Snow tires performance

[majic]

now that we had a few cm of snow fall over the GTA (or at least okaville) I just wanted to know your experiences with the snow tires..

my W300s seem pretty good. i\'ve never had dedicaed winter tires so this is some new stuff for me :) I took the car out for a little spin (pun intended) around the block. The braking and handling was very good. I sped up a few times to 60-80 (open, empty straight road 4 lanes w/ no median) and i braked hard to engage ABS while steering left and right. The car felt solid and under control at all times. Spinning the tires was possible BUT it took much more effort (gas) than with stocks!!! handbrake turns were fun :D

obviously the real test will be out there on the roads with morons behind the wheels. But thus far i have NO complaints at all about the Hankook IceBear W300s.

so now we need a few mazdas with a few different types of tires and an open space to do some tests ;) slaloms, braking from 60kph etc etc..

oh btw.. this was my first time driving 5sp in \'snow\' and i tell ya.. MUCH more manageable than any automatic car i\'ve had driven before (granted they never had snow tires on) but still you can stay in whatever gear you want (not saying you cannot in AT triprtonic mode) and put it in the proper gear to prevent wheel slippage...

[Melenium]

I haven\'t really tested mine out all that much, but the amount of grip has surprised me on occassion. Tonight on the way home from work a car cut infront of me to make a left and right behind it traffic was blocked and I slammed on the brakes and the car just stopped on a dime. ABS didn\'t even kick in (which meant the tires were grabbing and not skidding). The roads just had a layer blown snow on them, so nothing special, but still it was great.

Turning around corners that look icey also almost surprise me-- I\'m expecting the car to slide out a bit but instead it bites right into the corner. On such a cold day like today I\'m sure the stock tires would have been like plastic compared to the snows, especially on the ice patches.

I was driving home a bit later on and everyone else was going slowly with the bit of snow on the ground, but to me it felt like dry pavement.. really great :)

My only beef (and its really not that bad) is that they don\'t hold a very straight line on the highway compared to the OEMs. It feels like there is a bit more play in the steering at >80km/h, and its almost like the alignment is off (it wonders to the left, you correct it, then it wonders to the right gradually). Doesn\'t really bug me at all though considering their otherwise impressive performance. The tires are the KW17s btw.

As for driving the 5sp, its great in winter. I agree that it offers a lot more control as long as you know what you\'re doing. The only thing you really have to watch out for though is downshifting on slippery surfaces-- you can lose control (its can be the front equivalent of the handbrake at the back).

Edit: another note, I used to fear when the weather people would call for snow.. now I don\'t mind :D

[bubba1983]

kuhmo kw19\'s....damn good tire...

first time having dedicated winter tires....and all i have to say....i can\'t do no fun e-brake slides in parking lots anymore for fun...they grip too much...haha, this is a good thing, yes?

[civiclad]

First time using winter tires and it surely feels good! Should have done this years ago.

I am using Dean Wintermaster Plus Winter tires and i\'ll have to admit the handling is better than my stock Goodyear RSA\'s.

Haven\'t really had a chance to test the tires out in real winter-like conditions.

[majic]

Originally posted by bubba1983


kuhmo kw19\'s....damn good tire...

first time having dedicated winter tires....and all i have to say....i can\'t do no fun e-brake slides in parking lots anymore for fun...they grip too much...haha, this is a good thing, yes?

nah man.. you can still do e-brake slides.. just turn your fronts to one side and apply e-brake.. of course while nobody\'s around.. :p

[ZoomZoom Girl]

Yokohama Iceguard IG721 here in Sudbury! In the past 2 weeks we have gotten quite a few serious storms, one just last night dumping 20 cm of snow on the Region. So far I\'ve pretty much encounted all types of winter conditions, from freezing rain to hail, heavy snow, unplowed streets, serious slush and my tires have been incredible in all cases! They are dedicated, \"heavy duty\" (i.e. not performance oriented) tires and I think they are better than the RSAs in all aspects. Could not recommend them more highly, especially to those of you living in snow belts....

[PlatMS6]

Kumho kw19\'s were great last nite in sauga!

[kaikara]

Haven\'t really had any major snow down here but we have the Kumho KW17 and they got my GF out of a situation one morning when there was ice on the roads. There was an accident where you get on the main road from our survey and as she approched the intersection the car across from her started sliding toward her very slowly...she was able to move around the car on the icy road and make the turn while the other car kept sliding. She said the tires felt really good and didn\'t slip at all. Looks like the tires have already paid for themselves. :)

[Newlook]

I missed the snow by the time I go out today... But we\'re getting 5cm in the GTA on Wed and some more on Thur, just to get you guys with winter tires more \"excited\" :sarc Looks like we\'ll be having a white x\'mas!

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by Melenium

My only beef (and its really not that bad) is that they don\'t hold a very straight line on the highway compared to the OEMs. It feels like there is a bit more play in the steering at >80km/h, and its almost like the alignment is off (it wonders to the left, you correct it, then it wonders to the right gradually). Doesn\'t really bug me at all though considering their otherwise impressive performance. The tires are the KW17s btw.


check your tire pressures - in most conditions where it seems as if the alignment is off, it can be attributed to mis-matched tire pressure per side (differing tire pressures front and rear is ok). my kw17s track straight and don\'t wander (unless they\'re following the crown in the road).

the play in the steering comes from the fact that the kw17s are H-rated and higher sidewall profile, when compared to the OEM RS-Ass. you can try bumping up the tire pressure in the front to 38psi. on the maxima, i had the 205/65/15 Nokian Hakka1 at 38F/36R and drove the car at 8/10ths to 9/10ths compared to summer driving with 235/45/17 Pilot Sports.

[Illmatic]

I\'m currently running KW19\'s on those silver steelies. Definitely a good choice. They sport an \"agressive\" tread pattern and so far in the few storms we\'ve had (ice, snow, slush) they have performed excellent. Full control when taking corners and I\'ve even sped up and slammed on the brakes with no sliding.

I was a little hesitant (alright I was being cheap) in deciding whether to get snow tires. They are definitely a good decision. Even on dry roads and higher speeds (I\'ve got up to 140+) they operate well. I\'m almost can\'t wait for that big snow storm we\'re expecting tonight!!!

[idreamofmazda]

Pirelli Winter Carvings, good so far, but still not enough to give a good test; Thursday will be the big test. Going up north for Christmas, and for sure will not be disappointed.



Originally posted by Illmatic

I was a little hesitant (alright I was being cheap) in deciding whether to get snow tires. They are definitely a good decision. Even on dry roads and higher speeds (I\'ve got up to 140+) they operate well. I\'m almost can\'t wait for that big snow storm we\'re expecting tonight!!!

The Mazda owner’s manual states not to exceed 120km/h with winter tires. Also states to add something like 4.5 PSI of tire pressure, over the recommended pressure. I keep mine at 32 PSI, with no problems, and so far, kept my speed down.

[kyfe]

Hankook W300\'s
My girl does most of the driving so I asked her about 1 week after putting them on.

She had nothing but praise for them and really noticed a difference...

Kyfe

[Illmatic]

Originally posted by idreamofmazda


Pirelli Winter Carvings, good so far, but still not enough to give a good test; Thursday will be the big test. Going up north for Christmas, and for sure will not be disappointed.



Originally posted by Illmatic

I was a little hesitant (alright I was being cheap) in deciding whether to get snow tires. They are definitely a good decision. Even on dry roads and higher speeds (I\'ve got up to 140+) they operate well. I\'m almost can\'t wait for that big snow storm we\'re expecting tonight!!!

The Mazda owner’s manual states not to exceed 120km/h with winter tires. Also states to add something like 4.5 PSI of tire pressure, over the recommended pressure. I keep mine at 32 PSI, with no problems, and so far, kept my speed down.



You going to believe everything you read!?! So I like driving my car fast! :)

[majic]

Originally posted by Illmatic



Originally posted by idreamofmazda


Pirelli Winter Carvings, good so far, but still not enough to give a good test; Thursday will be the big test. Going up north for Christmas, and for sure will not be disappointed.



Originally posted by Illmatic

I was a little hesitant (alright I was being cheap) in deciding whether to get snow tires. They are definitely a good decision. Even on dry roads and higher speeds (I\'ve got up to 140+) they operate well. I\'m almost can\'t wait for that big snow storm we\'re expecting tonight!!!

The Mazda owner’s manual states not to exceed 120km/h with winter tires. Also states to add something like 4.5 PSI of tire pressure, over the recommended pressure. I keep mine at 32 PSI, with no problems, and so far, kept my speed down.



You going to believe everything you read!?! So I like driving my car fast! :)

it\'s mainly for safety probably anwyay.. but yah.. on the pressure note, i put 34 psi all around (cold) anyone with other pressure suggestions? i think the manual says to +2 or +4 each tire..

[Melenium]

Originally posted by MajesticBlueN



Originally posted by Melenium

My only beef (and its really not that bad) is that they don\'t hold a very straight line on the highway compared to the OEMs. It feels like there is a bit more play in the steering at >80km/h, and its almost like the alignment is off (it wonders to the left, you correct it, then it wonders to the right gradually). Doesn\'t really bug me at all though considering their otherwise impressive performance. The tires are the KW17s btw.


check your tire pressures - in most conditions where it seems as if the alignment is off, it can be attributed to mis-matched tire pressure per side (differing tire pressures front and rear is ok). my kw17s track straight and don\'t wander (unless they\'re following the crown in the road).

the play in the steering comes from the fact that the kw17s are H-rated and higher sidewall profile, when compared to the OEM RS-Ass. you can try bumping up the tire pressure in the front to 38psi. on the maxima, i had the 205/65/15 Nokian Hakka1 at 38F/36R and drove the car at 8/10ths to 9/10ths compared to summer driving with 235/45/17 Pilot Sports.

Today was the first day that I actually got the KW17s up to speed and felt a little uncomfortable. I went about 120 on the 407 across the top of the city this morning and there was a sort of floating feeling. It felt similar to what its like driving on a really windy day with the car sort of drifting from side to side. I\'m definately going to check the tire pressure tomorrow and also double check that all the bolts are torqued right (I torqed them to 90 and checked them after about 200km, but will check again just to be safe).


On the way home in the evening though with the slush they performed brilliantly though..

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by Melenium

Today was the first day that I actually got the KW17s up to speed and felt a little uncomfortable. I went about 120 on the 407 across the top of the city this morning and there was a sort of floating feeling. It felt similar to what its like driving on a really windy day with the car sort of drifting from side to side. I\'m definately going to check the tire pressure tomorrow and also double check that all the bolts are torqued right (I torqed them to 90 and checked them after about 200km, but will check again just to be safe).


On the way home in the evening though with the slush they performed brilliantly though..

i\'ve gone 180 (not tonight, but in the dry) with my kw17s and they feel fine.

coming home on the QEW and 407E from welland tonight, the roads weren\'t plowed at all (had to make my own tracks or try and follow what others have done) and, at times, it did feel like they were floating at 120km/h (i know, i know, 120 on unplowed roads) ....but i will say that at no point did i feel like i didn\'t have control.

most important thing in this weather is no sudden steering wheel movements and no sudden braking....it\'s all about \"being smooth\" (shameless quote from Ian Law)

[FLIPDADY]

Man I\'m glad I got snows, this morning I saw 2 3\'s stuck spinning getting on Yonge St.

The KW19\'s were a good investment.

[bluntman]

Ditto for the KW17s. I had a little less than a foot of snow at the foot of my driveway and I didn\'t have any problems backing out or driving along the sidestreets.

[majic]

aaah.. it was nice drving with the snows on today and last night.. just a bit of an update.. on yonge, i got stuck driving JUST behind the plows. so they \'cleared\' most of the snow BUT the freezing rain made it an ice rink. the W300s slipped a little and ABS engaged (but this is understandable.. it\'s ICE) and i have NOT gotten stuck anywhere.. i did find 2nd gear to be my friend today as well as 3rd.. ventured into 5th only once.. it was crazy out there.. swicthing lanes through teh slush was almost no problem and excellent if you compare to a stock all-season tire

stupid SUV ppl.. there was this \'raised\' bronco or something on some 4x4 tires and he spun out from left lane to the right lane.. thankfully he was in the opposing traffic on the 401.. phew!!

[myko]

hey everyone,
so i\'m reading a lot of good things about the kumho kw17, 19, and hankook w300... anyone know where i can get a good deal for these tires (or are there better winter tires? i basically need \'em for city driving and the occasional out-of-town trip up north) and installation in uptown toronto? i got my 3 a few weeks ago, and didn\'t think i\'d need winter tires until today\'s snowfall, which kept me from work... anyway, any suggestions or tips would be great. this is my first car, so i\'m still a newbie when it comes to shopping for stuff like this. :)

[miggiddy]

The stocks have been great!!!!:sarc

Haven\'t gotten stuck...yet...biggest complaint is getting started, once moving I\'m ok. Stopping has been pretty good, so long as I don\'t slam the brakes. Going around corners the rear seems to want to come around...oh wait maybe I should stop pulling the e-brake :D My poor rims are going to take a beating this winter. Altho that could be a reason to buy new rims for the summer ;) .

Drive safe.

[idreamofmazda]

Good test this morning for my Pirelli Winter Carvings, didn’t take the 401 at all, and kept to the unplowed streets. Didn’t slip at all, unless I was going to fast around corners. The cars in front of my almost stopped going up a steep hill, I managed to climb without spinning. I have been using winter tires for years now, and will never go without.

[kyfe]

Originally posted by myko


hey everyone,
so i\'m reading a lot of good things about the kumho kw17, 19, and hankook w300... anyone know where i can get a good deal for these tires (or are there better winter tires? i basically need \'em for city driving and the occasional out-of-town trip up north) and installation in uptown toronto? i got my 3 a few weeks ago, and didn\'t think i\'d need winter tires until today\'s snowfall, which kept me from work... anyway, any suggestions or tips would be great. this is my first car, so i\'m still a newbie when it comes to shopping for stuff like this. :)


martin @ tires 23 or Ed @ e- spec both are quality dealers
It\'s a little late to be shopping for winter tires but hopefully they still have something in stock that meet your needs.
I have the Hankooks and I\'m glad I did, doing 60 in a rez road that is unplowed while everyone else is doing 20-30km/hr

[rbart4506]

I\'ll put a word in for the Michelin X-Ice now that I got a chance to really test them out on the snow we just had last night and today. Wednesday night with the light dusting the tires performed as expected. Slipping and sliding was kept to a minimum and lane changes on the highway were smooth. No more getting bounced around by the pile of sluch between lanes. I just feel so much more confident with these tires on the car. The car handle nicely and when it does slide everything stays in control. This morning was a better test with deep snow performance. My garage was blocked in with almost 20cm of snow and the car went through without any problems. Driving around Dundas was a breeze and I would have had no problems attempting the drive to work in Burlington, luckily I was off today so I got to relax.

The tires have been performing nicely in the dry as well. They handle nicely and are smooth and quiet. The only time I notice things get a bit squirrely is on corners when the temps get a bit high. I guess the soft rubber gets really soft at that point.

I\'m so glad I decided to get winters and know the price was worth it...

Rich

[Dr Butcher]

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2, this is my first set of winter tires.... Ever..... I must say that although you can get them to spin while accelerating, I am totally impressed with their ability to stop in snow and slush. For years I\'ve driven all seasons on a 4x4 pickup and I am blown away with the overall handling improvement that the snows offer. I\'m used to my all seasons sliding when applying the brakes, and now I find I\'m coming to a stop way behind the vehicle ahead of me because of my old habits. While I can\'t comment of everyone else\'s tire performance, I can honestly say now I know what I\'ve been missing all these years......

[S.F.W.]

I am a big fan of the Kw17\'s, last year I drove my mom\'s carolla with Michelin X-Ice and it was ok. This year with my 3 and the Kw17\'s..drive was great.

[M34ME]

These Michelins Arctic Alpines already saved my ass, already I think they payed for themselves in a sense. Driving down Steeles, truck in the left hand lane (passing) me in the right (just trailing). Anyway the truck out of nowhere turns right in a driveway, I\'m being cut off hard! I slam on the brakes, ABS kicks in, roads are mixed with snow and ice and freezing rain. Anyway the truck stopped cause I was Blasting my horn cause as he was turning the trailer was pivoting leaving me less room to stop, anyhow stopped no more than two feet away from the truck, had I have had my RSA\'s I\'m convinced I would have hit him. Well worth it. And on unplowed streets they perform great, test them out every morining, Love em.

[bubba1983]

Originally posted by majic



Originally posted by bubba1983


kuhmo kw19\'s....damn good tire...

first time having dedicated winter tires....and all i have to say....i can\'t do no fun e-brake slides in parking lots anymore for fun...they grip too much...haha, this is a good thing, yes?

nah man.. you can still do e-brake slides.. just turn your fronts to one side and apply e-brake.. of course while nobody\'s around.. :p



yes majic, i know.i have done this already...

[dinu01]

195/65/15 Toyo Observe G-02+ on the 3 here and just like everyone else here, I am very happy w/them.

I will NEVER drive MY car in winter from now on w/out snow tires. I even bought a set for the Protege, so both cars are winter-ready.

[majic]

so it dumped \'some\' snow on Tdot today..

i had to make my way from oakville to pickering/scarborough to see my gf and then to hockey. all i can say is WOW. the hankooks stood up to every challenge. from bare roads to 6\" deep snow and with slush and packed snow in between.

lane changes on the highway were a breeze. braking activated ABS but i still had a lot of control (i was coming back at 2AM so i tested the brakes a few times where there 4 lanes and no traffic :D )

driving in the residential areas where the snow was unplowed, i could just hear the tries literally biting, chewing and spitting the snow from under them. in that snow and speeds of 40kph, i was stopping with ease w/o ABS and sometimes just by PURE traction (no brake applied). They also did not spin (unless i really revved it)

these tires are a GREAT bang for the buck and i\'m sure i\'ll get these again or put a set on my mom\'s car next winter.