The gf and I went to her work Christmas Party in Geist (section of NE Indianapolis) this evening. A little 1/2 hour flurry started sometime during the evening, but left about as quickly as it hit. Looked pretty, and seemed to be blowing or melting away (temps were JUST above freezing). Well... on the way back, we quickly realized that the snow had melted, and the roads were 100% ice... No clear spots whatsoever. So... I manage to slip-and-slide my way about 3 of the 5 or so miles to the interstate, which we were hoping was salted, up and down the scenic hills, and around all the lovely spirited corners with strategically placed trees outside the apexes.

When suddenly, I have to come to a quick stop at the top of a hill (keeping in mind I was going about 3-5 mph at this point)... A Jeep Grand Cherokee had slid off into a ditch at the bottom, and an officer was trying to help him get out. So I "stop" or, rather, fishtail repeatedly until I have no more momentum, and the lady behind me in a G35 Sedan *who has been following too damn close* hits me. Fortunately, there's no damage (I think all the road grime protected my paint, too... double-w00t). Thankfully, once we made it most of the way to I-69, the roads had been salted and it was a clear, safe drive home... But the first bit of that trip was 30-40 minutes of white-knuckle hell I NEVER want to go through again... :-? Snow I can handle, but ice can just take a flying leap.

All things considered though, the tires, coupled with the 8's safety systems, did a kick-*** job of keeping us from ending up in a ditch. I can't count the times that little traction control light popped on, and the car straightened itself out before I even had a clue something was wrong. And, even with all the hills in that area, I never once got stuck. Taking off from a dead stop on a solid patch of ice was cake; slowing down was a little more tricky, though...

 

Since this is such a hot topic, what kind of tires do you have?

 

I thought you were going to say Sunlight Silver. Damn Damn Damn

 

No silver, sorry.

I have Dunlop Wintersport M3s.

 

I also got those tires this year. Last year i tried to make it thru the winter on the stock tires, that was a big mistake. We had a little snow yesterday and the M3s were awesome. I didnt slip once when i would have been sliding all over the place with my stock tires.

 

Aren't they great?

Another member of our local club has Blizzaks on her car... I'd really like to do a side-by-side to see which performs better.

 

Congrats on escaping damage. I had a near-identical hit in my then-new '81 RX-7 during snowjam '82 in Atlanta. Lady in an Oldsmobile hit me on the left rear corner. Road was so slick it just spun me around harmlessly rather than bending the sheet metal. Whew!

Hang in there!

 

I've been in both and as far as traction and stopping distance they both seem to perform equally...and as in equally I also mean great!

as for feel, the Dunlops feel soft while the Blizzaks don't feel much different than stock tires

tread life is longer with the blizzaks too BUT you pay an arm and a leg for the blizzaks and in the end the price will be the same since u can probably buy two sets of Dunlop M3s for about the price of one set of Blizzaks (if you are a price hunter)

 

What about the multicell stuff the Blizzaks have? I thought that made them wear out more quickly?

 

hmmmmm

I read a comparison between M3s and LM-22s and tread life for 40 degrees and below was much longer, almost double for the LM22s but they also stated it would probably be much closer but about 30 degrees and the m3s start coming apart

I read this almost 2 years ago though

 

But the first bit of that trip was 30-40 minutes of white-knuckle hell I NEVER want to go through again... :-? Snow I can handle, but ice can just take a flying leap.

This is why I park my "8" in the winter months.

 

Haha. Yeah... I can absolutely see doing that. But, I don't think I would even have made it that far in any other vehicle (especially a cheap "beater" car).

Left to my own devices (as in NO other cars being near me), it wouldn't have been that harrowing at all. I was only really nervous watching what everyone around me was doing. People were flying through stop signs from side streets and Y-sections, fishtailing when they stopped, lines of a dozen cars tailgating each other, drivers stuck on hills (or off the sides of them), and others were just driving far too quickly... Just so many obvious, little things people were doing without, apparently, the slightest bit of thought for their safety or anyone else's.

 

really can't do much on ice unless you haved studded ice tires.... that's why this morning i waited UNTIL the ice has melted before i head out to work.... got into work at quarter to 11

 

Ya know... My last car had studded tires. It made it through 2 1/2 winters flawlessly... until it got stuck on a patch of ice, on perfectly flat ground. I no longer have any confidence whatsoever in studs.

Good job on waiting, though. You can't imagine how unbelievably bad ice is until you've experienced the joy firsthand.

 

... especially on stock summer tires