After months of thinking about it, I broke down and ordered winter tires from tirerack.com:
195/55HR15 Pirelli Winter 210 SnowSport at $89 each, plus $30 shipping.
I'm installing them on my stock Protege wheels. I decided not to get steelies because my stock wheels are already somewhat beat up from my leet parking skillz of the first few weeks of ownership. By spring-time or summer-time I can get aftermarket wheels, stock size or 17"s.
I put 17k miles on the stock tires, and at this rate, I expect another 2k (about 3 weeks of driving) before I put on the winter tires. At that point, I'll have almost 20k on the stock tires: 10k short of replacing (with my spirited driving and all). So shortly after winter, the tires and the wheels will be due for a replacement.
I hope they'll perform as well as everyone says they will in the winter. I'll report my impressions as the winter starts (or after it rains and I test the wet traction).
195/55HR15 Pirelli Winter 210 SnowSport at $89 each, plus $30 shipping.
I'm installing them on my stock Protege wheels. I decided not to get steelies because my stock wheels are already somewhat beat up from my leet parking skillz of the first few weeks of ownership. By spring-time or summer-time I can get aftermarket wheels, stock size or 17"s.
I put 17k miles on the stock tires, and at this rate, I expect another 2k (about 3 weeks of driving) before I put on the winter tires. At that point, I'll have almost 20k on the stock tires: 10k short of replacing (with my spirited driving and all). So shortly after winter, the tires and the wheels will be due for a replacement.
I hope they'll perform as well as everyone says they will in the winter. I'll report my impressions as the winter starts (or after it rains and I test the wet traction).
