Discount Tire rules drama with 205/50R16

[SteveS]

I really would love to see a comparison between 205 and 185 section width tires in the snow on the same car in a few inches of snow, rain and dry. I get the idea behind it but I have serious doubts that it makes anywhere near enough of an impact for people to be so adamant about it.

I've gone to skinnier tires for my winter set up before with prior vehicles and decided both times it was a mistake and not worth sacrificing non-snow grip for what, to me, was an indistinguishable benefit.

Also, the 1970 beetle might have been the best car you've driven in the snow not exclusively because it had 145 section width (winter?) tires but because it weighs almost 1,000lbs less than the FiST and better weight distribution with you driving it. My Miatas were fantastic to drive in the snow with winter tires on.

https://www.gummibereifung.de/news/adac-compares-widths-of-winter-tyres-small-or-extra-wide

 

[Magnetic]

https://www.gummibereifung.de/news/adac-compares-widths-of-winter-tyres-small-or-extra-wide

everything in this article were my thoughts exactly. More surface area = More Hydroplaning.
Thinner tires would slice through water since they have less resistance.

 

[Sam4]

I love my Vredestein Sprinter + 205/50-15, they were on the car when I bought it.

Huh,1st Vredersteiner I've seen here! 'Old' must be accurate, since they're not gumballs, and nobody's heard of 'em (215.45.17 AS on mine). I'm older than dirt at this point....

 

[M-Sport fan]

I do have a set of Vredestein Fortezza Slicks on my road bike wheels.

 

[Business6]

https://www.gummibereifung.de/news/adac-compares-widths-of-winter-tyres-small-or-extra-wide

Yeah, that's exactly what I expected. Skinnier tires make sense for places where there's snow on the ground much more often but otherwise you're dealing with the disadvantages more often than the advantages.

 

[Old Mike Emerson]

Huh,1st Vredersteiner I've seen here! 'Old' must be accurate, since they're not gumballs, and nobody's heard of 'em (215.45.17 AS on mine). I'm older than dirt at this point....

I had never heard of them till I bought my car, CarMax installed them, I looked them up, $300+ a piece, $1200 for a set. I've never spent that much in my life and I'm 63 on a set of tires.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I had a set of their speed rated winter tires on the factory wheels of my '90 T-Bird SC.

 

[D1JL]

If you think Discount Tire gives you a hard time about non approved tires.
Just go see how they freak out about ARP studs or when I converted my Mini to studs instead of those darn German bolts.

 

[Sam4]

I had never heard of them till I bought my car, CarMax installed them, I looked them up, $300+ a piece, $1200 for a set. I've never spent that much in my life and I'm 63 on a set of tires.

List price of course. No tires are worth anything close to that. At least in our size.....