Smart move and thanks for sharing.
Blizzaks rock...
Blizzaks rock...
Blizzak WS-80 winter tires - thumbs up!
3
Well, winter has arrived in northern New England, and that means tire changeover time. Time to replace those summer-only or all season tires with dedicated winter skins. I picked up the 3 series a few months ago and have been impressed with the grip of the stock Continental tires on dry roads. As good as their grip is in warm, dry weather, they are terrible once the snow hits the ground. Even with AWD, a light snow fall made for white-knuckle driving. I live up a steep dirt road, followed by a long, winding driveway that is also on an incline. I didn't anticipate the early snowfalls and got caught a couple of times before my snow tires were installed. Not fun. The car just struggled and barely made it up the hill after about an inch of snow. The descent was just as bad, having to keep the car in 1st gear and under 5 mph to maintain control.
I ordered a set of Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 tires mounted to 16in steel wheels. Moving from the stock 17 in wheel allows for more sidewall to deal with frost heaves and pot holes that populate the roads in late winter. The steel wheels are also more forgiving than alloys when encountering said pot holes and are cheaper to replace, if they are damaged. I had the wheels mounted two days ago in the middle of a storm that left us with a foot of snow. What a world of difference! The amount of bite and traction that these tires provide is amazing. It stops much better on snow, driving up my road and driveway is now child's play, and negotiating a turn is no longer a white-knuckle experience. An added benefit is that they are actually quieter than the stock Continental run flats that were on the car. Happy Winter!
The Ultimate Winter Machine!
I kind of like the look of the black steelies.
Acadia bonus shot!
I ordered a set of Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 tires mounted to 16in steel wheels. Moving from the stock 17 in wheel allows for more sidewall to deal with frost heaves and pot holes that populate the roads in late winter. The steel wheels are also more forgiving than alloys when encountering said pot holes and are cheaper to replace, if they are damaged. I had the wheels mounted two days ago in the middle of a storm that left us with a foot of snow. What a world of difference! The amount of bite and traction that these tires provide is amazing. It stops much better on snow, driving up my road and driveway is now child's play, and negotiating a turn is no longer a white-knuckle experience. An added benefit is that they are actually quieter than the stock Continental run flats that were on the car. Happy Winter!
The Ultimate Winter Machine!
I kind of like the look of the black steelies.
Acadia bonus shot!
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
Glad to hear the 80s are working well for you, impala. Aren't you up in The Granite State now?
I've had a few different type snows over the years, and the REVO1 Bridgestones were by far the best. Second were a set of Dunlop SP60 all seasons which would go anywhere their first season.
Second winter the magic was gone.
Wow, rockyspaw, you still bashed up? Krikey, that was some beating you took. Hope you're progressing on schedule at least.
I've had a few different type snows over the years, and the REVO1 Bridgestones were by far the best. Second were a set of Dunlop SP60 all seasons which would go anywhere their first season.
Second winter the magic was gone.
Wow, rockyspaw, you still bashed up? Krikey, that was some beating you took. Hope you're progressing on schedule at least.
I hope the doctor gives you clearance soon to test out those Blizzaks. Get well soon! :drive:
Yes, up in the Granite State now. My concern is how quickly the performance degrades year after year. I know that with some tires I reviewed, people said they were great the first year, then after that the performance quickly degraded even though there was plenty of tread left.Glad to hear the 80s are working well for you, impala. Aren't you up in The Granite State now?
I've had a few different type snows over the years, and the REVO1 Bridgestones were by far the best. Second were a set of Dunlop SP60 all seasons which would go anywhere their first season.
Second winter the magic was gone.
Wow, rockyspaw, you still bashed up? Krikey, that was some beating you took. Hope you're progressing on schedule at least.
I had the original studded Nokia Hakkas on my Impala. They were used when I got them, but yes, a very good tire.
Need new winter tires for the next season. My current goodyears are already 3 seasons old and the wet performance isn't that good anymore. Unluckily, I can use only one size (16"/195) on my Corsa and that's, how could it be otherwise, the most popular size for winter tires in Germany (thank you for nothing, all you Mercedes E-class cab drivers out there).
:frankie:
:frankie:
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
