hobie

I've been on Yokohama's new dbS2 in 225/50 16s for a few weeks now. I like them, they are indeed quieter. The first real test will be snow, but so far so good. It is a good looking tire, too. On the down side the treadwear rating is higher than I would like (380?) but they don't squel like a mileage tire. The steering response is a bit squirmy, compared to the Yoko AVS int. I had on there, but much better than the original Michelin's that MB puts on them. Ask your tech which tires spin up nicely, Yokos are always very true and take little weight to balance.
Lynn's comments are appropriate, Michelin does make a decent tire, but which tire they offer that is best suited to your needs is the riddle. The Tire Rack's site is great for sorting out the questions. I got just 10k out of some very soft tires, this did not come as a surprise. I enjoyed every mile, with the knowledge that I was sacrificing longevity for some amazing grip. This time I chose a tire that should be acceptable in the snow, and still offer some summer performance. The "new" factor of trying a "quiet tire" was intriguing as well.

Tai230K

all i have to say is that i have the Sumitomo HTR+'s on my c-coupe and hate them. In the beginning they were great, handled great, now all they do is spin out all the time. I should have gotten michelin pilot sport a/s'. I guess you get what you pay for.

i'm thinking about changing tires to conti extremes but i'm still skeptical.

Pweb

Hi, my 2003 C230 Sport Sedan came with performance tires and we've got a lot of snow yesterday - couldn't even get out of my garage Today was "OK" - pretty slippery when driving on snow so I was thinking of getting winter tires for winter and then switching back to performance when winter ends.

Called MB Dealer today - the recommend their best winter tires for $700 with labor etc. Should I go for it? Will I see a significant difference? I've always had all season tires on my previous cars and was thinking of getting those, but service manager recommends winter only - just in case.

Thanks!

Pweb

Also, do you see any problems if I buy them from Goodyear ask have them install my tires rather than going through dealer and paying extra?

Thanks!

truelove

go to tirerack.com, order some winter tires (or all seasons if you like, that's what i'm doing next year) and have them delivered to a good installer near you. tires at tirerack are much cheaper than a local tire dealer.

i will be getting sumitomo HTR+ tires next year. they're $84 at tirerack and something like $130 at sears.

ScoobyDo

Depending on the weather where you live, you may need winter tires. In Toronto, I always switch to winter tires in early to mid November. I have no faith in all-season. You should shop for the best price on the tires and go with whoever offers you the on them. There is no need to go to the dealer for this service.

Lynn

Don't ever buy tires from the MB dealer. Tire Rack has many wheel and snow tire packages at great prices. Since your car has the small brake calipers, get 16" wheels and tires. You can even get steel wheels for about $50 each.

Pweb

Thanks everybody..
Here is what I'm thinking of getting:

Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Ultra+Grip+Ice

Lynn

The MB recommended snow tire size is 205/55-17. Be sure to consult with Luke before buying the Goodyears. I think they will fit your car, but he will know for sure.

zimmer26

This tire looks like it will shine in the snow, but you'll be giving up a awful lot of performance. If you don't get that much snow (say less than 100"/year) I think you can get away with something less spongy than these full out snows will be. I'd look for an H rated "performance all weather" tires that are out there. I'd suggest the Dunlop winter sports for $92ea for snow bias and Conti Extreme for $75 for a performance bias. If you live in the Rocky's or Northern New England then you'll want the pure snows. Nokian also makes some great snow tires. The NRW/WRs are great and have excellent tread wear. They are a bit pricey, but definitely worth it.

Pweb

Minnesota here... winter is always unpredictable. Yesterday we've had about 5" of snow - couldn't get out of my garage.

Right now I have 225/45 ZR 17

zimmer26

ZR summers are absolutely scary in ANY amount of snow/slush. I'd say Dunlops or Nokian WR's (etires.com) for the snow bias Minnesota probably deserves. You'll get great snow performance, good wear and acceptable handling.

Pweb

Something like these?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....inter+Sport+M2

zimmer26

Exactly. That looks perfect. Should compare favorably to the Goodyear in almost all categories, there's also a next gen. M3 that may be even better.

Pweb

Thanks.. what size will I need to fit my car?
Sorry, I'm a newb when it comes to tires

zimmer26

What wheels are you using- width, diameter.

Pweb

225/45 ZR 17
Looks like I need 205/55-16 (with new wheels)

zimmer26

That's the best way to go, you could use your 17s but you're better off with narrower 16s and having them on dedicated wheels makes the switch much less of a hassle. In that case 205/55-16 is perfect, go w/it.

pokerFACE

Yokohama AVS Winter.

damn good.

WannaBeAMG

no, no, no. you are fine sticking with 225/45/17. bridgestone, pirelli, dunlop all make great winter/performance tires that have plenty of dry road performance. and in youre stock size too. the last time i used a winter tire i had Bridgestone Blizzak MZ-02's and they were unstoppable. the LM-22 is the replacement for that tire. for pure winter traction its hard to beat blizzaks, but for more well rounded performance/ handling pirelli and dunlop make great winter tires. but to answer youre original question you should absolutely not drive summer tires in the winter. and if youre going to have 2 sets for winter/ warmer seasons your second set should be winter tires as opposed to all-season.

zimmer26

There are 2 good reasons not to do this. One is that the same 205/55-16 will perform better in the snow because its narrower and the sidewall is taller and therefore more plyable. The second is its a hell of a lot easier and cheaper (long term) not to have to remount and balance your tires every 6 months. OK, you could buy another set of 17s but it will cost more- for the wheels and for the tires. The 16s make more sense for winter. I wish I could report on how snow worthy my 225/45-17 Conti Extremes are but no white stuff yet. I went to this tire as a year rounder because I didn't want to throw down or have to store an extra set of wheels for a car I'll have another year or two, and we typically don't get that much snow- 40" or so.

WannaBeAMG

there are also 2 good reasons not to switch wheels or tire size.

1) looks (who wants puny 16's on ugly steel wheels or cheapo alloys?)

2)handling (dry/wet)

i am from MN as he is and i see plenty of people who mount snow tires for winter on thier factory wheels in factory sizes. if he lives in the metro area, and im sure he does, he wont need a tall sidewall and narrow tire as he wont need to forge through miles of deep snow. he will see mostly ice and hard packed snow, and tons of slush. for those conditions tread design and compound is whats important.

zimmer26

Point is Pweb, there's always a compromise and more than one way to do it. It comes down to what attributes matter most to you and how you want the logistics of going from winters to summers to work. Assuming you can bear the looks of "puny" 16s, you'll be rewarded in snowy conditions (I assume that's why you're buying snow tires) and when it comes time to switch back to summers its a jack 20 lugs, not a trip to the shop with 4 tires wedged into your car and for me that's the deal breaker. If I had the tools to properly mount and balance tires I suppose I'd keep the handsome 17s on all year and save the expense of buying new wheels as wannabe is suggesting but its a pain the butt.

Pweb

Thanks for your comments.
Here is what I'm getting - Dunlop Winter M2's (16") and the following wheels:

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Displ...Silver+Painted

Pweb

Once winter ends, I'll put on my stock 17"s and use Dunlop's for next winter etc. Wal-Mart will rotate my tires for just $1.50 per tire/wheel