Tire choice for dry & cold winter

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Fascinating discussion guys, much appreciated! I was leaning toward performance winter tires from the start, but had some doubts. Now I'm fully convinced.

Next question is which tires to choose? Looks like there're no too many performance winter options, and limiting to our narrow 17" sizes even more so. Any better options that the aforementioned Sottozero 3s in 205/50/17? I'd prefer to use the stock wheels for the winters (17x7).

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by Ohio Enthusiast

Next question is which tires to choose? Looks like there're no too many performance winter options, and limiting to our narrow 17" sizes even more so. Any better options that the aforementioned Sottozero 3s in 205/50/17? I'd prefer to use the stock wheels for the winters (17x7).

Looks like best choice to me...
Might be other options by the time you need them though! No reason to buy now, right?

[anticubus]

I'm up north of OP on the edge of the snowbelt.

The Matrix got WS80s and is a blast in the snow. Lots of grip, lots of room for fun without getting out of control. There's also not enough power to really lose anything running a dedicated winter set.

The 86 got X-Ice 3s, and while they get squirmy and squeal when the tarmac is hot from a sunny day towards the end of the season, they're predictable and controllable up to ~70F. I went for more dry, salty cold capability than pure snow because at a certain point I'm just plowing and will grab the Matrix for ride height.

The grip lost on both is only really noticeable coming off the G-Max RSs I run mid-April to mid-October, and that's because those UHPs like heat. Around 40F with no sun they start to get stiff and slide more than I'd like. On the other hand, the G-Max RSs completely outperform the winters around 60F.

Both sets wreck every set of all seasons I've tried at every temperature and weather combo. They even get better mileage. If you truly don't want to go full winter, get some performance winters like Blizzak LM-32s. They're better in the cold and dry, but sacrifice true snow and ice capability. Still way better than an all season in the low temps we get in Ohio.

[N_Raged]

Originally Posted by Ohio Enthusiast

Next question is which tires to choose? Looks like there're no too many performance winter options, and limiting to our narrow 17" sizes even more so. Any better options that the aforementioned Sottozero 3s in 205/50/17? I'd prefer to use the stock wheels for the winters (17x7).

Having to go for a narrower than stock tire size could be negating whatever benefit you're looking for in a performance winter tire in the first place if what you want is dry grip.
My preference would be always to stick to the stock tire size of 215/45R17 for the stock 17x7 rim. Pirelli's web site says the Sottozero 3 do come in 215/45R17...

[HaXx]

I like talking about tires. It seems like you've already made up your mind, which is great. And you're watching speed academy videos so I already like you. Some say "oh they're sponsored, you cant trust what they say." Ok well old top gear camera and support vehicles were always land rovers, does that mean all land rovers are trash because they give vehicles to the production? No

Tires: I was ready to default to "winter tires for winter bro" but then I read your circumstances of rarely driving in slush. If you frequently did winter track days I might say do all seasons, but in the winter, most enjoyment is removed from driving, and it becomes strictly utility, so just based on that alone, I'd say winters. Even if they save you once they're worth it, theyll wear a little faster, but it seems ud be ok with that, you dont seem like a cheapskate, buying mp4s etc. If you were really trying to push driving enjoyment in the winter months I'd go all season, but I have uhp summers and dunlop wintermaxx each on a set of enkei's I swap between.

[Jdmjunkie]

I have Michelin Pilot Alpine P4A and they do great in the dry as well as light snow and ice.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by N_Raged

Having to go for a narrower than stock tire size could be negating whatever benefit you're looking for in a performance winter tire in the first place if what you want is dry grip.
My preference would be always to stick to the stock tire size of 215/45R17 for the stock 17x7 rim. Pirelli's web site says the Sottozero 3 do come in 215/45R17...

Interesting, in TireRack they don't have them in 215/45R17, just 205 and 225 and up. Pirelli's site does indeed have them in 215/45R17, and so do DiscountTire. I'd prefer to stick to the stock size as well, just didn't realize they're available in that size. Thanks for pointing that out!

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Jdmjunkie

I have Michelin Pilot Alpine P4A and they do great in the dry as well as light snow and ice.

Looks like these come only in 18" and above sizes (could find only a single 17" example, a 225/55...). Since I want to use the stock wheels for the winter tires, that won't work. But thanks for sharing your first hand experience!

[sgirard]

Always better to have two specialized sets. I am from Quebec. So here we have a set for the summer and one for the winter.
Both are specialized for each season. But here this is normal, because we have harsh winters.