Snow tires.....

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Here in Downeast Maine, I have never used winter tires of any sort on any of
my Quattros.  I maintain my tires at not less than 1/2 tread depth, and they
work just fine.

Maine has a "24 hour clear road rule".  What that means is that within 24
hours of a snow storm, all main roads are clear of snow.  It used to be a
"bare road rule", but that has been relaxed a little, to just clear road.
Normally a couple of days after a really big snowstorm, the road is back to
bare tar surface.  Hence, I really have no idea what kind of tires I would
use here, because heavy tread tires are going to be used on bare roads most
of the time, as would be pure, "winter" tires.  Now, traditional "snow
tires" are LOUD and handle pretty poorly on bare, dry roads.  The new
"winter" tires, I gather from what I have read, have poor handling
characteristics on dry or just wet roads, too.  So, I continue to use
relatively new, high quality "all season" tires and have NEVER had the
slightest bit of trouble.

However, for someone who doesn't relish the thought of driving in bad
weather to begin with, and perhaps, is much older to boot, the question is:
"What KIND of winter tires?"

When I was travelling all over this state in the insurance agency business,
I had first BMW's then Mercedes diesels, which were, of course, both rear
wheel drive cars.  I used Semperit snow tires that were studded on all four
wheels.  Loud of course on the dry interstate, but sure footed, and they
lasted three or four seasons, and a lot of miles.

My advice is to buy regular, heavy treaded snow tires and have them
studded.....those Kelly tires you mentioned will be fine.  And yes, get the
snow tires their own wheels, too.

Interesting side bar to this, is that I am going through the same kind of
decision making process for my wife's 100CS Quattro Avant.  The tires are
Continental something or others that were new to the car when I bought it a
year ago.  Since buying the car, it has become the primary vehicle for us to
use, as she is not comfortable in the V8, and the rest of the time, I need
to be driving my truck.  Since picking up the 100CS in June of '01, it has
made a trip from the dealer in Kansas City to Maine, and a trip to South
Florida and back, plus all the other "around" driving that we normally do:
about 17,000 miles this year.  Now, the tires are about a the "half way"
point, and I am thinking of some sort of tire for the winter.  I have been
shopping on Ebay for a set of wheels, and there aren't any right now, but
often there are 'take offs' available for little money.

At the same time that I am thinking of this, the truck (3/4 ton GMC 4X4)
which is used to plow my properties, has tires that are around 20,000 miles
old, too.  Those tires are Firestone Steeltex something or others, and seem
to wear like iron.  Last winter, I felt that traction while plowing could be
a bit better, but I don't have a huge amount to do....about a mile of
roadway, all told.  But I have noticed on Ebay that it is possible to buy
new GMC takeoff wheels and tires together, for what a set of new tires alone
would cost, mounted and balanced.

Roger