LRR Winter Tires (14", specifically)

[CAPTAIN CHAOS]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

Thank you for this. I have been trying to decide between the michelin x-ice and the general altimax arctic.

To speak on "real winter", if the majority of your major streets are clear within 8 hours of snow stopping, you don't know winter driving.

No problem.
My driving consists of 40mi each way on 2 lane hwy and county roads. A lot of times "cleared off" consists of 1 pass with the plow truck 12 hours ago. It can get pretty rough at times.

Just for reference, my brother used the General Altimax on his Civic at the same time I had my Michelins and he was HUGELY impressed with them. I can't speak for rolling resistance but he said that little car would literally push a wall of snow with the front bumper with those tires on it. It was the snowiest, coldest winter on record here last year and he had ZERO problems with those tires.

For me, mpg's and rolling resistance take a back seat to performance on snow. The benefits of a good set of snow tires is absolutely amazing and it's worth a 1mpg trade off (at worst) when they can give you so much more stability, stopping ability and steady handling. Last year running on all-seasons drove that point home as I was stuck running 30mph wondering if the back end was going to stay behind me or not for that 40mi drive.

[adam728]

Guy at work swears by the Altimax's, almost everyone there is running them now.

I've had Winterforces on the Buick a few years now. I'm very impressed with that car in snow. I'll take it out before our AWD Astro on new Firestone Destination LE's in a heartbeat (which are supposed to be pretty good in snow for not being winter tires).

Bought my Mazda 3 with Michelin X-Ice 2's on it this spring. Tires are like new, car is terrible in the snow! Not sure how much the tire is to blame though, I hear and read great things about the tire. But the car is very darty and quick handling, the whole "Zoom Zoom" thing, which makes it a handful in the snow. Also running the same width tire as the Buick, but on a 600 lb+ car, so contact pressure is not on my side with the Mazda.

[roosterk0031]

I've had a set of 4 Nokian WRg2, and we happy enought I just put two on the front of my cobalt, lost 3ish mpg overnight from bald Ecopia just on the front (hopefully it will come back). If you want good snow for cheap go to walmart and get Nitto SN2, have a set on Stratus and I can stop and start on the steapest gravel road without drama. Never took them off the Stratus with it's limited miles (now 15 yo driving to school and back 4 miles) they are wearing great. Dry handling is a bit quirky but easily learned. I have 6 of them so the back of my cobalt with be wearing 2 of them.

Have 4 Nokian WRG3 for KT's cobalt in the mail, supposed to roll 10% better then G2's and have 55k warranty, LLR. Pricy but I think my daughters worth the best tires I can find, the difference isn't really that much.

185 65 14 $72, 185 70 14 $67

[Sven7]

So, no experience with the ones in the OP? I agree that performance takes precedence in the winter, but if performance is similar (as the reviews suggest), and the price is the same, and one is LRR, is that a no-brainer?

Edit
I'm starting to consider the General Altimax Arctics now... and they're literally four bucks cheaper for the set. Decisions, decisions.

[Daox]

I had a set of the Altimax Arctics on my 03 Matrix. They were great and wore good too at 45 psi.

[Sven7]

I ordered the LRR Yokohamas, partly as an experiment. $299 shipped. I guess we'll see how they perform.

[Sven7]

400 miles and I'm very happy with the Yokohamas so far.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post455849

[NeilBlanchard]

On dry pavement, or some snow and/or ice?

[Sven7]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post455849

I took my new 185/60/14 Yokohama iceGUARD ic52c ("LRR") tires on 14x6 VW "teardrop" wheels to Cleveland last week to hit up Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park with some coworkers. Luckily they had snow so I could try the tires out.

They were loud at first but as they broke in (500 miles recommended, 400 covered) they quieted down quite a bit. On road handling is very sensitive to suspension loading and weight transfers- it loads up very quickly then bites. I suspect this will even out as they wear down. Until then, I am driving smoothly.

In the snow, they are awesome. I drove through a wet snow pile and stopped in a couple inches of white stuff in a dirt parking lot and had absolutely no trouble driving straight out (image below). Acceleration is great. Braking is, too! Lane changes across snow mounds are a little more squirrelly than my oversize Blizzaks from last year, but totally doable. Over all I am very happy with them and so far recommend them.