Tires for the P5

[newprot5fan]

Well, with winter coming, I need to figure out my tires. I live in Halifax, so we get some snow and freexing rain. I bought the car and it has two new dunlops on the front and two old dunlops on the back (which desperatly need replacing)...

My question is should I just get two more dunlops for the back and call it a day or do those not handle well at all in snow?

I am on a limited budget here so I am trying to avoid buying winter tires, but I might have to. If so, any suggestions?

thanks all
dave

 

[Lord_Zath]

Get all 4 snows. If you just get two, your back end will be incredibly loose (assuming you put the two new snows in the front).

The p5 is very unstable in the snow. Get 4 snows.

 

[Sveivo]

The stock tires are not that great in the snow. You could probably get by, but it's certainly a risk. I ended up in a ditch one day (on the highway). Then I decided that dedicated winter tires and wheels were worth it.

BTW, I'm still in college, so I am certainly on a budget.

As far a buying just 2 tires, I would not do it. I have found that buying tires in 2's is bad practice.

 

[Kansei]

With snow tires the P5 is unstoppable in the snow

Definitely don't touch the dunlops.. if you really really don't feel like spending the money, go for a good all season tire that gets good snow traction ratings. I've driven all-seasons in the snow and it wasn't pretty usually.

 

[Sveivo]

My "snow" tires are actually all-season. Still the grip is great, actually because the tread is narrow and the tread pattern is quite knobby.

 

[KrayzieFox]

I bought a full set of Hankook IceBear snow tires and I must say I'm impressed. They handle awesome in the rain, and definately perform much better in snow as well. We haven't had much snow yet, but the little bit we've seen has shown me that this is by far going to be a much more pleasant driving experience than the previous 2 winters I drove through in my P5..

 

[Purrfectangel]

I live in Fredericton and I recently purchased 4 winter tires for mine but when I got her she came with four Toyo Proxies...

I called every place around and our stock size is hard to get because it's such an odd ball size. I don't know which was more annoying the fact that they are and odd ball size and hard to find or that every place I called and asked for that size they automatically new what kind of car it was for lol.

The only makes available I could find here were Cooper, Dunlop, Khumo, Toyo, Hancook and one or two others but the cheapest was Dunlop. I am no fan of Dunlops but I purchased four of them and with the recent blast of winter I find they preform quite well. Course that greatly depends one the driver as well The cheapest I could get them was $134 and change but most places carry them for $150-155 and I priced the Khumos at $139 and change. Either way balanced and installed for 4 winter will cost between $680-$800 depending on what you get and how much it costs to have them balanced and installed. With the Dunlop Graspec my bill was $679. Oh and just a note, for curiosity sake I asked the guy I bought my tires from why that same tire was over $20 cheaper here than everywhere else and he said because his main business is as a garage and they sell tires as a second business..code for big dicount

 

[Kansei]

Yeah 195/50/16 is a weird size I guess. My snow tires are 195/55/16, which seemed to be a lot easier to find.

 

[pfive]

im getting some new tires on my pfive 2morrow. KUMHO ASX's - good in snow and will give me some decent handling. i dont plan on driving in the snow a whole lot and i cant keep 2 sets of tires.

i was thinkin of snows, but they were hella expensive for a 195/50/16.

 

[Canecreekfreak]

The Dunlop 5000's suck in the snow, so I'd suggest getting 4 new snow tires, or at least 4 all-season tires that handle better in the snow. The Kuhmo ASX's are better, as are the Toyo Proxes 4 (although not stellar), and if you step up to a 205/50/16 there are 15 choices of performance all season's at the tirerack.com to look at. But since you are in NS, I would suggest getting 4 matching snow tires- that's the safest way to go.

 

[newprot5fan]

Just for the hell of it, I called a local mazda dealer and they have a deal for 4 tires, steel rims, caps for $659+tx installed and balanced. the tires are Kelly Springfield snow tracker (same pattern as Goodyear Ultra grip)....

Any thoughts?

 

[Canecreekfreak]

That's a little less than you'd pay for a package from the tire rack, so it's a pretty good deal. Pirelli performance snows on steel wheels shipped is about $700 USD. You might be able to find some alloys on this site cheap, and then slap some snows on 'em so you don't have to look at steel wheels all winter, if that matters to you. If you don't want to wait your dealers deal sounds pretty good to me.

 

[Purrfectangel]

Just for the hell of it, I called a local mazda dealer and they have a deal for 4 tires, steel rims, caps for $659+tx installed and balanced. the tires are Kelly Springfield snow tracker (same pattern as Goodyear Ultra grip)....

Any thoughts?

Snow trackers are not a bad tire...

Goodyear Ultra grip is what I used to run on my old car and I loved them.
Even though the tracker has the same pattern does it have the same hardness??

Canecreekfreak is right if you can live with steelies for the winter that's a good offer and they come with caps so it won't look as bad lol.

I would just put for winter ones on your current rims though, it'll be about 80 dollars cheaper. For the price they mentioned you could get 4 snows, balanced, installed and a four wheel alignment if you put them on your current rims.

I usually don't go through the dealership for anything but on occasion they do have the odd good deal.

 

[newprot5fan]

wow..i'm actually surprised the dealership is offering a good deal...

i guess i just don't know enough about winter tires to shop around, so you guys are saying that is a good deal?

and just to make sure, getting 2 new dunlops to match the two new ones the dealer put on (they are the same as the stock...5000s), is not a good idea? doing that would give me basically four new dunlop 5000s on the car (i know they aren't winter, but they are supposed to be all season right)?

thanks for your help guys (and gals)......I know these questions are pretty lame, but until I learn more about cars, I can;t help it!!

 

[Purrfectangel]

No question is lame...every one of us is a first time learner of something related to cars...so if you got a question post er up lol.

As for it being a good deal...it's reasonable. I would shop around more thou.

Like I said, for the price they offered you'd get more for your money if you balance and install four new winter ones on your current rims.

You have two dunlops on the front now that I'm assuming are all season...you really shouldn't mix all season with winter especially with the way this car, suspension etc is set up, it just won't handle well at all, and you'll feel like you're all over the place.

Winter Dunlops are definitely better than their all seasons, but still bad all around lol.

That said, you could put 2 new all seasons on to go with the two you have already and you should be fine, as far as handling is concerned anyways...just drive extra careful with them.

 

[newprot5fan]

I guess that is the question...If I buy 2 more all season Dunlop 5000 to match the two on the front, I will have 4 bascially new all seasons. Now, will these be good enough for a nova scotia winter? I am not a crazy driver in the winter...

Oh, and without hubcaps that Mazda deal is $680 all in (and those are the snow trackers - similar to the goodyear ultra grip)

However, everyone so far says these dunlop5000 all seasons SUCK in the snow and ice. If that is true, then I need to get some winter ones.

As for putting them on the rims I have now, I probably won't. Knowing my luck, i smash one of them up...so I think I would go with steel rims

Canadian tire has some pretty cheap Nordic tires.....are they any good?

I just called mazda adn they said I can put 195 55 15 on for the winter (on steel rims) if I wanted, so I can price those as well (that is what the mazda pacakage deal isthat I mentioned above)

So would all of you trust new Dunlop 5000 tires in the winter in Nova Scotia? LET'S START A POLL !!!!!

THANKS!

 

[Purrfectangel]

If it all comes to $680 that's not bad. Actually that's what I paid for mine but mine are 16's so in comparison that's still a little pricey.

Dunlops are crap no question, unfortunately they're is not a lot of selection for winter tires for the 16" with our stock size but for 15" the options are endless lol, just remember that when changing tire sizes you should be within a 3% difference in diameter or you could have brake failure.

As for trusting the Dunlop 5000 in NS hell no lol j/k just depends on where you're driving. If it's mostly city driving you should be fine.

All season verses winter! hmmmm...

Personally do not care for all seasons, never have. I find them useless because I do just as much driving in the winter as I do in the summer and with bad roads everywhere and conditions changing all the time I prefer winter in winter and summer in summer.

But in the end the driver is the deciding factor on whether or not your tires work well..

 

[newprot5fan]

But you put your new tires right onto your existing alloy rims right? This $680 includes 4 winter steel rims and the tires and the balancing and the tax. so i don;t think it is that bad.

i jsut never heard of the tire...Kelly Springifeld snow tracker? I know that is somehow affiliated with Goodyear, but come on...the name sounds like a porn star!

That deal that mazda is offering is with 195 55 15. I was talking to the guy and he said that is waht they put on the protege5's.

So for 4 tires and 4 steel rims and balancing and tax, it doesn;t seem too bad to me. Of course, it would be cheaper to buy 2 more dunlops and jsut say the hell with it

The thing is, I am going to have to buy 2 new tires anyway to match the dunlops on the front at some point, so i think that is an alternative to winter tires. As for driving, I am pretty cautious in snow, but I want to have some faith in the tires. I do a lot of city driving, but I aslo drive other places....

Oh crap..I don;t know!

 

[the tortoise]

I say you buy the winters now. Then get two new dunlops (or other tire) in the spring. Given the amount of snow that you get in Halifax it just makes sense.

Another way to look at it, if the winter tires save your bacon just once, they'll have paid for themselves. There's a pretty good chance they'll save you at least once in the 4 years you own them. Another option for winters is to scour a local classified site to see if anyone is selling a set.

I have the 195/55/15's and they work well. Also, if you want to save some more money you can use 14" rims.

Edit: http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...of-four-15-Winter-Rims-Tires-W0QQAdIdZ7155344

The ad is from a while ago, but you never know.

 

[Purrfectangel]

But you put your new tires right onto your existing alloy rims right? This $680 includes 4 winter steel rims and the tires and the balancing and the tax. so i don;t think it is that bad.

i jsut never heard of the tire...Kelly Springifeld snow tracker? I know that is somehow affiliated with Goodyear, but come on...the name sounds like a porn star!

That deal that mazda is offering is with 195 55 15. I was talking to the guy and he said that is waht they put on the protege5's.

So for 4 tires and 4 steel rims and balancing and tax, it doesn;t seem too bad to me. Of course, it would be cheaper to buy 2 more dunlops and jsut say the hell with it

The thing is, I am going to have to buy 2 new tires anyway to match the dunlops on the front at some point, so i think that is an alternative to winter tires. As for driving, I am pretty cautious in snow, but I want to have some faith in the tires. I do a lot of city driving, but I aslo drive other places....

Oh crap..I don;t know!

No it is a good deal..at least you'll have 4 winter tires and be driving safely.