snow tires

[beavis]

i need to get some snow tires for my msp. so far i only found one place that even had my car in the computer.
i was thinking of getting some 16in steelies and some blizzaks. but dont know if they will fit seeing how the brake diameter is a wee bit larger than the normal protege` and if blizzaks are anygood. just looking for another opinion

 

[servoeyes]

Ah...it's your third post...that would be why you didn't use the search button to find this answer.

Anywho...welcome aboard. I'm running 15s on steelies so, yes...16s will fit. Tirerack.com had 16" Firestone Winterforces on sale with steelies for like 400$ before shipping. I'm not sure if it's still that way, but it might be.

Also...check out 1010tires.com and tires.com...those are your three best bets!

Also...check this section for the threads (multiple) regarding snow tires and recommendations...they even have size listings.

 

[rocketspeed]

tirerack has 16 inch steelies, they can set them up with Blizzaks for about $600. Blizzak is probably the best all-around, widely available winter tire (I hear good things about Nokians, but not a lot of places seem to carry).

If you want to keep the thing handling pretty sporty, you can get Michelin Pilot Alpins in 215/45-17, I have a set on my wife's Focus SVT. They're very good in the snow despite the low profile and width and the handling is still pretty sporty. The Focus SVT with the snows outhandled my old GTI vr6 with its crappy all season touring tires easily. Those were also Michelin Pilots, BTW.

Tires.com has 15 inch steelies in stock w/ snows for about $480.

 

[LzrBlu2003MSP]

Sucks to be you guys......I never have to change my tires in Sunny Florida!

 

[ping]

tires.com Semperits for ~$70 are good as all;-seasons, apparently pretty good in snow (I'll find out this weekend) and good all-around. In some ways I like mine better than the 040's (more comfortable and easier to steer, no tramlining...) but the go-kart feel is reduced substantially.

Blizzaks are, by many accounts, balloons in the dry, but excel on ice. Michelin Arctic Alpins are fantastic all-around tires as well, but spendy. I like my Semperits. Oh yeah - 205/55/16 is what you're looking for on the MSP. It's larger than P5 or MP3 tires (outside diameter) but keeps the speedo within ~1%.

 

[mazdaowner123]

but keeps the speedo within ~1%.

Good info. I was just wondering what the effect on the speedo would be.


~Brian

 

[MSBlueP]

snow'd out here in maryland today.. uh.. drove my msp around.. must say.. it felt like my damn matrix wid firestone firehawks.. B-A-D. but u can live wid it.. just drive slow and avoid back roads and unplowed roadways. stick to main roads and u should be a-o-k!

 

[Inspekdah]

the guy my tire store i went to said to me that since my car is a 5 lug-nut wheel i cant get steels for my car... and that i can only get dunlap's for my current existing rims, wtf?

 

[Inspekdah]

man i see the deals some of you guys are talking about and im about to spend 600 for only the tires...

can someone tell me EXACTLY


the wheel and tire i should get, i dont care 15 or 16 is fine and im looking for a package around 500 or so..

just give me the exact size and name of what im looking for, im a noobie to all of this, esp winter tires but my msp deserves it!

 

[jersey_emt]

the guy my tire store i went to said to me that since my car is a 5 lug-nut wheel i cant get steels for my car... and that i can only get dunlap's for my current existing rims, wtf?

That's probably all they had in stock...go to tirerack.com and order.

 

[1sty]

I just bought the nokian Hakka 2's with studs. $480mounted and balanced.
They are deffinitly louder then stock, and they don't have the dry tracktion abilities of coarse. We'll see how they perform in the snow tonight.

 

[wscottl]

can someone tell me EXACTLY the wheel and tire i should get

Call the Tire Rack at (888) 541-1777.

-Scott

 

[y00j912]

I just called tirerack and they suggested 16" steelies with Dunlop M2 tires. They quoted me 650 mounted, balanced, and shipped. Anyone know if this is a good deal for my MSP?

 

[doublebase]

Don't get 16's. To expensive. I just put my 15's on about an hour ago since its snowing like crazy here in PA. God they are ugly but o well I can live with them for 3 months. My friend is my dealer so he hooked me up through tirerack.com. I got some cheap generic brand with 15 inch steelies for 376.80 mounted, shipped and all that good stuff. Have fun trying to find the jacking spots. Front is easy but the rear wtf. Our manual sucks. I put two nice dents in my undercage.

 

[Inspekdah]

went ahead got 16 steels and the dunlop m2's... 620 shipped etc. to albany ny


the friend of the family that sold me this car keeps telling me 16's or 15's will hurt the car because its a 17 in wheel well, he keeps telling my family this freaking them all out...

obviously its nto, wut do i tell him?

 

[jaymode]

tell the dude to stfu. As long as the replacement set is the same overall size it will not hurt anything. As long as they are the proper size, this guy does not know what he is talking about.