1.8 VTi bad snow drivability

[Dexter]

Hi, i live in Finland and yes, sometimes we get some snow:

 

 

I have a 1.8 deck and never had problems driving in winter (expect getting occasionally stuck in deep snow, because low! ), and i go snowboarding a lot. I have 195/55 Continental ContiVikingContact 3's which were a test winner when i bought them 4 years ago, and they're still in good shape. So my advice would be to just buy really good tires. Many people over here use studded tires which grip even better, but wear out faster, so i've always preferred studless. And as far as i know studded tires are banned in most european countries because of road wear.

 

Here are the scores of a winter tire test (studless) this year from a respected finnish tech magazine (Tekniikan Maailma):

 

Michelin X-Ice XI3, 7,6
Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2, 7,5
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70, 7,2
Pirelli Icecontrol Arvosana, 7,2
Continental ContiViking Contact 5, 7,0
Vredestein Nord-Trac 2, 6,8
Debica Frigo 2, 6,6
Fulda Montero 3, 6,5

 

Hope this helps.

[E=MC2]

Here's at last one santa's neighbour . Where have you been all of this days when this island guys struggle to solve my problem .

 

Honestly, for more than half of this tires from list a've never heard of . We have much milder weather conditions, so any of this hardcore savage tires are not necessery, and even impossible to find on the market.

Allso, spikes are not legal.

Here how common winter driving conditions in my region looks like. Maybe 2/3 of winter roads are dry or sligtly black iced, with temperature between -5 to +5. Sure, any higher ground have proportionally more snow. Even law alow you to drive summer tire if there is no snow or ice on the road. But, every winter has few to 15-20 snowy days, which demand winter tire. But my love to snow sports force me to go to mountains where i need good tire.

 

To cut a long story short.

We have offered mostly universal winter tires, which combines cold dry, and ice/snow performances.

And what we can buy is something like ADAC winterreifentest list.

 

- Continental ContiWinterContact 

- Michelin Alpin A4

- Dunlop winterresponce 2

and other middle and low class opponents

 

Allso, do you think that 195/50 tire has much worse performance than 195/55?

[Dexter]

Better late than never, man! I just didn't notice this conversation earlier. But anyway i'd go for the Continentals, they've worked fine with me. As for the 50 vs 55 profile, i was told that fatter is better but how much, no idea.

 

But if you want top of the line i'm sure you can order any tire online, ebay for example, unless for some reason the company in question won't ship to Serbia?

[E=MC2]

No wory man, just kidding , as you said, better ever than never. 

Speaking of Conti's , maybe i'll consider Dunlop Winterresponce 2, as they won second place on ADAC  test, and they are much easier and cheaper to find.

 

Here's adac results

http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/reifen/winterreifen/2013_winterreifen_Test_185_60_R15.aspx

 

Serbia is very new in paypal system, so there are many sellers that dont have option for sending here. Allso there are shiping costs, greedy thieving customs officers (some packages just wanish ), and tough procedure for achieved warranty rights if something goes wrong with product. So it is much easier to let someone else to do the importing job, especially because price in the world is pretty similar to one we have here at sellers.

 

Also i doubt that those great snow tires you drive north there will do the job on temperature and surface range we have here.

 

edit: Do You think that LSD is benefit or handicap on snow? And do You think that MC2 goes better or worse than other FWD cars?

[Krzys]

LSD should help more than hinder, two wheels driving is better than one.

[E=MC2]

Sure, it is LSD's point, but on snow it force both wheels to spin, and if car stay on place they dig own holes, and instantly make ice

[Krzys]

Sure, it is LSD's point, but on snow it force both wheels to spin, and if car stay on place they dig own holes, and instantly make ice

True, but it would finish the same way with one wheel spinning, at least with two you double the chance of moving as well as double the holes you might dig  

[E=MC2]

Hm, it make sence. My last 2 cars have lsd (mc2 and s14 sx), so maybe i forgot how open diff car act on snow

 

as double the holes you might dig 

 

You've made my day :D :D

[Dexter]

 

No wory man, just kidding , as you said, better ever than never. 

Speaking of Conti's , maybe i'll consider Dunlop Winterresponce 2, as they won second place on ADAC  test, and they are much easier and cheaper to find.

 

Here's adac results

http://www.adac.de/i...185_60_R15.aspx

 

The reason why you probably hadn't heard of the tires in the test results i posted was that they're all nordic/scandinavian spec winter tires which means they're supposed to be more capable in extreme conditions than the central europe tires the adac test covers. So if you need more traction, i'm almost 100% positive that the nordic tires will deliver more. Almost everyone uses them here instead of the central europe tires.

 

 

Also i doubt that those great snow tires you drive north there will do the job on temperature and surface range we have here.

 

Actually i'm pretty sure they will do the job and even better. Maybe the pic i posted distorts reality a bit, it's not always like that over here . I live in the south close to the sea and the weather can go from +5 to -25, to heavy snow, to slush, to black ice, and back to dry roads within one week. I've also used my conti's on dirt roads, as well as highway cruising in the summer and they've worked fine on all surfaces and conditions. Of course i prefer proper summer tires like Falken's etc. but high-end nordic compound studless winter tires are in practice very capable all-season tires. Now I wouldn't go vtecing through the twisties in the rain, but i think you get my point.

 

 

edit: Do You think that LSD is benefit or handicap on snow? And do You think that MC2 goes better or worse than other FWD cars?

 

I havent' noticed much difference in FWD cars in snow, conditions imho are the biggest factor. I used to have a 1.4 deck with studded tires (and without LSD naturally) before my MC2, and i think it was just as good in the snow, minus the ABS which i think is pretty useful when slippery. But vtec + snow + massive understeer can be quite a lot of fun, so i'd have to say MC2 is the best winter car i've had so far!

[EmZvr]

Excuse me for being a spammer but couldn't resist posting this :D Happy holidays and have fun

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I941i6TWqZs