RX8 winter tires
07-19-2009, 03:55 PM
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RX8 winter tires
Anyone know the best winter tires to get for the rx8. Last winter I had a tough time with mine making it up hills but then again the winter tires i bought were used for 2 seasons. They were hankook icebear.
Just wondering what tires you guys use for the winter?
Just wondering what tires you guys use for the winter?
07-19-2009, 04:30 PM
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I hear ya!! I'm just being a smart ***. Sorry, but can't help you here ... other than to say that part of the issue is the tire compound and design and the other part is the driver. Did you check to see if there are any threads here on technique?
07-19-2009, 05:23 PM
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07-19-2009, 07:32 PM
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I got Dunlop Graspic II's for last winter, and they were very decent, even got me through a few snowstorms where i had to plow my own way through lol...
If you are interested, I'm looking to sell them with the rims as i'm not driving my car this winter...
If you are interested, I'm looking to sell them with the rims as i'm not driving my car this winter...
07-19-2009, 08:17 PM
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I got 17 with winters on just looking for new winter rubber since mine are used for 3 seasons. Probably going to look into the nokians should I buy all four or just 2 rears and keep my 2 front used tires
07-19-2009, 08:50 PM
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Nothing is worse than a difference in traction between the front and back
(Well... I suppose 4 summer tires is WAY worse... but you get what I mean.)
07-19-2009, 08:53 PM
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I've been using Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 tires for the last two winters and they've worked beautifully on ice and deep snow as well as the usual slushy stuff.
07-19-2009, 09:11 PM
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You can just buy two for the rear but steering is an issue. If you are gonna drive careful and just need to get through the snow two will be good. I have two Toyo Observe Garits that I bought last season and they have maybe three months on them that I could sell you.
07-19-2009, 09:40 PM
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I can never understand why people would buy only two winter tires for the rear. I'm concerned if I can turn and stop in the snow and ice and far less about how quickly I can accelerate. 
I used Bridgestone Blizzak WS55 and REVO1s on my old RX-7 Turbo II and they were good. I believe both have since been replaced with newer models, but I think the point is you can't go wrong with any Blizzak. On my old Protege I had Wintermark winter tires and they were surprisingly good. I think I liked them better than the REVOs. They were a cheaper tire, but the tread blocks had large spaces which I believe helped them grip in snow. The REVO1s had tighter tread blocks and didn't seem to dig as well in snow. It's difficult to say how the wintermarks were on ice, but I suspect they were worse than the blizzaks. I like to check tirerack for useful test data on tires.
I used Bridgestone Blizzak WS55 and REVO1s on my old RX-7 Turbo II and they were good. I believe both have since been replaced with newer models, but I think the point is you can't go wrong with any Blizzak. On my old Protege I had Wintermark winter tires and they were surprisingly good. I think I liked them better than the REVOs. They were a cheaper tire, but the tread blocks had large spaces which I believe helped them grip in snow. The REVO1s had tighter tread blocks and didn't seem to dig as well in snow. It's difficult to say how the wintermarks were on ice, but I suspect they were worse than the blizzaks. I like to check tirerack for useful test data on tires.
07-19-2009, 09:52 PM
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The most popular snow tires are Bridgestone Blizzaks, for good reason. Less well known are the Nokian, mainly because they are made in Finland, and for whatever reason, the company refuses to let any dealer of their tires advertise them. I got 4 Nokians last winter, but one rim was bent fairly quickly, and took me most of the winter to find a replacement rim, and did most of the winter with just 2 rear snow tires, and my summers on the front.
The feeling wasn't pleasant, but it was doable.
On Dry, I generally could feel a heavy understeer, but if the temp climbed up above freezing at all, then it would shift drastically towards a noticable oversteer as the summer tires warmed up.
In the snow, I couldn't use the pedal brake basically at all. No more than 5-10% usage. Had to do all my braking via downshifting and e-brake. I test it out, and I found I could stop ~4 times faster with just the e-brake than if I tried to use the pedal brake at all. Literally no braking traction up front. I could also feel the front end skating around above ~25-30 mph.
For these 2 reasons, I kept my speed under 20mph in the snow all winter until I got the rim replaced, and while I did 'fine', never getting stuck or in trouble, it wasn't pleasant at all. Fortunately, most of the heavy snow was late winter, after I got the rim replaced and went back to all 4.
So if you can go 4, I really really suggest it. 2 is possible, but short distances (I was averaging about 12 miles a day with just the 2 tires, taking quite a few days off etc...) and with tons and tons of care.
The feeling wasn't pleasant, but it was doable.
On Dry, I generally could feel a heavy understeer, but if the temp climbed up above freezing at all, then it would shift drastically towards a noticable oversteer as the summer tires warmed up.
In the snow, I couldn't use the pedal brake basically at all. No more than 5-10% usage. Had to do all my braking via downshifting and e-brake. I test it out, and I found I could stop ~4 times faster with just the e-brake than if I tried to use the pedal brake at all. Literally no braking traction up front. I could also feel the front end skating around above ~25-30 mph.
For these 2 reasons, I kept my speed under 20mph in the snow all winter until I got the rim replaced, and while I did 'fine', never getting stuck or in trouble, it wasn't pleasant at all. Fortunately, most of the heavy snow was late winter, after I got the rim replaced and went back to all 4.
So if you can go 4, I really really suggest it. 2 is possible, but short distances (I was averaging about 12 miles a day with just the 2 tires, taking quite a few days off etc...) and with tons and tons of care.
07-19-2009, 10:05 PM
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^^Summed up. The feeling wasn't pleasant, but doable. If you have the cash buy four, if not 2 will do. You can buy my 2 and on ebay you can buy 2 new of the same kind for $360. These are good tires, I live on a hill and while others were slipping and sliding to get up it, I was climbing with ease.
07-19-2009, 10:05 PM
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I got 4 hankook icebear I bought them used with 17inch rims for 500 but I struggled making it up hills. So I was thinking instead off getting 4 new winter tires I was going to get 2 new ones for the rear.
I'm in toronto Canada gta
I'm in toronto Canada gta
07-20-2009, 08:00 AM
#21
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I have Hankook Ice Bears... been through 3 winters already... no complaints yet.
I find i skid around from time to time, but then, i spin around in my summers too ... so the tires are goood.. cant say the same about the driver.
I find i skid around from time to time, but then, i spin around in my summers too ... so the tires are goood.. cant say the same about the driver.
07-20-2009, 09:45 AM
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My 8 looks like a Smurf
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The 8 is bad enough as a winter car, not using 4 winter tires just begs for a quick and painful death.
07-20-2009, 10:26 AM
#23
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4 winters are a must!
When in doubt, search the net why so. Here is an example: http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/...?techid=120#y4
When in doubt, search the net why so. Here is an example: http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/...?techid=120#y4
07-21-2009, 10:59 AM
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Nokian = sweet
I too am researching tire / rim combo for the winter. I can lay out a vote for Nokian though - my wife has them on her Ford Focus and the difference between all-weather and the Nokian's are substantial. I highly recommend Nokian and may consider them for my 8 but thus far I'm leading towards Blizzak.
Food for thought > what is the speed rating on most winter tires ? My cousin puchased winters for his Subaru WRX STI with a 295 km/hr speed rating on them.
Food for thought > what is the speed rating on most winter tires ? My cousin puchased winters for his Subaru WRX STI with a 295 km/hr speed rating on them.
