NEWBIE needs winter help

[azzazal]

hi everyone. i'm new. obviously! i just bought a 2006 mazdaspeed 6. the dealer put on brand new tires for me. but i know they are for the summer. So....i am interested in what others have to make it thru the winter months. i wasn't sure if i should get jsut tires or tires and rims. any advice would be appreciated!! thanks!!!

megan

 

[wannabe]

snow tires on this are make it amazing in the snow.

 

[azzazal]

thanks. any advice on which ones? i was looking at the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22. but there are so many. would i be better with all season and run them all year or separate summer and winter tires?

 

[wannabe]

i personally have two sets. if you get all-seasons you sacrifice both winter and summer performance for decent all around.

i have hankook ice bears.

 

[azzazal]

great thanks, i'll be looking for those as my local place.

 

[Flightmedic]

hey welcome to the forums. I did some research and I think I am going to be going with dunlop winter sport m3's.

 

[azzazal]

hey welcome to the forums. I did some research and I think I am going to be going with dunlop winter sport m3's.

thanks so much. i figured the best people to ask are those who have them! i didn't want to be sold anything from the dealer. the good ole' "they'll work great in the snow" and then i find i slip on a puddle.

i few cars ago i had a Nissan SE-R Spec V. for that one, i had a whole separate set of rims and tires for the winter. for summer i had 17" rims and for winter 15". any thoughts on doing the same? or just use the same factory rims year round.

can you tell i'm a newbie? (rlaugh)

 

[wannabe]

thanks so much. i figured the best people to ask are those who have them! i didn't want to be sold anything from the dealer. the good ole' "they'll work great in the snow" and then i find i slip on a puddle.

i few cars ago i had a Nissan SE-R Spec V. for that one, i had a whole separate set of rims and tires for the winter. for summer i had 17" rims and for winter 15". any thoughts on doing the same? or just use the same factory rims year round.

can you tell i'm a newbie? (rlaugh)

well like i said, i have two sets of wheels. its much easier to just swap wheels every season change then to have tires removed and other ones mounted. plus mount/balance will cost you about $100 every time, swapping costs you a little more for the extra set of wheels, but thats a one time cost.

the smallest wheels that fit are 17s, FYI.

 

[LBV]

I agree with what's been said on the Dunlop M3's (I have) and on getting a 2nd set of rims and winter tires. It's more initial upfront cost but they'll last twice as long and you can sell the extra set later anyway so if you look at it that way it's not so hard spending the extra $.

 

[ronin45]

congrats on the purchase!!! i noticed that you live in waltham. there's actually a couple of members on here that live in waltham and i went to school at brandeis a couple of years ago so if you ever feel like hanging out let us know (thumb) i'm just going to reiterate what everyone is saying though and advise on the separate wheel and tire purchase. you could probably look around on craigslist for a set of cheap 17s and get a set of snow tires to put on them. just about any dedicated snow tire will be better than an all-season so pick whichever works for you. dunlop m3's are a great tire that work awesome in the snow and on dry pavement and wear pretty well. i personally have michelin pilot alpins that work great in the snow too. the only thing about the blizzaks is that the silica compound is only on the first half of the tread, so once the tires are half worn it'll be about as effective as an all-season tire.

 

[Flightmedic]

did you go to Waltham high? I have a lot of friends and family that graduated from there...

 

[azzazal]

thanks everyone. i'm gonna head over to ntb and see what they have in stock.

nope. i went to grafton high. i love waltham, been here...almost ten years off and on.

 

[azzazal]

it's official...winter is here! i drove around the block, it was interesting!
but i also think part was due to the 5 inches of slush.
so, i'm still looking for snow tires... (wiggle)

 

[mdogg]

it's official...winter is here! i drove around the block, it was interesting!
but i also think part was due to the 5 inches of slush.
so, i'm still looking for snow tires... (wiggle)

you did this on the stock Bridgestones? (darwin award candidate!)

that is seriously dangerous, but good luck. I would pick up some Blizzaks in a hurry with an extra set of winter wheels to avoid semiannual mounting/balancing

 

[RedBli$$]

def. get the blizzak's...i have them on now and the are just perfect. i swear this things better than a truck. but i really recomend gettin 17's tho. i have blizzaks on my stock rims and there actually one size bigger than the stockers. and all the snow and slush gets stuck in the wheel well and its a pain to get it out. but you wont be dissapointed in them i promise!!

 

[azzazal]

you did this on the stock Bridgestones? (darwin award candidate!)

that is seriously dangerous, but good luck. I would pick up some Blizzaks in a hurry with an extra set of winter wheels to avoid semiannual mounting/balancing

yeh, they had to plow my drive way
so, it was a quick drive out, wait, and back in
i'm not crazy enough to think i can go anywhere, or even near another car!

 

[azzazal]

so you would recommend 17" winters more then all seasons?

 

[miltownsho]

Yes get actual winter tires! All seasons your giving up on performance as stated earlier.

 

[RedBli$$]

if you can afford to get a different set just for winter on sum steel rims or reg. 6 rims i would def. do it!

 

[azzazal]

if you can afford to get a different set just for winter on sum steel rims or reg. 6 rims i would def. do it!

the oem rims on it now aren't prefect...they are starting to peel so i was gonna get winter tires on those. but wasn't gonna if 18" winter tires will still make me stay home in the snow.

the oem tires on there now only have 500 miles on them, so i was gonna look for better rims at a later point.

needless to say, i'm looking at craigslist and see tons of affordable rims and winter tires...just dunno if they will fit.

i'm afraid to go to the dealer and be ripped off.