I'm new here this winter (Whidbey Island) and am curious on the locals' opinion on winter tires. I know it only snows on the Rock maybe once or twice a year, but I'm also hoping to hit up Baker and Stevens Pass before the snow melts, and I'm sure it's much whiter up there.

So I was wondering what everyone's opinion was regarding snow tires in these parts. I searched and found a lot of responses from Oregon types but not much from up here. Can I get away without them unless I'm going skiing?

I guess I'll buy them if I need them, but I'm also in the process of redoing my living room and furnishing my condo, so if I can save putting a grand down on tires and possibly rims, I'll wait awhile. But I'd rather not test the theory by being cheap and putting my 8 in a ditch!

 

you will need snow , snow tire for up there. down here (metro area) so far so good (summer tire). but i have a spare car for snow day. but it does not snow down here at all, may be every three or four years, 1 or 2 inches. but i been here 11 years only here!

 

Buy a set of high performance tires for the summer...and some dedicated snows for winter.

This is ideal and then you don;t have to compromise all year on all-seasons that don't do either very well

 

I was in Bremerton for about a year. The summer is only about 2 weeks long and it's not consecutive. You still get rain!

But yeah, get a dedicated set of snow wheels to throw on for the LONG winters.

 

long winter? i got original brigestone on my car and i got 39,000miles on them. so far they are great!!!

 

I meant the rain...at least when I was there, it NEVER stopped.

 

Did you get any snow last night....we got a couple of inches up here...and we are only about an hour north

Now I have to put my snows on in the snow.........


Procrastination sucks

 

Don't bother with snow tires. On the one day every 3 years we get more than a light dusting of snow, you can cajole your neighbor with an SUV give you a lift. When you go skiing, bribe a friend with AWD or 4WD, or rent an SUV for the day, or take one of the ski buses. It's definitely not worth the money to buy snow tires. It's snowed once since I bough my car (3 years ago today). The stock bridgestones sucked in that frozen sh** but it was gone by the end of the day any how. About every 10 years we get a good dump of a couple of feet that last a week, and if that happens you may want to figure something out, but I wouldn't worry about it. Born and raised here. All those jerks running around on studded snow tires should be flogged. I know it's technically legal for the next few months, but come on. Down here? That's just ridiculous.

 

Hell, for the price of a set of snow tires you could buy a beat to hell 85 civic and throw chains on it. FWD and who cares if it gets creamed any way.

 

^^^^ word to that.

I've lived here all my life as well. I have a 4WD truck for heading to the mountains and for times when it's really raining (like the flood-inducing nonsense a few weeks ago). Snow tires are just not worth it.

This would rule for any snow driving and/or trips to the mountains for skiing:

1989 Toyota 4x4 for $2500

 

I just put my snows on....in 4" of slush

Had to change out the front brakes and rotors too...the BBK didn't fit under the 17" rims

All in all.....2hrs of crap........I will definitly remember next year to do it earlier

Just so you get a comparison....it took a lot of shoveling to get it up the driveway with the 275 series summers....I drove all over with no slipping at all on the snows. It has bettter traction than my wifes SUV with all seasons

 

Sounds like this might be a snow year for us, dunno. I just put "ultra high performance all-season" tires on (Kumho Ecsta ASX) and they're rated for a couple of inches of snow (which I agree with Kristopher - it's what we usually get here). So far I like them - no sliding in the rain even when I push 'em. I'm curious to see how they do in the snow.

 

Ouch, ran into the snow on the way up from Portland. Drove in it from Federal Way all the way up to Bellevue. I don't suppose leaving the e-brake on during this cold weather is good for it eh? I'm in a pretty flat parking lot so is it just better to leave the car in first gear with no e-brake all night?

 

The only real issue with the e-brake is when the brakes are REALLY wet. That's what'll freeze it. However, since your pads are in constant contact with the rotors any way, you're just as likely to freeze it without the brake as with, at least around here. REAL cold and REAL snow rarely converge here. If it's both cold and wet enough to worry about, do you really want to take your 8 out on the road?

 

Hehe probably not. I could just as easily bus it to work since I'm only 3 miles away. Damn it's cold outside though!

 

Great timing for this thread. I just checked again and we're up to about 5.5" of snow at our house. As everybody has said, this much snow is a rare event in around here.

As most have said, summer tires are mostly fine all year here. It's only a few days that they aren't. If you head to the pass a lot then I'd consider it.

As I'm typing I'm watching cars getting stuck trying to get up our hill.

 

Well at any rate, I can't get up my driveway (a sheet of ice) and my 8 is parked in the street. Snow tires are on order; mine were worn out anyway. I figure better to have 'em and not need 'em than need 'em and not have 'em. At least I won't have to bum rides to go ski.