Is Buffalo like planet Hoth or what? Are Tauntauns the preferred choice of travel? lol
I live in northern Iowa and we got CREAMED last winter (like most of the northern Midwest). We have dirt cheap dealer tires on our AWD Lexus RX and that thing was a beast. I seriously think you could have summer performance tires on a AWD vehicle and be just fine... unless you live in Buffalo, apparently.
I live in Kansas City, and despite popular myth, there are a lot of hills, in fact one on my street that would leave me stranded at home during a decent snowfall or ice event. My parents are 600 miles north. The OEM tires would not be fun to drive in the winter. Avoid one slide off the road or into somebody else and the tires and sensors have more than paid for themselves.
Hawk, if you have ever driven summer performance tires on snow, and I have, you would come to a much different conclusion.
I live in a city that is as hilly as they come... 5 hours north of you. I have worn down OEM tires on my gf's AWD vehicle and it kicks ass in the snow or ice. In fact, our city was shut down one day last winter and I used it to go pick up her sister and niece, tackling 2 hills on the way. My roommates WRX was in Omaha and had standard tires on it as well, same thing. I have owned a Ford Probe in Omaha with summer high performance tires on it, and while it was obviously not optimal, I went through 4 winters with them without an accident... and that was a FWD car.
I stand by my statement that all-season tires on a AWD vehicle are more than fine for even the roughest of winters (if you know how to drive).
Hawkzilla wrote:
I stand by my statement that all-season tires on a AWD vehicle are more than fine for even the roughest of winters (if you know how to drive).
"I seriously think you could have summer performance tires on a AWD vehicle and be just fine..", that's the one I have issues with. They are like driving on slicks, zero traction.
Traction varies a lot between all seasons, a broad brush. Just look at the tirerack comparison surveys. Our tires get a 5 out of 10, some all seasons are much worse, some much better. No where near dedicated winter tires. It's not about bravado, it's about traction.
I have never owned snow tires and the only time I have ever lost the ability to steer or stop was when there was pure ice involved. While I have not owned snow tires, I would bet good money that they don't have the magical ability to steer and stop on smooth ice... unless they are metal studded, which are illegal where I lived.
I have nothing against anyone spending money on snow tires, however, I will stand by my opinion that even average rated all-season radials on an AWD vehicle provide plenty of maneuverability in snow conditions. I think most would agree that snow tires or not, you still have to know how to drive in winter conditions. Which is why you see more giant SUVs and Pick-ups in the ditch than cars... people think just because the drive bug rigs with killer snow tires they can drive like a crazy person in snow or ice. Not so.
Hawkzilla wrote:I have never owned snow tires and the only time I have ever lost the ability to steer or stop was when there was pure ice involved.
Not for nothing Hawk, but until you regularly drive a car with Snow Tires you won't be able to appreciate the differences. I have been driving Eastern Canadian winters for over 30 years, and for about the last 16 or 18 of those I have been switching to Snows for the winter. I currently have 3 cars that are winter driven , and each has a full set of Snows, and having driven plenty of winters with and without snow tires I'll guarantee that a test drive in 20" of snow with and without snow tires would make a believer out of you.
