LegAC Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Preface: I drive a 96 Legacy Wagon with heavily worn tires. I also own a pickup with simular tires. I don't get paid till the 1st, so I'm being cheap. Story: It rained like hell today. I had to drive my truck to work and it wiggled around, jumped, and slid all day. I actually broke the rear tires loose at 70 mph while trying to get past a freaking idiot at one point. I got home and the Mother-In-Law (Wikipedia: see Satan) had evidently gotten stranded somewhere. I decided I'm not going to subject my nice newish truck to any wear for this bee-och, so I started up the Soob and took off. I was amazed at the difference. I could easily drive twice the speed with no twitching. I can only imagine what you guys feel up north when it snows. For the record, I've only driven in snow once, and that was a blizzard in Georgia 2 years ago. Most of you would have laughed at it, but I had fun doing doughnuts in the Mall of Georgia parking lots in my buddies WRX. Those were the days. I love this car. I think I'm going to buy a new Forester if the wife decides to shat out another kid. I've been switching out here birth control for 3 months now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 I'm impressed.....a Brighton doing 140!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86ruguy Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Hey.....it is a subie isn't it? Currently driving my 4th subie with awd and must concur on the donuts in the parking lot thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoEyeSquareGuy Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 I can only imagine what you guys feel up north when it snows. Most of us were born into it, and it's no big deal, as we've all watched idiots ditch their cars our whole lives. We also run great tires, or don't drive... bald tires up here means a sliding, ice, flaming death. I ran full-depth Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts on the Forester last winter and found it "inadequate." Snow tires aren't necessary, but it's hard to go back to all seasons after you've driven with the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virrdog Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 I think I'm going to buy a new Forester if the wife decides to shat out another kid. I've been switching out here birth control for 3 months now . :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 I've been switching out here birth control for 3 months now . For that, Wikipedia: see bastard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegAC Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 lol, yep, that's me. That was a joke by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Most of us were born into it, and it's no big deal, as we've all watched idiots ditch their cars our whole lives. We also run great tires, or don't drive... bald tires up here means a sliding, ice, flaming death. I ran full-depth Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts on the Forester last winter and found it "inadequate." Snow tires aren't necessary, but it's hard to go back to all seasons after you've driven with the real thing. Yup. I've put $300 of tires on a $50 car before. And then passed people in the snow who only had $200 tires on their $40,000 SUV I used to run all seasons, but after doing dedicated snows, I will not go back. I also have a 4x4 pickup, with good studded tires, and until the snow gets pretty deep (like a foot or so), the subaru handles wayyy better. Doesn't feel squirely at all compared to the pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eryque Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Yup. I've put $300 of tires on a $50 car before. And then passed people in the snow who only had $200 tires on their $40,000 SUV Do they even make $200 sets of tires for SUVs? I know I don't have to be the parental voice (particularly since I'm probably younger than most of you) and remind you all that it's not about how fast you can go in slippery conditions, it's about how well you can turn and stop, and no tire is going to make you do that safely at high speed in slippery conditions. Even with AWD and good tires I take it way easy. The only thing going fast in the snow gets you is deeper into the ditch when you lose it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86ruguy Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 The only thing going fast in the snow gets you is deeper into the ditch when you lose it BWAAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Do they even make $200 sets of tires for SUVs? Uh. Probably not... his set of crappy 16" or 17" tires probably cost more than my nice set of 13" studded snows And by fast, I mean I was going 10 or 15mph, and he was slowly sliding over into the ditch trying to start from a stop... I really do drive pretty conservatively in the snow, unless it's on a subaru outing, and we have lots of retreval gear and vehicles to pull me out of the ditch, in which case I test the conditions a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eryque Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Uh. Probably not... his set of crappy 16" or 17" tires probably cost more than my nice set of 13" studded snows And by fast, I mean I was going 10 or 15mph, and he was slowly sliding over into the ditch trying to start from a stop... I really do drive pretty conservatively in the snow, unless it's on a subaru outing, and we have lots of retreval gear and vehicles to pull me out of the ditch, in which case I test the conditions a little more. Now *that* sounds like fun. I don't push things just driving around, especially in traffic, but I'd love to do it with a bunch of other guys who can help me out of a jam if I get into one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86ruguy Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Now *that* sounds like fun. I don't push things just driving around, especially in traffic, but I'd love to do it with a bunch of other guys who can help me out of a jam if I get into one. YAAAAAAAHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 I drive a 17 km. long straight stretch of road to work each day and last winter was the first time I had to drive it due to moving out of the city. It was also the first winter that I had my Subaru. The number of 4x4 trucks in the ditch EASILY outnumber any other vehicle that I saw each day. One day there were a total of 13 vehicles in the ditch and 11 of them were 4x4 trucks. It doesn't matter how good your 4x4 or AWD system is, once you hit a couple feet of snow on a sharp downwards slope such as the side of a ditch, there is no way you are getting out under your own power again. I also have to say that I agree with the crowd that is saying that winter tires can't be beat. Try them once in the winter, you'll never be satisfied with all-season tires again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegAC Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 What if it only snows and sticks every 5 years. The worst we get here is freezing rain. Snow tires don't do much for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthenium Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 What if it only snows and sticks every 5 years. The worst we get here is freezing rain. Snow tires don't do much for that. Actually they do. All those extra grooves pinch at the surface of even ice. And while 10% better stopping in an uncontrolled slide might not seem like much, when you stop 2 feet short of disaster, it's well worth the extra expense. But "Philosophically" I agree with you in that circumstance. Driving carefully with All Seasons is better than being Cavelier with Blizak's. I guess they probably last about 10K 15K on regular pavement, don't they? Fat Tony - Ice Jockey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoEyeSquareGuy Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Driving carefully with All Seasons is better than being Cavelier with Blizak's. I guess they probably last about 10K 15K on regular pavement, don't they? I'd have to disagree. My FWD Tercel with Blizzak WS-50s was far better in slush and deep snow snow than my wife's old Forester with then-new Dueler H/Ts. Crappy snow tires(Semperit and the like) may only be good for 15k miles, but a quality tire should last longer. By driving carefully and rotating often, the Blizzak WS-50s on my wife's pig of a Golf have nearly 35k miles on them, and should be more than adequate for the remainder of this coming winter. Do they even make $200 sets of tires for SUVs? Sadly, yes. P245/75R16s and P265/75R16s are commonly available in no-name Chinese brands manufactured by TireCo for as little as $180, if you know where to shop. They're horrid. They're bad on dry roads and wet roads, and are so frightening on snow that I could not recount stories, or you would all flee screaming from the monitor. Typically they last 10k miles before they're corded in spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finsol Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 It monsoons over where I live and where I work we have a parking lot the length of 2 football fields that no one parks in = drifters paradise lol. When it's rained I've taken out the wagon for some doughnuts and I've notice drifting/sliding in an awd car is the ultimate in drift handling, I can do figure 8's like nothing and is feels liek I'm gliding not trying to slide. It'svery controlled but I also notice doughnuts are big in an awd car not tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthenium Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Crappy snow tires(Semperit and the like) may only be good for 15k miles, but a quality tire should last longer. By driving carefully and rotating often, the Blizzak WS-50s on my wife's pig of a Golf have nearly 35k miles on them, and should be more than adequate for the remainder of this coming winter. Very Interesting! Maybe I'll just run Blizaks year round. It's Arctic-Like here 4 - 5 months of the year... Fat Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86ruguy Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Very Interesting! Maybe I'll just run Blizaks year round. It's Arctic-Like here 4 - 5 months of the year... Fat Tony I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and the weather is NOT Arctic:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlit Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Very Interesting! Maybe I'll just run Blizaks year round. It's Arctic-Like here 4 - 5 months of the year... Fat Tony Blizzak WS-50's are good in snow, everyone raves about them, and I agree. Blizzak WS-50's are bad in the dry. Blizzak WS-50's are unreliable and squirmy when it's dry and above 40degrees....RARELY does anyone ever talk about that. Unless you're driving in winter mountain passes or on snow for more than 60% of the time, you're better off getting a set of allseasons that do decent in the snow. Blizzak LM-25 is about the same as an allseason with a 25% premium price tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron917 Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Blizzak WS-50's are good in snow, everyone raves about them, and I agree. Blizzak WS-50's are bad in the dry. Blizzak WS-50's are unreliable and squirmy when it's dry and above 40degrees....RARELY does anyone ever talk about that. Agreed on all counts. We run Blizzak WS-50s on the minivan. My wife's requirements for a winter tire are simple: "I don't want to slide, ever." Dry performance isn't a factor. They kick butt on ice, as well. On two occasions last winter while driving the minivan, I discovered that the road was icy when other vehicles started sliding off the road. Conditions were detiorating and I was already driving carefully, but I never slid, never skidded, and the ABS never kicked in. If I hadn't seen the other vehicles lose it, I wouldn't have known about the ice. The Blizzaks just stuck like glue. A Subaru with Blizzaks must be an awesome winter machine. I have Nokian WRs on my Subaru, but I know that they are not equal to Blizzaks in winter weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthenium Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and the weather is NOT Arctic:lol: I was born an d raised in San Diego CA. (Avg Temp year round = 72 Deg F) Relatively speaking, it is Arctic-Like here 4 - 5 months easily! Fat Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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