winter tires

[Mark R]

The Dunlop WinterSport M3s are decent handling tires.  Disclaimer- I'm a
Tire Rack and Nokian dealer.  I personally only run Nokians, even though
they're more expensive.

The real question you need to ask... do you want studs for the ice control
on not?  Modern studs aren't as noisy or problematic as the older studded
tires, but you definately can hear them on dry pavement.  On ice, nothing is
better.  Personally, on my S4, I run studded Hakka2s here in upstate NY.  I
also go up to Northern NH to instruct in the winter, and do ski trips.  I
have Nokians on my Escalade EXT and my mother's BMW 330xi as well.

Boston/NH will have a wide variety of ice, snow, and wet pavement
conditions.  My suggestions:
1.  Nokian Hakka2, studded (good balance of ice and friction control for wet
pavement).
2.  Nokian Hakka4, studded (ultimate in ice grip).
3.  Nokian Hakka RSi or Dunlop Wintersport M3 (non-studded tires).

The more expensive winter tires have decent dry/wet pavement handling with a
fairly stiff carcass.  They get the tread squirm with more expensive
compounds and carefully cut (directional) siping.  In other words, the
stiffer sidewall controls body weight, and the soft tread is designed to
squirm in the longitudinal direction for ice/snow traction/braking and stay
stiff in the lateral direction for handling.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  I've driven most of the
performance winter tires on the market.
Mark Rosenkrantz