Follow up initial review to the WS-80s:
If anyone was deciding on winter tires, I have had the new Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 tires on for a little over a month now and we just had our first snowfall of the season. I just wanted to say I am VERY happy with my purchase. The car rides great, is quiet at all speeds and most importantly can maneuver about in the snow/ice we've had over the last week or so. Now, obviously, I am a BIT biased as this is the first time in my car history where I have used a dedicated set of winter tires so I'm sure the fact that I can start from a stop or on a hill in a RWD car with hardly ANY tire spin is blowing me away compared to the All-Seasons I've had in past FWD vehicles. I will continue my impressions of them as the winter progresses, heading to the slopes a few times coming up down the line, but for now:
Pros:
- Brand new update to the Blizzak lineup
- Quiet ride around town and on highway
- EXCELLENT snow and ice traction, really have to try and kick the backend out (could also be attributed to ZHP handling and 50/50 distribution )
Cons:
- Cornering/launching feels squishier and less confident than with the Runflat Summer tires, definitely have to tone down aggressive cornering or launching.
- Pricey. Pay to play mindset, ended up at around $800 all said and done.
As before I will provide further impressions as the winter draws on, but I feel confident behind the wheel with these so far. Definitely taking my time and driving to the conditions is paramount, but it is nice knowing you have a little bit of a leg up. Just have to watch out for the OTHER drivers...