[s-cars] Hankook Winter Tires (totally out of season)

[Abe Berman]

Hey there fellas,

Long time no post, guess that's what all you dad's have been talking about
when you say there's no time for playing with cars....

Buying some snows for our "new to us" 05 Passat GLX 4 Motion variant.
Purchased some like new ASA 16x7 rims to run them on.  I am running
225/50/17's on the OEM wheels.  I am thinking 205/55/16's on the ASA's.
Being a freak (and having full buy in from Wifey right now), I want to buy
snows now so I am set for when the Vermont snow starts flying, sometime in
late August me-thinks...

So, thinking either Blizzak WS6's from Tirerack for $105 each plus $49
shipping or Hankook W300 Icebear's from Discount Tire Direct for $96 each
(free shipping).  I ran the WS6's on my, "ahem", Integra last winter and
they were terrific.  I am hearing that the Hankooks are glorified All
Seasons.

Anybody care to share some of their experience with the Hankooks?  Of
course, open to other suggestions, but I don't want to start a Torsen thread
here or anything...

I should say that this is for use on the family hauler, so safety is my
first goal, next is price.  I am not concerned about all out performance
whilst ice-drifting...

Thanks in advance,

Abe Berman
Burlington, VT