| Jesting2 |
I have been driving in Canadian winters for some 40 years now and my experiences have been many and varied. Prior to the general use of radial tires, I always put a pair of snow tires on the back of my rear drive cars. The first car I had with radial-ply tires came when I had to replace the tires on a 1971 Olds Cutlass. The debate was do I buy six tires (incl. 2 snows) or four radials, and I was talked into a set of summer radials. I can tell you this made the ensuing winter’s driving in Kingston, Ontario quite an exciting experience. In the snow they worked fine. On packed snow and ice they were lethal.
My next car was a 1974 Toyota Corona and it started off with radials and got radial snows on the rear in winter. This setup worked very well and was repeated with my next few vehicles. I eventually went through six Dodge Caravans. This introduced me to FWD vehicles, and by this time we were getting All Season radials from the get go. Based on the hype around all season tires and FWD traction, I stopped buying snow tires. Over the next 20 years, with the exception of one winter season, I never used snow tires. The area I live in now is considered to be Ontario’s Ski Country, and we get lots of snow. I have to say that I was never stuck in the snow except in my own driveway (After it had drifted in all day and I was too tired to clean the 24 inches of snow before trying to plow through it.) The one winter I had the snow tires, we got very little snow. The Michelin Alpines I purchased worked well but were really noisy. I traded the van in the following summer and they changed the base wheel size so I could not use the tires on the new van.
This spring I bought the MDX and the winter tire question came back again. I had lots of time to think about the subject and I did a lot of research. What I learned is that severe service snow tires (The ones with the little mountain and snowflake picture) are specially designed for winter driving. The M+S (also displayed as M&S or M-S) indicates the tire has all season capabilities. You will find this on almost all season and winter tires. Summer tires will not have this designation. For a tire to get this designation, it must have a specified tread-to-void ratio, however it does not mean that the tire has passed any actual tests for it effectiveness in severe conditions. The will help to keep you from getting stuck in the deep stuff. But they should not be relied upon as winter tires.
Part of the design benefit with severe service snow tires is that they will remain pliable when the temperature falls. Other tires will become hard when the temperature hits about 7 Celsius. When that happens, they loose their grip and while the tread pattern may give you the acceleration you need to get going, they will let you down when you need to stop or steer around something.
Check out the following for more information about this here:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/winter/spenard.htm
Further, they should be mounted at all four corners to get the best results. Putting them on the drive wheels only may help you keep from getting stuck, but if the other wheels loose traction because they are cold and hard, that end of the vehicle will want to break out in a turn. Oversteer for FWD vehicles and understeer for RWD.
Check out this link for more information:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/winter/061004.htm
By the time Fall arrived I had made up my mind to get four snows on steel rims. In October I visited my Acura dealer to see what they could offer and was told the best package they had was a set of Michelin Alpines on Acura alloys with TSMs for $3,300 + taxes installed. I told them that I did not want the alloys and would be interested if they could get me a set of “Ugly Wheels” (black steel wheels.) The parts guy said they could not get 18’ steel wheels for the MDX.
I thanked him and went to Canadian Tire where they told me there was no supplier of 18’ steel wheels for Hondas. Further investigation confirmed this, but someone told me that the Ridgeline wheels would fit the Acura. They were a whole lot cheaper than Acura alloys, but they only came in 17s. So I started trying to figure out what size tire I would need if I went to a 17’ wheel and found a great tire size calculator here:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/tools...lc/tirecalc.htm
What it told me was that a P235/65R17 was the exact circumference of my summer tires. This was perfect since the setup would have the same general appearance and the speedometer and VSA would be totally unaffected.
So I started shopping around again and got a price of $1,500 for 4 Ridgeline wheels with Michelin Latitude X-ice and Acura TSMs, balanced and installed + taxes. (My Acura dealer offered the same package for $2,300) The wheels are the grey painted artillery style wheels but they came without the hub covers. The setup looked so good I decided to see what they would cost and visited the local Honda dealer who happened to have a used set on hand. Because the lug nuts are different, I had to buy 8 of them (2 per wheel) to hold the covers on, but including labour it cost me another $92.
Since getting the snows on, we have had several feet of snow. I have had three occasions to test the handling and I am pleased to report that I am thrilled with these tires. In 12’ deep fresh snow at the local arena parking lot, I could not get the wheels to spin and with the VSA on, could not induce a skid. Stopping was incredible.
Later, I tried the same maneuvers on the parking lot after if had been packed down and plowed once. Same thing. Stomp on the gas and it just kept going faster! Stand on the brakes and induce the ABS, but it stopped very well in a much shorter distance that I expected.
Bottom line here is that having a lot of winter driving experience tells me I should have had 4 winter tires on a lot more of my vehicles in the past. I have been lucky! I am very happy with the way the MDX handles with the winter tire and this work-around with the Ridgeline wheels reduced my cost to get what I wanted by a fair margin. If you are considering w winter tire package for your ride, this could be a good option for you.
Happy motoring! |
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| kingmdx |
| Alot of info :p ...knew most of it already ...but didn't know the ridgeline rim fit the X ...never looked into it ..but at least I know there's another option out there when I decide to go dedicated winter tires/rims. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Good luck in the snow :) |
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| HwyRogue |
I just ordered the Scorpion's here in Regina - even though Tirerack prices are cheaper per tire, by the time I include S&H, taxes, brokerage fee, etc., it would have been $935 US ... so about $940 CDN...then I'd have to find a shop to have them installed, now I'm looking at about $1050.... and I'd have to wait for the tires... I got them locally for $1166 installed, balanced, etc.
Too bad, even though the tires retail here for $100 more each, I am better off buying them here.. :8: |
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| techm8n |
quote:
Originally posted by HwyRogue
I just ordered the Scorpion's here in Regina - even though Tirerack prices are cheaper per tire, by the time I include S&H, taxes, brokerage fee, etc., it would have been $935 US ... so about $940 CDN...then I'd have to find a shop to have them installed, now I'm looking at about $1050.... and I'd have to wait for the tires... I got them locally for $1166 installed, balanced, etc.
Too bad, even though the tires retail here for $100 more each, I am better off buying them here.. :8:
What size did you get and what wheels are they going on? |
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| HwyRogue |
| 255/55R18's and they'll be going on the factory rims since it looks as though I'll be picking up some new rims for the MDX in the spring... |
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| techm8n |
quote:
Originally posted by HwyRogue
255/55R18's and they'll be going on the factory rims since it looks as though I'll be picking up some new rims for the MDX in the spring...
HwyRogue, check your PM. |
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| hdtvrocks |
jesting2,
Post some pics with the ridgeline wheels on the car! I'm wondering if 16s can be fit on the MDX. |
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| Jesting2 |
Post some pics with the ridgeline wheels on the car! I'm wondering if 16s can be fit on the MDX.
LOL !!
It's buried under two feet of new snow and the snow is still falling! It will have wait until I can dig it out!!:D |
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| mkaresh |
I got my first winter tires, Michelin PA2s, from CostCo two winters ago. Same conclusion--should have done this sooner.
I read not long ago that Michelin had a $100 rebate on a set of its tires. Might still be in effect. Not sure if it's US and Canada or only US. |
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| HwyRogue |
quote:
Originally posted by mkaresh
I got my first winter tires, Michelin PA2s, from CostCo two winters ago. Same conclusion--should have done this sooner.
I read not long ago that Michelin had a $100 rebate on a set of its tires. Might still be in effect. Not sure if it's US and Canada or only US.
Indeed it is in .ca as well - valid until December 31st..
http://www.michelinman.ca/assets/pd...ish%20final.pdf |
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| Jesting2 |
HDTVROCKS Writes:
Post some pics with the ridgeline wheels on the car! I'm wondering if 16s can be fit on the MDX.
Can't comment on a 16" wheel, but what would you want to drop down two sizes?
Here is a photo of the Ridgeline 17" wheel with the Honda hub cover and the Michelin Latitude X-ice winter tire. These wheels were CDN$480 the set. |
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| Jesting2 |
| Speaking of winter tires, here is part of the reason I decided to get winter tire this year. There was 15 inches of new snow overnight ! All Season tires would probably get me out OK, but the traction difference with these Michelins makes a world of difference. |
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| HwyRogue |
You got more than we did... good, you can have it :-)
Though you're luckier than me - the City of Regina's idea of snow removal is called Spring... they do not plow side roads, only the main streets ( and those barely)...pathetic... my Pirelli Scorpion's are arriving on Wednesday, so I'll have to keep the Michelin's on until then. |
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| hdtvrocks |
| Wow! That's a ton of snow. Hope Whistler's getting that kinda pow. |
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