Does a 1% difference in profile% matter?

[ChopstickHero]

yeah, slightly thinner tire is ok. if the stock is 215, then try looking for a 205. of course, it won't make too much of a difference. as long as the tread is aggressive and deep, you will get more grip in the snow.

does the mazdaspeed6 have a controllable differential to change the power balance of the front and rear? IIRC not by the user. the car selects it's modes on it's own.

 

[FX-MAN]

No one seems to make 17s other than Mazda, and they are about the price of decent alloys, so I got some Hyperblack Motegei 17x7s and Dunlop Wintersport M3 215/50R 17s (which from researching look like the highest performance and grip in the snow for 17" wheels). The difference in the tread width and height over stock is nutz, and the rubber is much softer.

My break clearance on the 17s in the front is INSANE... I was sure it was scraping, but the guys at the shop ran it through their clearance tests and said it looks great, I have driven it for about 100K today and no scraping. So we are looking good.

The funny thing, is that these wheels are much lighter than the stock 18s, so the car feels faster. The ride is not as smooth, but I don't care, these things are going to do GREAT in the snow.

 

[SNike05]

B(it says it has "All season tires", but I guess that means nothing with 18" low profile).

yeah all these cars that are coming out now with large rims and 4 season low profile tires are really more for looks then 4 season. They just put 4 season on the tire to make people happy. The Protege5 oem tires are the perfect example they had to be the shittiest tire that has ever existed. Even with the slightest water on the road the tire would hydroplane and don't even think about taking them on the snow for me it was a nightmare my first winter.

 

[Da 6]

yeah all these cars that are coming out now with large rims and 4 season low profile tires are really more for looks then 4 season. They just put 4 season on the tire to make people happy. The Protege5 oem tires are the perfect example they had to be the shittiest tire that has ever existed. Even with the slightest water on the road the tire would hydroplane and don't even think about taking them on the snow for me it was a nightmare my first winter.

Reminds me of my neon...at 5 mph cruise I hrdroplaned and slid into a curb. No accel in the turn.

 

[Mikey444]

I have 205/65R15's on steelies for the winter, works well for me.

 

[Da 6]

I have 225 replacing the 245. As stated as long as you have a decent non race compound and serious tread you should be better off than stock. If you really wanna get crazy go blizaks or perelli scorpions.