Dogtag114

ok... tire choices... not the annual square or staggered debate...


I ran MICHELIN PILOT ALPIN PA4 the past three winters, but need replacement. I was very happy with them, pretty grippy, decent in snow, quiet on highway, 225s can only grip so much, etc.


NJ/NY area... cold, but mostly no real snow... mostly...


Anyone have any other recommendation or new model for these conditions? If not its the PA4 again.

roadkillrob

Also ran the PA4's on my S4 last winter and putting them on the C63 this year, good if you don't go through a lot of snow, they are performance winters, so they are great on cold pavement, but not blizzaks in deep snow, but do ok.

thesaintusa

Nokian R2 if you do not want to run studs.
Nokian Hakka 8 if you want studs.

The X-ice3 and Blizzaks are very similar.

I run Goodyear Ultragrips currently on my C63, (because I couldn't source any of the above (bought my car late in the season so stock was out). They are quite good in the snow/slush but give up a lot of grip on ice versus any of the previous mentioned tires.

FWIW I am running a 225 width, but my next set will be 235 (square set up). I like to be able to rotate front to back to even the wear over the years.

A performance winter tire will handle better, but give up snow/ice traction. In the winter (where I live) I like to have snow/ice grip and can accept high speed handling.

CarHopper

nokian hakka r2's. Used to run blizzaks, switched to these. Will never run a different winter tire.

Dogtag114

Thx... interesting... $30-60 more per tire and only an R speed rating (not that I go over 106 often on a track in the winter...).

Tire Rack doesn't carry them...?

some reviews...
http://www.bestcovery.com/hakkapelii...=1&best=265125
http://www.bestcovery.com/michelin-p...=2&best=265125

per Consumer Reports...
Performance winter tires: CR says that for consumers looking for reliable winter traction while maintaining reasonably good grip and handling on cleared roads, the Nokian WR G3 and the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 are the clear choices. For consumers in northern climates who drive routinely in snow, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 offers strong winter grip, though at the expense of handling and grip on cleared roads.

vs still torn... looks like Nokians better for "real winter" but PA4 may be better for "occasional winter"???... NY vs NJ may be where the line is drawn between the two.

roadkillrob

I had Blizzaks on my X3 and hated them, they are great in deep snow the 2 times I might drive in deep snow in a year (and better to just stay home) the rest of the time it sounded like a jacked jeep on 35" super swampers, the dry pavement highway speed tire noise was unbearable and bare dry pavement is 99% of the winter so would do something much less aggressive. Even in Boston the Blizzaks are overkill 99% of the time unless you spend every weekend in the backwoods of Maine or something.

Vladds

I'm curious how others did:
I have Continental DWS where the S shows.
This morning there were 2 inches of snow. My driveway is mildly inclined.
I wanted to get the C63 out of the way of the Sti Spec C.


Once it went down, it refused to go up 10 ft.


My previous Mercedes, a rear wheel drive E420, of 1994, with generic tires (factory skinny size of the 90's however), had no problem taking me all the way to work and back in snow. It had an electronic locking rear differential.


You guys post about snow tires. Does the car really go anywhere, even on snows, in snow?


I mean, I didn't expect the DWS to be the answer to snow, but really, 10 ft, can't go? Allignment is checked and fine.

chrisridebike8

I had Blizzaks on my ex-wife's Challenger SRT8. Best. Snow car. Ever. If Blizzaks can help that 470 hp 4200 lb beast through 8 inches of snow, they should be good for anything. Relatively quiet, tolerable on dry pavement, and beastmode in the snow.

AMGonFire

+1 I have blizzacks as well. Amazing snow tire wouldn't consider anything else. For me traction in the snow is what I'm concerned with, not performance. blizzacks do great in the snow and are overall good traction for dry cold driving. Btw for a snow tire smaller is better. I'm running 235 square setup.

Jasonoff

Which Blizzak is everyone talking about?

I went with the WS80 on the rear this season. The deep snow and ice grip is decent but I would have stuck with a performance winter if I had my time back.

When my Hankook i*cept evo W310s were new they were almost as good in deep snow and ice, but had way better grip and handling in the dry. I don't think the increased snow/ice grip is worth it with the WS80s.

AMGonFire

i have ws80 I love them. I don't really get on my car in the winter no point to me just spinning off tire tread when I'm running 235 winters.

Jasonoff

I don't like how unresponsive they are in the dry.

chrisridebike8

I have the WS80 on the Lexus and had the DVM1 on the Chally (freaking thing needed SUV tires on 18 inch rims to keep overall diameter).

Jasonoff, any reason you aren't running the same tire front and rear? What tires on the front?

Jasonoff

I had DM-V1s on my taco and they were amazing. Although they were 33s and crisp handling wasn't a requirement

I still have the 235 W310s on the front. Was running 235 in the rear but bumped up to 255 this season. Was looking for a 265 but every performance winter was backordered so decided to give the WS80 a try.

simandang

I am using DWS and used it in couple inches of snow last night and drove around for a few hours with snow coming down hard no plows out and i was fine

thesaintusa

I am running Goodyear winter tires (Ultragrips) because they were out of the WS80s and XICE3s when I was in the market (late winter).

They allow me to get to work in the winter in snow/ice without any issues. They clearly lack the grip on dry pavement that the car needs (breaking traction at speeds up to 60 mph is not a problem), but in the winter I have no need or desire to test the limits of traction with heavy acceleration.

There is a reasonable hill that has a traffic light at the top of it. My car is able to get going from a stop without an issue, even when AWD/4x4s with all seasons (or worse, MTs mounted) are stuck spinning.

My driveway is VERY slick (stamped concrete) and the C63 with winter tires has no problems getting up it without a worry at all. I am surprised that you had difficulty, you must have quite a steep driveway, and or older winter tires.

Vladds

I'm not sure.
The Continental DWS is not a winter tire, but an all season with some snow capability.
I am not going to rely on my C63 for snow driving, but I was a bit disappointed at the tantrum it threw at me this morning for my modest driveway reshuffle.
I did a good portion of what you describe, in my W124, driving carefully to work in snow, climbing the hill with traffic light at the top, with only minimal spinning and having no problem with my driveway, on Michelin pilot alpin and on Michelin premier tires, which are all season with very little snow features.

But now I am thinking that it's all about the tire section. The w124 put the rear portion of its 3750lb down, through 195 section tires. The C63 puts the rear portion of 3950lb through 255 section tires.

Downsizing winter tires has to be the key., this is probably where the answer to my question is.

georgy

I have PA4s 235/255 which I got brand new this year.

I saw lots and lots of snow driving over the past 2 weeks in Toronto (which is kind of unusual) and with those tires, it feels like the sketchiest car that I've ever driven in snow.

They are amazing on wet pavement and slush but on snow and half plowed roads the back of the car is just all over the road. It feels like like driving a boat, honestly.

I think my traction control like with burn out before the end of the season.

If you want more grip, just go with 265 PA4s. If you want snow grip go with x-ice3 in 225 and I presume it will be just adequate.

thesaintusa

Even the Pilot Alpin will be far superior to an all-season in the winter.

But I agree that the width does contribute. I run a square 225 set up. Hugely undersized for the rear my c63 is definitely not 'sketchy' in the snow. Handles great and a lot of fun to drive in the winter.

thesaintusa

100% agree with you.

I suspect you would like how your car drives on snow and ice with a 225 width, but hate the lack of grip on dry pavement in the cold.

Everything is a compromise, but I like grip on snow/ice in the winter over grip on cold dry pavement.

AMG6.3

I have i3s snows square setup 235s they actually pretty good tire on dry pavement you just have to roll.your foot into it

georgy

Yea, 255 PA4s have summer performance tire level grip on the dry. There's almost no traction loss floored in 2nd gear.

Historically, there's not too much snow here and roads get cleared up pretty fast.

I know someone that destroyed 225 width WS80s in about 6,000 km last winter, so I didn't want to do that myself.