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[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']I just moved to Michigan and I don’t have any experience in driving under snowy conditions. Since I will be driving 30-50 Miles a day, I thought I need to replace the old tiers with (traction/winter tiers) but I don’t know which one is the best and affordable. By the way my car is not a BMW, so don’t think of those expensive (Michelin, Pirelli) it is a 97chevy Lumina, so my budget is ($200-$300). I tried to research it, but I found so many types which confused me. What I am looking for is a decent, safe, and affordable tiers that won’t let me down on the highway when the Temp is below F20.[/font]
Unless you live in the UP where it snows a foot every day or a rural part of Michigan where only the state highways get plowed, I don't see the need for snow tires. You really only need them maybe 5 days out of the year when you're on the roads before they're cleared off. A decent set of all-seasons should suffice, and for extra measure on those days where you have to drive in snow, get a pair of AutoSocks.
Driver skill will do more for you than snow tires anyway. In winter I compete in an ice trials series, which is basically autocross on snow and/or ice. I always compete with all-season radials and I still usually finish first in my class even though my competitors are on snow tires. In one event I even finished 4th overall -- even beating a lot of AWD cars in my Mazda Protege -- in a field of about 25 cars, almost all of which were outfitted with snow or rally tires.
I agree with Drover. Unless you live in a very remote area, all season radials are good enough. The plows will be out as soon as snow starts falling and they will sand and salt ahead of the storm if they know it's coming.
I drive about 100 miles a day and the secret is to give yourself plenty of time. Driving in bad weather requires a calm driver, mind on the road. And use common sense. If it's a blizzard outside and the media is telling you to stay home, stay home! Even if it doesn't look too bad where you are, who knows what's waiting 5 miles down the road. Snow can vary a lot and over time you will learn the places likely to get more! It's good to have alternate routes to the places you need to go. They will always plow the highest use roads first while the secondary roads wait longer.
Braking on ice and snow is different. Give yourself a lot more stopping distance.
i used to say all seasons are "good enough" for winter, but the reality is that snow tires > all seasons and you will notice a night and day difference in snow, ice, and clear but super cold and salty roads. you will especially notice this difference in braking. if you have the money for a second set of wheels and tires (and you can get a set for pretty cheap from tirerack.com) it is worth your money.
as for what kind, everyone likes to scream blizzaks, but IMO they wear too fast, and once they get to 50% tread they get as hard as a rock. nokinan is a terrific snow tire. i most recently had continentals on the vw i just sold to my brother, which i got decent mileage for the price.
To each their own I guess. The day I started creaming people in ice trials on all-seasons is the day I vowed never to waste money on snow tires unless I move to a place where roads are minimally or never cleared.
tires are the only part of the car that touch the ground. i've also done ice races, track days, etc etc. i'm no stranger to driver skill and control and the importance of. but... tires are the only part of the car that touch the ground.
A little OT here, but do you do the WAG ice trials in Hustisford? I believe they occasionally run them in Eagle River as well, but that's too far of a drive for me. Unfortunately, some years are too warm and Lake Sinnissippi doesn't freeze thick enough to hold cars, leaving Eagle River the closest place to go.
no, i used to do some ice races with the fox valley sports car club on lake winnebego. but quite honestly i really hate the cold so i never go any more. plus the last few years have been too warm to get the cars on the lake anyway.
Well, I really liked our AWD Audi, too, and it was equipped with 4 brand new Cooper Weathermasters that had maybe a thousand miles on them. Last January my wife was driving along at her usual slower than slow pace on a dirt road that was hard packed snow. She got into a spin and that was that.
Nothing is certain.
It was kind of weird that day, which was crystal clear and just really cold; She called me at work and I knew, before I even said hello, that she was calling to tell me of an accident. She was ok, but the car was a total loss. And we just had the timing belt and water pump replaced when we got the snows, adding more insult to injury.
I still like the Coopers, though...
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