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people with snows chime in

10K views 57 replies 22 participants last post by  iggy 
#1 · (Edited)
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 - A non-studded tire that offers supreme driving comfort and safety / Nokian Tires

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Ultra+Grip+Ice+WRT



those are my top choices for snow tires.

This will be my first set of snows for the cruze i need something that will be solid in the snow. My last car was a Subaru with snows for the winter and that thing was amazing that car had generals on it


both tires talk about dry pavement driving is iffy but they have to be better then the generals that i had on that i used on the car for AN ENTIRE YEAR as i was getting rid of the car.

until my truck is back together i neeed something that will be solid and will last as i will be using a dedicated set of wheels for them so swapping will be easy
 
#4 ·
There is a place about an hour away that sells them 20.00 a tire more then the #2 choice. But if it's better then no problem
 
#6 · (Edited)
When I lived in WI I had Nokian's on the Galant VR4. I could drive through snow drifts that were taller than the hood with ease. I highly recommend these. The only other snow tires that I had that were even close to these were by Gislaved (bought these at the local Saab dealer...not sure where to get them. I am sure google can help). When I ice raced everyone had either Nokian Haka's or the Gislaved's.

Edit: General Tire - Altimax Arctic Max's are based on older Nokian designs.
 
#9 ·
Still debating will pull the trigger over the next few weeks while I wait I'm rim shopping
 
#10 ·
I had a set of the original NRW's 13 or 14 years ago, and at that time, were better than dedicated snow tires. I've been running WR's year round on my Toyota Camry (very low mileage second car) for the last 3 or 4 years. Absolutely love them. I'm seriously thinking about getting the new WR G3 for my Cruze RS for the winter.
 
#11 ·
Ok, I've owned a 2012 LTZ ( 18" wheels ) for a bit over a year, my wife has driven it 90% of the time. After the first snow fall of last year, she complained to me , because she got stuck , in the driveway no less. I took the car out for a drive myself, and... well I didn't get stuck. I was kinda not really wanting to have to buy new tires/wheels and in a typical southeastern Michigan ( USA ) winter, we maybe get 10 days a year where the snow on the roads is there for more then the morning commute, typically by the evening commute, the road crews have got the roads back to having virtually no snow on them. So, I really didn't see the value in going with a set of snow tires. However....

I wound up with a set of 205/60R-16 Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 snow tires on some new ( cheap alloy ) wheels. We had the snowiest and coldest winter on record... I tell you what, I've never had ANY car handle so well on snow and ice. The thing felt like it was on rails, a total blast to drive , the wife never once got stuck or in any accidents ( and trust me, she's not that great of a driver ). With the Cruze's anti yaw controls and the Blizzaks, that darn car felt so stable, it was truly amazing to me. I'm 52 years old, been driving daily since I was 16 years old, lived in Michigan this whole time, even own a 4WD truck, and I tell you this Cruze with these tires is absolutely a pleasure to drive in snow and ice. I told my wife, as long as you don't go through snow that's above the bottom of the car, your not going to get stuck. Now, granted the bottom of the car is only about 5 maybe 6 inches off the ground, but my comment held true that entire winter. I personally drove it through snow that was just deeper then the bottom of the car is high, and I didn't get stuck.

Fast forward... I now own another Cruze, this one 2013 LTZ ( again with 18" wheels ). So, I'm currently in the market for another set of snow tires... Bridgestone now has the Blizzak WS80 out, and Tire Rack is still selling the WS70 at least in the size I intend to get (205/60R16), the WS70 is $88, where the WS80 is $104 per tire. Supposedly the new WS80 has 20% deeper NanoPro-Tech Multicell compound, yielding longer overall life for that part of the tire compound.

From what I have read, the Blizzaks do as good or better then most any other studless snow tires that are available around these parts. So, for the most part, I'm left only trying to figure out if I want to spend 18% more for the newer WS80 Blizzak then the older WS70.

Now, I'd love to have someone convince me that there's a better snow tire out there then the Blizzaks... but , with winter fast approaching, I need to get me a new set of tires and wheels soon. After driving on four blizzaks last year and knowing how well they handle in snow and ice, I REALLY don't plan on driving this winter without something similar or better.
 
#13 ·
Now, I'd love to have someone convince me that there's a better snow tire out there then the Blizzaks... but , with winter fast approaching, I need to get me a new set of tires and wheels soon. After driving on four blizzaks last year and knowing how well they handle in snow and ice, I REALLY don't plan on driving this winter without something similar or better.
I think they are still one of the best if not the best studless winter tire. One does have to be aware the will wear quickly in warm weather if you don't get them off. I didn't care for them for a number of years because the 'magic' winter compound was only half way through (kind of like buying half a tire, but not really). Mewer one sounds good with the 20% .

EDIT: I see I'm slow at typing yet again :)
 
#12 ·
Iggy. The issue I read with the bridge stone tires is after it wears down I think 40% it becomes a standard tire. If I am buying snows and rims then I want it to last more then a season or two
 
#15 · (Edited)
I don't believe that Bridgestone is the only high performance snow tire that doesn't have the magic compound through the entire tread depth...

Here is what Tire Rack says about the Michelin
"NOTE: Snow platform indicators (the equivalent of "snow wear bars") are molded into the X-Ice Xi3's tread grooves to inform the driver when ice and snow traction will be reduced as the tire's tread reaches the point where the remaining tread depth becomes less effective in deep snow."

Tire Rack text with regard to WS70...

"When the Blizzak WS70 is 50 percent worn, a tread depth indicator molded into the tread design lets the driver know that only 10 percent of the remaining tread is the Tube Multicell compound."

WS80

"When the Blizzak WS80 is 50 percent worn, a tread depth indicator molded into the tread design lets the driver know that only 10 percent of the remaining tread is Multicell compound."

I just went out and checked tread depth on my WS70 tires with one full season of winter driving on them. New, the tread depth is supposed to be 12/32" ( 0.375" ), the tires that came off the front, still have 0.300" and the ones that were on the rear 0.370" . My calculations show that multicell compound should be roughly 0.206" thick when new. Now after one full winter, I have used 33% of this muticell compound on the front tires and just 2% of the multicell compound from the rear. If I rotate these, and get similar life in future winters, I should be able to get at least 4 winters(maybe even 5) out the multicell portion of the tread. The set of Blizzak tires that cost me $400, that comes out to $100 a year or less for great winter traction, seems like a pretty good deal to me.

As I understand it, once the magic rubber portion is worn out, they act more like a all season tire. Personally, Not that concerned about the issue , being the tires are still a more aggressive tread pattern, and nearly 1.75" narrower then my stock tires, I would still expect to get decent winter performance even once they get down past that magic layer. At that point, I'd be planning on another set for the following winter. I'll likely take my wife's hand me downs and let her use most of the magic rubber.

The info about there being 20% more of this compound on the newer WS80, I think may be... well I don't know about that. I just looked at the specs of the tread depth on the 205/60R16 Blizzaks... for the WS70 says it's 12/32, the WS80 says 11/32. Bottom line, is I'm beginning to think 20% more thing is probably more marketing hype, then anything, and that the difference is insignificant compared to the cost of the new vs old at today's Tire Rack pricing. Either way, I'm still leaning toward buying another set of Blizzaks.

I may look into the Nokian tires, but my initial look into them, lead me to believe they aren't easy to find in my area, and are likely much higher priced then what I can get the Blizzaks for. Oh, and personally , I haven't heard anything really great about the Goodyear tires, so I'm not really considering those.
 
#14 ·
When I bought snows last year (Cruze LS) I was between the Goodyears the OP posted, Michelin Xi3s and Generals Arctics. When I posted online elsewhere, the general consensus was stay away from the Goodyears, sipping was not large enough or aggressive enough for deep snow. I opted for the Xi3s and was satisfied.

Nokians seem to get great reviews but cost / availability (often) get in the way.
 
#16 ·
You know... the more I think about this issue of the multicell compound not being throughout the entire tread... the more I think this is a total non issue for a snow tire. Think about it for a moment. If the tire comes with 0.375" total tread depth, and you use 50% of the tread, you've used 0.1875", and have another 10% of the multicell stuff left of your remaining 0.1875", so, when you get to the end of your multicell compound, your tread is 0.169" deep, or 1/6th of a inch of tread. This is a snow tire, if your driving around with only 1/6th of a inch of tread depth, regardless of tread compound, you've worn out your snow tires, go buy another set of tires.
 
#17 ·
I believe the deal with 50% (or whatever it is) tread is onc past that and its regular (harder) winter tread like you might find on studdable tires. Also while I haven't checked in a couple years I believe Michelins and goodyear winters also had the 50 % deal.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Firestone Winterforce. Cheap snow tires. Work good and get them off the car when the temp starts to rise above 45 degrees. Never used them on the Cruze but they work great on my wifes Sonic. Suburban? Never needed them!
 
#21 ·
Well, I thought I'd look into getting some of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 tires. Seemed like trying to do a local purchase was most practical.

I find a local dealer that's supposed to sell the tires, call. I was told that Nokian sold the mold for those tires to Hercules , that there R G2 tire is what used to be a Nokian, price $125 (205/60R16) mounted. I told him I'd have to look into Hercules... They do kinda look similar, but there's no way they are the same, IMHO. I asked if he sold the Nokians, and he claimed they no longer make them ( cause they sold the mold ). So, this dealer looses my business just for being stupid scum bags.

I find a online source for Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 205/60R16, $150 each (that includes shipping costs).

I call one other local dealer, he gives me a price of $206.25 mounted, a week to get them.

Given, I can buy four Blizzak WS70 205/60R16 tires, mounted on new 16" painted alloy wheels, and shipped to me for $776 total, it looks like I'll be buying more Blizzak tires.

In theory the online price of the Nokian tires isn't horribly priced, but then having to then buy a set of rims, and pay for mounting, etc... They'd still cost me darn near twice what I'm going to pay for the mounted Blizzaks.
 
#22 ·
I'm ready now... a stack of four new Blizzaks on new wheels... in the second photo, you can see one of the tires/wheels I bought last year for my wife's car.

These wheels were cheap, not purchased for their aesthetic qualities , originally I wasn't too fond of the large openings between the spokes, but it turns out that if you get snow/ice compacted in the insides of the wheels, you can easily fit a typical snow scraper/brush through the openings and clear out the snow/ice... so I've kinda come to like this style just for that reason.



 
#27 · (Edited)
These wheels were cheap, not purchased for their aesthetic qualities , originally I wasn't too fond of the large openings between the spokes, but it turns out that if you get snow/ice compacted in the insides of the wheels, you can easily fit a typical snow scraper/brush through the openings and clear out the snow/ice... so I've kinda come to like this style just for that reason.
That's a good point...my Eco wheels do like getting snow caught in them. Not bad, really only if I have to drive through a snow bank slow where it can fall in the wheel, but it does happen.

Uncle John, I got my snows from Discount (they were the only ones who had them last winter, in my size), and I don't have the tool. Debated about it but haven't. I just stop by there on my way home from work that next day and they reset it quick. Read up in your manual on how to put the car in learn mode. Then just drive up and tell them you need your TPMS reset. Usually the sales guys will come do that immediately, so assuming there isn't a line of customers, it's very quick. No paperwork involved either. It's more of an inconvenience to go the extra mile out of my way to stop there than it is to get the reset done.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#24 ·
I have the Haakapellitta R2 and am satisfied.

I have them on both my cruze diesel and my father's XTS. No problems during last year's snowy winter. They are very good on ice and slush.

I would have gone with Nokian's studded tire - but they are not permitted in my jurisdiction.

The best tire I ever drove for deep snow conditions was something called Eagle M+S from Goodyear. I used that tire design for close to 25 years on three different vehicles. Always great in snow, not so much on ice.
 
#25 ·
Wow... I had some Goodyear Eagle M+S tires back in the late 80s and I didn't think they very good at all. In fact, I wound up totaling my Omni GLH Turbo after sliding into a tree at about 15 MPH on a set of M+S tires. ( but then, I admit that what I was doing at the time was foolish, and the tires were not the only thing at fault )
 
#28 · (Edited)
No, I did not buy the TPMS sensors. Tire Rack will sell them mounted, balanced, and shipped, cheaper then you can get locally...

Without the sensors, you get a chime for about 15 seconds when you first start the car, then it goes away and all that's left is a bit of text on the dash, that goes away if you step through the menu.

If you really want the sensors, you still might be cheaper to buy the tires/wheels from Tire Rack and then buy some sensors elsewhere online and have them put on by a third party, then it will cost you for the whole setup at either Belle or Discount Tire.

For me... well if/when my snow tires wear out in 4 or 5 years, if I'm still driving a Cruze , I may spring for sensors on my next set of snow tires. Or I may just find someone to mount another set of tires on wheels, not admitting to them what vehicle they are going on.

I find it borderline absurd that in the name of 'safety' the government should expect I need to pay $50 a tire to have a TPMS sensor installed on my winter wheels/tires. I'll guarantee you that my car is safer in the winter with the set of tires/wheels I put on , without sensors, then it would be if I tried to drive the whole winter with the P225/45R18 and the sensors that the car comes with.

The set of tires in the picture, cost $776 delivered to my door. I'll put them on myself at first sign of snow this year. The worst part of having a set of wheels/tires just for the winter, is storing your summer tires, then storing the winter ones in the summer. But, your summer wheels will be happier. :)
For me, I just have to find a spot in the garage or shed to put the set that I'm not using.
 
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