View Full Version : Winter Tire for Oregon?
I have an A7 on the way with 255/40-19 A/S and I want to get a second set of wheels and winter tires. Portland has mostly mild winter weather, but gets ice, snow, and slush right around freezing a few days out of the year. I've always lived with all seasons and chains, but that's not an option for this car
I can get ice and snow tires (Nokian Hakka Rs, Michelin Xice 2s, Blizzak WS70) which should handle the worst weather, but not be great for most weather. I'll definitely do 17s in ice tires. I'd rather not do studs.
I could also go with winter performance tires like Michelin Alpin 3, Blizzaks, or Contis, which would be better in rain but might leave me stranded or stuck in ice. If I do go with performance, I also need to decide weather to go with 17s or 18s.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Doc@tirerack
03-07-2012, 11:38 AM
the performance tread patterns will handle and "feel" more secure (especially at highway speeds) compared to the more aggressive tread patterns, and the loss of ice grip is minimal. I've slid halfway into an intersection on Blizzak WS60's by travelling too fast for the conditions, so I wouldn't be overly concerned with one type of tire leaving you "stranded" vs. the other. Traditionally, we recommend the performance tread patterns for your part of the country unless you frequent areas with heavy acculmulations of snow on a very regular basis. Tire prices are normally a little more reasonable for 17" vs. 18" for reference.
the performance tread patterns will handle and "feel" more secure (especially at highway speeds) compared to the more aggressive tread patterns, and the loss of ice grip is minimal. I've slid halfway into an intersection on Blizzak WS60's by travelling too fast for the conditions, so I wouldn't be overly concerned with one type of tire leaving you "stranded" vs. the other. Traditionally, we recommend the performance tread patterns for your part of the country unless you frequent areas with heavy acculmulations of snow on a very regular basis. Tire prices are normally a little more reasonable for 17" vs. 18" for reference.
Doc,
Thanks! That helps a lot. Without any experience with winter tires, it's hard to have a feeling for the trade-offs. All I know is not having control when going down a hill is a very bad feeling that all wheel drive does little to help.
Evan
For my B7 A4, I had Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3s in 17" for Toronto then moved to Moncton (east coast). Would've been fine for Toronto...average snowfall is a couple cm and generally bare streets. Moncton is a whole different story...average snowfall last winter was 15 cm. Alpins were remarkable about 95% of the time in Moncton. Even thick freezing rain was handled great. Where they fell down was the deep, deep snow. Didn't seem to have enough bite. Would've been fine for Toronto.
So, for my new S4 last year, I bought Gislaved Nordfrost5s 17". Then I moved back to Toronto! Only 2 snowfalls of any appreciable amount. No slush or freezing rain. But they give me the insurance that I wanted for those 1 or 2 times that safety outweighs performance. I'm not an aggressive driver...they're a little noisier, and little squirmier but as doc says, you drive for the conditions and winter is when you need to be cautious.
So, assuming Portland is more temperate than Toronto, I'd say that the Primacy Alpin PA3s or an equivalent would be fine for you. Good luck!