Which of these winter tires should I pick?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: ExMachina
Originally Posted By: krzyss
VR, HR - the R means radial, it is not any speed or load rating, just construction.
Nowadays it probably could be skipped for any car tire.
Krzys

VR means the tire was tested to 149 mph speed, and HR to 130 mph, and it does indicate how tough the tire is. Its a speed rating. Not load rating. Its how much margin it has structurally during heat build-up and stress.


Speed ratings on the sidewall are designated by a single letter, not by two. It is V, not VR. It is H, not HR. It is R, not RR. You are the only person on the planet who uses 2 letters to designate the speed rating.


Nope. From my own recollection this is a dated nomenclature, verified by Wikipedia:

"Prior to 1991, tire speed ratings were shown inside the tire size, before the "R" "construction type. The available codes were SR (112 mph, 180 km/h), HR (130 mph, 210 km/h), VR (in excess of 130 mph, 210 km/h)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code
 
Originally Posted By: HangFire

Nope. From my own recollection this is a dated nomenclature, verified by Wikipedia:

"Prior to 1991, tire speed ratings were shown inside the tire size, before the "R" "construction type. The available codes were SR (112 mph, 180 km/h), HR (130 mph, 210 km/h), VR (in excess of 130 mph, 210 km/h)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code


Good points. Amazing how my habit from 1991 persists to this day. Yes, they used to say "225/50HR-17". I should move the "H" out immediately. Actually, I'll do it next week.
 
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
Originally Posted By: JHZR2


Your profile says youre from NJ. Sure, Cape May is different from Warren County, but you should unerstand the climate and generally what its like. Often the roads are dry. Sometimes they are slushy or black ice. Only in storms or a day or three after are the roads truly coated...


Who said I was from Cape May?

I'm in Sussex Co, near the town of Sussex.

So, yes, I do understand what Warren Co is like in the winter, it's easier than Sussex Co.


I didnt. I dont live in either, Im just saying that a southern peninsua is different from something in the far north(west)... but that as a small mid-atlantic state, the weather is what it is overall.

And as a local note, forgive me if Sussex has it worse than Warren... I thought Warren by the gap had the worst weather... Regardless hope you get what Im saying now... (Bergen/Camden county here with some Monroe County PA mixed in).
 
I put Michelin X-ice Xi3 on our Accord last year and was very happy with the decision. They were excellent in ice and both packed and unpacked snow. I would recommend them based on my experience, although it is my first use of dedicated winter tires so I have nothing for comparison.
I will say they were a night and day difference in contrast to the all season tires in winter conditions.
 
Originally Posted By: Cardiobuck
I put Michelin X-ice Xi3 on our Accord last year and was very happy with the decision. They were excellent in ice and both packed and unpacked snow. I would recommend them based on my experience, although it is my first use of dedicated winter tires so I have nothing for comparison.
I will say they were a night and day difference in contrast to the all season tires in winter conditions.

Based on my experience, I say leave them on for the summer. 40,000 mile treadwear warranty.
They don't seem to get too soft in the summer, unlike other winter tires I've seen over the past 25 years, and they are H speed rated.
A person can get better performance out of a dedicated summer tire, if you do like to change-over your tires though, no doubt, admit that.
I just ordered myself 4 more Xice3's today.
For even better dedicated winter performance, I almost got the Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 type, a V rated tire there, but did not since I like the Xice3's ability to just stay on the car all year.
 
This winter/snow tires discussion is a little weird for So Cal people like me. We usually getting hotter weather in August and September than in July in So Cal, and you guys are talking about snow and ice.

We don't worrying about winter storms(actually light rain) until around mid-late November, around Thanksgiving time.
 
Originally Posted By: ExMachina

Based on my experience, I say leave them on for the summer. 40,000 mile treadwear warranty.
They don't seem to get too soft in the summer, unlike other winter tires I've seen over the past 25 years, and they are H speed rated.
A person can get better performance out of a dedicated summer tire, if you do like to change-over your tires though, no doubt, admit that.
I just ordered myself 4 more Xice3's today.
For even better dedicated winter performance, I almost got the Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 type, a V rated tire there, but did not since I like the Xice3's ability to just stay on the car all year.


Where does Michelin say its ok to run the Xice Xi3 all year? Link please.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Rand
Where does Michelin say its ok to run the Xice Xi3 all year? Link please.

Where does Michelin say you have to remove the tires at the stroke of midnight on March 20? Link please.
It's ridiculous to think a tire that's rated to 149 mph, sustained, in hot conditions, at full load, is incapable of being used at 12:01 AM March 20 or any time of the year.
 
Yeah I do not run them all year. I imagine they would wear out pretty fast in the summer due to how soft the rubber is at high temp.
I have both sets mounted on separate rims so very easy to change out myself.
 
Originally Posted By: Cardiobuck
Yeah I do not run them all year. I imagine they would wear out pretty fast in the summer due to how soft the rubber is at high temp.
I have both sets mounted on separate rims so very easy to change out myself.

Its better to change them over to summer tires, agreed. With H speed rating and 40,000 treadwear rating, you could run them all the time. I thought about getting the Blizzak LM32 today, but would miss the long treadwear and dry road handling of the Xice3's.
 
Originally Posted By: ExMachina

For even better dedicated winter performance, I almost got the Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 type, a V rated tire there, but did not since I like the Xice3's ability to just stay on the car all year.


Where was your indication that the LM-32 was better than any other option??
 
Originally Posted By: krzyss
I would expect LM32 to kill Xice and WS in dry and wet. Hard to predict treadwear.

Krzyś


Based upon what?
 
Originally Posted By: ExMachina
..Its better to change them over to summer tires, agreed. With H speed rating and 40,000 treadwear rating, you could run them all the time. I thought about getting the Blizzak LM32 today, but would miss the long treadwear and dry road handling of the Xice3's.


From the testing CR did of the Xi2 and Xi3 in 2012, against 62 different models of all-season tires, it is clear that the Xi3 is an excellent winter tire, and a mediocre all-season tire. It had bottom of the class dry and wet braking performance in warm weather in that testing, and only "fair" hydroplaning resistance. IMO, it is a mistake to run the Xi3 all year long. But at least you are not trying to run a summer tire all year long in a snowy climate.

More food for thought:
http://www.continental-tires.com/car/technology/tire-knowledge/lex-1-5

Since you insist on running a winter tire all year long, you would be better off with a V rated performance winter, like the LM32. It will be a better balanced tire, performance wise, than a studless winter, for year round use. In the summer, it will have shorter dry/wet braking distances, and better hydroplaning resistance, than a studless winter.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: krzyss
I would expect LM32 to kill Xice and WS in dry and wet. Hard to predict treadwear.

Krzyś


Based upon what?


The LM32 is a performance winter. They have better wet and dry traction, as a general rule, than studless winter tires, but worse ice traction.
 
Ok, so for those who have had both winter performance and studless ice, which one do you prefer?
 
Originally Posted By: si_jeff
Ok, so for those who have had both winter performance and studless ice, which one do you prefer?


I've had Michelin Pilot Alpin performance tires and was unimpressed. Better than all seasons but not a good winter tire. I had Michelin Alpin from the '90s first they were a true winter tire and made my Taurus a snow plow they had such good bite. I'll buy a set of the Xi3s for this winter.
 
Originally Posted By: si_jeff
Ok, so for those who have had both winter performance and studless ice, which one do you prefer?


It depends.
Dunlop 3D, TS810 (performance winter) in dry and wet (and killing them off in summer does not look like big sacrifice).
Xice Xi3 in the snow. I experienced white Meritt Parkway in Connecticut, during snow storm this winter.
I have never had so much fun driving 40-50 MPH on the road.

But even H rated Xi3 are not match for H rated 3D in dry.

Krzys
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: si_jeff
Ok, so for those who have had both winter performance and studless ice, which one do you prefer?


I've had Michelin Pilot Alpin performance tires and was unimpressed. Better than all seasons but not a good winter tire. I had Michelin Alpin from the '90s first they were a true winter tire and made my Taurus a snow plow they had such good bite. I'll buy a set of the Xi3s for this winter.



But that IS the trade, no? Performance snows give up a lot of snow and ice traction in the interest of dry cold weather performance. True snows add a lot of rolling resistance and much better ice grip at the expense of wear and noise and handling.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
...But that IS the trade, no? Performance snows give up a lot of snow and ice traction in the interest of dry cold weather performance. True snows add a lot of rolling resistance and much better ice grip at the expense of wear and noise and handling.


I believe performance winters have their origins in central Europe, which is why seemingly in all parts of the world except north America they are referred to as "continental winter tires" or as "central european" winter tires. Their winter performance strengths are with cold, wet/dry roads at elevated speeds, slush and moderate snow. Their relative weakness is ice traction. Speed ratings go up to W.

Studless winter tires are strong on ice and snow, but give up some wet and dry traction to get that superior ice/snow traction. They can have very low rolling resistance (e.g. Michelin Xi3, Nokian R2). Speed ratings go up to H.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top