# Best Time to Buy Snow Tires



## davidj (May 30, 2011)

I'm looking to buy a set of snow tires for this winter, for my FWD car. I'll be buying tires and wheels. Where I live typically sees 2-3 ice storms and not much snow in the winter. I'll be using these tires specifically to drive to CO on boarding trips, so tires with some dry road durability would be good.

Any tips on when and where to look for good deals? I'm leaning towards Bridgestone Blizzaks, but am open to other makes.


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## budderbear (Nov 27, 2011)

I'm partial to Goodyear Wrangler Radials because of there price. Walmart made a deal with Goodyear on them so they have thousands in stock. I got all 4 installed in about an hour in the middle of December for $360. Not bad for $90 a tire considering the amount of tread they have(beefy), plus I've put them through the wringer this past winter and summer and there still holding up like champs.

There's no great time of year to buy tires as there is with electronics (black friday, back to school, christmas) but in general beefy snow tires cost a little more in the winter and road tires cost a little more in the summer in comparison to their normal prices. Of course though beefier, more ply tires will always cost more regardless of season. 

If I where you I would either wait until its about to snow, you don't have much tread left, or your going to Colorado till you buy new tires. Also shop around depending on what tire you choose to go with. Just because a store has low prices on most their tires doesn't mean they'll have the lowest price or best deal on your tire.










p.s. fwd "car" is pretty vague so I'm not sure the "suv/truck" tires I'm talking about are even relevant. :dunno: The Bridgestone Blizzaks you're talking about seem great for a car though


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

I just picked up some new wheels and tires for the winter. I'm not sure if it will work for you, but my car came with 17s stock so I was able to downsize my new wheels and tires. Downsizing will improve traction and ride for me, it also put me in the same price for wheels and tires as just tires in my stock size. I picked up some factory subaru 16s for my car for 70 each including shipping, which is about $12 more than steelies and half the weight. I went with General Altimax Arctic after considering the Blizzacks. With the Blizzacks only about half the tread is for winter use and they're almost double the price of the Generals.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

What kind of vehicle are we talking about here and will you be using these tires year round or seasonally?

For trucks/SUVs the best year round snow tire I've found is the Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor. They wear great, perform great, they're just great. For cars, I have no idea. I've never owned one.










If you're going to just use them seasonally, it's hard to beat Blizzaks, but just realize that when they're 50% worn, they're shot and pavement wears them like pencil erasers. I'd only get them if I lived somewhere that the roads were snow and ice packed for at least 3-4 months out of the year.


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

The tires are for a Hyundai Sonata. I will have a set of all seasons for general driving. I plan on switching these out for snow tires when I drive to CO resorts to ride. When I get back home, I'll switch back to my regular tires. Since my drive to CO (one way) is 800-900 miles chances are that a good portion of these miles will be on regular pavement.


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

bseracka said:


> I just picked up some new wheels and tires for the winter. I'm not sure if it will work for you, but my car came with 17s stock so I was able to downsize my new wheels and tires. Downsizing will improve traction and ride for me, it also put me in the same price for wheels and tires as just tires in my stock size. I picked up some factory subaru 16s for my car for 70 each including shipping, which is about $12 more than steelies and half the weight. I went with General Altimax Arctic after considering the Blizzacks. With the Blizzacks only about half the tread is for winter use and they're almost double the price of the Generals.


Great deal :thumbsup:. Did you order them online? If so, where?


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

I happen to have gotten the Dunlops in the same class as the Blizzaks and Generals, but the G's had the best price and performance (reviews) by far when I was shopping...they were just sold out from like January on.....Its commonly agreed that the Blizzaks are grossly overpriced and everything else in the range is better tire for money. Although I think its a bunch of BS they are all like splitting hairs, you pay for names.

TIRERACK.COM is awesome. Is there any other? doubt it.

I got smaller steel wheels mounted with snow tires for my civic, I just have 2 going on 3 sets swap em out myself..

also snowtires fucking own.

Waiting to buy them midwinter right before you make a trip is bad advice imo, alot of tires were out of stock by that time, sales for summer tires were on full force. (not the same for brick and mortar shops, but I really like tirerack, it comes to about the same money but they get delivered to my door mounted and balanced and I get to choose and nitpick and do it on the interwebs without some dipshit pushing whatever winter tire he has in stock on me - and you could lose a good half day or more in some shitty shop). Check it out there is an entire guide on tirerack to winter tire shopping.


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

I found the rims on good old ebay. They were in perfect condition and included the dust caps. I also found a similar set on craigslist but they were a little beat up and I was going to need to get the old tires removed and disposed of. I did the generals from tirerack.com and hadthem shipped straight to the installed (pepboys) install and balance was 12 a wheel. I skipped the tpms sensor so I'll have the light on all winter, I just didn't feel like spending the 145.

Edit: for that much road driving I'd skip the blizzaks. You wont get much winter traction out of them before you hit the all weather section. Firestone also makes a decent snowtire.


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

Appreciate the tips. Yeah, I've been checking into Tire Rack too.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

Try Craigslist in the middle of summer, best deals you'll find if you're ok with moderately used tires.



linvillegorge said:


> it's hard to beat Blizzaks, but just realize that when they're 50% worn, they're shot and pavement wears them like pencil erasers. I'd only get them if I lived somewhere that the roads were snow and ice packed for at least 3-4 months out of the year.


^^This is the truth though. Blizzaks wear on pavement pretty quick, especially if the temp is above 50 degrees. I run Blizzaks from December to the end of March usually in the Seattle metro area. The temp stays cold enough to keep the wear down, and I end up in the mountains pretty much every weekend. If you're in an area where you'll only need them periodically, swapping on an off is a good idea.

As far as snow traction goes, they're hard to beat for passenger cars without going to a studded tire. I've had the (older) LM-22 and currently run the WS-60. I've been able to snowplow in my Subaru with these tires, even when 4wd trucks have had trouble.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

I second the General Altimax Artic. thats what i have on my 96' accord and i'll be using it this season again(3rd season). they are really good tires and you can use them even on dry roads and it does not wear out quickly. my daugther has hers on her car for two seasons now. its cheaper but great buy and tirerack ships them pretty quick. these tires are studless but you can put studs in them if you want,but i never had to and i live in montana so.... i hope that helps


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

t21 said:


> I second the General Altimax Artic. thats what i have on my 96' accord and i'll be using it this season again(3rd season). they are really good tires and you can use them even on dry roads and it does not wear out quickly. my daugther has hers on her car for two seasons now. its cheaper but great buy and tirerack ships them pretty quick. these tires are studless but you can put studs in them if you want,but i never had to and i live in montana so.... i hope that helps


Thanks! This helps.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

t21 said:


> I second the General Altimax Artic. thats what i have on my 96' accord and i'll be using it this season again(3rd season). they are really good tires and you can use them even on dry roads and it does not wear out quickly. my daugther has hers on her car for two seasons now. its cheaper but great buy and tirerack ships them pretty quick. these tires are studless but you can put studs in them if you want,but i never had to and i live in montana so.... i hope that helps


Another vote...put a set on my v40 volvo wagon fwd last winter, they worked great even on wet and black ice and very little wear. Got them on a set of rims and expect they will go 4-5 seasons...generally Dec to Apr in Baker land.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

I run the Hankook iPike awesome !!!! They are around $75 ea and they have the holes for studs if you want to add them 
Remember the thinner the tire you can run the better traction you will have.

















I got 3 seasons out of mine. I run Dec to Mar if we are predicting early snow I will put them on the night before. My summer tires are a fail in rain....
Traction is superb. My issue is clearance, since my car is lowered.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> If you're going to just use them seasonally, it's hard to beat Blizzaks, but just realize that when they're 50% worn, they're shot and pavement wears them like pencil erasers. I'd only get them if I lived somewhere that the roads were snow and ice packed for at least 3-4 months out of the year.


The full-on winter "studless ice and snow" Blizzak (which I agree are the best traction tire) are super soft but they make a "winter-performance" version that holds up on dry pavement better yet has almost as good snow/ice traction. 

For the OP's application I'd get these:
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

^^Yeah, also a great tire. Not nearly as epic as the WS60/70 though (I've had both on my WRX).


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

DrnknZag said:


> ^^Yeah, also a great tire. Not nearly as epic as the WS60/70 though (I've had both on my WRX).


I ran a set of WS70s on my WRX last winter and I was blown away by how incredible the traction was on wet snow and ice. I did have a scary moment one day when I changed lanes a bit aggressively at speed and felt the sidewall fold a bit, causing me to fishtail some. The car recovered just fine but it spooked me because that wouldn't have happened with my summer tires. I can't blame the tire since it was designed as a traction tire, not a performance tire.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I hate Subarus so much. Nothing against the vehicles, it's just that I swear a Subaru is included in the "Douchebag's CO Welcome Package".


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> I hate Subarus so much. Nothing against the vehicles, it's just that I swear a Subaru is included in the "Douchebag's CO Welcome Package".


LOL, in other words, you don't mind our car but you hate us. Great!


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Toecutter said:


> LOL, in other words, you don't mind our car but you hate us. Great!


Spend an hour in Boulder and you'll be ready to push your own Subaru off a cliff.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

linvillegorge said:


> Spend an hour in Boulder and you'll be ready to push your own Subaru off a cliff.


Haw haw, I lived in Boulder for a few years and I couldn't get out of there fast enough!

Speaking of Subarus, I'm so over mine. I loved it at first but now it's been relegated to wife's car status.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

I spent 2 hours in Boulder once and luckily I found my car before I found a cliff to throw myself off of.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

I see nothing's changed much since last winter, LOL! Back to summer mode for me.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Toecutter said:


> I see nothing's changed much since last winter, LOL! Back to summer mode for me.


:laugh:

Yeah i remember this conversation too!

Snowolf: I drive a dark green impreza with a seymour decal on the back window. If i'm down your way and you see me, you can judge, but please refrain from running me off the road! 





(i'm probably a different breed of douchbag having lived in vancouver for a bit. lol)


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Snowolf said:


> Now come on, you know me better than that. I have never run anyone off of the road, I just pull guns on them when they try to run me into the path of oncoming semi's....


Haha, yeah true :thumbsup:


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

Snowolf said:


> Now come on, you know me better than that. I have never run anyone off of the road, I just pull guns on them when they try to run me into the path of oncoming semi's....


I vaguely remember that story as well




Snowolf said:


> Besides, my opinion reflects the people of PortLandia more than the make of the car. These people are retarded no matter what are driving....


so im getting the feeling that portland is full of douche bags


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

^^Yah, they're called hipsters.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Hmm, we call people douchebags here if they are wannabe gang-member types who wear a lot of Affliction, Tapout gear etc...

Does that compare, or are we talking a different form of douchebaggery?


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