I'm finally getting my winter tires, but I'm not sure if I should get 205/60TR15 or 195/60TR15 or ..
12-12-2005, 04:10 AM
#15
2'nd, they are loud, but there is no substitude on slippy suface, most states allow them during
winter months.
Ether way, I would spend as much as you can afford on winter tires as you never know when 1" of traction might make the diffirence between a nasty accident and a close call.
Personally I love Nokian Hakkapeliitta.
Ether way, I would spend as much as you can afford on winter tires as you never know when 1" of traction might make the diffirence between a nasty accident and a close call.
Personally I love Nokian Hakkapeliitta.
12-12-2005, 04:30 AM
#16
AudiWorld Super User
Anyone who says "You don't need studs" has never driven a car with them
Studded tires are AWESOME in the snow & ice. I don't care about the new silica compounds in the Blizzak tires. Nothing helps a car grip in hardpack snow & ice quite like metal spikes digging into the shiny stuff.
I remember one particular time I went skiing in MA, and the parking lot was glare ice. However I did not realize that while I was driving around looking for a parking spot. I only learned about the icy parking lot when I got out of the car and my boots slipped on the ice.
(Oh yeah, and I also saw an Explorer spinning all four wheels trying to get out of his spot.)
I've never been to Pittsburgh, so I don't really know what your weather is like out there. But I lived in Albany, NY for several years and I used studded Nokian tyres in the winters. They were awesome.
Most Audi affictionados on this board are horrifed when I say that my FWD Saab was a better winter car than my AWD Audi (heated seats notwithstanding). But with those studded snow tires, I could drive through ANYTHING!
That said, studded snow tires are quite awful on dry roads, and they are incredibly noisy. So you have to decide how much snow/ice traction you require, and how much you are willing to compromise -- either on your ride quality or your traction.
I live in the NYC metro area now, and the studded tires are just a bad idea for me. I can get by just fine with the mediocre H-rated winter tires. But if I lived in an area with more severe winters, I would not hesitate to get studded tires again.
If you don't want to deal with the downsides of studded tires, but still want aggressive winter traction, then get the 195/60 tires, and get an aggressive winter tire, such as a Blizzak (NOT the LM22/25), Michelin Arctic Alpin, or Nokian (not sure of the new nomenclature).
Have fun!
-- P.
I remember one particular time I went skiing in MA, and the parking lot was glare ice. However I did not realize that while I was driving around looking for a parking spot. I only learned about the icy parking lot when I got out of the car and my boots slipped on the ice.
(Oh yeah, and I also saw an Explorer spinning all four wheels trying to get out of his spot.)
I've never been to Pittsburgh, so I don't really know what your weather is like out there. But I lived in Albany, NY for several years and I used studded Nokian tyres in the winters. They were awesome.
Most Audi affictionados on this board are horrifed when I say that my FWD Saab was a better winter car than my AWD Audi (heated seats notwithstanding). But with those studded snow tires, I could drive through ANYTHING!
That said, studded snow tires are quite awful on dry roads, and they are incredibly noisy. So you have to decide how much snow/ice traction you require, and how much you are willing to compromise -- either on your ride quality or your traction.
I live in the NYC metro area now, and the studded tires are just a bad idea for me. I can get by just fine with the mediocre H-rated winter tires. But if I lived in an area with more severe winters, I would not hesitate to get studded tires again.
If you don't want to deal with the downsides of studded tires, but still want aggressive winter traction, then get the 195/60 tires, and get an aggressive winter tire, such as a Blizzak (NOT the LM22/25), Michelin Arctic Alpin, or Nokian (not sure of the new nomenclature).
Have fun!
-- P.
