Worth it? I was told we'd get like 3-4 days of snow max per winter but now the weathermen are saying snow for 6 of the next 8 days.

What do you guys think? Worth going to snow tires or all seasons off of the stock dunlops? My plan was just to avoid driving the 3-4 days but if it's going to be more than that...

 

I went all seasons (Kumho Ecsta ASX - cheap and good) because we don't get that much snow. Last year it worked fine, but mine are worn out now (too many TWR drives!) and I'm not going anywhere in the snow this year.

 

i tried to drive in snow in the stock dunlops and it was a nightmare. i picked up the bridgestone blizzak snow tires and they are amazing. i drove all over that snow and ice last winter with no trouble at all. i'm about to change my shoes this weekend actually so i don't have to sweat the weather. def worth it in my opinion. i got wheels and tires new for 800 bucks off the forum last year. keep an eye on there for a deal.

 

hm... I just bew my winter car budget on the AP + MM Tune

I'll have to keep an eye out I guess and keep off the roads during real snow. Maybe I'll head up to the Northgate parking lots this weekend and see just how bad it is.

 

Poor tread on summer tires......don't even try and leave your driveway

Pick up a set of snows on cheap rims...17" are cheaper and you can use 215-50-17 tires and they work great....

 

yeah man. i could not even move with my low tread summers on. just slipped around in the driveway until i gave up.

 

I'm commuting on the bus due to traffic and parking at work... Maybe I'll just take it easy this winter and see how it goes and decide from there. My intent is to buy a lighter set of wheels come summer for R-compounds... I don't really want to be juggling 3 sets of wheels without a garage... I'll have to think about this.

 

I drove on my N-3000's in the crap last year. It wasn't too bad. Only one really exciting moment.

 

yeah dealing with lots of wheels gets tough..

 

K, problem solved, drove around in the snow tonight, it's no big deal, I have enough grip to get from point A to point B with no drama and little enough grip to spell woooooooooooooooooooo in the North Gate parking lot

 

I've got the graspics on mine atm... there are more reasons than just snow and ice to get those stocks off in the winter.... temperature alone affects them.

 

It's really a matter of how much risk you like to take with your life and property (and the lives and property of others), and how sure you are that you will never be in a position where you absolutely, positively have to drive your RX-8 in any real snow.

Since weather here is unpredictable, we have a dedicated set of wheels and Blizzak LM-25 tires, which have seen the car through whatever Seattle has thrown our way for four winters.

All season tires are fine for a little snow, and no hills. Get some ice, and/or some hills, and I wouldn't drive this car without very good snow tires.

YMMV

 

If I didn't have other cars available to me in an emergency, I don't think I'd give snow tires a second thought. As is, I drive almost entirely for recreation. I take the bus to and from work and my housemates refuse to ride in the back of the 8. Were I living in another part of the country where they get more than 1" of snow more than 3-5 times a year, I'd have snow tires.

 

Definitely at least spring for all season tires. I am so glad I did!! Otherwise I think I'd probably still be sitting in Robbie's driveway stuck and blocking him so that he couldn't leave to go to work. LOL! When I bought new tires in October I got Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position. They are awesome! I've managed to drive around in the snow and ice so far with no problems. I had decided to go to Robbie's house on Saturday night (like I usually do) as I figured I'd be less likely to get stuck late on when I needed to go to work again on Tuesday. Well, apparently he lives in the part of town that is still horrible right now (Mountain Park area of Lake Oswego/Southwest Portland). I made it out of the driveway to trade places on Sunday without sliding around or getting stuck (both down and up an incline each way). This morning I managed to leave, make it down his side street to Capital Highway just fine, and then onto I-5 without incident (watched a truck wipe out in front of me and hit the concrete wall turning the corner to the on-ramp to I-5). I made it all the way back to Oregon City and a little bit further out into Beavercreek toward my house okay (about 8 miles from it). No incidents at all. I was very surprised the car did so well.

I'm just waiting to see what happens tonight when I get off work at 12:30 a.m. Apparently it is supposed to start snowing again tonight around 8 p.m., which I was not aware of until I got to work (only knew about the Wednesday night snow). I don't know if I will leave early or wait it out. It might be pretty light or show up later than they thought. Afterall, they had the time totally wrong on Saturday night. They originally said the snow would start at 10 p.m. and then kept pushing it back. Robbie, Garrin, and I stayed up all night (morning?) watching movies waiting for the snow to show up. It finally started at 7 a.m., which is when we went to bed. LOL!

 

We're supposed to get another 3-4" in Seattle tonight-tomorrow. The surrounding towns and East of the lake is supposed to get up to 1ft. I love snow, but I'm terrified of Seattlites driving in it, so I'll likely stay in. Work will be closed anyway

 

LOL! So far no snow yet, so I'm still at work. I'm pretty sure I'll just call in tomorrow and not go, attributed to the snow. I know my work will still be open since I work at a hospital, but they can live without me if I can't make it in.

I'm not a huge fan of snow and haven't been since I spent two weeks in Canada when I was in 10th grade. I had to pretty much walk everywhere I went and it was all cold and windy and snowy everywhere and I just hated it. Total climate shock to me. I swore I'd be happy if I never saw snow again, and so far 12 years later that's still true. LOL!

 

No snow on the ground yet and I usually head in around 7am... I'll probably go in and then leave early. The only question is do I drive in as originally planned for today before the snow or take the bus... They're putting chains on them this morning.

 

Right then, I've been stuck in the house since Sunday! It's not all bad as I've been walking to a few pubs close by but I really need to get some stuff done for xmas.

soooo snow tires, when people say that do they mean studded tires? I won't be buying a new set of wheels so can someone recommend a good set on 18'' for snow and ice?

 

I am a big fan of the Toyo Observe Garits. They provide excellent snow and ice traction and are intended for performance vehicles. You also get to hear the laughter when you tell people about the crushed walnut shells in the rubber compound. However, the shells add both traction and durability.

I have been using the Toyo Observe line for years.

Troy

 

Thanks Twelch, seems that my local les schwab doesn't have any snow tires to fit the car so I'm screwed regardless. All car rental places don't have any 4x4's either, I sold my Landrover in the summer because I wasn't using it, with new snow tires too!

I have plenty of liquor and beer and food and xmas shopping will be done online :-)

 

There's always www.tirerack.com and then most shops will mount tires you bring in for cheap. The only trick is getting the car + tires there

 

Can't even get down my street, wish I lived downtown!

 

I'm in the same boat. I've lived in the Portland area for about 10 years and have never needed all-seasons or snow tires. Probably take 1 day off a year due to snow. I may have to bite the bullet this year though. As soon as I do, I'm sure it won't snow again for the rest of the year...

 

It just took me an hour to get up my driveway which is like 30 feet max. I hate this weather...

EDIT: to keep it on topic, i do not have snow tires and i'm holding out this year. Might be a mistake...

 

I have no choice but to drive to Snoqualmie Ridge on Hwy 18 at night to go to work....WHEEEEEE!!!!!!! Dunlop M3s are great!