Winter snow frs/brz

[Evil Jesus]

I love blasting around in the snow. Always have. I'm that **** you hear driving around at 2AM during a snow storm. Always have been. Always will be.

This wasn't fun though:

[JNovo79]

Holy crap that is burried.

[ZeHeadBanger]

Wanted to know, how much did you guys spend while getting the snow tires installed on your twins?

I just purchased a set of Blizzaks LM-32 and I'm planning to get steelies for them ($70 a piece). I'm being charged around $460 for the steelies and installing the tires on the rims. Also, included are prices for lug nuts(DT say that it is their policy to put in new lug nuts, and the existing ones on my car will not work with the steelies), labor and ripping off TPMS from my stock wheels and on to this.

I have a feeling that I'm overpaying over here. Could you guys let me know how much you paid for these services?

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by ZeHeadBanger

Wanted to know, how much did you guys spend while getting the snow tires installed on your twins?

I just purchased a set of Blizzaks LM-32 and I'm planning to get steelies for them ($70 a piece). I'm being charged around $460 for the steelies and installing the tires on the rims. Also, included are prices for lug nuts(DT say that it is their policy to put in new lug nuts, and the existing ones on my car will not work with the steelies), labor and ripping off TPMS from my stock wheels and on to this.

I have a feeling that I'm overpaying over here. Could you guys let me know how much you paid for these services?

Steelies ~50/each
Lugs maybe ~100 for a set (not sure on this)
Mount/balance ~20 each
Transplanting TPMS, not sure

Honestly I'd just have them mount and balance, skip the TPMS, and install yourself at home.

[Hawaiian]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

Steelies ~50/each
Lugs maybe ~100 for a set (not sure on this)
Mount/balance ~20 each
Transplanting TPMS, not sure

Honestly I'd just have them mount and balance, skip the TPMS, and install yourself at home.

This^ ignore the tpsms. If you keep an eye on your tires you won't need them ever. I bought a set of near new wheels tires and lugs off CL for 600 total.

[dsgerbc]

Originally Posted by andyc

I had purchased Michelin X-Ice Xi3 and am very disappointed with them. Stopping distance is bad, slush/snow traction is horrible. The only thing they do well on is dry/wet pavement. They almost feel like performance winter tire. Steering response is very good and I do not hesitate going 120-130 km/h on the highway when it's clear.

Xi-2 which I have driven for the last 3 winters on G35 felt much softer and was much better in the snow/slush.

I will be returning Xi-3 until it's too late and will be looking for a tire that can handle snow/slush as well. And possibly going to 195 width instead of 205 for better traction.

Xi3 are better or the same compared to Xi2, there's zero reason to switch to any of those three listed. I've driven on both Xi2/Xi3. Did you run them for 2-3 hundred miles? If not - you can't evaluate them yet, they need to scrub off outer layer first. Oh, and perf. winters will be much worse on snow/ice.

Originally Posted by ZeHeadBanger

Wanted to know, how much did you guys spend while getting the snow tires installed on your twins?

I just purchased a set of Blizzaks LM-32 and I'm planning to get steelies for them ($70 a piece). I'm being charged around $460 for the steelies and installing the tires on the rims. Also, included are prices for lug nuts(DT say that it is their policy to put in new lug nuts, and the existing ones on my car will not work with the steelies), labor and ripping off TPMS from my stock wheels and on to this.

I have a feeling that I'm overpaying over here. Could you guys let me know how much you paid for these services?

I would advise against LM32 in Michigan, if the car is your DD, but that's me.

$460 for steelies +mount/balance? Not too bad I guess, but you could've bought the same tires on tirerack and paid $400 for nice alloy wheels and they would've mounted/balanced tires for you before shipping.

[ZeHeadBanger]

Originally Posted by dsgerbc

Xi3 are better or the same compared to Xi2, there's zero reason to switch to any of those three listed. I've driven on both Xi2/Xi3. Did you run them for 2-3 hundred miles? If not - you can't evaluate them yet, they need to scrub off outer layer first. Oh, and perf. winters will be much worse on snow/ice.



I would advise against LM32 in Michigan, if the car is your DD, but that's me.

$460 for steelies +mount/balance? Not too bad I guess, but you could've bought the same tires on tirerack and paid $400 for nice alloy wheels and they would've mounted/balanced tires for you before shipping.

Is there any specific reason you are advising against LM-32 in Michigan? I have bought them anyway, they are sitting at my home right now, but just wanted to know why you are not a fan of them so that I can watch out for potential problems in the future!

Also, after reading at all your comments, I'm probably gonna skip the TPMS sensors part and install them myself later.

[dsgerbc]

Originally Posted by ZeHeadBanger

Is there any specific reason you are advising against LM-32 in Michigan? I have bought them anyway, they are sitting at my home right now, but just wanted to know why you are not a fan of them so that I can watch out for potential problems in the future!

Also, after reading at all your comments, I'm probably gonna skip the TPMS sensors part and install them myself later.

If you can leave your BRZ at home when it's snowing heavily or icy - those would be okay. If you must drive in any weather, the car is twitchy enough on the best winter rubber and I would not recommend driving on slick surfaces with anything less than I&S winter tires. Snow you could *probably* get away with performance winters, but it's gonna be a challenge.

[robwbright]

Originally Posted by andyc

I had purchased Michelin X-Ice Xi3 and am very disappointed with them. Stopping distance is bad, slush/snow traction is horrible. The only thing they do well on is dry/wet pavement. They almost feel like performance winter tire. Steering response is very good and I do not hesitate going 120-130 km/h on the highway when it's clear.

Xi-2 which I have driven for the last 3 winters on G35 felt much softer and was much better in the snow/slush.

I will be returning Xi-3 until it's too late and will be looking for a tire that can handle snow/slush as well. And possibly going to 195 width instead of 205 for better traction.

At this moment I am considering between these tires which I can get my hands on:

- Toyo observe GSi5
- Gislaved Nordfrost 100
- Hankook I pike W419

I would appreciate any comments on experience with any of these tires in snowy/slushy conditions.

Just had a set of Hankook iPikes (I don't recall whether 409 or 419). I would not recommend for the BRZ. Sidewall is very, very soft and wet/dry ride/handling was severely affected. Wandering all over the road, wouldn't be comfortable at more than 75mph, traction control kicking on at 35mph on a bridge cloverleaf, course corrections felt like severe body roll, etc... I complained to Hankook and they offered to warranty refund. I had the OEM tires put back on. The Hankook is probably a great SNOW/ICE tire, but worthless on dry surfaces on this car IMO - especially since we only have 5-10 snow days a year here in SE Ohio.

Sounds like I need the Michelin X-Ice Xi3... LOL.

[JNovo79]

Got my 16" steelies, 4 Dunlop Winter Maxx & Lugs for a hair over $700 with shipping.

[frs_firestorm]

does anyone have undercoating done on their frs?
I'm interested in getting mine done but not sure it's worth it.
THX

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by JNovo79

I'm getting a snowmobile shovel... I park on the street so even with my steelies, snow tires & 100lbs of sand/kitty litter in the trunk I'm guessing I'm basically boned with enough snow.

lol I haven't drive my car in the last 3 storms. But it is parked on the street. The lower half is covered in shit. The wheels facing street are cover in salt and have a significant amount of salt bits accumulated on them (as if someone poured salt crystals on them).

[andyc]

Originally Posted by andyc

I had purchased Michelin X-Ice Xi3 and am very disappointed with them. Stopping distance is bad, slush/snow traction is horrible. The only thing they do well on is dry/wet pavement. They almost feel like performance winter tire. Steering response is very good and I do not hesitate going 120-130 km/h on the highway when it's clear.

Xi-2 which I have driven for the last 3 winters on G35 felt much softer and was much better in the snow/slush.

I will be returning Xi-3 until it's too late and will be looking for a tire that can handle snow/slush as well. And possibly going to 195 width instead of 205 for better traction.

At this moment I am considering between these tires which I can get my hands on:

- Toyo observe GSi5
- Gislaved Nordfrost 100
- Hankook I pike W419

I would appreciate any comments on experience with any of these tires in snowy/slushy conditions.

UPDATE:

Returned Michelins and got Gislaved Nordfrost 100 in 195 width instead of 205 as I had before. Car feels much more stable on the snowy roads/changing lanes through the slush and is controllable and predictable now. No weights in the trunk.
Traction control did not help much on Michelins for some reason, but is working as it supposed to on Gislaveds and really keeps the car in a line when there's too much gas input. Dry/wet traction on highway speeds still great and steering does not feel mushy at all.

Definitely

[whatsinaname]

Anyone else on Yokohama W-Drives? They have been working rather well for me. Granted I only drive in town when there is heavy snow but the control has been great the only two times I slid. (It was me being stupid, accelerating in the middle of a turn).