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Tires for PNW Winters?

anticon

Active member
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Sherwood
#1
I read through a lot of the main winter tire thread but with our mild winters I was wondering what everyone else is using in the cold and wet weather in the PNW. Does anyone have any recommendations?
 


Zormecteon

Active member
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Kelso
#2
Michelin Pilot Sport AS-3s are what I've been running since I got the car in Jan of 2014. The AS-3+ is now available in our size. Great in the wet, dry, .. adequate in light snow.
 


Messages
42
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21
Location
Sweet Home
#3
Last year I got a great deal on some Firestone Oval 500, and they were pretty good for me. After burning thru those tires after only 14,500 miles or so I picked up some Federal ss595 all season tires and so for they have been good. My commute is approx. 70 miles round trip on back country roads. These tires were not my first pick but it was an emergency and was the only tire in stock at Les Schwab that had a tread life guaranty. I have herd nothing but great things about Michelin Pilot Sport AS-3 on the local Facebook page
 


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Location
Vancouver
#4
I picked up a set of 205/45/17 Continental DWS06 but have yet to mount them. I believe our weather is cold enough that an all season is a better option for three of the four seasons. Especially for me since I don't have a long commute, summer tires are never up to ideal temps and all seasons have more traction in a straight line and in the corners. Only during the heart of summer - June, July, August, do I think summer tires would be a better option.

My OEM tires still have a little tread left so in late May I will swap them back on and burn them up during summer.
 


Rico

Member
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Sherwood
#5
1+ for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ in the stock size. Extremely capable tire in the dry or wet, and not at all spooky when the temps drop to at-or-below freezing, like current conditions. For an all-season tire, it's flippin' miraculous. Appears to run a bit wide. Doesn't seem any louder than the stock RE050 tires. When I attended Octane Academy last year, noted that the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires were mounted on the Fiesta track cars. Seemed pretty grippy to me....
Discount Tire has them for $139, with occasional discounts.
 


kivnul

1000 Post Club
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Deer Park, WA
#6
<derail>

.... When I attended Octane Academy last year, noted that the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires were mounted on the Fiesta track cars. Seemed pretty grippy to me....
In 2016 they were running Gforce Comp 2's. They had ordered a ton sized specially for them (even offered to sell them to participants). Guessing they either had a hard time getting more or changed sponsors.

</derail>
 


Messages
45
Likes
39
Location
Seattle
#7
1+ for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ in the stock size. Extremely capable tire in the dry or wet, and not at all spooky when the temps drop to at-or-below freezing, like current conditions. For an all-season tire, it's flippin' miraculous. Appears to run a bit wide. Doesn't seem any louder than the stock RE050 tires. When I attended Octane Academy last year, noted that the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires were mounted on the Fiesta track cars. Seemed pretty grippy to me....
Discount Tire has them for $139, with occasional discounts.
Thanks--good info. I've had good experiences with Discount Tire and I'm glad to hear they carry these at a competitive price. The OEM summer tires have not thrilled me during the winter months; I think all-seasons are the way to go, but I didn't want to lose too much dry performance.
 


Messages
39
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25
Location
Sherwood
#8
Will note this: learn from my oversight, and carefully inspect your wheels for any damage from mounting, before you leave the Discount Tire store. One of my wheels was slightly damaged, during mounting, and I didn't see it, until several days, later. It was a bit of a palaver to get the staff at DT to recognize their error, and agree to mend the wheel. All's good in the end, but it was frustrating for a few days. Generally, I've had quite good service from DT.
Tires have been impressive--a bit loud until they warm up, but no complaints.
 


Messages
45
Likes
39
Location
Seattle
#9
Good advice. I hear you--I've always been super wary of installers, to the point of taking pictures of the wheels before the car goes in and then inspecting them before leaving the shop. I've been lucky with DT so far. Glad they did right by you in the end.
 


meFiSTo

Senior Member
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Location
Redmond
#10
If you are willing to have dedicated winter wheels, I'd go with one of known studless ice and snow options and just pop them on in November and off in April. If you intend to have a single set of tire, there is a new Ultra High Performance A/S from General called the GMAX AS-05. It scored well in Tire Rack testing: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=222

I have the prior generation GMAX AS-03s. They're fine in general, but I think new ones have improved performance in the wet and in the snow.

I have Conti ExtremeContact DWS 06s. They've not yet been tested, but neither have the Generals. We have a Jeep GC with Blizzaks and, when it snows, we generally drive that. I think that I would just get ice and snows for all the cars if I were to do it again. We live on a hill east of Seattle and we ALWAYS get snow if there is any low-lands snow experienced.

Like this from 12/25/17 a.m.:
 


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anticon

anticon

Active member
Messages
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Location
Sherwood
Thread Starter #11
Has anyone tried the Nitto Neo Gens? I am thinking of getting some 15x8 TD ProRace 1.2s. I know they have a low tread rating but there arent many all season tires that would fit 205/50/15.
 


M-Sport fan

9000 Post Club
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Princeton, N.J.
#12
[MENTION=636]RAAMaudio[/MENTION] on here has used them, and had some great things to say about those tires.

I am considering them for factory size replacement tires (once the factory Pilot Sport AS/3s are toast) for use in the 'intermediate' type COLD but dry conditions we get here in the late fall/early spring, and even most of the winter between the avalanches.

But, considering their tread wear rating, and tread pattern, I would not trust them in anything more than a slight 'dusting' of snow. [nono]
 


RAAMaudio

5000 Post Club
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Carson City
#13
I have lived in St. Helens and been to Sherwood OR and would say the NeoGen is likely the best AS tire you could get in a 15 for that area and a perfect fit on an 8" wide wheel. I used them here in Northern NV last year and they were great but I stayed home when snowing or took the dually.

I found the Michelin AS/3 in 17" was harsh and very noisy but a damn good AS tire, really unbearable over the I80 going to CA where the NeoGen in 15" is a far nicer tire on this car, very low road noise, very good ride, great grip and feedback in the rain, dry roads, etc and I saved quite a bit of weight on 11.4 lb wheels as well which contributes to all the positives about this tire and they are pretty cheap:)
 




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