10-27-2015, 09:58 AM | #23 |
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I have the Conti Viking Contact 6 on my X4, 18". Works extremely well on packed or loose snow. Coming from studded tires, these non-studded tires exceeded my expectations.
IMO, the biggest difference are on bare ice. With studded tires, you can hear when the tires looses grip, with non-studded you hear nothing... |
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10-27-2015, 11:15 AM | #24 | |
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Plus, as a bonus, the Bridgestones come with 12/32" tread depth, whereas the Michelins are a regular 10.5/32", so you'll get more mileage out of the Bridgestones. Oh, and they're cheaper too! |
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10-27-2015, 02:31 PM | #25 |
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I just listed the best tires.
I would be a bit weary of trusting a tire sales company to do a fair evaluation. The tests I refer to are performed at an indepedent test center in Ivalo in Finland, with indoor as well as outdoor facilities with ice, snow, and dry/wet asphalt. Every magazine defines its own criteria and perform its own tests. Obviously the tire manufacturers supplies the tires. |
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10-27-2015, 02:43 PM | #26 | |
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I run a set of 8.5" OZ Supertourismos with Dunlop SP4 winters. |
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10-27-2015, 03:57 PM | #27 | |
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Where possible, I tried to read multiple reviews, to see if the findings are consistent. Your point however still doesn't address the shortcoming of the test you quoted, in that one of the top-selling winter tires has been strangely left out of the comparison... That smells more fishy to me than a test where at least both are tested! LOL. Can you point me to a review where both tires have been tested? |
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10-28-2015, 02:10 AM | #28 |
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Lotus: as I said: the tires I mentioned are not all in tests - only the top dogs. The results are from a compilation of results from three tests, in a Swedish Daily.
I bought wintertires last year -studded Continental Conti Ice Contact - so I am not prepared to buy all three magazines to get full reports. I have test from Teknikens Värld of last year, where Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 is included. Which it, of course, also is this year-only latest version. Verdict 2014: no 5 out of 7 tested. Very good on ice and snow, bad on wet asphalt. Wet asphalt is a very common situation in Europe during winter. Partly because of extensive use of salt. Not so in northern Sweden - nor Canada? Regardless of how big TireRack is, I prefer independent tests. Also results from several tests- they never come out the same I have seen a consistent pattern during last years: top dogs are: Continental, Hakkapeliita, Michelin, Pirelli and Good Year. One of the runner-ups is Bridgestone. I believe all top dogs are testing in Finland, where there is a fantastic test site - I don`t know about Bridgestone. |
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10-28-2015, 02:09 PM | #29 |
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I can't imagine you would go wrong with either of the top brands, though there will be subtle differences I am sure. Here are the results of them tested against each other, where Blizzak came out on top each time. And the last two reviews are independent.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=191 http://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/pre...-blizzak-ws80/ http://www.apa.ca/wintertire_reviews.asp . Last edited by Lotus99; 10-28-2015 at 03:22 PM.. |
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10-28-2015, 03:48 PM | #30 |
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Lotus: sorry but I could not open third row.
1. Only subjectiv evaluation made on Bridgestone facility on ice and snow. "Our" tests confirm WS70/80 are good on ice/snow. 2 Also subjectiv evaluation made on Bridgestone facility. Independent journalist who`s trip was paid for by B - so it says As an old test engineeer, I don`t buy, what could be partial/doctored evaluations. I looked at your earlier documented tests - I presume by TireRack- which seem to be with an aim at being serious. There is only one problem - they don`t have brake performance included. The European tests include braking on ice, snow, wet and dry asphalt. I believe that your WS80 is a very good tire, but at the same time I have serious tests indicating there are - all in all - better tires on the market - which is what I wrote. |
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10-28-2015, 05:37 PM | #31 |
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Odd the third link doesn't work. I tried it now, and it's fine. Perhaps try again? I updated the link at one point, so maybe that's exactly when you clicked it.
It is an independent organization called Automobile Protection Association. They rated the WS80 and the Nokian R2 as the top winter tires, and describe their reasons also. The XI3 was in the next category down. |
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10-29-2015, 01:13 PM | #33 |
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=) Odd...
Here's the detailed reviews on the tires in the top two categories, if you're curious: Top Rated Bridgestone Blizzak WS 80 Bridgestone introduced the Blizzak line in the 1990s, the first tire to feature a special rubber compound that dramatically improved performance on ice. The WS 80 is the sixth generation of the Blizzak concept. Directional tire, optimized for snow and ice; compared to the WS 70 which this tire supercedes, the tread is a bit shallower and less aggressive, and provides improved braking on ice and better dry road performance. The WS 80 likely still offers better traction in slush than the Michelin X-Ice. Soft riding. Very good overall performance and predictability; a good choice for severe conditions. Bridgestone reduced prices in Canada last year, and they are now slightly lower than Michelin. $70 mail-in rebate when you buy four tires. Nokian Hakkapelitta R2 This tire superceded the old Hakka R, Nokian's version of a non-studdable ice tire like the Blizzak WS 80. The ice braking champion in European tire tests. Confident braking. Sharper handling on pavement than the Hakka 8, reflected in the higher R speed rating; a good alternative for drivers of rear-wheel-drive sporty vehicles looking for a good balance of severe weather performance and decent handling on pavement. A factory road hazard warranty is included; it carries an administration fee when you make a claim. Some sizes available as runflat tires. Expensive, with a limited distribution network. (The Hakkappelitta 8 accounts for a larger percentage of Nokian sales in Eastern Canada. Top tire for deep snow and poor winter weather, coupled with good ice traction. Tire noise is lower than the Hakkapeliitta 7 it replaced, which was noisy. Long wearing. Tire rotation is a must to ensure even wear. Expensive, about 25 percent higher than Toyo or Bridgestone, but it comes standard with a road hazard warranty; the warranty carries an administration charge and has limitations. Available with factory-installed studs and studdable by the retailer. Negatives are a high price, limited distribution network, and some sizes run out early.) Very Good Continental WinterContact SI This tire replaces the ExtremeWinterContact and offered superior grip in cornering and braking. It runs a bit more quietly than the ExtremeWinterContact. The tread design is now directional, which limits tire rotation options if they are wearing unevenly. The tread design of the new tire sticks more on ice and bites more in snow. Tire life may be lower, as the tread depth is down to just 10/32" when new. Offered in 33 tire sizes to fit most passenger cars and SUVs. Widely available. $65 Prepaid Mastercard gift card when you buy four tires. Continental's old ExtremeWinterContact may still be available at clearance prices. Optimized for ice and effective in snow, it was a favourite in testing conducted by Tire Rack, the big U.S. retailer, because of its superior handling and balanced all-around performance. Excellent value at the clearance price, if you can find it. Gislaved Nord*Frost 100 Gislaved is a division of Continental Tire; this tire replaced the old Nord*Frost 5. Very good in snow, good on ice. The tread design is similar to the General Altimax Arctic; performance on dry pavement is a little more responsive than the Altimax Arctic. Can become noisy as it wears. A good choice for buyers looking for a tire available with European-style diamond-shaped factory studs. Michelin X-Ice Xi3 Among Consumer Reports’ preferred tires in testing because of its superior performance on wet and dry roads, and ride comfort. Optimized for ice and snow, this tire was among the favorites with tire dealers and experts surveyed. Some consumers using the previous version of this tire reported that traction in slush was unimpressive, and that the shallow, conservative tread limits its traction in deep snow. Best-in-class performance on pavement. Quiet. Long wearing. Tricky mileage warranty requires the tires to be virtual banana peels before you can collect. Pirelli Ice Zero FR New for this winter, the Pirelli Ice Zero FR (friction) provided superior snow traction and good steering control. Symmetric tread design with features in treadblocks that improve ice traction; this is the best general purpose passenger vehicle winter tire from Pirelli in years. The Ice Zero Studded is a different tire, available with factory studs. Made in Russia, well-priced. Pirelli was acquired by a Chinese conglomerate. Widely available. Toyo Observe GSi5 Tire optimized for deep snow and ice. One of the better choices even though it is not a distinguished performer on cleared or wet roads and can be noisier than average in some applications. APA's recommended tire retailers have a lot of experience with this tire and received good feedback. Superior durability due to the deep tread and long-wearing rubber compound. Well-suited for heavy vehicles. Superior rating from Consumer Reports on ice and snow, but ranked low overall because it performed below average on wet and dry pavement. Mail-in rebate of $70 when you buy four tires. Good Dunlop WinterMaxx General Altimax Arctic Hercules Avalanche R-G2 Nokian Nordman 5 Pirelli Carving Edge Vredestein SnowTrac 5 Yokohama Ice Guard IG51c |
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10-30-2015, 06:17 PM | #34 | |
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Even if you used a BLOW TORCH on your tires (I'm still in disbelief) and even if you heated your tires up with spacer heaters over night.. how long do you think they hold any type of heat once you drive away in 0 degree winter conditions ? 30 seconds before your summer tires turn to hockey pucks in the cold.. ? |
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10-30-2015, 06:47 PM | #35 | ||
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You'd need to drive around with space heaters in your wheel wells for this approach to work.... |
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11-02-2015, 10:53 AM | #36 | |
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http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=193 The WS80 are slightly better than the X-Ice Xi3 in deep snow and ice, but they are not that far off. The X-Ice Xi3 is the one of the only H-speed rated studless winter tire. Also, it's low rolling resistance which means it's better for fuel economy. As for mileage, Bridgestone offers no warranty for treadwear. Michelin has a 40,000 mile treadwear warranty on the X-Ice Xi3. The bottom line is the Michelin is close in the deep snow and ice, but it is WAY ahead on dry pavement handling. |
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11-02-2015, 10:57 AM | #37 | |
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Or... It works if you don't drive like a pussy. If you go wide open throttle as much as you can, you'll be able to hold heat in your tires. |
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11-02-2015, 11:21 AM | #38 | |
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Post your zip code so i can tell my friends and family to stay well away from the area ! |
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11-02-2015, 12:41 PM | #40 | |
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If that's the case, then by that standard, the snow handling of the Michelin is dismal compared to the WS80 seeing there's a 0.35 difference... For me, for a snow tire that's almost equal in dry and wet conditions, but is significantly better in snow, I'll take that. The tires they tested are all crowded around the 6.6 mark for snow, whereas the WS80 is rated 7. 0.35 is a large difference statistically in that tight a ranking. When they describe the tire as "setting a new standard", that seals it for me. I don't know how the mileage guarantee will work in practice, but seeing that the WS80 come with an extra 2/32" almost in tire tread for the same price / less, that gives me any extra mileage that I might be worried about. I'm sure no one will go wrong buying either tire. . |
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11-22-2015, 08:13 PM | #42 | |
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But it doesn't tell us anything we did not expect. The WS80 is better for deep snow and ice. The X-Ice Xi3 is better for dry and wet handling. What value you place on each determines which one suits your use I typically drive anywhere between Maryland and New Jersey. Highway dry/wet performance is more important since we probably don't get the same snowfall you have in Canada. However, my 335i is RWD and my daily driver so I wasn't convinced that a performance winter tire would suffice. I wouldn't place too much stock in how deep the tread is in determining how long a tire might last. It works if you assume that the compounds are the same but that's clearly not the case. There's a reason why Michelin offers a pretty substantial treadwear mileage warranty and Bridgestone doesn't. |
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11-27-2015, 08:32 PM | #43 | |
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11-29-2015, 06:16 AM | #44 | ||
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