Snow
 

Preferred Packages are the easiest way to outfit your vehicle for winter -- the ideal winter solution!



I can assist you in selecting a winter tire that best meets the performance level of your vehicle and add an affordable wheel option. Shipped to you mounted, balanced and with all the installation hardware you'll need, your preferred Package is easy to bolt right on.



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Take a look at The Tire Rack's Preferred Winter Tire & Wheel Package for the 2006 Mazda RX-8 6-Speed Manual:



http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AC4&...&autoYear=2006




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Preferred Packages are available for other Mazdas as well. Or, you can build your own by selecting from the various tire and wheel options that we have.



Read more about or build your own Winter Tire & Wheel Package here:



http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AC4&...changeover.jsp

After trying to drive my 8 last winter a couple of times in the snow, I am going to have to 100% agree with you!

It was quite an experience! I ended buying a $1500 Integra as my rat car for the winter months. No matter what tires you put on the car, there will still be salt on the exhaust, bottom and sides!

i find having those traction control, ABS, all wheel drive stuff just BS in the snow... they only thing they help u is accelerate.... but in snow... it's stopping in time that counts.... and none of those help at all other than maybe ABS but if u do skid while stopping then u skid until u stop somehow...

snow is bad, it should be avoided at all costs. if you must deal with snow get a mid 80s subrau 4wd wagon. it got me through 9 years of pro skiing.

funny i am getting ready to order nero all weather tires and i live in fla now. god does have a sense of humor.

beers

Tell me what you think
 

Here in St. Louis, we get snow, slushy snow, icy snow, and ice. No car or truck can go or stop on the ice, so not to worry about that.
I called Tire Rack and got a set of four ASC rims with Bridgestone Blizzak's mounted on them. They look nice, not quite the same as the factory rims, but definitely a good look.
It was $1,000 delivered. I put them on myself - easy even for me. Handling seem less crisp, and the ride might be a little smoother, no big deal. My question is, based on what you all know, will the car go in the snow or was this a $1,000 donation to Tire Rack?

It will go in the snow.

Floridians are not qualified to make any comments on snow.
My city received 50 cm over 3 days with temps around -32 celsius.
:D


I chuckle when some people who live in cities that get an occasional dusting of snow or a "cold" snap of 0 degress.
They wonder if there battery is up to snuff. Lol.
If you have never heard of a block heater, or plugging your car in, then you dont know what winter is. :p

what if i was a pro skiier for 9 years and lived on top of the mountian i worked out of. my car back then was a subrau 85 4wd wagon with 330k miles on it. i was there for the epic blizzard of 93, 63 inches in 18 hours.

fla is beter, snow is bad. nice to look at.

beers
temp now is 78

I can appreciate the mountain thing but you havent experienced a winter until you live through a Canadian prarie winter.
The Minnesotta, and North/south dakota people know what I am talking about.
Where did you work? 63 inches in 18 hours sounds a little unbelievable.
But if you ski, thats what you want.
You still probably experienced -40 weather.

yep look it up epic blizzard of 93. we had 40 below and after the 5th day i was walking to work at 16 deg below singing having a heat wave tropical heat wave. but this is not celcius.

this was not the norm but happens.

beers

Yokohama Ice Guards 225/45/18's


By far the Best winter tire I have ever used!!! I have Zero Problems driving in a Montreal snow storm!!

They work just as good in snow as on ice.. My buddy has a G35 Coupe he used to keep it in storage for winter.. After driving with me in a bad snow strom in the RX8 he got his car out of storage purchased the same set of Yoko's but with 245/45/18 for the rear and is loving his G in winter!!

They cost me $1200 Tax In!

im loving my blizzak lm 22s....pricey but you get your money's worth

just so happens ,I've set up my vehicle for those days when hell starts to freeze over and getting to work is all thats on my mind,(well those days when my alarm clock doesn't get me up) heh,heh..."RX8ers,beware,after my first cup of joe" :p

i just purchased my 8, i pick it up next week. from talon tires here in montreal, i got toyo 255/55/17 on mags for 1600 taxes in.

i was warned off of the yokohammas. anybody ever hear thatyokos weren't spectacular?

bump, connor@tirerack, when are you getting the dunlop wintersport m3 in for the rx8

All snow tires start showing up around September. The sizes i will have to fit the 8 for the Dunlop Winter Sport M3 are listed below. The prices listed are the current prices and will most likely change when the manufactures set up their seasonal pricing.

215/55R17 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 135.00 out of stock
225/50R17 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 146.00 out of stock
225/45R18 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 176.00 out of stock
235/45R18 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 197.00 out of stock
245/40R18 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 200.00 in stock

Does anyone just put all season tires on the factory rims and just deal with the snow? Does anyone who's posted in this thread live in the MD area? It usually only snows a few times during the year here and even then, the major roads are usually cleared at the very latest, by the next day.

Not on an 8, but a miata...

On a rwd car all-seasons should really be called "3-seasons". Any accumulation on the road and there's no traction to be had. Then again, I had no real issues in the two "snow storms" I experienced in Maryland with my miata, but then again I wasnt trying to start up a hill ever really either. I ended up living in Michigan with my miata for a good bit, making snow tires 100% needed, but found them to be overkill here so its a washup untill I went out to western MD and the mountains.

Personally, I'd still get winter tires, just not super aggressive ones like Blizzaks WS-50's like I had.

Thanks for the reply. I just purchase my 8 on monday, but won't be picking it up for a few days, cuz they're installing the minidisc player for me. I'm probably going to be buying a set of snow tires and rims in september just to be safe, and I'll put them on sometime in November or December, depending on when it actually cools down around here and when it is actually going to snow. Any recommendations on snow tires? I've heard lots of people talking about the dunlop m3's.

Snow tires in MD are probably not the best idea. They will wear out very quickly on dry pavement, and that's exactly what you're going to get about 80 of the 90 days of winter, if not more. I got some all-season Mazda 6 wheels and tires last year, and it worked great - decent wear and performance on dry roads, and enough traction to drive in snow. If your tires are still new (considering you just bought the car), you may want to consider selling them (here or elsewhere) and buying all-season high performance tires such as Pirelli PZero Nero M+S, or Avons, or Toyos. All three got good reviews. That's what I'm doing after Potenzas wear out sometime next fall. Good luck.

What makes the all-season high performance tires like Pirelli PZero's better than the stock tires? How are the Mazda 6 wheels different than the factory rx8 wheels, is one wider?

Several people here in CO are getting by just fine with Pirelli Nero M&S all year around just fine

The OE tires are summer only and are not designed to be used in the snow. The difference between a summer only tire and an all season tire is the type of tread compound and the level of sipping the manufacturer cuts into the tread face. Summer only tires tend to have large continual tread channels whereas all season tires the same large continual tread channels as well as smaller lateral sipping to provide more biting edges. The DOT also requires an all season tire to have a minimum of 25% void (tread grooves) in the tread face to qualify for an M&S rating and use in minimal amounts of snow. Also an all season tire will use a tread compound that doesn't stiffen up in cold weather as much as a summer only tire would.

The Mazda 6 wheels come in 17" and are an economical wheel that your can buy used. They make a great wheel for use in the winter time so that you do not damage your factory 17 or 18" wheels.

You can use either 215/55/17 or 225/50/17 and still maintain the overall diameter. There are several tires you can use in these two sizes but in my opinion the best tire is the Bridgestone Blizzack LM-22 (161.00 each). I have also listed several other snow tires in thes fiitment.


215/55R17 Bridgestone BLIZZAK WS-50 -- 112.00
215/55R17 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 135.00
215/55R17 Dunlop GRASPIC DS-2 -- 97.00
215/55R17 Pirelli Winter 210SZ -- 151.00


225/50VR17 BRIDGESTONE BLIZZAK LM-22 -- 161.00
225/50QR17 BRIDGESTONE BLIZZAK WS-50 -- 136.00
225/50HR17 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 -- 146.00
225/50QR17 DUNLOP GRASPIC DS-2 -- 106.00

I've read the thread and would appreciate any definitive advice for purchasing tires/wheel for use in a Missouri winter. It seems like snow tires might be overkill here, but has anyone driven successfully through a winter on all-season tires? My commute just changed from 3 miles to 37 miles. I can't walk to work if it snows. My Potenzas are worn. Please help me decide.

I want to know as well, although I live in DC, I keep getting mixed responses. Some say snow tires are a must, others say good all season are fine too. I now leaning more towards good all season tires for this winter to see how well they do.

i have to agree do not drive in the snow unless the streets are cleaned 100 percent the slighest bit of salt can make you skid out and kill urself

Snow tires in North Carolina? Last year it snowed one day... year before that maybe 3.

It hangs around for about two days... does that mean I won't be able to go anywhere for two days?

I'm not too excited about spending $1k for a few days of usage :(

Curiously, how many miles do you think you can get on any of these tires in the winter when (in Chicago) you have a fair combo of dry, wet, & snow Nov to March? If I drop $1200 on tires, how many seasons can I expect when I'll only be puting 1000-2000 miles during the season.

Snow tires are rated by "seasons used" not by mileage due to the fact the conditions that you drive in will affect the tread life of the snow tire. Basically the colder the weather and the more snow you are driving on, the longer they will last. The warmer the weather and a lack of snow (more clear pavement) will cause the tires to wear faster. I have heard of people that live in the northern midwest running blizzacks for 5 winter seasons and people who live in southern midwest states getting 2-3 winter seasons due to a much lower volume of snow.

Regrettably you are at the mercy of the weather as to how long the tires will last. The down side is when you decide your area doesn't get much snow and you decide not to get them. That is the winter that you will end up getting a huge snow storm and will end up being stranded.

FWIW -- I purchased a set of 17" Konig wheels and the Dunlap Winter M3's (235?\50) last year from TireRack. Tirerack was superb. Helpful in my decision making and fast service.

I put ~6K miles on the tires in NE PA. Moderate amount of snow and it rarely is on the roads for more than the storm itself. They show no visible signs of wear on them. I am quite confident I will get two more seasons out of them at this pace. Although, I understand that while they will have tread on them, their absolute snow effectiveness decreases since the rubber compound deeper in is different and gets less effective.

Bottom line, I am satisfied that my $1M was well spent. I was able to get home from work four times that I otherwise would not have.

I'm scheduled to pick up my new blue RX-8 on Friday - trading in my 95 Subaru Legacy.

Clearly, the loss of AWD was a factor in my thinking, but ditching the station wagon was a higher factor.

I was recommended to TireRack.COM by a dealer and he further recommended getting 16" rims for the snow wheels, thus preserving the beautiful 18" alloy rims and giving me better choices for snow tires at the same time.

Connor, what say you about 16" snow wheels for a 2004 RX-8 Touring with factory 18" wheels?

16" wheels will not fit the touring model RX8 due to the calipers. However you can down size to 17". The 16" would hit the caliper. When you are ready just give me a call and i would be happy to discuss your options with you.

Here is a question. I have only 1600 miles on my tires that are stock, can I.....

A. Use these in the winter in Albany NY and still get around?
B. Get only rear SNOW tires?
C. Must I get all 4 replaced with snows for the winter?

^Just a personal suggestion, but I'd REALLY reccomend against going with two rear snow tires on this car. Problem being, our car, unlike the majority of other vehicles on the road, does NOT come with all-seasons. It has no-compromise summer tires, that perform well only on dry/wet pavement. I actually did the rear-only snows on my last car ('97 Miata) and it was a tank. Only got stuck once in 3 years of ownership (ironically, it happened when I was helping another Miata driver get going... lol). But, it had a really nice set of all-seasons...

If you get rear snow tires on the 8 with factory tread still on the front, you'll be able to take off just fine, but the front tires will basically become an expensive set of snowshoes. In even light snow, you'll have absolutely no directional control, and will not be able to properly slow or stop the vehicle.

hmmm, sounds fun. Well what about just getting rid of the factory tires all together, and getting a good set up All Season Tires? I have been doing some research and for All Season, these came out on top? Any feed Back
Bf Goodrich g-Force T/A KDW NT
PS Anyone need and extra set of stock Potenzas ONLY 1600 miles on them

You will kill yourself in snow with the stock tires! Get 4 snows or excellent allseasons or a 4wd winter beater

The Tire Rack will not sell snow tires in pairs due to liability issues with the DOT. Due to a law suit several years ago against Les Schwab tires, the DOT changed their guidelines on snow tire stating that if you are using snow tires then they have w to be used in a complete set of four.

The reason for this is because even if you have snow tires in the rear to get you moving but none in the front you still may not be able to steer. the same rule account for front wheel drive cars. if you have snow tires on the front of the car but not in the rear you will increase your traction levels for speeds under 20mph. However if you are going around a corner or have to perform emergency braking, what is going to keep the rear of the car from sliding around.

Trying to drive with only two snow tires is not only dangerous for you but also dangerous for the people around you.

Well that answers that question. What about the all season tires that I listed above. The BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDW NT. Any feedback on those? Thanks

The G-force T/A KDW (D-dry, W-wet) isn't all season. it's a summer only tire. The all season tire would be the G-force T/A KDWS (D-dry, W-wet, S-snow) which i do not show in the 18" sizes for the 8. I would say the most popular all season tires for the 8's are the 225/45R18 Avon Tech M550 A/S which are 136.00 ea and the P245/40R18 Pirelli P-Zero Nero MS which are currently 151.00 each.

Which one would you reccomend? You think I could sell my Potenza'a on ebay?

If you plan on using them in the snow i would recommend the 225/45/18 Avon tires. The Narrower tire will cut through the snow better than the 245/40/18 size tire.

Hi Conner,

I have a set of really nice snow tires from my last car in 225/45 R17, would these fit the 8 and if so do you have wheels?

Thanks!!!

Technically, if you wanted to use the 225/45/17 on your 8 you could. the maximum load capacity of the tire meets the minimum load requirement by Mazda. Because they are almost one inch shorter they would throw off the speedometer and the odometer, the shorter side wall would make the tire stiffer than the factory recommended size which would make the tire stiffer and reduce snow and ice traction. You would also need to run these at a minimum of 36 psi to meet the required load capacity for the RX8. The extra air pressure in the tire would cause the tire to wear unevenly. Personally i would not recommend using it.

Connor,

I have a similar question, but the tires I plan on using is a little taller. I got a set of Michelin Winter at an unbelievable price that I'm willing to deviate from OEM specs. The tire size is 225/55/17 on 17x8 wheels. Thanks in advance for your help.

Ra

Thanks for the info! I guess you will be seeing a order from me for some M3's in the next week or so.

Are these the M550?

Connor,
I am looking to purchase a set snows and 17" rims from somone. They came off an
RX-8. What do you think of these Tires? Bridgestone BLIZZAK LM-22 WS-50 215/55 R17

In my opinoin the LM-22 are an excellent tire and the best snow tire for a performance oriented vehicle. However the LM22 are not made in a 215/55/17, the WS50 is though. The WS50 offer excellent ice and snow traction but they do tend to have a loose or squirmy feeling on dry pavement.

I could not say for sure if the 225/55/17 (26.7" tall) would fit without rubbing. the correct size would be 225/50/17 ( 25.9" tall). the tire would be almost an inch taller and under suspension compression or when you are turning, the tires may rub. Regrettably i cannot give you a definite answer on this one.