Subaru: 2003 WRX- Best value wheel/tire combo?

For winter, I highly recommend a set of real snow/ice tires
on your car. I think that once you go that way, you'll never
want to go back.

I just got my new winter tires (Hakka Q's) mounted on my car
('03 WRX Wagon), and am real happy with the performance so
far. Only thing I've noticed is a drop in the fuel economy
around town (~ 2-3 mpg) compared to the stock Bridgestones.
These have very soft tread blocks compared to stock.
However, the mileage may be attributed to my trying (mostly
unsuccessfully) to drift the car around corners. With these
tires, it takes considerably more throttle, than with the
stock rubber in snowy conditions. I should know better what
the effect is after a long highway trip.

I had these tires mounted up on a set of factory WRX rims
that I ordered from the Tire Rack. Even with shipping to
Canada plus the exchange rate it worked out cheaper than
buying steel wheels from the local Subaru dealer. At $69.00
(USD) per wheel, I recommend checking out the Tire rack
(assuming they still have this deal).

My only reservation on winter tires would be if the
temperature is rarely at or below freezing where you live.
If it is warmer, I imagine the life of the tire would be
dramatically shorter. If it is cold, the lack of snow should
be an issue. I imagine most places in north america have
bare streets and highways through most of the winter anyway.

--
Bill Bobyk
b bobyk at sasktel dot net

1996 GSX-R 750
2003 Subaru WRX Wagon (in the faster Blue colour)
2002 Santa Cruz Bullit (Mountain Bike)



"Chauncey Gardener"
<graffiti.net> wrote in message
news:161120030933538428%graffiti
..net...
| Some time ago I asked about tires for my WRX. A follow up
question:
|
| In article <bcbjho$hiqqj$news.dfncis.de>, Jerry
and Bea
| <com> wrote:
|
| > Since you are considering new rims, what about summer
tires on new 17' rims
| > and snow tires on your stock rims?
|
| I think that's a good idea. The only problem is that,
while I too live
| in the Sierras (Amador County), only about the first 30
minutes of my
| commute to Sacramento is in the snow. There's about
another 60 minutes
| of driving after that. Plus, I'm low enough altitude
(3300 ft) that
| most years, I only get snow about half the time.
|
| Maybe I should go with a compromise tire; Ned Pike
suggested the
| ContiExtremeContacts as a summer tire, but it seems to be
a pretty good
| choice for all-season; good treadwear, and not too
expensive- somewhere
| in the $80 range.
|
| So here's the question: Any reason why I wouldn't want to
put a snow
| tire (like the Hakka Q or the Arctic Alpin) on my car when
most of my
| driving, even in the winter, will not be in the snow?
|
| Are the snow tires worse for handling in normal
conditions?
|
| Thanks...
|
| --
| To reply by email, please edit return address as
indicated.

If you're driving in such little snow as you mention, I'd get a good
all season tire. Un-studded snow tires are softer so that they are
compliant at lower temperatures. So they wear faster on dry road. I
actually read that they wear very little on snow. Studded snow tires
are harder to accomodate and handle the studs. So they usually ride
harsher on dry roads. You'll do fine with a good all season with the
WRX AWD. This is my third winter in a high snow area with my WRX and I
just got snow tires (Arctic Alpins) yesterday. The RE92's were fine
the first winter, but I could tell a significant loss of grip last
winter. Now it's down to the wear bars anyways, so I opted to mount
snows on the factory rims and get super sticky summer tires on 17 inch
rims later. But I think you're wasting money if you drive in as little
snow as you mentioned to get snow tires. Just my opinion.

Bill Bobyk <###@####.##> wrote in message
news:supernews.com... 

Kiss your snow tires goodbye driving like that.
You will wear them out and they will be no good for snow.

"Bill Bobyk" <###@####.##> wrote in message
news:supernews.com... 

Steel wheels are apparently pretty cheap at Price Club, and I highly
recommend Canadian Tire Icetrac's for cheap snows. Mine were $75 CAD each
(on sale) for 205/55/16. I'm on the third winter with them, regularly drive
from Ottawa to local and not-so-local ski hills, and like them enough that
I'll probably buy them again. That or Nokian WR's. See below...
 

I've read somewhere (like a tire company's site, so possible bias) that
winter tires should be used on dry pavement anytime it's under 7 degrees C
(45 F), due to summer / all-season tires being harder at those temperatures.
That's probably overkill, but I can attest to being happier with ice tires
than summer tires on cold wet roads even above freezing. The point you
mention above about lack of snow applies pretty well to anywhere that salts
the roads, basically you end up on dry roads most days, which is why I went
with ice tires instead of snow tires.
 
.... 

Define normal...

Keeping in mind that there are trade-offs helps. Snow or ice tires work
well because they're made of softer rubber, with deeper tread blocks, so
they'll definitely wear down faster (and be louder) on dry pavement.
They'll also be squirmier, and won't grip as well on warmer pavement.

You might want to check out Nokian WR's, they seem to be the perfect tire
for your situation, and were well reviewed by someone on this group a while
back. IIRC, he was from the PNW, and drove an Outback.
http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/tires_popup.cfm?id=6

Another possibility is Gislaved EuroFrost 2
(http://www.gislaved-tires.com/), but they might be hard to come by. Same
deal with Vredestein Snowtrac 2 or Wintrac
(http://www.vredestein.com/english/index.html)