouldnt take speed ratings quite so literally.


Agree. Speed ratings on most cars are a knob to tune for handling characteristics, not terminal speed.

That said, they can make a difference in how the car handles, thus why I asked.

Still, in general more care needs to be taken in the wintertime when driving, so Id be happy with the lower speed tires if cheaper and a better name.

 

[kkreit01]

That's huge $ on a winter set. I'd downsize to 16 or even 15 if brakes allow. The savings in tires will buy you a set of extra wheels. My car has 18s. I'm also thinking of getting snows, but I'd downsize to 16. I can get very good winter tires for the $100/ea. range. OE Steelies on CL = $100 for the set. Done....don't have to worry about swapping tires, swapping TMPS, etc. My Focus had OE 17s, and I had 15" winter tires/wheels.

 

[mechtech2]

Why in the world would you get snow tires for those minimal snow conditions?
Seems like a very strange idea!
Really, an all season would be far better for 99% of what you do.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I wouldnt take speed ratings quite so literally.


Agree. Speed ratings on most cars are a knob to tune for handling characteristics, not terminal speed.

That said, they can make a difference in how the car handles, thus why I asked.

Still, in general more care needs to be taken in the wintertime when driving, so Id be happy with the lower speed tires if cheaper and a better name.


Snow tires are a different story though. Speed rating will affect the type of tread material that can be used due to the heat generation at higher speeds.

For example, compare the Blizzak WS-60 to LM-60.

Visually they are the same tire. But the difference is skin deep. The LM-60 doesn't have the Multicell Tube compound at the heat generated at say... H-speed rating (130 mph), the Multi-cell Tube compound will quickly deteriorate, this is why the LM-60 uses a harder tread compound all the way through.

 

[Finklejag]

She bought the Michelins. We will use the $70.00 rebate for the mount and balance cost. She will put them on after Thanksgiving.

 

[dishdude]

Are those VW tire cozys? Cool!