Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
In MN they plow and salt the living hell outta the roads by the time the 2nd snowflake hits. I suspect a lot of you MN "experts" don't even live in MN. I haven't run snow tires for over 20 years (and the vast majority of MN drivers don't either) and can't say there's been too many times where they'd have been of any benefit compared to the worn-out crap tires I usually drive on.
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Live in MN here (Northfield, MN 55057).
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Fi...ports_999.html
The chances are vastly in your favor that you'll be fine without snow tires. It's nothing like you
will have an accident without snow tires. Just that you're safer with than without snow tires.
Also consider that people who don't use snow tires and are dead, are not here to say that people should use snow tires. There are lots of motorcycle drivers who don't wear helmets, and they're fine. Does that mean it's just as safe not to wear a helmet? Nope. That's bad logic. The people who got in accidents not wearing helmets are probably dead or mentally retarded.
You can get cheap snow tires for $30, it's a worthwhile investment. If you get nicer tires that can have studs than you can get INSANE grip on ice (but if you drive without studs you can't add them later).
You also might have tires that get good grip in the winter, but then you're likely loosing some performance in the summer.
In the long run, if you're going to own the car awhile, then the cost is not much if you have a second set of rims. Tires don't get bad based on age, but use. Just make sure to put the other set inside tire bags so they don't get damaged by corrosive gas.
EDIT: Yeah, I should say I live more out in the country than the city. Downtown Minneapolis is a lot less bad. Also it tends to snow less there.