So I got a culture shock today, driving home to Burlington, from work in Mississauga. The snow started falling like crazy and people were still speeding like plonkers.

The car I was driving, a new one by the way, started handling funny and swrving, and I think I need winter tyres, a few people have suggested the following, do you concur?

Winters: Pirelli Winter Carving ('m getting these), Bridgestone Blizzaks, Toyo Observe G02, Nokian Hakkapeliita.

On a positive side, petrol was 75.3 a litre

Don't bother with winter t(y)ires in Mississauga/Burlington. All season radials are fine. Maybe it was you who started acting funny?

Once you try winter tyres you never want to go back, we've got Michelin X-Ice which seem to work really well.

It snowed over there before it snowed in my bit of Calgary!

We put Nokian WR all seasons on my wife's Toyota Corolla. At the time they were the only all season radial to get the full winter classification.

So far they have been great.

I've driven the past few winters on all seasons with rear wheel drive. I had a manual gearbox which was a bit excessive for the GTA; I expect one could probably do quite well with rear wheel drive, all seasons and an automatic.

I have a front wheel drive, and the tyre size is 195/55r15. Not going to take the chance with all season, as I won't like to end up in a ditch :scared:

Any type will work OK, its just a question of brand preference and budget. Blizzacs WS52s have a great reputation, but Im sure others work just fine too

Better to get cheap tyres on spare steel rims, than to put the same sort of money into expensive tyres on the existing rims.

We have Goodyear UltraGrips on the wifes Mazda, they make a huge difference to behaviour, and especially stopping distance in snow. Replace all 4 though, not just the two driven wheels, that can creat spinny problems all on its own.

On the AWD Subaru we still have Good Allseason Michelin Harmonys, but only cos tyres and rims for that is the thick end of $1100

Tyres help, but common sense....slow down, is the real trick.

Its still too soon to put them on though, I'm waiting till at least November before swapping them, as the tread wear would be horrible at this time of year, and snow in SE Ontario in October is just a one off thing. You might want to buy them now though, as choices run short and prices rise when the real snow hits. Most of the time all seasons will work OK, as the roads are cleared, and its not THAT cold. But after a decent snowfall, and when its so cold that all season rubber has gone hard, you will be gratefull for the extra traction and stickyness of winter rubber.

I'll bet that nearly all those saying all seasons are fine have never tried winter tires. As Sean says, once youve experienced the difference you will be convinced of the benefits. I've never had an accident on all seasons, but one season driving the wifes car on snow tires and Im convinced of the benefits just in terms of the decreased stopping distances in the deep winter weeks and bad weather.

1010tires.com has a usefull ratings section, with customer reviews, if that makes choosing a brand easier, but of course it doesnt cover the canadain tire specials, and thats what I would go for myself. They had some good deals, including steel rims, in this weeks flyer.

I must say am dreading driving in the real snow when it does start. People have told me exactly whatyou just said, to get steel rims ( steelies ), and put the winter tyres on them, and not use the same one that came with the car.
I saw people still speeding like crazy and getting right up peoples arse Am glad am able to get petrol for 75.3 as comapred to the prices they been at all summer

Just to stress this point...

WINTER TYRES ARE NOT ABOUT GETTING GOING IN THE SNOW


ITS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO STOP

BINGO give the man a prize. Thank you Iain.

No I'm not being sarcastic toward Iain, the points he makes above are exactly what it's all about.

It's too bad most Canadian residents, immigrant and native don't seem to grasp that concept.

Looks like the goodyear, do have some good ratings


http://www.1010tires.com/tiresearch....ategory=Winter

The biggest difference I noticed on the UltraGrips (apart from the traction) is the sidewalls are quite soft, so turning in the winter in normal dry conditions feels a lot less stable than with the all seasons on. But you get used to it. The sound takes some getting used to as well.

They are good tires for the money. Perhaps not the ultimate in winter performance, but good allround, and at least available when I was shopping. Not had them long enough to comment on tread life.

Id still check out the canadian tire specials, I think they are michelins in disguse, nordic trak or something.