tire time again

[Ars Gladius]

Indeed.

British Columbia also has winter tire laws.

You are required by law to have 4 winter tires or tire chains on all vehicles (including rental cars, buses and commercial vehicles) to drive mountain roads (including major highways) between October 1st and April 30th.

The police will stop and inspect cars and will turn you around if you are not in compliance and give you a nice $120+ fine. Typically the inspections are done on roads to major ski resorts.

Want to guess if most of the rental companies in Vancouver have a snow tire option?

[flyswede]

In Germany, it is the law that you mount 4 winter tires (severe service, not M+S) for winter...but then, they take driving seriously...as do the Quebecois...for whom it is the law as well...

Sorry, that's not quite right. By law here one must have appropiate tires under certain winter conditions, which means any kind of snow or ice. M+S are considered sufficient by law. So no snow or ice: no requirement to have M+S or snow tires. Driving summer tires in mentioned winter conditions are fined. Of course there are certain signposted roads e.g. in mountains that require snow tires or chains.

[Astro14]

Fair enough- I was going off the remembered information from both Hertz on my rental there this week and my German friends.

Point remains the same: Germany requires the tires...people here are free to be morons...

[wyomingbob]

The Mastercraft Strategy are M+S rated, so I think that makes them a snow tire, for what that is worth.

M+S-rated means 'all season.' They're rated for "light" snow.

[Xilikon]

Here in Quebec, it's mandatory to have winter tires between december 15th and march 15th for all cars. Starting in 2014, the M+S rating are not allowed as well.

The only real winter tires are stamped with a logo consisting of a mountain and a snowflake :



IMHO, those who driver in winter with summer tires, where there is enough snow, are considered morons for me.

[Skater]

Yes you do, (more coffee)!
All seasons or snows, doesn't matter
All a snow tire will do do is give you (much) better traction to get going...not to stop!
There's not a tire out there that can make you stop any better (well, maybe a studded tire) which is why we all see many SUV accidents, even those with an aggressive tire on

You couldn't be more wrong. Snow tires start AND stop AND turn much better than an all-season on snow and ice. There are many videos online to prove that if you don't believe it.

[vengeanceis]

I still think the best tire for this car all-year-round is Goodyear Assurance TripleTred.

I have Altimax HP on the car now, they've been performing well (and they're cheap too, got them for much lower price two years ago - around ~$84 apiece at discounttire installation & shipping included - you need to shop around!). but Assurance TT is way cooler, and is exceptional on ice and in poring rain. for TT's I paid around $700 for the set of 4 (... but that was a long-long time ago)

[PieterJ]

Ran General Altimax HP's on my '05 for 33k miles with 5K mile rotations and regular alignment checks. They wore down evenly but were very close to the wear indicators at the end and suffered quite a bit from "singing" - almost sounded like the wheel bearings were shot. Replaced them with Nokians WRG2's which solved the noise - now looking forward to winter and snow to try the nokian's out.

[Astro14]

My experience is that this car eats tires at the rate of a new set every 35K...can't explain it...keep the alignment good...but it just plain wears out tires faster than anything I've owned...

That said, the best tires I've experienced for all season use are the Nokian WRG2s....have them on the 300E and the XC and they are great tires...not cheap...but great tires...

[jyanno]

Seems like most are not using 215/65 R16, when not using the Pirelli.

Should I replace with 235/60 R16 if I do not use the stock?

Astro do you have the nokian SUV?

Are there any yokohama or michelin's which are recommended?

Seems like selection is few and far between if you really require XL.