Coeur d'Alene Area-Winter Tires? (quality of life, live, car wash)

[Rocko9999]

I have a 4WD 4Runner with all-season tires. For city street/freeway travel in the winter, do you think I need a dedicated winter tire like the Blizzaks or would a three peak mountain snowflake tire work ok?

[509]

I lived in CDA in the 70's when it was a small town.

Those tires were fine in those days. We moved to eastern Washington for the quality of life issues, but even here the growth is so bad that we run studs on one vehicle ALL winter long.

Our winters are much, much more benign than those in CDA.

Get studs on your tires.

[AnythingOutdoors]

Studs on a snow+mud tire are good for long distances on dirt roads. But they are a pain on dry pavement, and can be much worse in wet conditions. For any distance on freeway, studs are noise and a real annoyance.

If you're mostly on city/street then all-seasons will do okay, but a good winter tire like the Bizzaks or X-Ice will perform much better in winter conditions while performing very well on clear roads at freeway speeds. I run Blizzaks on my truck in winter, and an AT the rest of the year. This past spring we had a decent amount of snow up the mountain after I had changed out the Blizzaks for the AT, and wow, the Blizzaks are just much better on snow and hard pack ice.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Most people do seasonal switch-outs. Many if us have two sets of wheels so twice a year the wheels are changes instead of mounting tires to do the switch.

I run studs in the winter because where I live there is ice on the roads in and out of my place all winter. Studs are the best way to handle ice. The roads are well maintained in CDA, so you most likely would not need studs as long as you stay in populated areas. I suggest a good winter rated tire instead.

In the winter, it seems that most of the accidents I see involved a 4WD vehicle. 4WD can be useful, but it will not stop you on ice. Even if you have 4WD, you must adjust your driving to winter driving conditions, slow down, and think far ahead so you don't get into a tight spot.

[509]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

The roads are well maintained in CDA, so you most likely would not need studs as long as you stay in populated areas. I suggest a good winter rated tire instead.

.

When did that happen??

When I lived in CDA, if it snowed on Friday afternoon, the city snowplows would be out Monday morning. With the freeze thaw cycle you can imagine what a mess that was by Monday morning.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by Rocko9999

I have a 4WD 4Runner with all-season tires. For city street/freeway travel in the winter, do you think I need a dedicated winter tire like the Blizzaks or would a three peak mountain snowflake tire work ok?

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.

[Rocko9999]

Originally Posted by AnythingOutdoors

Studs on a snow+mud tire are good for long distances on dirt roads. But they are a pain on dry pavement, and can be much worse in wet conditions. For any distance on freeway, studs are noise and a real annoyance.

If you're mostly on city/street then all-seasons will do okay, but a good winter tire like the Bizzaks or X-Ice will perform much better in winter conditions while performing very well on clear roads at freeway speeds. I run Blizzaks on my truck in winter, and an AT the rest of the year. This past spring we had a decent amount of snow up the mountain after I had changed out the Blizzaks for the AT, and wow, the Blizzaks are just much better on snow and hard pack ice.

Thanks. Looks like two sets makes more sense. How many miles do you get out of a set of Blizzaks?

[Rocko9999]

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.

What model three peak tires do you use?

[Wile E. Coyote]

The Blizzaks are good on snow; but, not so good on ice.

I switched from Blizzaks to Nokians. But, they have not been tested yet.

Obviously studs are better on ice.

[AnythingOutdoors]

Originally Posted by Rocko9999

Thanks. Looks like two sets makes more sense. How many miles do you get out of a set of Blizzaks?

Yes, two sets of wheels swapped seasonally. I save money by swapping my own with some basic tools and a TPMS programmer. Cheap steel rims are fine for winter wheels.

I've had the Blizzaks for 4 seasons and there's still a lot of tread left. Not that I drive a ton of miles, mostly local and up the mountain for skiing and a handful of longer trips. Guessing I'll get another 4-5 seasons out of them.

Wile E. Coyote is correct, they aren't great on black ice, though still much better than all-seasons. Metal (studs or chains) is the only thing that really works well on ice. But black ice is fairly uncommon here in southern Idaho, not sure if it's any different up there. Biggest problem areas are at intersections, with the starting and stopping of cars producing glaze ice, but the highway district is very good about salting/sanding in populated areas, so this usually isn't an issue. In the end it's always a trade-off: metal studs that are loud and unpleasant on clear roads and perform worse than all-seasons on wet pavement, or winter tires that perform better all around in most winter conditions except ice.

In any case, neither studs or winter tires make one invincible. They both have limits, and both require good driving, much slower speeds, longer following distances, and longer stopping distances.