[Admins: please don't move this message to the tire forum!]
Last week Colorado received its first significant snow storm of the season. We got three inches on the first day, then another 3-5 inches depending on location. In a 24 hour period I got to experience driving on thick tread ATS tires and then snow tires. For the benefit of all those people that still don't believe in buying dedicated cold weather tires, I thought I'd share my experiences in the main forum here because many people don't read messages in the CX-5 Tires area.
On day one I had Yokohama AT/S All-Terrain tires with about 10mm of thick tread on them. Many people would think they'd be fine for snow because of such deep tread, but that wasn't the case. As I drove up a windy mountain road, the surface went from cold/wet asphalt, to light snow cover, then to about 1/2 - 1 inch of fresh snow and a slight sheen of ice on the road from earlier rain.
* On a flat area, if I pressed the pedal down, I was able to spin the wheels and get the traction control light on.
* When trying to take corners on the many switchbacks up the mountains, I could feel the car fail to grip and slide forward with the momentum of the car. I had to slow down to boring speed to avoid this.
* Several times that night and the next day when I would go 15-30 miles an hour then slam on the brakes to test stopping distance I was shocked at how long it took. I could feel the car pumping the breaks but despite that its clearly just plain sliding across the snowpack at the same time.
The next day I put last year's Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV Snow tires on. What a difference!! The tire center measured them at 10mm before they put them on. They had only been in use for one season, so not new, but not worn down.
* My first test was going from 15 mph to zero in a Safeway parking on fresh snow: really quick stopping. Like stopping on a gravel road instead of asphalt, a little longer distance but safe.
* Then, after an evening meeting, I tried flooring it and heavy-brake stopping in an empty corporate building parking lot with about 2" of snow. No loss of of traction control and comfortable, confident stopping. (Having fun at this point)
* I tried the same tests going up the mountain this night after 3" of snow had fallen:
* Fairly difficult to get the traction control light on: I had to find patches where the snow was mixed with slush. If it was packed snow, I couldn't do it.
* Taking corners on mountain switchbacks with these tires was impressive. They just grip, grip, grip like the snow isn't there. It's so much fun driving in a vehicle that handles it so well. This was probably what surprised me the most: the cornering.
The next morning I drove in the long way, taking a gravel road that was covered in 3" of virgin snow and it looked like only about two vehicles had been on it that morning. I was nervous at first -- there are CLIFFS on this route -- but once I got going, I really enjoyed it. Same as before: good traction for accelleration, great stopping, and really fun corner handling.
So here's the point of this message: If you are in an area where you will get snow and ice this winter season, PLEASE consider getting snow tires. This was my second year in a row where the transition from non-cold weather tires to cold weather tires shocked me when I did my first driving in the snow.
My experience completely backs up what others have stated before: For winter conditions of snow and ice the combination of rubber designed for cold weather, sipes, special tread patterns and decent tread depth is superior to All Terrain tires despite they're aggressive looking tread. If you've got All Season tires, I'd expect a similar or greater difference in experience and safety.
I love my Hakkas, and I used to drive Blizzaks, and others have written some good testimontials in the Rims, Tires and Brakes CX-5 forum on mazdas247.com. Go read up, read how consistently people praise their cold weather tires and get some!
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...X-5-with-and-without-snow-tires-(Hakkas)-long
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123844547-Winter-tires
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...the-Snow-Adventure-Winter-Driving-in-Colorado
Last week Colorado received its first significant snow storm of the season. We got three inches on the first day, then another 3-5 inches depending on location. In a 24 hour period I got to experience driving on thick tread ATS tires and then snow tires. For the benefit of all those people that still don't believe in buying dedicated cold weather tires, I thought I'd share my experiences in the main forum here because many people don't read messages in the CX-5 Tires area.
On day one I had Yokohama AT/S All-Terrain tires with about 10mm of thick tread on them. Many people would think they'd be fine for snow because of such deep tread, but that wasn't the case. As I drove up a windy mountain road, the surface went from cold/wet asphalt, to light snow cover, then to about 1/2 - 1 inch of fresh snow and a slight sheen of ice on the road from earlier rain.
* On a flat area, if I pressed the pedal down, I was able to spin the wheels and get the traction control light on.
* When trying to take corners on the many switchbacks up the mountains, I could feel the car fail to grip and slide forward with the momentum of the car. I had to slow down to boring speed to avoid this.
* Several times that night and the next day when I would go 15-30 miles an hour then slam on the brakes to test stopping distance I was shocked at how long it took. I could feel the car pumping the breaks but despite that its clearly just plain sliding across the snowpack at the same time.
The next day I put last year's Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV Snow tires on. What a difference!! The tire center measured them at 10mm before they put them on. They had only been in use for one season, so not new, but not worn down.
* My first test was going from 15 mph to zero in a Safeway parking on fresh snow: really quick stopping. Like stopping on a gravel road instead of asphalt, a little longer distance but safe.
* Then, after an evening meeting, I tried flooring it and heavy-brake stopping in an empty corporate building parking lot with about 2" of snow. No loss of of traction control and comfortable, confident stopping. (Having fun at this point)
* I tried the same tests going up the mountain this night after 3" of snow had fallen:
* Fairly difficult to get the traction control light on: I had to find patches where the snow was mixed with slush. If it was packed snow, I couldn't do it.
* Taking corners on mountain switchbacks with these tires was impressive. They just grip, grip, grip like the snow isn't there. It's so much fun driving in a vehicle that handles it so well. This was probably what surprised me the most: the cornering.
The next morning I drove in the long way, taking a gravel road that was covered in 3" of virgin snow and it looked like only about two vehicles had been on it that morning. I was nervous at first -- there are CLIFFS on this route -- but once I got going, I really enjoyed it. Same as before: good traction for accelleration, great stopping, and really fun corner handling.
So here's the point of this message: If you are in an area where you will get snow and ice this winter season, PLEASE consider getting snow tires. This was my second year in a row where the transition from non-cold weather tires to cold weather tires shocked me when I did my first driving in the snow.
My experience completely backs up what others have stated before: For winter conditions of snow and ice the combination of rubber designed for cold weather, sipes, special tread patterns and decent tread depth is superior to All Terrain tires despite they're aggressive looking tread. If you've got All Season tires, I'd expect a similar or greater difference in experience and safety.
I love my Hakkas, and I used to drive Blizzaks, and others have written some good testimontials in the Rims, Tires and Brakes CX-5 forum on mazdas247.com. Go read up, read how consistently people praise their cold weather tires and get some!
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...X-5-with-and-without-snow-tires-(Hakkas)-long
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123844547-Winter-tires
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...the-Snow-Adventure-Winter-Driving-in-Colorado