Alaskan's Journal

Alaskan

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Aaaaaaaand....
Nope, we haven't yet put winter tires in any of the cars.

I just HATE putting them on early, since that means I am burning my hard earned money...

I think everyone else is the same, since now all tire shops are booked...


So.... just have to be SUPER careful until we get everyone changed out
 

Bruce

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Yep, I usually wait until mid November. Our summer tires are good enough for light snow but the real snow tires better be on when real snow hits. You never know when it will and you have no choice but to go out in it when the plows haven't been through. DW, for example. Can't do the USPS clerk job from home and can't sit around having another cup of tea (or 2 or 3 or 4) waiting for the plows to come down your road.

I keep the snows on their own rims so I can decide when they go on, not at the mercy of the suddenly VERY busy tire people.
 

Alaskan

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Yep, I usually wait until mid November. Our summer tires are good enough for light snow but the real snow tires better be on when real snow hits. You never know when it will and you have no choice but to go out in it when the plows haven't been through. DW, for example. Can't do the USPS clerk job from home and can't sit around having another cup of tea (or 2 or 3 or 4) waiting for the plows to come down your road.

I keep the snows on their own rims so I can decide when they go on, not at the mercy of the suddenly VERY busy tire people.
YES, I am thinking I need to get more rims for more of the vehicles.

Having all tires rimmed would be SO MUCH BETTER!!!!

Maybe when I go in to get my fancy new car done... I will hemorrhage a bit more money, and shell out for rims too.

I am already bleeding for the tires, but I hated my less expensive tires I have had the last few years, NO WHERE NEAR as good grip.

So... I am going back to high end Nokian. I can really tell the difference.
 

Bruce

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What did you have before? When I moved to VT people told me Cooper winter tires were good. Bought them, didn't like them, mostly drove Hakkapeliittas after those wore out. My '04 Prius came with Goodyear (SERIOUS lack of) Integrity tires. They would lose grip on light grave at the edge of the road like when you were trying to get out into traffic. POS tires couldn't even stop on the thin film of snow left after plowing. I got stuck going up a plowed hill in early December (tires all of 3 months old). Could do no better than sit with the non defeatable traction control keeping the tires from rotating. I researched then went to the tire store and got a set of Goodyear TripleTreds. Even with the sticker still on them and 4" of unplowed snow on that same hill I was able to get up. The car would come to a stop, I could roll back some then start and make more progress. I ran those for a couple of winters then decided they should be summer only and got Hakkas.

Got some Hankooks for my prior Prius and since Toyota was putting Coopers on the current cars at the time I figured they must have gotten better. Got a set for DW's '06 Prius. Still no better than they were 40 years ago. We are driving Michelin X-Ice now and like them.
 

Bruce

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I have never had need of studded tires and am not fond of them since they rip up the road. Also, the colder the ice, the more poorly they work and stopping on wet or dry pavement is longer with studded tires. I know someone who went through the same intersection I had about 15 minutes before. Ice at the stop sign. I spun a bit getting started, so did she with her BRAND new studded tires. I know some people really do need them though.
 
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