MSP through WINTER

[Mazdaspeed Boy]

I was informed my MSP will be here in 2 weeks I want to get 4 protege es rims and buy winter tires but i was woundering if it would make it about 10-15 min to my dads shop not much snow here right now but i bet it will dump the day it comes so has anyone driven in any snow with the 17`s? It is sad i don`t have the car but i already have a Blitz blow off valve and a Blitz Dual Turbo Timer. I swear I aint no car nut :bs:

 

[Stealth5]

should make it if you drive real slow and careful...DONT RUIN YOUR MAZDASPEED! please be careful

 

[andr3w]

Forget ES rims, get some cheaper 15 or 16" steelies or suitable alloys. I went with Fondmetal 6200's 15" x 7" with Michelin Arctic Alpin 195/55/15's. Search this board for the offset etc. I can not remember now (long day).

Do not under estimate how bad the stock tires are on snow. See if the dealer will keep it until there is a decent day of clearer roads. Hills with just a millimeter of snow are impossible on those Potenza's. I was in the same situation and was lucky to make it to a tire store!

 

[twiztedjeckel]

to put it mildly. the Bridgestones suck a bid dick when it comes to snow or slush. find whatever wheels you want but find something other than whats on there and don't let the dealer try pawning off some ****** 17" blizzaks for your car. i was lucky enough to find a set of 4 ES wheels,1 has a bit of road rash,another has a slight scuff,2 brand new tires and 2 not so great tires for $300. deals can be found but whatever you do don't be driving around on those tires if you don't need to

 

[Stealth5]

hmm, the MSP came with bridgestones? i wonder why they didnt go with dunlop like the other proteges

 

[twiztedjeckel]

because they're better performance tires. you don't want this to happen to you do you? and thats obviously with the ES wheels and Dunlops on it. not a fun time

 

[Grimace]

LOL, my new desktop.

 

[AGR]

because they're better performance tires. you don't want this to happen to you do you? and thats obviously with the ES wheels and Dunlops on it. not a fun time

..sure looks goods against that snowy backdrop! But; I'm glad I don't have to drive in it!

 

[twiztedjeckel]

this is why i'm going to burn the dunlops off at the track in the spring and buy winter tires next summer.

god i have a miserable driveway. i probably wouldn't even have made it up the road if i had the Bridgestones on it.

BTW- it took me an hour and a half to shovel and salt that snowy backdrop

 

[AGR]

this is why i'm going to burn the dunlops off at the track in the spring and buy winter tires next summer.

god i have a miserable driveway. i probably wouldn't even have made it up the road if i had the Bridgestones on it.

BTW- it took me an hour and a half to shovel and salt that snowy backdrop

Damn! That's time you could have spent behind the wheel of that sweet 'SPEED!! Are you talking of Auto Crossing? Or, the strip?

....also; have you installed your turbo timer/boost gauge?

 

[twiztedjeckel]

yeah well when the weathers like this i don't even like to let the car leave the garage.

i was referring to drag strip, that i know opens april 7th of so. not sure when the AutoX events around here start. i was just hoping to get a little time in at the 1/4 mile to wear through the tires and give me just that much more of a reason to get new ones. i'll put the stock wheels and tires back on for the AutoX fun.

and you must be mistaking me for somebody else. i don't have a turbo timer or a boost gauge.yet..................

 

[MikeyG_U2]

I got winter tires the day after I picked up my MSP. Of course it snowed the day I was getting them, so I got to experience just how horrible the stock 17" B-Stones are in the snow. I got a set of 16" Sport Edition Valore's and Michelin 205/50 Pilot Alpin's from Tire Rack. My car is now unstoppable in the snow! The Sport Editions are the best-looking wheel in the world, they are nice and simple though. Between the LSD and those tires I had no problems on a ski trip to Upper-Peninsula Michigan where my friends PT Cruiser with traction control kept getting stranded!

 

[MikeyG_U2]

Oops, I meant the Sport Editions are NOT the best looking wheel in the world, but are simple and easy to clean. I got so caught up in my story I didn't notice that glaring typo...

 

[Colourwolf]

Oh man, you made me remember the snowy day I drove the MSP with Bridgestone. It was TERRIBLE I swear to God. I felt so lucky that I made the trip home. The tires kept spinning, the car couldn't be accelerated and skidded to right side even on very very mild up-slope.

 

[twiztedjeckel]

the LAD can make things a bit tricky from time to time.

 

[Mazdaspeed Boy]

Thanx for all your input i think i will get the ES rims because i have a friend who is willin to sell me them for $250 with the stock rubber which don`t worry will be replaced


thanx again

 

[Aemon]

I got winter tires the day after I picked up my MSP. Of course it snowed the day I was getting them, so I got to experience just how horrible the stock 17" B-Stones are in the snow. I got a set of 16" Sport Edition Valore's and Michelin 205/50 Pilot Alpin's from Tire Rack. My car is now unstoppable in the snow! The Sport Editions are the best-looking wheel in the world, they are nice and simple though. Between the LSD and those tires I had no problems on a ski trip to Upper-Peninsula Michigan where my friends PT Cruiser with traction control kept getting stranded!

You almost got the same wheels I did. I went with the 16x7 Sport Edition Fox 5 Silver with 205/50QR-16 Michelin Arctic-Alpin also from TireRack. For some reason though, the Fox 5 is not listed anymore for their winter packages. I bought them back in mid December two weeks before I picked up my MSP. Other than a balance issue (which TireRack took care of), the wheels/tires work great!


--Aemon

 

[MikeyG_U2]

Cool. I was a little worried that the Sport Edition Valore's would be crappy since they were cheapest wheel option, but they look pretty good and have a nice finish on them. I opted for the Pilot Alpin's instead of the Arctic Alpin's this time. I wanted to try Winter tires instead of something designed specifically for snow. We really only get a few days of actual snow around chicago, so I thought a winter tire would handle a better all around, and still be good on the few snow days we get. So far I'm loving them!