Winter Setup Inquiry/Thoughts

[slater]

This would be my first go around having two sets so what characteristics make them awful? And I've looked at the Xice3's as well, so I'm open to that recommendation.

the braking was lousy. i've run a few sets, mostly LM-25's. this was on our A4. the xice3's are supposed to be incredible!

^ consider the source Attachment 15099

LOL! i am 'murican though, i grew up in vermont - where we actually got way more snow than where i live now in ontario - highly ironic!

I have to agree with what you said here Peter

I have to disagree with you on this statement regarding blizzaks...I got the LM60's for last season's winter and have been completely happy with my set. We did get some snow and my front lip is proof to the abuse I put my ZHP through just to drive in the fluffy white stuff with my new blizzaks LM60s....I had a lot of fun driving my ZHP and not once did I have any traction issues with these tires. Now I realize I probably don't get as much white stuff as you guys in Canada do so whether or not a type of tire is good or bad is purely subjective as both your statement and mine shows.

... and my winter sets are staggered with 225/245's on 17" Style 68 wheels...

that is all well and good - different tires work better in different situations. personally, i did not like or feel safe with the poor braking with all sets of blizzaks i had. otherwise they were OK - however, this was on a number of AWD audi's, so take that with a grain of salt.

i am always interested in trying new things, so this winter i am going to try the xice3's - if we are going to rock the ZHP this winter, i need to be darn sure i have the best winter rubber on there for my wife and kids' sake.

peter

[slater]

Was the lsd installed last winter for you?

good question! i would love to hear the answer to this as well.

i installed an LSD in the rear of my 1996 audi S6, which was AWD. it made it much more fun to drive (read: hang the rear end out), but i'm not convinced it was better for snow, in that car. in the ZHP (RWD) it might be a good thing. i guess it all depends on how it interacts with the DSC.

peter

[alexandre]

Your prices are a bit out of line... IIRC Conti DW is $650 shipped on Discount Tire Direct, and Blizzaks in 17" are usually ~$450-500 a set + $15/corner for mounting.

[cakM3]

the braking was lousy. i've run a few sets, mostly LM-25's. this was on our A4. the xice3's are supposed to be incredible!

Should be interesting to see how the xice3's work out for you Peter. I know that the LM25's are different from the LM60's that I am using on my ZHP. When driving in snow/ice I have no issues with my lowered ZHP w/ LSD

that is all well and good - different tires work better in different situations. personally, i did not like or feel safe with the poor braking with all sets of blizzaks i had. otherwise they were OK - however, this was on a number of AWD audi's, so take that with a grain of salt.

No worries Peter

i am always interested in trying new things, so this winter i am going to try the xice3's - if we are going to rock the ZHP this winter, i need to be darn sure i have the best winter rubber on there for my wife and kids' sake.

peter

Peter, I would expect nothing else my friend.....safety of everyone in the car should always be very important Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Michelins

[NoVAphotog]

Your prices are a bit out of line... IIRC Conti DW is $650 shipped on Discount Tire Direct, and Blizzaks in 17" are usually ~$450-500 a set + $15/corner for mounting.

According to both DTD and Tirerack the DWS All Seasons 225/255) are around $741 (TR) and $819 (DTD) shipped to 22180 in the good ole' US of A. Local shops charge around $30 a tire for mounting, so $900-1000. 225/45/17 Blizzaks are around $800 as well, both the WS80s and LM-32's.

[Oli77]

Here is what I did.

Bought a set of 4 BMW wheels that fit my car on Craigslist (I was lucky, got that for ~100).
See: .


Mount winter tires on them. I have in the front Hankook iPike (new ~90 each) and Pirelli Sottozero in the back (used-like new ~100 a pair on Craigslist).
I have been wearing that for 2 winters and have not NO problem. The winter before that, with all seasons, I could not get out of my cul-de-sac. Same cul-de-sac, same snow, I can move on.
So price is not that much.
Also, consider that running winter setup (3-4 months of the year, depending where you live), saves on the tread-life of your summers/AS!
Works great for me and I feel safer.

[ELCID86]

I like that idea.

[alexandre]

According to both DTD and Tirerack the DWS All Seasons 225/255) are around $741 (TR) and $819 (DTD) shipped to 22180 in the good ole' US of A. Local shops charge around $30 a tire for mounting, so $900-1000. 225/45/17 Blizzaks are around $800 as well, both the WS80s and LM-32's.

Woops. Prices must have gone up a lot since the last time I checked them. Carry on.

[NoVAphotog]

Here is what I did.

Also, consider that running winter setup (3-4 months of the year, depending where you live), saves on the tread-life of your summers/AS!
Works great for me and I feel safer.

Oli, thanks for sharing your setup! I like that idea as well. Good middle ground that allows me to allocate funds toward the spring summer setup where I will actually want to drive more. No reason to go big budget for the winter when all I want is tires MADE for the snow not necessarily ultra high performing. I don't really want to expose the ZHP to EXTREME amounts of salt VDOT throws down but I do want to be able to move around as safe as possible...read: at all.

[danewilson77]

Your prices are a bit out of line... IIRC Conti DW is $650 shipped on Discount Tire Direct, and Blizzaks in 17" are usually ~$450-500 a set + $15/corner for mounting.

Maybe he was trying to use Tirerack (A Mafia affiliate)?

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229

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