[s-cars] Winter Tires??

[Scott Justusson]

Too many myths propagated here IMO.  18 years of Steamboat with quattros, in ice and up-to high center snow, there just isn't a clear winner.  Read that to mean we have every flavor of non-studded ice tire (high silica compounds), and they all perform well.  What I claim after years of such discussions, web and personal, the difference in theses tires are drivers skill-sets, not brand.

I personally don't buy into the argument that studs are better, they may have better 'potential' on sheer ice, but several weekends at Georgetown Lake CO have shown that studs aren't automatically better, they are just potentially better.  Driver skillsets.

I personally don't buy into the argument that one buys snows for 10% of driving environment.  Same argument as coil overs on a street/track car.  You put tires on that cover the *largest percentage* of winter conditions.  My claim is that if those winter conditions are deep snow 90% of the time, you have the wrong vehicle, not the wrong tire.  When I'm in deep snow, I drive my Landcruiser...  On blizzacks, because I don't offroad with it anymore. With that beast again, up-to high center, I don't miss the deep snow throwing lugs from my old Mud Terrain Radials that suck on ice.  

Right now, the General is the cheapest silica ice compound on the market, the Blizzack the standard.  We have them all show up, and have for the last 18 years I've been going to Steamboat.  If studs are allowed in your state, you can stud many of the ice tires, if that's your thing.  But, the absolute best thing you can do after reading all the myths, opinions and claims?  Go to a ice rallycross, come out to Steamboat, or some other ice school.  What you might find in blaring contrast to any opinion is, winter driving has very little to do with the 'best' winter tire, and all to do with the best prepped driver skillsets.

And despite all the 'if I lived here or there', 18 years going to/thru Mountains of CO, Blizzacks are found on more vehicles than any other tire.

My repeated, discounted, and rebated .02

Scott J
Eventmaster 199-present
AudiClubNA Steamboat Winter Driving Experience
1995 90q Blizzacks  WS60
1994 Landcruiser TRD Supercharged Blizzack DMV1

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Curran <tony.curran at sympatico.ca>
To: 'Taka Mizutani' <t44tqtro at gmail.com>; 'John Cunningham' <jc at j2c3.com>
Cc: 'S-Car-List at Audifans.Com' <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Sent: Wed, Oct 17, 2012 6:32 am
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Wot Winter Tires??


Taka,

You make a good point and I should have mentioned I live in Ottawa - in cold
White North - so plenty of snow - but diminished in recent years. Studs are
not allowed here.

A follow on question would be about load rating 93 vs 97. The Continentals I
currently have are 97 and have solid feel. I suspect 93 would explain the
soft feel I've seen mentioned in reviews. I leaning towards tires with 97
rating again.

Tony

-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Taka Mizutani
Sent: October-17-12 12:15 AM
To: John Cunningham
Cc: S-Car-List at Audifans.Com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Wot Winter Tires??

Thanks John-
That's what I mean- I love my Pilot Alpin PA3s for the typical winters here,
but if I lived where Larry lives, I'd want something more like a
Hakkapellita R. If I lived in Colorado or Minnesota, I don't know what I'd
want- the Hakka R would work for Minnesota, but I don't know what the
conditions are like in Colorado. If you lived in Seattle, you probably could
get away with a good all-season that is "mountain" and "snowflake"
rated.

Taka