Winter Tires
 

Hey everyone

Any advice for where to go for winter tires (even spelt it Canadian like:-))

Got a jeep grand Cherokee ... Any recommendations or advice on types, brands etc too is welcomed :-)

Thank
Wayne

Re: Winter Tires
 

Oh, dear. Does your terribly classy Jeep Grand Cherokee have a block heater?

Re: Winter Tires
 

never used winter tires in over 30 years - I stick with all season tires

To answer your question - read the following link for some ideas

http://www.wheels.ca/guides/the-best...s-for-2012-13/

Re: Winter Tires
 

I bet you don't have a block heater either. And you think you're assimilated. Really!

Re: Winter Tires
 

"block heater" - now that's something I haven't heard in a long time & BTW, I haven't had the need of one of those either in 30 years:thumbsup:

Re: Winter Tires
 

Check your profile. :)

Re: Winter Tires
 

I never used snow tires, between the cost and nowhere to store tires, and well never had issues with all seasons, but then again it doesn't snow much around these parts.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Whatever tires Costco stock are probably all fine. If you're going to get them don't wait until the day before the snow arrives.

Are you getting a set of steel wheels for the winter tires?

Re: Winter Tires
 

I am not in Canada, but I lived in northern Maine for 5 yrs. I had all season tires on my Jeep GC, and never had an issue.

Re: Winter Tires
 

If you plan on trips to the mountains snow tires are a good idea. We have all terrain with a snow rating, leave them on year round. Some of the mountain roads around here, snow tires or chains are mandatory.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Unless you live in a city then you need them

Get Michelin X ice, wherever they are cheapest.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Why? What makes them better than Pirellis, Bridgestones, Dunlops etc?

Re: Winter Tires
 

What he said. If finances permit, I would also get a set of steel wheels to keep the tires on. It makes changing them yourself viable.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Every car in Saskatchewan has one - the term is also commonly used in reference to a hat for a German.

Re: Winter Tires
 

http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=12091290&group=1.01

If you've got the money, Nokian Hakkapeliitta's are the best winter tyres....but you don't really need them unless you're off the beaten track, just sand bag the jeep.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!

Re: Winter Tires
 

Jeep GC , just use all season as has been said and you'll be fine .

Re: Winter Tires
 

wouldn't say a Jeep GC would have much trouble on all seasons in and around Calgary.

It's completely up to you, i know a few people who put on winters, and i'm going to this year too, but mainly because the tires on my "winter" wheels are done and i need to buy new ones anyway

watch some of the stopping distance and handling videos of Winters vs All-seasons on Youtube, might help you make up your mind

Re: Winter Tires
 

Hi

Yes I was going to get the wheels, going this week to get prices from around the traps, just thought i would get some tips from here first

Cheers
Wayne

Re: Winter Tires
 

Once you have decided have a quick look at these two sites as sometimes they can be quite a bit cheaper - one is in BC, the other in the States (this one depends on exchange rate - we got a good deal from the website in the states but that was a while back when the exchange rate was better).

http://www.tirerack.com
http://www.tiretrends.com

We've had the General Tire (rebranded Gislaveds from Sweden) brand and also the Michelin X Ice and both are fine. A lot of people like the Blizzaks.

Steel wheels is the way to go if you want to save $$ getting the tires swapped round every season, although some garages if you ask for a tire rotation at your car service and happen to have the other tires in the back, will sometimes do it for next to nothing.

Re: Winter Tires
 

:goodpost:
Get them in US so much cheaper and I would not drive without them in snow ice conditions will stop you in half the distance or less then all seasons

Re: Winter Tires
 

thumbs up for TireRack, ordered on the Monday and were with me on the Friday and at half the price of Canadian Tire and 30% less than Fountain Tire (even with delivery added on, they pay all the customs stuff up front)

Re: Winter Tires
 

These are my winter tires. They are on my dune buggy. :)

Re: Winter Tires
 

:blink::blink::blink:

Re: Winter Tires
 

I thought the same here in my Jeep Liberty until I slid gracefully through a red traffic light after being unable to stop in time. Then I put on snow tires.
4x4 / AWD gets you going quicker, snow tires help you stop quicker. It's a no brainer.

Re: Winter Tires
 

In 5 winters here in Calgary, I have never used winter tires. All seasons have done fine, never got stuck or into bother.
If you are a decent driver there should not be any issues, people put winter tires on their cars and think that they are able to drive everywhere at 100 km p/hour in the snow and ice when wonder why they have slid into the ditch or the car in front!

Re: Winter Tires
 

I do drive everywhere at 70mph in the snow and ice. It's not the case that, because it snows, there's no need to go to work. If anything there's a need to go more quickly in the winter because time has been lost to shovelling and blowing.

I wouldn't bother with snow tires in the GTA but do find that they allow me to gain traction and so speed when driving in the country.

I'm at a loss though to see the point of four wheel drive on roads.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Wow they are much cheaper! Great thanks :thumbsup:

Studdable or not is the next question

cheers
Wayne

Re: Winter Tires
 

Pop across the border for a shopping trip and get new tires while you are there - a few hundred bucks cheaper (for truck tires)

Re: Winter Tires
 

I don't recall seeing studded tires on the road in Calgary - I don't know if they would be legal in the city. I remember Kaltire certainly had studded tires on display at the outet in Deerfoot Meadows.

Re: Winter Tires
 

That would work if you wanted the same type of tyres as are on the vehicle but usually people keep the all season ones and put them back on next spring. If you have to leave a partial worn set at the side of the road twice a year it's not going to be cheaper than buying them near home.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Just an update :

Got it down to Pirelli Winter Carving Edge, Goodyear Nordic and Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 (due to restrictions of my tire size evidently)

Ended up getting the Blizzaks based mainly on the reviews I could find

Thanks for all the suggestions :thumbsup:

Re: Winter Tires
 

Is the weather very different in Calgary than here (high 30/90 yesterday, bright sunshine)? If not, I hope you don't have the tyres on the vehicle, they shed chunks when it's warm.

Re: Winter Tires
 

I agree

Get winter tires, nothing worse than all seasons when it gets really cold..

Personal experience from slamming on the brakes and not stopping, hitting the car in the intersection (GTA finch and 427) spinning around, and due to the lack of skid marks spending about 20min standing in -27C explaining to the police which direction the two car were originally traveling in

Re: Winter Tires
 

Yep now its the timing, I have booked for Monday as I hear once the first snow comes it's impossible to get them on.

Weather here is kinds hard to tell, but yesterday we had a tiny bit of wet snow in the NW area. Temps are looking to be anywhere from 7 - 12 (sorry I'm in Celsius .... around 50f????) Frost seems to be there most mornings now so assuming the road is prob cold enough (night temps around 0-2 degrees).

Think the timing is about right, perhaps a week or so early, just don't want to be caught out.

Re: Winter Tires
 

Sadly, even winter tires don't help much on ice. Twice last winter I was sliding along with the ABS going chatter-chatter for thirty metres or more before the car actually stopped. Then I was sitting there looking in the rear-view mirror, hoping the people behind would stop before they slid into the back of me.

But, yeah, we test-drove a Civic on the standard all-season tires at -40 one winter and it couldn't start without wheelspin and couldn't stop in a sane distance even on relatively snow and ice-free roads.

Re: Winter Tires
 

OH has just picked up two winter tires for $69 each - there is a special on or something and before anyone says I need four, I have two (new) studded for the front. $69 is cheap as chips when it comes to winter tyres even for a car, so happy with that:thumbsup:

Re: Winter Tires
 

Wasn't that icy... just so cold the rubber on the all seasons had gone too hard to give any decent grip

Re: Winter Tires
 

End of October and March seems to be when most people do the tire switch. I find that the winter tires are noticably better during the extreme cold temperatures but in slushy wet snow there isn't much difference. In the mild/warm weather the winter tires wear fast and feel "spongy" and I suspect fuel consumption is poorer also.

Re: Winter Tires
 

where is this at?

i'd happily drive my winter wheels up to Red Deer and have these fitted :lol: