Winter Tires for SF Bay Area - Lake Tahoe Weekend Warrior

[tiredguy]

Hello


Next season I plan to do about 11 weekend trips from San Mateo to Incline Village (Highways 80 - 267) between mid December and mid March.

I will be transporting precious cargo (my 7 & 9 year old children).

I was thinking of getting another set of rims and winter tires and leaving them on for 3 months Dec-March.

So the questions is tires. Am thinking of getting a winter tire that is studdable but I do not have plans to ever put studs in them.

The vehicle is a 2000 Lexus RX300 AWD with tire size 225/70-R16.

I am leaning towards the following two tires:

General ALTIMAX ARCTIC 12 STUDDABLE (I heard these are made in Germany by Continental)
https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy-tires/general-altimax-arctic-12-studdable/p/35936


and

Cooper Evolution Winter Studdable
https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy-tires/cooper-evolution-winter-studdable/p/36797

I might also consider:

Hankook I PIKE RW11 STUDDABLE
https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy-tires/hankook-i-pike-rw11-studdable/p/10762

and
Cooper DISCOVERER M+S STUDDABLE
https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy-tires/cooper-discoverer-m%2bs-studdable/p/27275


I understand that General and Cooper are two excellent tire manufactures that are under the radar compared to the big popular brands.

Not sure it is worth paying the extra $$ for the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV2 or Michelin tires.

Looking to confirm I am going in the right direction for the type of tire and also looking for specific tire recommendations. I plan to buy in late November.

Thanks!!

 

[Rand]

Dont buy too late sometimes there are issues running out and no more are made until next year.

Would suggest early october..

Also what is the reasoning behind limiting your search to studdable tires but not studding them?


If those 4 are your only choices I'd go with the general arctic 12

 

[tiredguy]

Thanks for the reply. I am not deliberately seeking studdable tires and not studding them. It just so happens that most of the DTD winter snow tires are studdable or are studded. Then do have winter snow tires that are studless like the Bridgestone DM-V2 but they are a good bit more $ and am hoping one of the tires I listed is a good choice. I hope I am not overthinking things here. This is my first post and thought I would see what the tire community thought as I am new to this.

 

[sloinker]

I have had about 5 sets of the Altimax Arctics and they work well but I stud mine. If I wasn't going to use the studs I would opt for the Michelin X-Ice or Blizzaks as they are better rated in most studies. I drive on a lot of glare ice and in windy conditions here in Wyoming. The studs have flat out saved me many times. I have literally seen cars blown of the road while stopped or nearly stopped. The studs help in these conditions or when you hit an icy bridge deck travelling at freeway speeds. My .02 cents. BTW the General Altimax Arctic's and all season RT 43's are like the United nations of manufacturing locales, Romania,Mexico,USA,Poland and more.....

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted by tiredguy
Hello


Next season I plan to do about 11 weekend trips from San Mateo to Incline Village (Highways 80 - 267) between mid December and mid March.

I will be transporting precious cargo (my 7 & 9 year old children).

I was thinking of getting another set of rims and winter tires and leaving them on for 3 months Dec-March.


Will there be ice on the roads during these weekend trips? If the answer is yes, either stud your tires or get a studless tire like the WS80, Xi3, etc. Icy roads are much more treacherous than snow covered roads. If ice will be a rare occurrence, then the tires you listed will be OK. Another option for snow covered (but not ice covered) roads is an All Weather tire.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

DO NOT GET THE RW11 those are the absolute worst snow tire I have ever used.

They are so bad I actually got out accelerated by a Nissan Versa on all seasons in my Subaru Forester equipped with these garbage tires. Completely worthless. I have to drop to 10mph below everyone else in slush because they'll hydroplane awfully.

Even if the road has a slight covering of snow, I can activate the abs by lightly pressing the brakes. Every other snow tire I've had has been able to handle mashing the pedal.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You could probably get away with all-weather tires such as the Nokian WRG4

Winter-only winter tires won't work well for your intended usage since the rubber chunks will fly off being driven in warm temps, especially over 60-70 degrees.

 

[CT8]

Get some Michelin Mud and snow tires and slow down in slippery conditions.

 

[CT8]

Get some Michelin Mud and snow tires and slow down in slippery conditions.

 

[krzyss]

I think the biggest issue will be - would they be appropriate when you are not in the mountains?

And that I do not know.

KrzyÅ›

 

[dubber09]

General ALTIMAX ARCTIC 12 is an excellent winter tire.

 

[supton]

It's weird, I have the iPikes on my truck and don't think they are bad. Way better than LTX's in snow, but that's to be expected. Maybe I'm missing out on something, dunno (and I drive in RWD as much as possible, using 4WD only when necessary). Maybe it's a tire size thing...

I'd go with Altimax, seems to work good on my wife's car and so far Generals have done me quite well.

 

[EdwardC]

I'm running the Altimax Arctic 12 Studdable without studs on my Nissan Leaf's snow set. It's only been a couple seasons, but I'm happy with them so far. We typically avoid going out in the worst conditions, so we haven't really tested them to the fullest.

I can really only compare to the set of Winterforce tires I have on the Element, which also offer decent tr.action, but are louder. Firestone has come out with the Winterforce 2 (UV) model that appears to me to have a quieter tread pattern.

I'm of the opinion that in the cold, any winter tire should offer better performance than an all season, even the the non-flagship value models (Firestone vs Bridgestone, General vs Continental, etc), so if you can afford the tires and the space to store them in the off season, wait for a good deal and go for it (well, maybe not the RW11s based on Miller88's experience!)

 

[Smokescreen]

Altimax punch above their weight for cost/performance winter tire, even not studded. I have them on my Si for winters and they were excellent.


One key about prolonging the life of dedicated winter tires is putting them on only during the cold season and the OP has the right idea with a defined usage time frame. Put them on too early or leave them on too long in the warmer temps really reduces their lifespan.

 

[MNgopher]

Any of those tires will be better than an All Season tire.

I've got a set of the Hankook RW11's on my Explorer, and contrary to Miller 88's review, they've been just fine. Just went through their 6th Winter season with a decent amount of tread left at this point. It is more of an Old School snow tire, particularly without studding (which is illegal here). Their strength is in fresh snow, including deep snow. Less impressive on hardpack or ice, but still better than all seasons, period, and much more predictable. Never had an issue with hydroplaning either. The previous W409's I used I thought were better than the RW11's though.

I've also used the Cooper M+S (also without studs) and I put those behind the RW11's. Similar story on performance. Since it is a studdable tire, no surprise. The last set I had was made in China if that matters to you. (Hankooks were Korea).

I've also used Blizzaks, and would generally recommend them if you can stomach the price. Have not had a tire that matches them in all around winter driving. However, they are expensive and wear relatively quickly.

That generally lines up with Consumer Reports tire reviews. Funny enough, the RW11 is rated as Excellent in the Hydroplaning...

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Need to be careful with your pick as many winter tires are pretty unpleasant in warmer conditions like you will have in SF, even in the winter...my Hakka R2 SUVs have horrible braking characteristics when it gets above the 40s.
They are beasts in snow and on ice, but...
My last winter set was the GY Ultra Grip Ice WRT and they were not as impressive in the worst winter conditions, but had much better manners when it got warmer. I felt like I could put those on and take them off whenever I felt like it, while I pull the Hakkas off as soon as it get springlike at all.

Maybe one of the newer "all weather" tires might be an option, although probably not good for the budget??

 

[edyvw]

None of those tires will be good in dry, warmer weather.
Do not SAVE on tires, as you said you have precious cargo.
After owning 40+ models of snow tires, I stick to two brands now when it comes to snow tires: Continental and Michelin. Michelin Xi2 will be by far best rounded tire. It is really good in snow and ice, but superb in dry and wet, and on higher temperatures.
I had DM-V2, and I find them seriously challenging on ice, and on dry they are so, so. I have for winter Nokian R2 on Tiguan, and they are absolute king in deep snow and ice. They are absolute POS in dry and wet. And some weird noise over bumps and things like that.
You are in Bay area, get tire that is well rounded, not tire that is best in one or two disciplines.

 

[Pew]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
My last winter set was the GY Ultra Grip Ice WRT and they were not as impressive in the worst winter conditions, but had much better manners when it got warmer. I felt like I could put those on and take them off whenever I felt like it, while I pull the Hakkas off as soon as it get springlike at all.


I loved my set of GY Ultragrip Ice WRTs, much more than the General Altimax Arctic I used this past winter (version before Arctic 12s). I drove my passenger side into a lane of unplowed ~4-5in snow at 50mph and still had control after the initial butt-pucker moment with the WRTs. Also agreed that they were much more well-mannered than most snow tires in mild and hot climates through arizona and death valley.

 

[Treadstone]

GY Assurance WeatherReady year round....done.

 

[nthach]

There will be a big tradeoff in dry road performance with a winter tire. A good "highway" tire like the Michelin LTX M/S or Defender LTX can hold its own in the winter but the ice performance isn't there. San Mateo does get warm like Oakland or Richmond in late summer/early fall and "winter" tires have softer compounds. Caltrans has been waving on WRXs, Range Rovers and the M/AMG variants of BMW/Mercedes SUVs without checking their tires at chain control. Only for those cars shod with summer tires to end up in a ditch. A friend's Subaru was holding its own with a set of 75% worn OEM Yokohamas when we got caught in a storm.

If it was me, I'd replace your regular tires if they are due for replacement with the Michelin Defender LTX or a 3PMSF-marked all-season tire so you can have a fighting chance for the early season and late season. Then get a set of wheels off another RX or a Highlander and run the General Altimax Arctic or similar winter tire. That way you have a decent set of all-seasons, and a even better set of snow tires once the temps in the Bay Area cool off enough not to prematurely accelerate tire wear.