Coeur d'Alene Area-Winter Tires? (buying, live in, shop)

[Wile E. Coyote]

I lived in Alaska from 1984 to 1987 and the first year we were there it snowed, then melted on Labor Day. We drove around on a thick layer of ice for 3 winters up there. I had 4 studded snow tires (otherwise I would not have lived to tel the tale). I'm sure now they plow and salt the roads (not so back then as I lived on Ft. Richardson and drove into work in Anchorage on ice 9 months out of the year).

In Oregon I ran studs the first 6 years I lived here and people find it upsetting to hear that.

The Blizzaks can work okay on ice when they are brand new (and depending on the particular patch of ice and your driving skills).

I have a Front Wheel Drive luxury sedan and I do better with my winter tires in a snow storm than a lot of 4 wheel drive vehicles without the right tires. Tires make a HUGE difference. I will never go without Winter tires. When I get too old to lift those wheels in and out of my vehicle I will simply run the winter ones year round even if that means I buy a new set every year or two.

I have two sets of wheels so my summer and winter tires are always mounted. My dealership swaps them out for free twice a year. I got the second set of OEM wheels because someone bought a new one and put upgraded wheels on the new one. I spent $1,300 (50% discount); however, I had been paying a lot of money each year to swap out the winter/summer tires off the same wheels. It paid for itself (the vehicle is now 15 years old and I still get that free swap of tires and free oil change).

[elousv]

Our one and only freeway, the I90 is mostly clear. The city streets often get hardpacked and pretty much as slippery as ice. Like a lot of things, you don't "need" special tires, but they sure are nice. We use 3 vehicles in winter, two have studs and one has Blizzaks. I bought used wheels that match my vehicles so the yearly swap takes about an hour each.

[movedintime]

Originally Posted by volosong

I have lived in this area for six winters now, getting ready to enter the seventh. I've done fine with all-season M&S three peak tires. I get out pretty much every day and the primary roads have always been passable. Secondary roads are fine too, and even tertiary roads, even though they aren't plowed right away, (if ever).

I try to run through the car wash at least once a week, (Metro), to keep the salts and muck off the bottom of the car. Just know that when driving, you need to slow down and give plenty of room in front of you to stop and also have an 'out', to avoid any hazards, (e.g., idiot drivers).

My cars have been AWD RAV4s and Highlander Hybrids, ('fake' AWD). The RAVs had Yokohama all-season tires. Don't think the Highlanders even had all-season tires. Did fine in any case. Just don't do stupid stuff.

Volo's advise is better than any tire choice available. All season M&S - and the bolded.

25 yrs forest service driving CDA to St Maries, Clarkia by way of Rose Lake or Plummer / CDA to Kalispell up over Lookout Pass before 4am and before any plows. All around Cfalls, Whitefish and on up to Eureka and the Canadian border. Back down along the lake through Libby, Mt. or Noxon and Trout Creek. And every other back road in N. Idaho and western Montana. never ran studs just all season M&S, maybe a little aggressive tread

No need for 2 sets of tires or studs
Just slow down
(Siped tires is a good thing though)

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by movedintime

Volo's advise is better than any tire choice available. All season M&S - and the bolded.

25 yrs forest service driving CDA to St Maries, Clarkia by way of Rose Lake or Plummer / CDA to Kalispell up over Lookout Pass before 4am and before any plows. All around Cfalls, Whitefish and on up to Eureka and the Canadian border. Back down along the lake through Libby, Mt. or Noxon and Trout Creek. And every other back road in N. Idaho and western Montana. never ran studs just all season M&S, maybe a little aggressive tread

No need for 2 sets of tires or studs
Just slow down
(Siped tires is a good thing though)

M&S tires thrive in unplowed terrain, but suck on ice! Winter tires thrive on ice, but suck on unplowed terrain in comparison. Guessing a M&S with studs is best option you could get?

[AnythingOutdoors]

OP is asked about city/freeway use. In other words, plowed streets. All-seasons should be okay for this in most situations. A set of winter tires will provide an additional safety buffer, with better stopping and cornering abilities, including hard pack and ice, it they will handle a wider range of winter conditions better than other tires. Studs are overkill unless mostly driving unplowed roads, and studs quickly wear down on dry road surfaces.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by Rocko9999

What model three peak tires do you use?

Yokohama Geolander A/T G015.

No lie! I have just over 95,000 miles on those wheels/tires and they now sit in the shed in anticipation for the day when I get another RAV4. (I'm a pretty gentle driver and don't "push" my vehicles. I'm retired, and in no hurry to get anywhere.) Not the quietest tires, but they sure last a long time.

(Unfortunately, they are not made in the size I need for my Highlander Hybrid.
I'm on the hunt for an equivalent.)

[Cnynrat]

We have 2 sets of wheels & tires and do seasonal swap outs of on both vehicles we drive during winter.

I read a pretty extensive test on Tire Rack quite a few years ago, and their conclusion was that dedicated studless winter tires perform better than studded tires except for in one specific condition: ice/hard packed snow at or around the freezing point. If you've ever been on an ice rink right after the Zamboni ran around that pretty much describes that condition: a layer of ice with a thin film of water on top, and it is slick. Our winters aren't really that cold, with temps many days hovering around freezing, so if you aren't on well cleared roads you may find that often.

Nevertheless, we decided to split the difference and put studded tires on the truck (4WD) and studless winter tires on our Cherokee (AWD). We happened to choose a Toyo winter tire for the Cherokee, but there are other good options. The Cherokee sees the most miles in winter, including many trips up the mountain to Schweitzer. It's always performed well for us across a wide range of road conditions.

That said, I know there are many folks who just run one set of tires year round. I wouldn't do it, but they seem to get around OK.

BTW, up here in Bonner County the worst winter road conditions are consistently found in Sandpoint, not out in the rural areas of the county.

Dave

[Mister Torgue]

Originally Posted by Cnynrat

BTW, up here in Bonner County the worst winter road conditions are consistently found in Sandpoint, not out in the rural areas of the county.

Dave

Slightly offtopic. Up in Boundary Co does that change? I'm contemplating studded tires on our winter wheel set to put on my wife's 3/4 ton RAM 4x4 because I refuse to let my Texas only Lexus GX460 touch any salt of any kind. I've been following the weather here for almost 8 years before moving here but not road conditions. Could use some wisdom from long time locals up this way. If it helps we won't be going south of Bonners Ferry on 95 (nightmare zone near Naples I hear), but we are up 95 north of town about 600ft up. The trip in town sounds dicey given the curves and sharp incline.

[Rocko9999]

Originally Posted by movedintime

Volo's advise is better than any tire choice available. All season M&S - and the bolded.

25 yrs forest service driving CDA to St Maries, Clarkia by way of Rose Lake or Plummer / CDA to Kalispell up over Lookout Pass before 4am and before any plows. All around Cfalls, Whitefish and on up to Eureka and the Canadian border. Back down along the lake through Libby, Mt. or Noxon and Trout Creek. And every other back road in N. Idaho and western Montana. never ran studs just all season M&S, maybe a little aggressive tread

No need for 2 sets of tires or studs
Just slow down
(Siped tires is a good thing though)

Wow. That's some serious winter driving.

Seems two side of the fence here-dedicated snow tire or M&S. I have seen a few people swear by the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W also winter/year around tire.

[ejisme]

The question comes down to: How often do you see yourself driving the city streets during or immediately after a major snow event? If you need to drive no matter the weather, then a separate set of snow tires is probably necessary. If you are like most people that sit at home and watch the snow, then late in the day or the next you venture out to eat, shop or go to work, then good all season tires will work. The key is to go slow, keep your extra-long distance between vehicles, slow down even more for any turns, and you will likely be fine.

I lived in Great Falls, MT and had to drive to/from the In-Laws in NE Oregon every Christmas/New Years... no matter the weather. I drove a Subaru forester with stock tires. To play it safe (or make the wife feel safer) I bought a set of cable chains for about $70. I did actually use them once in NE Oregon, but took them off when I got down to Milton-Freewater and then drove the rest of the way back to Great Falls (through N. Idaho). The cable chains do help. They are a fairly cheap item that will help you get out when you really need to, i.e. when road conditions say you should stay home, but you must go out.