OEM Mazda Tire Sizes for 16"?
- Thread starter CometGSR
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Tirerack has Summer tires for $75 or so. They aren't exciting but they will work. I think I have enough tred for another two seasons in the Spring/Summer/Fall months.
I mulled over that but my Wife sucks at driving in the snow and has a long commute. One thing is for sure, the ones that are on there won't do.
I mulled over that but my Wife sucks at driving in the snow and has a long commute. One thing is for sure, the ones that are on there won't do.
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The narrower the tire and bigger the sidewall the better winter traction you'll get, but at a cost of dry and wet handling.
205/55R16 - Good winter traction, OE size
205/60R16 - Better winter traction, 2.4% larger diamater than OE size
195/60R16 - Best winter traction, very similar diamater to OE size
Do NOT go wider than 205.
205/55R16 - Good winter traction, OE size
205/60R16 - Better winter traction, 2.4% larger diamater than OE size
195/60R16 - Best winter traction, very similar diamater to OE size
Do NOT go wider than 205.
I completely disagree, all season tires are completely inadequate for all but the lightest snow cover. Even in Vancouver where it's only snow covered at most 14 days a year, I'd rather be on winter rubber. All-season rubber gets hard below 7C/45F so even wet and dry traction gets compromised. Last winter was the first year I ever got winter tires after running all seasons for years and what a difference. No more not making up a hill, being able to stop almost as if it was a dry summer day, not slipping and sliding around. Bonus is that I store my summer rims away to prevent damage due to snow covered hazards or corrosion from salt on the roads.
Braking hard from ~75km/h to 0 in about 35m. This is in a car with only EBD, no ABS, no ESC, no TC, no anything. This means being able to drive the speed limit instead of 20 to 40km/h under it while being able to stop when necessary. You can't do this with all seasons.
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mazdaspeedster3
Member
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- Mazdaspeed3. 2008
Guess I have been blessed. I have lived in the lower UP in michigan, 100's of inches of snow a year and have not ran winter tires ever and have yet to have a problem. I have had people swear by winter tires and then complain about performance starvation since the snow is cleared pretty quickly here and if you drive in the snow it is usually only 3 or 4 commutes and then the other 95% of the winter is on dry salted roads. To each their own. If you feel comfortable or think it necesary to have them so be it. I just hate to compromise the other percentage on the snow tires when the AS can salvage some performance. You can also go with a perelli MS tire and get the best of both worlds...
mazdaspeedster3
Member
- :
- Mazdaspeed3. 2008
I can only imagine. Studded tires allowed?
If the terrain is pretty flat, you could probably get away with running all seasons. In Edmonton hardly anyone uses winter tires even though it gets to -40C and there can be 3' of snow each year. They don't bother plowing the snow on all but the freeways and arterials, just throw sand on top of packed snow to provide traction for cars and that's it.
You get to Vancouver and Seattle however, it's a whole different story. Our roads are hilly and narrow and we never really budget enough for snow removal so when snow does hit they'll try to clear the main routes but 95% of the streets are disaster zones. I remember one hill where a Dodge Magnum and Honda Civic just couldn't for the life of them drive up, I honked at them to get out of my way, they left just enough room for me to squeeze through, and my winter tires equipped car just went up it with ease. Maybe it's also the fact that we don't get enough snow cover for anyone to really learn how to drive in the snow, I dunno.
Look how useless even the SUVs are in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGnOHg8KU_I
This winter, take a video and prove to me that you can be stopped at on an uphill (greater than 8% grade) and start off on your all seasons (wheel slip or pull is ok, just need to see you go). Then go down that same hill at 25mph and try to stop.
We had Nokian WR G2s last year which were good true four season tires with the Mountain & Snowflake symbol on it specifying that it is suitable for severe winter conditions, and they come with 50k/100k km treadwear so they can be run all year and were V rated and way better than the OE tires that came with my Corolla. They were adequate on snow, but I would rank all-seasons as mediocre to don't even try it at best. If you absolutely didn't want to do the twice a year changeover I would recommend this tire. There are a lot of winter performance tires that shouldn't be run all year as they wear quickly above 50F but are H Rated or higher and they run pretty well on wet and dry roads while providing decent winter traction. The hardcore winter tires that aren't that great on dry and wet are the Q to T rated tires, but even then my R Rated Yokohama iG20s last year (which I replaced the WR G2s with) were comparable to the OEs on dry and wet.
You get to Vancouver and Seattle however, it's a whole different story. Our roads are hilly and narrow and we never really budget enough for snow removal so when snow does hit they'll try to clear the main routes but 95% of the streets are disaster zones. I remember one hill where a Dodge Magnum and Honda Civic just couldn't for the life of them drive up, I honked at them to get out of my way, they left just enough room for me to squeeze through, and my winter tires equipped car just went up it with ease. Maybe it's also the fact that we don't get enough snow cover for anyone to really learn how to drive in the snow, I dunno.
Look how useless even the SUVs are in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGnOHg8KU_I
This winter, take a video and prove to me that you can be stopped at on an uphill (greater than 8% grade) and start off on your all seasons (wheel slip or pull is ok, just need to see you go). Then go down that same hill at 25mph and try to stop.
We had Nokian WR G2s last year which were good true four season tires with the Mountain & Snowflake symbol on it specifying that it is suitable for severe winter conditions, and they come with 50k/100k km treadwear so they can be run all year and were V rated and way better than the OE tires that came with my Corolla. They were adequate on snow, but I would rank all-seasons as mediocre to don't even try it at best. If you absolutely didn't want to do the twice a year changeover I would recommend this tire. There are a lot of winter performance tires that shouldn't be run all year as they wear quickly above 50F but are H Rated or higher and they run pretty well on wet and dry roads while providing decent winter traction. The hardcore winter tires that aren't that great on dry and wet are the Q to T rated tires, but even then my R Rated Yokohama iG20s last year (which I replaced the WR G2s with) were comparable to the OEs on dry and wet.
In Michigan, we do get a bit of snow fall, but a big problem here is ice. I am not just getting snow tires, I am getting ones that will deal with the ice as well. I am looking at Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 right now.
It might be overkill, but with my Wife and kids in the car everyday, I want to make sure they have the best. If it were me driving, I wouldn't bother. My Ford Ranger 2WD has Kuhmo Solrus KR21s which really suck in the Winter, but I manage because I know how to drive.
It might be overkill, but with my Wife and kids in the car everyday, I want to make sure they have the best. If it were me driving, I wouldn't bother. My Ford Ranger 2WD has Kuhmo Solrus KR21s which really suck in the Winter, but I manage because I know how to drive.
Wow, Tirerack only wants $85 a tire for Blizzaks, plus they have a rebate right now of $50 if I buy it before Oct 9th. I also found a pic on here with this tire size. Not bad!\
EDIT: Pic http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123726974&highlight=195/60R16 (top one). Does anyone know if this 5 is lowered or is this wheel going to fill up the wheel well like this?
EDIT: Pic http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123726974&highlight=195/60R16 (top one). Does anyone know if this 5 is lowered or is this wheel going to fill up the wheel well like this?
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I put in an order today for the P195/60R16. They are going to be mounted on my rims this week, I will post some pictures once I get them back. They will have to sit in my garage for while, but the price was good and I liked the $50 rebate.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions!
James
Thanks for all your help and suggestions!
James
mazdaspeedster3
Member
- :
- Mazdaspeed3. 2008
Sounds like you are all set up then! Now lets hope we get TONS of snow this year!
Just wanted to point out that I use the Yojohoma Ice Guard's and they are wide, flat (sharp angle at top of sidewall) and have tons of integrated "sipes". Best grip on solid sheet ice I've ever seen. Narrow works good with studs but with studless I gather they need all the contact patch they can get.
If it is warm those tires are probably much like mine and they'll be quieter than the crap toyo's that came stock. So not a total loss.
If it is warm those tires are probably much like mine and they'll be quieter than the crap toyo's that came stock. So not a total loss.
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