Yokohama Tires

[blkcx9]

How many people have these tires and how are they in the snow....stopping especially? I still have the orig 20" Duellers and they are terrible as you all know. Are the Yokos quieter?

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

I did a lot of research on tires for the CX9.

Every owner review I have read for the Parada Spec X said they are quieter than whatever tire they replaced them with. Most said they have better grip than whatever tires they replaced them with, too. Most also said they have surprisingly good traction on ice and snow, including a tech at my local Discount Tire, who has them on one of his cars. Since he lives by us, I know he drives in the same conditions as us.

I'm sold on the Yoks.

 

[blkcx9]

Do you own the Yokos? How are they in snow?

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

I'm getting them put on first of next week, so I don't know. A tech at Discount said he has them on one of his car and they do very well in snow. So do most of the owner reviews on tire sites.

I wish I had gotten them before winter, since my wife got stuck on a small incline because the Duelers had no grip in light snow.

I will do some testing to see how they perform, including noise levels.

 

[vikefan7]

So are they "snow tires"? Do they have the little mountain/snow emblem on them? I'm trying to figure out a tire that will allow me to drive with the 20"s when they say chains or traction tires are required.

 

[badself]

So are they "snow tires"? Do they have the little mountain/snow emblem on them? I'm trying to figure out a tire that will allow me to drive with the 20"s when they say chains or traction tires are required.

No, it's not a dedicated snow tire, it's a mud/snow (M/S) configuration, though I think all the M/S tires carry a mountain emblem.

It's not a miracle tire when the weather dictates dedicated snows or chains. It is, however, the best all-season tire out there right now in the original equipment size. They really transformed our CX-9 in the mild to moderate snow that we see here in Maryland.

Barring a much better tire to hit the market once ours wear out, I'll be getting another set of these for sure. At $780 a set installed, they're no more expensive than the OE Bridgestones, and much cheaper than the Michelin Latitudes which I don't believe will do as well in snow based on principles of tread design and performance.

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

I understand the Blizzaks have great snow and ice traction, oddly enough. Probably what I'd get IF I don't like the grip of the Paradas.

 

[vikefan7]

I was just looking for something that I could use to take the 9 up to the mountain to snowboard. Right now there's no way I would take it up there with the Duellers unless it was bare pavement.

We take about two trips to Bend, which involves going over the mountain a year plus a couple of trips to Hood to snowboard and I'm looking at options to accomplish this. I've been banging around the idea of getting some 18's and then buy some chains, but I'm looking at all my options. Here in Oregon the road to the mountain requires that you have "traction tires" or carry chains. Obviously I can't put chains on the 20's, which really disappointed me when I bought it. I traded in my Montero at the time and that thing was a beast in the snow.

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

Get a set of 18s and put snow tires on them. "traction tires' means at least snow, if not studded, tires.

If we decide to get snow tires, I will probably go with the Blizzaks on the original wheels and put the Paradas on some new customs wheels.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

So are they "snow tires"? Do they have the little mountain/snow emblem on them? I'm trying to figure out a tire that will allow me to drive with the 20"s when they say chains or traction tires are required.

Arent the only tires you are allowed to run when they say chain up studs?

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

They usually tell you Snow Tires are required, or Chains only. Haven;t seen Studded Tires Only, but there are places that you really need them, like Alaska.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

I live in Oregon for some years and was taught that when they required chains the only other tires that would suffice was a winter/studded tire. Oregon is one of the last states that will still allow a studded tire.

 

[vikefan7]

I actually read up on this on the ODOT website to try to understand the law. If they say traction tires or carry chains, they don't necessarily mean studded tires, as far as I could tell. The tires have to have the emblem of the mountain and snow on them to be what they consider traction tires. Obviously studded tires would give you more traction, but I don't think they specifically mean studded tires when they say traction tires, per the link below.

http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCMap.asp?mainNav=RoadConditions&staticNav=TractionTires

I guess my question is do any tires without studs on them have that little emblem? There are times when chains are required that would obviously mean I would have to get smaller wheels and tires to get up the mountain... which sucks. I've priced it out and it's over $1100 for a set without TPMS.

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

They mean Snow tires. And they do have the little mountain on them. "A mountain/snowflake symbol branded on the tire's sidewall identifies tires that meet the required performance in snow testing."

 

[vikefan7]

So are the paradas snow tires?

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

no

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

Got the Yokohamas installed. Sweet

 

[blkcx9]

Do you think that I should start a site regarding the issues with the tires to see if I could light a spark under Mazda to change the tires?? Wonder how many people would put comments on the site.....hmmm. Would love to make enough noise that it helps everyone including people who have purchased tires already. Let me know what you guys think?

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

Maybe. The problem is that Mazda is a Ford company and Ford has a dirty deal with Firestone/Bridgestone. remember the Firestone tire grade fraud? Ford helped them purport that lie, then tried to wiggle out of it by claiming they were a victim when they all got caught.

These kind of deals don't get changed easily.

 

[blkcx9]

So far what do you think of the Yokos.....quieter? I really want a snow report so I will be patient.