Winter Tires

[viclykewhoa]

This is a multi-question post. Please be patient and thanks for any responses. Also, I currently own a '99 GS300.

I'm debating whether I should get winter tires or just good all season tires.

I've never driven in snow before, so I'm not sure how well the GS handles in it? Does it need winter tires or are all season good enough with the VSC?

Also how well does the VSC work? I haven't had too much experience with it either.

The snow tires I have been thinking about buy are as follow:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...Winter+Sport+M3

These are supposed to be pretty good. My friend put these on a STi and it handled great; much better than some Continental snow tires another STi owner put on.

As for the all-season tires, I was thinking about getting the Michelin Pilot A/S. Here's a link from TireRack.com:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...lot+Sport+A%2FS

Good reviews and good traction all around.

[SKperformance]

If you have never driven in snow before i would have stuck with a front wheel drive car.

Since you already have a GS get a pair of snow tires as the car loves to kick out the back end and spin around with all seasons even with vsc on.

Snow tires all the way.

[GuyTelefunken]

I just got (4) Dunlop Winter Sport M3s also from TireRack. They look good as well as come highly recommended particularly by others with RWD cars. We'll see how they do when the white stuff comes down.

I've had some example of virtually every type of tire over the years, all on RWD cars. To date, the only tire I actually like (and currently use) is a Fuzion HRi made by Bridgestone. It's the first tire I had on the GS (after 10 other types) that I can call quiet enough. They handle well and wear evenly. They aren't made for the snow though.

In my experience with RWD Lexii, I feel that they are total sleds in the snow, save for the IS with a limited slip differential. The IS goes rather well in the snow. Knowing this, every winter I try something different in hopes of finding a tire that will allow me to get up the 10% grade from the street into my garage without praying to God.

Last year was the Hakkapeliitta NRW. It was good for the first 1K miles. After that, forget it. The year before I cheated and left the BF Goodrich Traction TAs on from the previous summer. Not only are they noisy as hell, the didn't like the snow all that much.

All in all, definately go for a snow tire for the winter. After all, all-seasons are a compromise for every season. IMHO, all-seasons should be called 3-season. OK for anything but winter.

[huskydog]

I always put Blizzaks and winter wheels on the car. My hometown is th mountains of western PA, so I know what driving in the snow is like and believe me the car does much better with snow tires.

[dcfish]

I always put Blizzaks and winter wheels on the car. My hometown is th mountains of western PA, so I know what driving in the snow is like and believe me the car does much better with snow tires.

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Blizzaks for me, The winters here are a real pain. :cries:

[GuyTelefunken]

Which model Blizzak do you use? I tried the WS-50 last year, but immediately took them off. I felt the car handled so poorly with them on, I couldn't even drive it.

[SKperformance]

moevd to the tire section.

[1990LS400]

One feature of the Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 tires is that they are directional. Directional tires limit the amount of tire rotation one can do (unless you have them remounted on the wheels occasionally) to even out wear. I used go through directionals like !Removed! goes through a goose.

I have Blizzaks on Mille Miglia wheels (all from Tire Rack) on our 00 LS. With VSC on and the transmission mode button set to "Snow", the LS is an absolute miracle in heavy snow - far better than our front drive Camry. And it sure is fun to blast away from stop lights on uphill inclines while 4WD SUV's and all other cars spin their wheels helplessly. Learning to trust VSC was tough at first - take your car to a big parking lot (without light standards!) the first time it snows, have fun and see for yourself. Wheeeeee!

I completely change my driving style while the snow tires are on the car - no more maniacal sliding around cloverleafs and my favorite curves (yes, you can actually do this in an LS). But hey, its only for a few months.

As for the Michelin Pilot A/S tires (they are also directional), my suggestion is to instead buy a set of non-directional pure summer tires and enjoy the ride, handling and usually a lower noise level.

I have a set of Dunlop SP5000 A/S tires on my summer wheels stacked in the garage. The ride and handling is decent but they get out of balance quicker than any other tire I have used. And they are noiser than the Blizzaks. I'm looking forward to "punting" them and getting some pure summer tires.

Here are a sampling of the tire ratings from the Nov. issue of those Consumer Reports. It is not an "enthusisast" magazine but it sure has helped us stretch our dollars over the past 30 years.

[dcfish]

Which model Blizzak do you use? I tried the WS-50 last year, but immediately took them off. I felt the car handled so poorly with them on, I couldn't even drive it.

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Revo 1's now but the michelin X ice will be my next choice.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...re1=yes&place=3

[Lexusfreak]

In your situation & from what you have described, I would go with 4 snows. B)

[viclykewhoa]

what size M3's did you get. I have a '99 GS300 and they didn't have the stock size so I ended up getting Michelin Alpine PA2s.

I just got (4) Dunlop Winter Sport M3s also from TireRack. They look good as well as come highly recommended particularly by others with RWD cars. We'll see how they do when the white stuff comes down.

I've had some example of virtually every type of tire over the years, all on RWD cars. To date, the only tire I actually like (and currently use) is a Fuzion HRi made by Bridgestone. It's the first tire I had on the GS (after 10 other types) that I can call quiet enough. They handle well and wear evenly. They aren't made for the snow though.

In my experience with RWD Lexii, I feel that they are total sleds in the snow, save for the IS with a limited slip differential. The IS goes rather well in the snow. Knowing this, every winter I try something different in hopes of finding a tire that will allow me to get up the 10% grade from the street into my garage without praying to God.

Last year was the Hakkapeliitta NRW. It was good for the first 1K miles. After that, forget it. The year before I cheated and left the BF Goodrich Traction TAs on from the previous summer. Not only are they noisy as hell, the didn't like the snow all that much.

All in all, definately go for a snow tire for the winter. After all, all-seasons are a compromise for every season. IMHO, all-seasons should be called 3-season. OK for anything but winter.

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[Lexusfreak]

what size M3's did you get. I have a '99 GS300 and they didn't have the stock size so I ended up getting Michelin Alpine PA2s.

Which stock size? 215 60 16 or 235 45 17? I assume the 16's......the Dunlop M3's are available for the 17's. B)

[027922]

I live in MN and even with our increasingly whippy winters it still snows. I recently put on Bridgestone/Firestone Winterforce tires on my 90 LS. What a huge improvement in the snow. Winterforce is their "house" tire and half the cost of Blizzaks. I am very satisfied.