Best snows/ice tires for New England

[Mattstermh]

Getting a BRZ soon and I live in New England - I drive to work every day, regardless of the whether.

What's the recommended set of ice tires? 16'' I'm guessing? Thanks in advance.

[Tcoat]

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72389
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52837
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40127
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7313
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24037
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103855

[Mattstermh]

Good....good

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Mattstermh

Good....good

That is probably about 5% of the threads on the subject here. It is one of the most frequently asked questions I am sure (not usually in June though).
To sum it up for you the best bet is the winter tires of your choice on 16" steel rims. These cars are a tank through the snow and ice with a good set of tires.

[Mattstermh]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

That is probably about 5% of the threads on the subject here. It is one of the most frequently asked questions I am sure (not usually in June though).
To sum it up for you the best bet is the winter tires of your choice on 16" steel rims. These cars are a tank through the snow and ice with a good set of tires.

Is there a consensus on whether ice or snow is preferred in the northeast? I drive to work and don't do any silly racing or drift stuff. Roads can get icy out here - I think ice tires are the way to go.

[ARTBRZ]

....what I got to read all this?!

The answer is yes!

[computeruser]

You can probably find stock take-off rims for only a hair more than a set of ugly 16" steel rims. I got mine from a couple different folks on here, with less than $350 out of my pocket for four like-new rims. Skipped the TPMS and called it good, running stock-sized winter tires.

What you'll find in all the threads, because I read them, is that you ultimately have two choices: a 100% winter tire or a winter performance tire. If you have to get to work/school/etc no matter what, suck it up and go with the 100% winter tire. Blizzaks, Altimax Arctic, X-Ice, things like that; you can pick whether you want one biased toward ice or toward snow/slush use based on your driving conditions and climate. Either way, they're all soft, squirmy, no fun to drive on dry pavement, but they will get you to work and back home in snow, sleet, ice, slush, whatever, at least until the laws of physics kick in due to deep snow or steep hills or whatever.

If you have the option of having other choices available - access to public transportation, a second car, a spouse, whatever - then you can give serious thought to a performance winter tire and just accept that you will reach your no-go point a bit sooner than with a 100% winter tire, in exchange for a more enjoyable driving experience when the weather isn't absolutely dreadful.

When I got my car, I went with the first option, even though I had an Impreza (on winters) available to use, because my job required me to be at certain places at certain times, regardless of weather. The Altimax Arctics did great in snow and ice, even on moderate hills in 4-6" of snow. Since that time, I changed jobs and now work at a fixed location less than 4 miles from my home, on the bus line, and I still have an AWD car available. If I had known this job change would happen, I would have purchased a performance winter tire instead. Depending on my mood later in the year, I might sell the winters in favor of performance winters for the coming snow season.

[geezerbrzeezer]

I've read great reviews on the Altimax Arctic.

I'll be putting winters on the stock wheels. Anyone know what the narrowest tire size with stock diameter tires would fit the stock wheels?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Mattstermh

Is there a consensus on whether ice or snow is preferred in the northeast? I drive to work and don't do any silly racing or drift stuff. Roads can get icy out here - I think ice tires are the way to go.

Originally Posted by computeruser

You can probably find stock take-off rims for only a hair more than a set of ugly 16" steel rims. I got mine from a couple different folks on here, with less than $350 out of my pocket for four like-new rims. Skipped the TPMS and called it good, running stock-sized winter tires.

What you'll find in all the threads, because I read them, is that you ultimately have two choices: a 100% winter tire or a winter performance tire. If you have to get to work/school/etc no matter what, suck it up and go with the 100% winter tire. Blizzaks, Altimax Arctic, X-Ice, things like that; you can pick whether you want one biased toward ice or toward snow/slush use based on your driving conditions and climate. Either way, they're all soft, squirmy, no fun to drive on dry pavement, but they will get you to work and back home in snow, sleet, ice, slush, whatever, at least until the laws of physics kick in due to deep snow or steep hills or whatever.

If you have the option of having other choices available - access to public transportation, a second car, a spouse, whatever - then you can give serious thought to a performance winter tire and just accept that you will reach your no-go point a bit sooner than with a 100% winter tire, in exchange for a more enjoyable driving experience when the weather isn't absolutely dreadful.

When I got my car, I went with the first option, even though I had an Impreza (on winters) available to use, because my job required me to be at certain places at certain times, regardless of weather. The Altimax Arctics did great in snow and ice, even on moderate hills in 4-6" of snow. Since that time, I changed jobs and now work at a fixed location less than 4 miles from my home, on the bus line, and I still have an AWD car available. If I had known this job change would happen, I would have purchased a performance winter tire instead. Depending on my mood later in the year, I might sell the winters in favor of performance winters for the coming snow season.

What he said^
With the exception that I prefer the solid steel wheels over the stock (or any other spoked) wheels since in the frequent temperature swings we get here snow and slush build up in the spokes, freeze solid and create an unbalance situation. Also prefer the 16" since they give that little more sidewall to plow through the snow. I personally like the all round winter tire that is halfway between ice and snow since we can have equal levels of both. Many of the guys that got "performance" tires regretted it.
I spend 14 hours a week commuting between cites so take my snow tires very seriously.

[YXEBears]

^ what @Tcoat said, added benefit of 16" is more options (brand wise) to pick from vs stock 17", typically for less $$

[MuseChaser]

As a denizen of the Syracuse NY snowbelt area, I'll second Tcoat's 16" steelie/full-on winter tire recommendation. I was amazed at how well my FR-S dealt with bad roads. "Winter Performance" is sort of like "Jumbo Shrimp" or "Benevolent Dictatorship" in my opinion. Kind of like the ol' joke, "Dad, when I grow up I want to be a drummer!" "Son, you can't have it both ways."

Barry

[Mattstermh]

I'm not a pro when it comes to buying tires - especially snows.

I'll buy some winter tires and some 16'' wheels - should I do it at Town Fair Tire so they can do the free swap over per season?
Also: what are stock take off rims? Should those be applied to the winter tires?

[gramicci101]

Stock take offs are someone else's stock wheels that they're selling because they bought other wheels. You can usually find them somewhat cheaply.

Get on TireRack, build some wheel and tire packages, read reviews on winter tires, and learn some things about your subject. If you walk into Billy Bob's tire shop and just say you need wheels and tires, they can tell you anything they want and you'll believe it because you don't know any better.

http://www.tirerack.com/content/tire.../packages.html

[Mattstermh]

Those Blizzak LM-32 look good... I guess I'm lookin for non performance, though.