Snow and Protege5

[blizzard]

I got Pirelli Winter Snowsport 210s put on my car for winter (4 of them). I am really not impressed with how the car handles in the snow. My VWs with snow tires were WAY better. I bought these tires because they came in the stock size, and got really quite good reviews. Perhaps it's not quite as good as people said. I don't know.

Anyone have better luck with tires that actually made their cars good?

Just wondering...

 

[Suomi]

I have Dunlop Graspic DS-2. I also bought them because they came in the stock size. I absolutely love them. I've never had snow tires before, so I can't say how they compare to others. But compared to all-season tires, these kick major arse.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Michelin Arctic Alpins. Very impressive!! I think they have since changed names though.

 

[viVid]

I think most VDubs have a Limited Slip Diff... at least my wife's Cabrio does and it's a tank in the snow!

 

[Mike R]

I had Michelin Artic Alpins on last year and the car was unstoppable. I found myself driving way over the speed limit in the snow.

 

[Reitrof]

Blizzard,

I have the same tires and love them. Been running them for 2 winters. What is your complaint about them? I am usually passing people in storms. I have also towed a trailer with them in a couple of storms.

 

[Mad Hatter]

I had Michelin Artic Alpins on last year and the car was unstoppable. I found myself driving way over the speed limit in the snow.

(mswerd)

 

[romand]

I have Dunlop Graspic DS-2. I also bought them because they came in the stock size. I absolutely love them. I've never had snow tires before, so I can't say how they compare to others. But compared to all-season tires, these kick major arse.

I have them too in 15 inch. Drive to Montreal all the time, like a tank.

Roman
Brighton, MA
02 p5

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

Michelin Arctic Alpins. Very impressive!! I think they have since changed names though.

Yes they have, I know this since I blew a tire, and bent a rim...and had to replace..lol. I love them, they handle so amazingly in the snow, and I'm sure the LSD helps alot too...and yes..speeding on snow covered roads is an issue...as is using an e-brake to corner in empty parking lots...hehehehehehe, the best part is, these tires are great on the highway...all the way up to 220km/h...yes, they have seen that speed...and held the car well, with minimal noise

 

[blizzard]

Blizzard,

I have the same tires and love them. Been running them for 2 winters. What is your complaint about them? I am usually passing people in storms. I have also towed a trailer with them in a couple of storms.

I bought the snow tires for my car almost as soon as I bought the car. So, I never drove the car in the snow with the all seasons tires still on. I am more comparing the car to my VWs with winter tires. I would love to try a Protege5 with different tires to compare the traction. There is just no question in my mind that the VW was WAY better.

I find that with these tires, I do not have the same confidence as I did in my VW. I kept spinning out on a hill (couldn't make it up at all) where my VW would make it up on the first attempt.

Thanks to everyone for their input. I was wondering if I should ditch these tires for something better next year, but I didn't want to do that if this was as good as the car got. I'd only spend another $1000 CDN if I knew I was going to get WAY better traction. From the sounds of things, people are happy with the improvement of the Pirellis over All Seasons, so it might just be the car that's bad? I don't know...

 

[MP5_509]

im a huge fan for Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50s. Last year we got 16" here in SE washington state and it my prizm thru everything i never got stuck, untill it rained ontop of the snow and my car was too low to move.

 

[FlyinMSP]

I got Pirelli Winter Snowsport 210s put on my car for winter (4 of them). I am really not impressed with how the car handles in the snow. My VWs with snow tires were WAY better. I bought these tires because they came in the stock size, and got really quite good reviews. Perhaps it's not quite as good as people said. I don't know.

Anyone have better luck with tires that actually made their cars good?

Just wondering...

I have Dunlop Graspic DS-2. I also bought them because they came in the stock size. I absolutely love them. I've never had snow tires before, so I can't say how they compare to others. But compared to all-season tires, these kick major arse.

It's interesting to see how opinions on tires can be quite subjective... I just switched from Dunlop Graspic DS-1 (225/45/17) to Pirelli Snowsport 210 (205/50/17) b/c I got the latter almost for free While the Dunlops were outstanding in all out snow (in the worst conditions) I hate them on the dry, the braking is horrible (lots of ABS and even then they slide), also it feels like driving on marshmallows. On the other hand the Pilelli are just AMAZING (after the Dunlops anyways) on the dry, very good braking, cornering. Of course they are less confortable b/c the sidewall is a lot stiffer. Now I'm just waiting to see how they'll fare in the next snowstorm or on ice...

 

[mcstark]

I've got Pirelli Winter Carving's on my P5, and they're pretty good. They decidedly average on ice, but I didn't want to waste the cash on Blizzaks. We don't get too much ice here and the second half on winter (Jan-Apr) is usually dry, so the Blizzaks would just wear down quickly. The WC's are decent in deep snow, corner predictably, and do just fine on dry roads.

The problem that I find with our cars in the winter is the feature that makes it so appealing -- the damn torque curve. You've got to feather the clutch from a standstill, because if the tires aren't hooked up by 2000 rpm they'll just spin until you get off the gas. But then I usually just short-shift into second, and then third and let that torquey four pull me through the worst stuff.

Stay warm...and keep the rubber side down.

 

[vaMP5er]

haha, I'm on stock rubber...

It was like begging to have a mailbox to smash my hood and bumper.

 

[pro5utah]

if you can find a set of toyo observes they are incredible....crushed walnuts in the rubber compound is evidently really good for traction....me...i am just a poor fool who keeps all seasons on and almost dies when it snows too much.....(shrug)

 

[JOS3]

this is my 3rd winter on stock dunlops sport 5000's. they have 33K on them. i like to live life on the edge, y0

 

[ottawaP5]

I agree with everyone about the Actic Alpins. I'm very happy with them as well.

Maybe the reason you aren't getting good performance out of your snow tires is because you kept the same stock low profile size. If you would drop to 15", raise the profile of the tire and get them one size thinner (185), you would see a big improvement.

 

[MyZmZm]

I've got the Nokian Hakka Q's on my car, on 15" steels, and I love them - about $800 all in. (thumb) Excellent on snow and ice, they handle very well on the dry pavement, and they don't mind if the temp goes 5-10 above zero (that's celsius!) for a week or two like a lot of winter tires do *blizzak* The only occasional problem I notice in winter is the torque curve when you're starting out, once the tires grip there's pretty much no stopping them.

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

yeah, a narrower tire would help also

 

[LRHK]

I got 14" in winter steel rims and firestone winterfire tires... When I first got them Dec 2003, I couldn't loose grip. I could push snow that was above the fog lights.... but now they aren't as good... I guess I have been accelerating too fast (darn torque) and doing too much e-braking.... damn fun! lol