Esanchez8701

Hey guys I want to know which is the best winter tire for the 2005 acura tsx ? I just want to prepare my self for the winter


Thanks

curls

I'd highly recommend reading the Tire Tests and Reviews for winter tires at www.tirerack.com. Millions of miles for user testing = accurate results!

Personally, I have Firestone "WinterForce" tires on my TSX as they perform well in deep snow. They're noisy, but they work well and are cheaper than some bigger-name options. With many years of winter driving experience, as well as having used a number of different winter tires... I can say that these Winterforce tires work well enough for me and are loads better than ANY all-season tire!

LuvMyTSX

It really depends on what you need the tire for and where you live. Someone in a heavy snow area will need something a little different than you, being from Westchester County in NY. You don't get a huge amount of snow, but enough.

I would recommend a performance winter tire like Bridgestone Winter Sport M3. This tire is good in snow and slush, but also quiet and decently long-lasting on dry road surfaces.

Some snow tires can be rather noisy on dry surfaces, and their softer winter compounds don't last as long as an all-season tire, so you want to get something suited to your area. As curls mentioned, read up on tirerack.com. They have tons of reviews and education material so you can make the right decision.

I lived in Jersey until this spring, now I'm in Orange County NY, across the river from you, so we have similar conditions, perhaps a little more mountainous where I am.

Esanchez8701

Yes I do know orange county. My mother lives in Ulster County I visit her some times. Bridgestone winter sport m3 ey ? How much for a set of 4 ? Which place do you prefer or provided the best deal ?

LuvMyTSX

I don't remember how much they were, but I recall around $150/tire when I bought them a few years ago from tirerack.com. I got the stock size and put them on my stock wheels, and got new wheels and tires for summer.

I probably should have kept mine - I actually just traded my car 3 weeks ago and gave the dealer both sets of wheels and tires because I didn't feel like going through the hassle of trying to sell them, and then if I couldn't find a buyer, what on Earth would I do with them? Oh well.

Esanchez8701

Thanks for the detailed information. I appreciate it very much.



Thanks,

Evan

Simba91102

I'll second the Winterforce recommendation. I agree they're noisy (though I don't have to listen to them since they're on my wife's car), but for pretty short money, they have good survey reviews, and can handle deep snow I think better than many (most?) of the so called "performance" winter tires. I'd suggest giving plenty of thought to what you actually need in a winter tire, and not buy more or less capability than you need. This way you stand a better chance of being satisfied with your decision.

vq30gtr

I have Hankook Ipike W409's and they are great. Got them on steelies @ discount tire direct for $600 and $100 rebate when moutned and balanced. Then last year found some TPMS on ebay for $40, and had them added for $20 at local tire shop. Prevents the annoying TPMS alert.
http://www.hankooktireusa.com/Produc...um=3&FnCode=03

Enjoy.

gdcwatt

Can anyone offer some feedback on a 215/55-16 (with a calculated OD of 25.3") being a better or worse choice than a 205/60-16 (25.7"), a popular option; OEM 215/50-17 is 25.5".

I had to junk a set of 205/60-16 Dunlop M3's "performance snow tires", during their 4th winter, still with 6/32" tread. They were always great on a cold, dry road, but only really good in snow during their 1st winter, leaving me so often thinking that the car was undertired...I know, they're snow tires, but still. And given their mediocre snow performance, it would have been nice to have less sliding around in all the other non-snow conditions, on a wider tire, like a 215/55-16.

If you look at something like a blizzak, the nominal tire size on the sidewall really only indicates the overall diameter: the width of the contact patch of those tires is about the same as, well, something much smaller. Typically we think that the contact patch of a 205/50 tire is wider than that of a 205/55 tire of the same brand. Between brands, everything is different, and the treadwidth of a 195/55-15 Toyo Garrit KX (on a Mazda) is rediculously wider than the 205/60 M3's, but it works in snow, and in the rain, and in the cold when dry.

I just bought a set of 205/55-16 Winterforce tires for another Mazda, and that car handles quite well, and the tread pattern looks aggressive enough, even if somewhat dated, but with a lot of void, so that I'm hoping all those tirerack.com reviews are, this time, correct.

Around Toronto, if you haven't bought your snow tires by November, you're often limited in your choices, a problem made worse last year by Quebec's manditory snow tire legislation, for residents. So, mid-winter I bought some discount Chinese made Champiro GT tires - they are awesome in deep snow, but sqirmy on a dry highway - because it's what was around at short notice; it will be interesting to see what the effect of my new A-Spec struts will be on the performance of those tires. Maybe my shocks were the problem with the my M3's?

Gen4MDX

Just ordered four Bridgestone Blizzaks ws70's from tire rack. Supposed to be excellent in ice and snow, stud less

mikw4

generally a narrower tire provides better traction in the snow. Its opposite for a performance tire.

curls

But on the contrary, a wider tire is usually better on ice as there's slightly more surface area that can bite into the ice. The diff between a 215 and a 205 is minimal -- either will work fine.

mikw4

^^ yes forgot that. thanks.

_er_

I've been reading the threads, looking on tirerack, etc. I have one question for you guys. I've just moved to New Hampshire and am trying to figure out winter tires for my '04 TSX (manual). I will be here for 3 winters. One place quoted me $110/tire for General Altimax Arctics, but the load rating is 91 and the next tire place told me I needed to have 93 or above, quoting $190/tire Bridgestone Blizzaks or $210/tire Hakkepeliitta R. I realize I'm on the "Enthusiasts" board but I'm not a "car person." I'm a student, and could use some good advice. I won't be driving long distances, but I've got 2 short but fairly steep hills to navigate every day. (Granted, in NH they know how to handle snow so it shouldn't be too too bad.) It will almost always be just me in the car and I won't ever be carrying any heavy cargo. Still working out whether I need studs or not. I appreciate your patience with me and hope someone can advise on the 91 vs 93 issue.

Thank you and have a great day

curls

My Winterforce's are 91 load rating. I spoke with a few people in the tire engineering business, and both said that with the weight distribution in our car, the weight, the tire ratings, and the recommended PSI... that a 91 load-rating tire is acceptable if you pump it ~4psi higher than the placard on your drivers' door jamb says. So instead of 32F/31R, do 36F/35R.

I've had the Witnerforce's for a few years now and they're fine. You might notice a "bit" more softness in corners, but as a non-enthusiast I'd be surprised if you noticed anything different. Go with a 16" on separate (steel) wheels.

You will LOVE the General's - I had the same winter tires on my wife's car last year and they made the car into a tank! Had Nokian Hakka... 1's on the same car before that and they were great but damn pricey!

curls

btw, don't bother with studs. Newer winter tires are perfectly fine on snow and ice without studs. Sure, they help in sheer ice conditions, but those are few and far between (trust me, living in Ottawa where we had the Ice Storm about a decade ago... THAT was icier than you'll see in NH!). Studs are noisy, chew up roads, reduce dry/wet road handling, and are only really beneficial on the rare days that you can't go without driving, but really should stay home or take public transit for your own safety.

_er_

Thank you!

information2003

Hello! I posted a few weeks ago about winter tires and highly recommended the Nokian WRs (P215/50VR17) for New England winters (See "Love my Nokians!" thread)! I have had them for nearly three years and love them so much that I run them year-round on my 2005 TSX! Fabulous in snow and on ice. Sharp cornering and handling in all weather. I highly recommend them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

bluenorge

Forget about those old school Winterforce tires! Those are way outdated. The rubber technology is so far past those tires. They were good in 1995. If you drive on a mixture of roads, dry, wet, snowy, icy, you need want a multi-compound tire like the Blizzaks, or the X-ice Xi2's! Far superior in ride quaility and dry, wet, icy and snowy performance hands down!! The winterforce tires just have its rough all-terrain tread design going for it. No rubber compound that resists getting hard when the temp drops. Go to www.tirerack.com and read up more about winter tires. You will easily find out why the new multi-compound tires excell in everyway possible.
I am running Michelin X-Ice Xi2's and they work perfectly!! Highly recommend!

curls

He wasn't asking about 'em, but frankly after running them (and a half dozen or more other winter tires), they work JUST FINE for me! No, they're not the best, but they are much better than any all season I've had the misfortune of driving on in snow or ice.
Once they're done, I'm looking for something else but that's not until at least next winter as there's lots of life on these still (9/32nds).

Gen7Milan

iTrader: (1)

Dunlop makes the Winter Sport M3.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....inter+Sport+M3

I have these on my fiance's Accord Coupe. Not the best winter tire, not the worst. I preferred the Yokohama iG20 we had before. They were much better in the snow but since they were a passenger winter tire, they squealed and handled like crap in the dry. The M3 are a high-performance winter tire and thus handle much better in the dry but give away performance in the snow.

bluenorge

i do agree they are better than all-seasons, but clearly not the best winter tire, which he is asking about. they do have an agressive tread pattern, but on an Acura, you want quiet, smooth, well handling tires. there are many better tires out there!

_er_

Thanks for your help, everyone. I'm leaning toward the Generals (91) with a little extra air. Strong objections are welcome