I've considered getting some really good all-season tires but there going on a FWD car not AWD so I wasn't sure exactly good they'd work out for me in the snow. What do you guys think?

 

they will work GREAT!! fwd cars do extremely good in the snow, only problem is you will still have to rock chains

 

Yeah, you won't go wrong with the FWD because the state mandates that you put chains on the wheels that have power, so since you have steering and power on the same wheels, it will produce better control. RWD is not so much.

That being said, I still bought a pair of chains for my car for last winter since the tires it came with were summer tires. Never had to use them, but took my time in the snow.

 

Thanks guys, probably just go with some good all-season tires. Especially since the tires on it are pretty sad excuses for rubber hahaha Now to find some good all-seasons for 14s haha

 

The problem with All-Season (M+S) tires is it can handle light snow just fine, but NOT heavy snow & ICE! Sure some of you guys rolled on M+S on snow just fine... but are you willing to take the chance? Is your car & your life worth less than a set of winter wheels?

Get a second set cheap used wheels. 16" stockers will clear the stock brakes on 08-11 WRX. Get some used studless or performance snow tires. Swap your wheels when you go up the mountain (only take 30 min. or less). You can roll on snow tires in dry for a while just fine if you go up frequent & don't want to swap back... just don't drive like Ken Block in Gymkhana. LOL

P.S. I have a set of used performance snow tires for sale here if anyone is interested.

 

Wow... you must be REALLY brave!

 

This was my plan last year actually. I had a set of 02 wrx stockers and I was looking into getting some dedicated snow tires but decided not to since I sometimes go up to tahoe on a whim (ie decide late the night before or early the morning of) and so swapping on tires each time before and after would be a pain in the as*. I could probably get away with driving them around for a little bit like you said but since my daily commute is around 120 miles (school+work), I'd prob kill the tred on those snow tires in no time.

 

For those of you thinking that all season tires are great in snow, you've got a lot to learn. True snow tires are a night and day difference from all seasons. If you haven't driven on snow tires yet but think your all seasons work well enough, you're in for a wake up call. All season tires might be fine if you're only going to Tahoe once or twice a winter (I'd still get snow tires), but if you go up four plus weekends a year, it should be a no brainer.

P.S. I've got my four tire change down to 20 minutes with air tools and 30 without. Time WELL spent IMHO.

-Brian

 

What u say is true but spending every week in Tahoe I can tell u that the DWS all season tires are just raided one point less them true snow tires. I have been in 12" no problem and solid ice

 

Agree. Especially on ice.

 

Have you actually driven on actual snow tires? I'm not trying to be condescending at all. I lived in Boulder Colorado for five years and rode 45+ days each of those years driving on all seasons the entire time. I thought they were fine until I actually bought a set of real snow tires. It makes me realize that I was just "getting by" on the all seasons. If you want true control in the snow and a fun factor about 100x higher than you need to buy some dedicated snow tires.

-Brian

 

i have a discontinued blizzak, it sucks in the dry thats the main problem. I feel like im wearing them out before i hit tahoe. Now my new car has ewg and a fmic so im scared to take it to the snow, not sure how itd be.

point being id like to know of a tire that is great in the snow but not terrible in the dry.

daily drive on ps2

 

I bought a cheap set of rims and tires from tirerack for $800 or less for a set of 16 inch rims and dunlop sp sport 3d performance snow tires mounted on them shipped to my doorstep. I swap them out each trip, about 20-30 minutes depending on how much coffee I have had. They are amazing in light snow, heavy snow and straight ice. I have driven lots of cars over the years commuting up to tahoe and back from the bay area and snow tires make a huge difference. My old car was a Jeep Cherokee 4WD with all season tires on it and was horrible in the snow compared to my Suby with the Dunlop performance snow tires. I would recommend the rim/tire combo if you can swing it.

 

Thank you all for the input. I ideally like the notion of having snow tires. This will still be a month out or so for the purchase and still not fully decided, but unless I find a set of good snow tires that last well with normal commute in the Bay Area as well, I may be forced to get some good all season tires.

The logistics for me switching out my wheels every weekend is not in my favor. Besides the extra cost of getting a floor jack and tools necessary, I just do not have a place to store an extra set of wheels at my apartment. I use my dad's tools and I would store the extra wheels at my parent's house, which will be too hard to get to twice every weekend while also trying to spend a weekend at the snow. I am still thinking about it though.

And now that I have finished complaining and doing the "I don't wanna" bit, I gotta say that I have been stating to look at different rims for purchase next spring/summer and yeah... There sure are some pretty ones out there

 

Yes I have been on real snow tires, the difference between the dws and the blizaks is very slight. Just look at the specks on the tires