If you're interested in a real all-season tire you might check out Nokian WRs. We have them on out 97 Outback Sport and they're excellent. Unstopable in the snow/ice and feel like a regular all-season/summer tire in the dray and rain. They're priced around what other high quality tires are ($100 or so installed if I remember right). You'll have to call dealers for pricing, as there appears to be an agreement that prevents on-line advertising/selling of Nokian tires.

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/tires_popup.cfm?id=6

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/home.cfm

 

We also have a set of Goodyear Comfortreads (mentioned earlier) on our VW Golf. This is also a nice tire. I haven't had the chance to try it in snow/ice. I don't think it will do nearly as well from looking at it. We have a set of Blizzaks for the Golf in the winter, which doesn't even come close to the traction of the Subaru and the WRs.

they look REAL nice for my SAAB 9000 here in New Hampshire. But my Mom does not go out in deep snow and she has AWD in Southern New York, so she only needs a All-season with average snow traction. She got along fine with the Bridgestone Potenzas RE92A's and they are rated BAD in snow traction on Tire Rack.

Tirerack does not have them but has anyone put Toyo Proxe 4's on there Roo? How is the light snow traction?

If you're interested in a real all-season tire you might check out Nokian WRs. We have them on out 97 Outback Sport and they're excellent. Unstopable in the snow/ice and feel like a regular all-season/summer tire in the dray and rain. They're priced around what other high quality tires are ($100 or so installed if I remember right). You'll have to call dealers for pricing, as there appears to be an agreement that prevents on-line advertising/selling of Nokian tires.

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/tires_popup.cfm?id=6

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/home.cfm

 

We also have a set of Goodyear Comfortreads (mentioned earlier) on our VW Golf. This is also a nice tire. I haven't had the chance to try it in snow/ice. I don't think it will do nearly as well from looking at it. We have a set of Blizzaks for the Golf in the winter, which doesn't even come close to the traction of the Subaru and the WRs.

 

I have heard that the Nokian all season are great. I can't find a dealer close to me.

 

~Howard

Name away!

 

I took the last Michelin off my OBW with 57,000 and they still had 6/32nd" of tread. We just replaced the tires on the cargo van at work - 95,000 miles on the front and 75,000 on the rears and still had 5/32" tread.

 

The HydroEdges on the OBW now have gone 32,000 miles and have 9/32nd of tread left - new was 11/32nd. They're fantastic in rain, very good in snow and have good dry road cornering power. There isn't a tire on the market that's cheap enough to make it worthwhile cutting corners. The last OBW we sold went in a day when the buyers expressed confidence that it had been well maintained. Why did they think so? "You bought Michelins."

 

I've had excellent luck with Goodyears as well, but they're not much less expensive, tire-to-tire. If you have specific data that shows that another less expensive tire has the snow traction, ice traction, wet braking power, and dry cornering power of the HydroEdge and costs less, I'm all ears. Certainly the tirerack surveys listed above indicate otherwise.

 

Tires are one of those areas that if you "Cheap Out" you are going to think about it every time the weather gets bad.

 

BTW NTB will give you a tire tread depth gage to measure your trad for free.

 

Let's face it. Everyone has his preference. That's why they make chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream.

 

~Howard

I have heard that the Nokian all season are great. I can't find a dealer close to me.

 

~Howard

 

The WR is an awesome All weather tire. MY local dealer is actually trying to talk me out of a buying a second set of rims, with dedicated Nokian hakka snow tires, and into the WR on our stock rims for all season. This would be a huge cost impact to his business, but he and many of the techs at his shop really like the all weather performance of this tire.

 

Try this to locate a dealer:

 

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/map.cfm

 

I've bought mail order from both of these guys; both know Nokian tires very well:

 

GREER ENTERPRISES

1909 S. 74th Street

West Allis, WI 53219

Phone: (414) 545-2296

 

G&G Service

4073 Hubertus Road

Hubertus, WI 53033

414-628-1716

 

Jack

I put these tires on my 02 outback and will never switch to another...

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Avid+V4S&partnum=26VR6V4S&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=1

 

Check out the all around high marks in every catagory!

what would be your suggestion for a nice winter /summer combo. I have a 2001 Legacy wagon GT and the Potenza's are needing to be replaced.(thank god )

I had one person recommend Yokohama V4 all seasons but I drive in an area that can get snow and the roads are mountainous. I am thinking of buying winters mounted on steel rims and then some nice summer performance tires mounted on the nice GT wheels next summer. The challenge is making the right move. The winter tire is confusing enough. Do I go Snow or ice. I would think Ice and the roads around here would be plowed regularlly and then leaving hard pack conditions and black ice. I would appreciate your suggestion.

 

 

 

You are of course the ultimate judge of what you want to put on your car's rims but more and more the consensus is that if you happen to drive in sub zero temerature a good winter tire is a must. The main problem is the rubber compound of all seasons tires become much harder around -10C° and at that point you loose much of your traction on icy surfaces and your braking distances will be much longer.

Just my 2 cents.

what would be your suggestion for a nice winter /summer combo. I have a 2001 Legacy wagon GT and the Potenza's are needing to be replaced.(thank god )

I had one person recommend Yokohama V4 all seasons but I drive in an area that can get snow and the roads are mountainous. I am thinking of buying winters mounted on steel rims and then some nice summer performance tires mounted on the nice GT wheels next summer. The challenge is making the right move. The winter tire is confusing enough. Do I go Snow or ice. I would think Ice and the roads around here would be plowed regularlly and then leaving hard pack conditions and black ice. I would appreciate your suggestion.

 

Try the Nokian all-season that was suggested earlier. It's gotten some good reviews.

 

~Howard

:cool:

Anyone put Hankooks on there Roos'in 205/55R16?? They have some all-season offerings in the touring line for $55 a pop! But tread does not look good in snow!

Anyone put Hankooks on there Roos'in 205/55R16?? They have some all-season offerings in the touring line for $55 a pop! But tread does not look good in snow!

 

NOKIAN ALL SEASON.

 

~Howard

Does anyone know if the Nokians WR is rated as low rolling resistance tire.

Alternatively, any experiences with gaining/loosing MPG with this tire?

I put these tires on my 02 outback and will never switch to another...

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Avid+V4S&partnum=26VR6V4S&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=1

 

Check out the all around high marks in every catagory!

I was thinking of trying this tire. The price/performance ratio looks unbeatable.

 

Yokohama has a solid record.

I don't see the NRW on the Nokian site, maybe I'm not looking in the right place? I see them here http://www.tirefactory.net/nokian.htm, and on the website of a dealer here in town. Anyone know about this tire? My daughter has decided she loves my Legacy, so I'm looking for another 2.2l, and likely two sets of tires now.

Scott, you're right ...it's not on the Nokian site.

While you are giving out recomendations. . .

I'm looking for a good all season tire that is inexpensive, wears well (long tread life) and can be used with a 5 wheel rotation schedule (meaning it will see all positions on the car, so it has to roll well both ways). I'm using a full sized spare, so that has to be factored into the rotations, in order to protect my tranny. . .

Sounds like we are looking for the same thing? What size do you need for your Roo?

P185 70r14

P185 70r14

 

Longest wearing all seasons I have had on a '98 Legacy L wagon was a set of Mich. Radial X touring tires from Sam's Club tire centers. They were not great in the snow though.

Does anyone know if the Nokians WR is rated as low rolling resistance tire.

Alternatively, any experiences with gaining/loosing MPG with this tire?

 

Just ordered a set of BFG Traction T/A's for my Mom's '03 GT sedan 205/55R16. Tirerack.com and EVERYONE HERE rates them good at everything but many have reported loss of 1-3 MPG!!

Just ordered a set of BFG Traction T/A's for my Mom's '03 GT sedan 205/55R16. Tirerack.com and EVERYONE HERE rates them good at everything but many have reported loss of 1-3 MPG!!

 

Well had them put on and a four wheel alignment! Car handles WAY bettter, and no HUGE increase in road noise!! I think a very good choice for her!

I like the Toyo 800 Ultra tire with a 100,000 mile warranty, I had top end Deltas prior, and noticed a quieter ride and MUCH better snow and rain traction.

The Toyo 800 Ultra tires are really nice tires. I put a set of them on my 92 Legacy AWD wagon about 5 years ago at 92k miles. I drove the car daily for a couple years and had to replace two of the tires due to nails. Fast forward, now the wagon has 159k miles, hasn't been driven more than 500 miles in the past 3 years, stored outside and the tires show no indication of dry rot. They don't have flat spots yet the 2 that are probably 20k newer have no indication of wear on the sides as the other 2. Unfortunately, the local dealer said they do not carry the 800 Ultras anymore.

 

 

 

I wonder why.

I see you are in Miss. can anyone coment on the snow traction of these long wearing tires. I had a set of Michelin X Radials on a '98 Legacy L wagon they wore like IRON but did not have ANY SNOW TRACTION!!

I see you are in Miss. can anyone coment on the snow traction of these long wearing tires. I had a set of Michelin X Radials on a '98 Legacy L wagon they wore like IRON but did not have ANY SNOW TRACTION!!

I've found the HydroEdge to be decent in snow. The dealer says the Harmony is better in snow than the HydroEdge.