Winter Tires

[FTL_Ian]

Which tires are the best for winter?  What's your favorite brand/model?  Any other thoughts?

[Jason Rand]

I have all-season tires so I don't have to change them twice a year.  I'm not sure the brand.  I have some steep roads around where I live and in the middle of a storm might have trouble if the plow hasn't come through, but they are fine almost all the time. 

[Insurgent]

Heh...my friends always give me shit because I rave so much about my tires. I've been rolling on Nokian Tyres since last fall and have been loving them. Their all-season tire is the only all-season tire to have the severe weather rating; only snow tires have this rating otherwise.

http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/home.cfm

If you're willing to swap snow tires off and on, they make incredible studded snow tires (which are legal in NH) but if you're like me and don't want to keep an extra set of wheels or pay to swap the tires on and off, get their amazing all-season tire. Chances are that your shop/dealer will have to order them in, as they are not a common brand in America (they're made in Finland)

I ran these in MN last winter and was thoroughly amazed at their performance. I've been driving professionally for 13 years and have never found a tire like this. No, I am not paid to promote their tires, either!

You'll pay a bit more them, obviously but in my experience this is the most crucial car part to invest in, as it the literally the only thing connecting you to the road.

[Spencer]

Do they have / allow chains in New Hampshire?

[Insurgent]

Yes, chains are legal in NH...the only site I could quickly find to confirm that is http://www.cretecarrier.com/drive/faq-chains.cfm

Chains are a major hassle, though. They can usually be avoided by running a high-quality tire such as Nokians.

[Kat Kanning]

I use all season tires too.

[Dreepa]

I have my CA tires on.
I had no problems on either car last year.

[aries]

a lot of people here put chains on their trucks because some days, nothing without 4-wheel-drive and GOOD winter tires will drive at all.

[toowm]

I had to buy snow tires last winter (Blizzaks), not to drive on the roads, but to get out of an icy inclined driveway. Since then I've replaced my all season tires (original equipment tires were really cheap) and expect I won't need the snow tires.

[CNHT]

Which tires are the best for winter?  What's your favorite brand/model?  Any other thoughts?

STUDS. Nokia. On my AUDI QUATTRO V-8

[CNHT]

Do they have / allow chains in New Hampshire?

Yup -- had those too on my '71 Charger.  October to May I think...if any restrictions at all.

[aries]

Do they have / allow chains in New Hampshire?

Yup -- had those too on my '71 Charger.  October to May I think...if any restrictions at all.

I think by the end of this month we're going to have some snow up here... it's getting cold and the leaves are starting to turn... sometimes it's still summery at this time

[Pat K]

Don't say SNOW aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Kat Kanning]

It's so cold this morning, it feels like it might snow soon, Pat.   :eastsnow: :snowballs:   37 degrees right now!

[maineiac]

Yup, she's getting a bit brisk over here in the mornings, too!

Quality all-season radials rated for ice and snow seem to be the ticket for us. Changing tires semi-anually bites. I last suffered that pain upon inheriting a County car with bruiser studded snows back in the '90's.