How good are snow tires??

[Superbuick96]

Ive been driving 4wd vehicles for since 2002, 2wd drive cars from 1995-2001. My cars were always fitted with all seasons, and driving in the N.E. Ohio winters wernt all that fun. But lately Iv'e been very interested to find out just how good modern 2wd cars handle the snow, with traction control, and a good set of snow tires. Traction control seems to be a standard feature thesedays, just wondering is a 2wd car with trac. control, and snow tires a good alternative to a awd, or 4wd vehicle?

 

[eljefino]

yes. Numerous threads on the subject. I run them, and have tried all seasons at times. The number one benefit of snows is you can turn predictably, or drive uphill on a crowned road without sliding towards the ditch. All seasons have enough tread to get you moving, but very little to help with lateral forces, IMO. They turn scary when they hit their limits. Snow tires are better with the coefficients of sliding and static friction, fighting to get your traction back. This helps manual corrections, and, presumably, traction control systems as well. IOW the stuff they (should) teach in driver's ed like steering into a skid works with snow tires.

 

[Corvette Owner]

I've found FWD to be almost as good as AWD in the snow. Mainly it's because of the weight being over the drive wheels. Snow tires are now only necessary in those parts of the country/world where you get a lot of snows over 4 inches. I don't see traction control as a big positive in snow, in fact sometimes you have to turn it off to get going, as it may cut all power if both wheels are slipping. Positraction (called different names), where power goes to both wheels or the one with the most traction is better for snow. One interesting problem with FWD is if you are going up a steep hill, enough weight can shift to the rear tires that you loose traction. I saw this last year going up an extremely steep hill, fortunately I had AWD and no problems, but others were not making it up.

 

[IndyIan]

Unless you are in deep deep snow or have to go up big hills, I think FWD with snows even with no electronic nannies, trumps 4wd on all seasons for accident avoidance, if they are a reasonable width for the weight of the car. 2500lb cars on 8" wide snow tires aren't that great, but I like my 2500lb car on 4" wide snow tires as much as my 3000lb 4x4 on 6" wide snow tires when driving on a snow covered highway.

 

[sciphi]

Good enough that the FWD cars I've driven with snow tires have always out-done AWD cars on all-seasons owned by other family members. They always relate how they slid down a snowy hill, while our cars on snow tires stopped/turned fine on the same hill in the same weather. The Cruze's traction control needs to be disabled when starting in deep snow on a hill. It limits wheelspin too much to get going. Once it's going, the TC is fantastic for keeping the car going. I leave it on 95% of the time. The only time it's turned off is when starting on a hill in deep snow.

 

[Indydriver]

Blizzaks are a gamechanger. It is one of the few products on the market where every customer becomes an evangelist for the product, wanting to tell all their friends and neighbors what a great product it is. Once you go winters, you will never go back.

 

[d00df00d]

I have a friend who has a 2005 BMW M3, which is rear wheel drive with a limited-slip diff. He runs winter tires in snowy months. His father has a 2003 BMW 330xi, which is all wheel drive. That car runs all-seasons. One day, the father's car got stuck in snow. My friend went out in his car, drove through the same snow without a problem, and towed his father's car out. Anecdotes aside, here's one thing I always come back to. AWD or 4WD only helps you do one thing in the snow, and that's move forward. It doesn't really help you turn, and it certainly doesn't help you stop. Winter tires, on the other hand, help you do everything: accelerate, turn, and stop. I think that's especially important because, when it comes to safety, turning and stopping are a lot more important than accelerating. I would *much* rather have a RWD car with winter tires (as long as it's not nose-heavy) than an AWD or 4WD vehicle with all-season tires.

 

[Scum_Frog]

What are you comparing the FWD with winter tires to a 4WD with what tires? Although I agree with all the benefits of a FWD with winter tires, if the 4WD is also equiped with winter tires I'll take the 4WD with winter boots everytime. For some reason many people think 4WD do not benefit from winter tires...they are wrong!

 

[A_Harman]

I totally agree with you, Indydriver. I ran Blizzaks for 6 winters on my Camaro, and now run Michelin X-Ice2's. For people driving in the northern tier of states, winter tires are a must, whether you're in a FWD, RWD, or AWD vehicle. They make the difference between white-knuckling your way up snowy hills or around icy bends, and driving with normal blood pressure. They pay for themselves many times over in the accidents you avoid. I'm not a great believer in AWD, because it can lull the unsuspecting driver into a false sense of security. AWD cars can out-accelerate RWD and FWD cars, but they can't stop any better, and only turn better if the driver is careful with coordinating throttle and steering inputs. I see more AWD vehicles off the road during the winter than any other type.

 

[jjjxlr8]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver

...Once you go winters, you will never go back.

+10 It's a night and day difference between good winter tires and good all season tires.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I choose Firestone Winterforce for the low budget though thoroughly excellent alternative to Blizzaks in deep snow. They have a much more open and agressive tread and are excellent performing tires all around. I just had two mounted and balaced and shipped to me on steallies for the new Honda which doesnt go at all in deep snow and slush on oem Dumlop 7000 all seasons.

 

[mpvue]

remember, it's not just the TREAD of the winter tires, but the COMPOUND. they don't harden up like regular tires in the cold, they stay pliable.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

... Also silica or similar abrasives mixed into in the rubber for ice traction.

 

[kschachn]

I am a recent believer in winter tires. I bought a set of Gislaved NordFrost tires for the BMW and all I can say is wow, what a difference. The car does have traction control so that helps as well, but the car is now a -beast- in the snow. The rest of my cars have all seasons which frankly can't hold a candle to the winter tires. I wish I had the money and space to outfit all my other cars with a set of winter tires.

Originally Posted By: jjjxlr8

Originally Posted By: Indydriver

...Once you go winters, you will never go back.

+10 It's a night and day difference between good winter tires and good all season tires.

 

[Quest]

There shall always be drivers/car owners who claimed otherwise, saying that they have been either (a) been driving on all-seasons all these time w/o incidents, or (b)overly confident in believing that their al-mighty automobiles is capable of handling the road conditions with inferior tires, or (c) a combination of both. Fact of the matter is, you don't have control over the weather and/or road conditions (e.g. black ice, etc.) Given that for the most part: winter tire set is approx. the cost of deductables, and also that at the end of the day: it's cheeper to put on a set of winter tires than dealing with the grief and frustrations in post-accident problems, etc. The choice is quite clear to some of us. Either way: it's up to you. I'm a firm believer in winter tire technologies and it's ability to save lives. Lastly: many times, it's not you or your vehicle that cannot handle the road condition but others who skid into your way...you shall be able to out-maneouvre the situation safely/securely with proper winter tires on. Q.

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

They make the difference between white-knuckling your way up snowy hills or around icy bends, and driving with normal blood pressure.

I use this as my big "selling" point when recomending winter tires to family and friends. They are worth it even just for the confidence they will give you driving in bad weather, especially for people that are nervous or don't like driving.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan

Unless you are in deep deep snow or have to go up big hills, I think FWD with snows even with no electronic nannies, trumps 4wd on all seasons for accident avoidance, if they are a reasonable width for the weight of the car. 2500lb cars on 8" wide snow tires aren't that great, but I like my 2500lb car on 4" wide snow tires as much as my 3000lb 4x4 on 6" wide snow tires when driving on a snow covered highway.

I realize you are exaggerating but there are no 4" wide snow tires. that would equate to a p100/XX Snow tires are indeed a gamechanger. Its not that you might be able to get there on all seasons.. it just changes winter driving from stressful to confident(within reason) I also totally agree with the cost of winter tires being equal to one deductable.. one brush against a car or guard rail = paid for my 4 years of snow tires. (not to mention the insurance going up)

 

[MNgopher]

I was one of those "all seasons on a FWD or 4x4 is good enough" guys. After a bad experience with a set of all seasons on our Explorer, we invested in a set of snow tires (Hankook Winter IPike W409s). As others have said, now that I've got them, you won't get me to go back. And I do tell everyone how much better they are. The biggest selling point for me is the much better predictability at the edges of traction. With the all seasons, the lateral grip in particular was unpredictable as to when it would lose traction. Much easier to tell whats going to happen with these. And on a 4x4 SUV, it truly is a tank in the snow now!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d

Anecdotes aside, here's one thing I always come back to. AWD or 4WD only helps you do one thing in the snow, and that's move forward. It doesn't really help you turn, and it certainly doesn't help you stop. Winter tires, on the other hand, help you do everything: accelerate, turn, and stop. I think that's especially important because, when it comes to safety, turning and stopping are a lot more important than accelerating.

Big +1 on this. I love how my RWD car handles winter conditions with proper winter tires on. It does not make me miss my old A4 quattro much at all.

 

[SLCraig]

Winters are great, but you have to get the right ones. I don't buy into the ice tires (expensive Xice or Blizzak) but a regular old set of Altimax Arctic will get you anywhere you want to go. Those are bar none the best snow tires I have ever used, and I have used lots of snow tires including Blizzak (2 sets)