Snow tires, or no.....tires?

Snow tires, or no.....tires?

Until a couple days ago I was certain that I was going to buy a set of Bridgestone Blizzak snows with some stylish black steel rims for this winter...but then I got to thinking...

I've still got the terrible stock tires on my '03, and so I'll probably want to get new ones come spring time...

So my question is, should I skip the snows and just buy a decent all season (I was thinking Yokohama Avid series)?

I'm in NH, so it gets snowy...but all seasons can sometimes get the job done. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

i say stock steelies with snow tires and buy new rims when spring rolls around with a set of tires on them.. and just switch em between the 2 seasons.. That's what I want to do. I have falkens but I haven't been driving my car... I'm @ college. So my gf has broken them in for me. I can tell you more about them later. I've driven them a few time for like an hour each time and they feel fine. I haven't really punished them yet as it was fall and has been raining everytime I've driven.

and just to add a little more...

For all seasons, I'll probably be choosing between the Falken Ziex 512's and Yokohama Avid H4S's. I can get the Falkens for about $30 less when all is said and done...

Any suggestions on this front, too?

Can't beat real snow/ice tires in the winter - but sometimes a good all season will be enough to get you through. I run winter tires on steelies and a good summer tire on 16" alloys - but it can be a pain to change back and forth between the two and you have to deal with proper storage of the winter tires. If you have the room and don't mind the swapping of tires back and forth, sometimes a few times during the winter - then I'd say go for the Blizzaks.

But you are right one that the OEM tires are total POS - if you still have them, ditch them for some better rubber. I've heard good things about both the Falken 512's and Yokohama H4S's - Falkens might do a bit better in the snow than the Yokohamas, but I've heard that they don't do as well on dry performance-wise and wear quicker than other tires with similar UTQG ratings. Some people have said that they have gotten worse gas mileage with the Falkens - but I'm not sure if it is due to a tire pressure issue or if the tire actually has a higher rolling resistance.

Get a set of Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S. They have awesome wet, dry, wear, snow, etc... ratings. I had Pirelli's back when I had 17" rims, and I was able to handle driving in deep snow when other cars were stuck. I'm planning on getting Pirelli's for next year.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/d...r%2FPerformance

it all depends on how much driving u do. if you just do city driving with flat roads then all season may be good enough for u. if you do a lot of driving on the highway, go up skiing and stuff, then snows would be the best choice.

i have snows and i've been through roads with knee-deep snow and never got stuck. i also have chains never had to use them, my snows are usually good enough.

Aight, looks like i've got some thinking/pricing to do.

Thanks!

Well, I grew up in northern VT driving an '86 Chevy Nova (basically, an '86 corolla) and never had snow tires...in fact, I've never owned a car with snow tires, mainly because the cars i've had have been decent in the snow. Snows, IMHO, are a bit of a luxury (but a sweet one, I'll admit, and there have been times where i've wanted them), that I would only get if someone were to tell me that the 03 rollas weren't decent snow cars, or as decent as FWD cars can get.

Also, I'm not living in northern VT anymore...I'm in Bedford NH on paved roads, a far cry from my old road that even the sand truck managed to tumble off of....so I may not really need snows anyway...but I'll still think about it...it would be fun....

winter rally crosses are a lot easier with snows

in general, corollas are good in snow but the all-season that comes with 03 models are just crappy shit! i have the Uniroyal tiger paw or whatever the hell you call them... very bad traction when the roads are wet. in my area, during winter time... it's pretty much wet roads 24/7! this is why i decided to go snows and also every winter i head up to the mountain. we're not allowed to travel on highways heading up - without snows.

Makes sense, and yah, my current tires are poor poor poor. Can't wait to get new ones, whatever they are.

Unfortunately I don't $ki, I choose to climb up them instead...so the roads I take usually end at the bottom of the mountain. I think I'll be safe for this winter with all seasons, but in the future I'll want to live in a harsher climate, so I'll upgrade then.

Thanks for all the advice!