Winter Tires

[HalfWankel]

Hey everyone,

First post: I've had my '09 Grand Touring for almost 2 years and am loving it! Took it out on the Tail of the Dragon while living in East Tennessee. It beat the pants off the Audi TT we were riding with and held it's own to the Caymen S.

Just moved up North to Pittsburgh and am trying to get ready for the inevitable ice and snow. So, I'm looking for any advice on winter tires that folks may have (other than GET THEM!).

Anyone have experiance with the Bridgestone Blizzak, Michelin Pilot Alpin, or Pirellie Winter Sottozero tires? Those are the three I'm looking at right now.

What about TireRack.com? Any good/bad experiances there?

Finally... what's everyone think about buying a new set of wheels for the winter? I've still got the stock 225/45R18 on the car. I've seen suggestions to buy a new set of wheel so that the salt does kill the good ones, but I don't see how that would happen anyways if they are aluminum alloy. Salt should have no effect. So what's the benifit to a second set of wheels other than remounting and balancing twice a year?

Thanks all! And keep those rotors turning!

 

[solidtrance]

New wheels offer a few benifits, two of which you have already mentioned. The other mejor advantage is you can get 17" wheels, that way the tires a quite a bit cheaper.

I have used the blizziak's before and I loved them. I have heard good things about the dunlop wintersports (??).

I drove last winter in Komho ASX and was fine. So a good set on allseasons will work too.

 

[RenesisKing]

I second what Solidtrance said. Going with 17s will make it cheaper. Also a thinner tire may help cut through the snow as well. I don't drive mine in the winter so I can't really comment but I know a couple guys who have and they used Blizzaks and were fine in reasonable amounts of snow.

 

[jonathanmg19]

Hi,

My wife has to drive my RX-8 this winter. I'm looking for the oem 16'' rims and blizzak tires. Do you think that she will be fine with that setup?

 

[RenesisKing]

Yea, you shouldn't have a problem with that. It might lower the car though unless you go with a taller side wall to compensate.

 

[jonathanmg19]

Yea, you shouldn't have a problem with that. It might lower the car though unless you go with a taller side wall to compensate.

Do you drive your car in the snow?

 

[RenesisKing]

I try not to as much as possible. We had a huge freak snow storm in CT during Halloween weekend and I was unfortunately out with my car on my way home. There was about an inch or two on the ground and I had to go about 5 miles to my house. I had General Exclaim UHPs on my 18" stock tires. I hit a slick spot on my way up a hill to my house and had to turn off traction control to make it up. I made it home fine so she should be fine with the right tires. Traction control doesn't always help us.

Sorry for the long story but its kind of the only way I could explain it.

 

[jonathanmg19]

I try not to as much as possible. We had a huge freak snow storm in CT during Halloween weekend and I was unfortunately out with my car on my way home. There was about an inch or two on the ground and I had to go about 5 miles to my house. I had General Exclaim UHPs on my 18" stock tires. I hit a slick spot on my way up a hill to my house and had to turn off traction control to make it up. I made it home fine so she should be fine with the right tires. Traction control doesn't always help us.

Sorry for the long story but its kind of the only way I could explain it.

Ok, Thanks for your help!

 

[solidtrance]

FYI 16" rims will not clear the brakes on all but the 04 and maybe 05 base model automatic RX8.

 

[jonathanmg19]

I went with 17''