SicK TypeS

should i bother buying snow tires? i can justify spending the $$ if i know they'll be put to good use, but i'm on a tight budget so i'd rather save it for now.

any predictions on what kind of winter we'll have? maybe someone has looked at a farmers almanac or something..?

sauceman

Usually an intense summer like we had is followed by an intense winter. Get the tires.

If you believe in buying life/health/employment insurance, buying snow tires is along the same principles.

Read:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27413

virtualbong

If you want more assurance while driving in snow and you have the money to do so, I say go for it. But for me, I'd rather not spend the $400-$500 for snow tires and just use the all seasons that I have. The majority doesn't have snow tires and they get by. Its all about taking it slow or staying off the road when its really bad out.

mg7726

i go up to Vermont a lot so my snows are put to good use!

psteng19

I don't mean to sound elitist but it irks me when I hear someone can afford payments on a $30k car but not $500 for winter tires or the extra $0.20 for premium gas.

It shows that they don't have their priorities set

Flame away

tsxei

Does the TSX need snow tires? I have never had any problem driving in the snow on stock tires.

925tsx

co-sign
i should be getting up to vt after new years.

925tsx

ill agree with that.

bosox2004

I would have definitely put winter tires on, but:

1) I don't really drive that much in general and

2) I don't have anywhere to put 4 extra wheels and tires.

virtualbong

Um, I don't know about anyone else, but $500 is a lot of money and most people who purchase TSXs understand the value of money and they know that the TSX is the best value out there. I'm definitely not close to being wealthy but I knew that I wanted to purchase something that I'll enjoy for years to come, has all the features that I'm looking for and it'll be reliable, so it was worth the extra penny. That's my

And yes, you do sound elitist hahaha.

925tsx

well in my opinion if you want to enjoy it for years to come, you better get those snows, cuz the stock tires suck in the snow as far as im concerned.

virtualbong

I'm just not convinced considering there's so many TSX owners out there who utilize the stockies. Obviously when the stock tires come to the end of their days, I'll upgrade to better all seasons, but for now, cautious driving will do just fine IMO. Its not like they're summer tires even though the tirerack ratings make it seem so.

I'd rather utilize the $500 for my bike gear

925tsx

whatever floats your boat, or finds your lost remote.

LuvMyTSX

I thought about getting snow tires too, but think I'll probably pass this year. I tried the car out the last time it snowed, and I did just fine on the stockies. I don't have to drive much anymore since I moved closer to work, so this year I'll do without. I also didn't feel like spending the $500....I have a house to save for.

t_in_maine

I've read several threads where people complained about the stock All-Seasons. I'm putting off buying my car until the threat of winter weather has passed here in northern Maine (that could be June!). I would NEVER, and I do mean NEVER, go another winter without 4 studded snow tires. I've rolled a vehicle in very little snow, due to all-seasons. The police who filed the report agreed that I was not going too fast for road conditions. I'm an experienced driver who has been driving up to 50 miles round-trip to work for the past 20 years, so it's not inexperience. My , get the snow tires, if for no other reason than peace of mind, and even then, practice extra-cautious driving in winter weather.

Irfo

Apart from the snows/no snows question -- yes, I think we will have a helluva winter. After this last hurricane season, after tornadoes in November at 2:00 a.m., after the way-early start for this winter's snowfalls... you betcha.

A couple weeks ago I was telling people I thought we'd be inventing words like "snownadoes" and "blizzicanes" this winter, and the next night, after an intense winter storm up here, the weathercasters were actually using the term "thundersnow."

So I'd say yes to snow tires, canned goods, firearms...

gsclifton

iTrader: (2)

The stock tires SUCK in dry weather, snow, rain, sleet, whatever kind of environment. Some people like them and got a lot of miles out of them, but I think most replaced them and were much happier with something different than the OEM rubber. Do a search in the Tires, Wheels, and Suspension forum for more details.

Luckily, I live in an area with very little or zero inclement weather. If you even have to ask "shoud I or do I need snow tires" then I would assume you should invest in a set of steel wheels and snow tires from what I have read.

Also ask yourself if a set of $500 snow tires is less than your insurance deductible?

Again, just my

BTW, I also use premium at the pump everytime, even when it was $3+ a gallon.

tsxflexer

The winter always sucks in Pittsburgh but it is pretty bad this year. Come to think of it so does the summer. Our local weather station did a survey last summer saying on the average we only have 21 sunny days. Most of the other time its raining. Go Pittsburgh!!!

psteng19

No offense, but if $500 is a lot of money (relative to the cost of cars), you probably should've bought a different car.
Sure, the TSX is a decent value (not great value, I actually think it's a tad overpriced), but if you have to stretch your budget in order to afford it, you might want to rethink your priorities.
You said so yourself, it has features you want, not need.

Of course how you spend your money is your prerogative.
Sorry for dragging this off-topic
I just see this too often; people not making smart purchases and constantly complain about being in debt

Back on topic:
Is saving $500 worth potentially risking your life and the life of others?

sauceman

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Bbasso

Flame away


Holy cow!!!

Take it easy people.

And as for the remark about dropping 30k on a car and not being able to come up with 500 for tires IS complete BS.
I know a bunch of people that can't afford to toss out 500 on tires that will sit 9 months of the year.

The current price of the TSX is the current price of the average car, You didn't really think you were some big shot buy buying a 30k car? did you??
It's time to get off your pedistool and stop acting like you nose is so high.
proof of what I speak:

Bbasso

Flame away


Holy cow!!!

Take it easy people.

And as for the remark about dropping 30k on a car and not being able to come up with 500 for tires IS complete BS.
I know a bunch of people that can't afford to toss out 500 on tires that will sit 9 months of the year.

The current price of the TSX is the current price of the average car, You didn't really think you were some big shot buy buying a 30k car? did you??
It's time to get off your pedistool and stop acting like you nose is so high.

Besides the average person only pulls in $43,527 a year. And that does not leave a whole bunch after rent/mortage, normal bills, kids and taxes

sources:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/in.../statemhi.html

cheepung

Yes, we are driving a $30K but how many of us paid $30K cash? Most people leased or borrowed $$$ from bank. With a car payment and insurance of around $500, try to find another $500 is a bit thinking.

I heard this quote before "Most people can lease a BMW but few of them can pull $40K for it."

Bbasso

car & Ins around $500per month?

I'd like to be in your shoes...

NYC Ins rates and insane along with anything else.

psteng19

Cool, then you know a bunch of people that have no business purchasing the car that they did.
If $500 is going to break the bank, then he/she should get a Civic, a used one if they have to.

Call me a big shot in a $30k car all you want; I never claimed to be.
At the end of the day, I'm not strapped for cash trying to buy necessities or rather important items after I make my car payment.

Bbasso

I understand what you said, and it looks like you understand what I said.

But isn't the American way...
Live in debt or not live?

hehehe

SSN_FT1(SS/DV)

Yes $500 may be a lot of money to drop in one fell swoop for some of us, but I think snow tires are totally worth it

excited

The long range forecasts for your area calls for "normal" temperatures and precipitation: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...off01_prcp.gif



Excited

formerRSX-S

once my stockies are shot (on my RSX-S i only got 30k out of them), I then buy a set of summer tires and a set of snow tires. But not going to spend extra dough while I have perfectly good tires on the car right now.

psteng19

Too true.
Even those that live in the projects have 50" HDTV's and 22" chrome spinners.

bradykp

for some it's not about "affording" the snow tires, moreso if they think it's "worth it"

do i think it's worth it? TBD. coming from northeast pennsylvania, i'm hesitant to get snow tires in new jersey. how many days a year could you possibly need them? if i was in NEPA, i'd already be using them for nearly a month!

plus, you have to get the steelies or 2nd set of rims for the snow tires right?

excited

You don't have to have a second set of rims. They can simply trade tires at the end of each season. People get the second set because it allows people to do the change over themselves, thereby saving the cost and hassle of the tires being exchanged and it is a little easier on the tires not always being taken on and off the rims.

I chose to get a second set of wheels with my TSX, but I exchange them with my Escape.



Excited

formerRSX-S

i'm in NEPA, and we've actually only had one significant snowfall so far. (knock wood!)

bradykp

where in NEPA?

formerRSX-S

bradykp - empty your PM box.

bradykp

emptied

cusetsx

I live in the Snow belt of Central NY where we on avg get over 150 inches of snow each winter. I drive 100 miles a day (mostly on the NYS Thruway and local highways). It's necessary for me to have them. In fact, I just bought my first set of 16" steelies w/ blizzaks from tireack for $615 shipped.

If you are planning on using snow tires regularly it makes more fiscal sense to get a separate set of wheels. Tire rotation costs SIGNIFICANTLY less than mounting and balancing twice a year.

I can't speak for how bad the winter will be in NJ. You have to look at how the past winters have been in your area and how the roads that you would normally be driving on have been plowed etc.

Here in Syracuse the secondary roads don't get plowed by the time I need to leave for work. So, sometimes when I leave there ~6 inches of rutted (if I'm lucky) roads to drive on before I can get to the main roads. The OEM Michelins SUCK MUCH ASS in snow over (I'd say) 2 inches. Especially if you are trying to go up any sort of incline.

If all you are riding on are well driven streets then you probably will be fine unless some Noreaster comes your way. Me... I have to deal with lake effect on a almost weekly basis (if not daily) so i need em. I use to have a 01 Prelude and I had a set for them to (still do I got to sell them).

bradykp

so if you buy the steelies, are you changing them yourself? or is it just cheaper because they don't have to take tires off/on, just rotate the new wheels on?

iamhomin

The TSX is great in snow actually, and I had little to no trouble getting by in the past two winters.

cusetsx

I don't have a floor jack, nor a garage big enough to do it myself. I'll probably just take it to a local tire/car shop.

Mounting and Balancing (required to change tires and keep same wheels) is normally much more expensive as simply rotating the current tires off and rotating the steelies on.

The local tire shop I go to charges $15 total for all four wheels rotated.
Mounting and balancing is $25 PER TIRE since they are low profile tires. Since you have to do it twice a year, that's $100 * 2 = $200 vs $15 * 2 = $30.

Plus the steelies I have are 16" so the winter tires are cheaper than buying 17" tires. In the long run 16" tires + steelies is a tad bit more than just buying 17" winters, but add in the tire shop costs and it adds up, especially year after year.

Call up your local shop and ask them for the prices. Most tire shops throw in lifetime rotation (not mounting and balancing) if you buy the tires from them, but that means also buying the steel wheels from them. In the long run I went to TireRack because of the convenience and trust I have that they know what size will fit my car. Heck shipping only took 2 days.