Snow Tires!

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sniwallof

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It's still a few months early for this thread. I'm thinking a tentative decision now, will allow me to watch for fall sales for that manufacturer or tire model, plus all the usual places like Costco and BJs.

I'm leaning towards the Michelin X-ice 3 (they were great on the Bolt last winter). Tire Rack does not currently have them listed for Clarity, but maybe the manufacturers haven't supplied this years batch yet. Discount Tire has them, but that makes me wonder if they are left overs from last year?

Looking back through old threads it's generally X-ice or HAKKAPELIITTA (not sure which model number to look for, but without studs).

How did your snow tires work out for you last year? Any recommendations, Michelin, HAKKAPELIITTA, or other?
 
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sniwallof said:
How did your snow tires work out for you last year? Any recommendations, Michelin, HAKKAPELIITTA, or other?
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We've done two Michigan winters in our Clarity PHEV. Even on the OEM rims with their noise-suppressing resonators, our Nokian Hakkapeliitta's are very noisy, but very good in the snow. Spring brings an aural treat when I put the Clarity accessory wheels with the OEM tires back on.
 
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sniwallof said:
It's still a few months early for this thread. I'm thinking a tentative decision now, will allow me to watch for fall sales for that manufacturer or tire model, plus all the usual places like Costco and BJs.

I'm leaning towards the Michelin X-ice 3 (they were great on the Bolt last winter). Tire Rack does not currently have them listed for Clarity, but maybe the manufacturers haven't supplied this years batch yet. Discount Tire has them, but that makes me wonder if they are left overs from last year?

Looking back through old threads it's generally X-ice or HAKKAPELIITTA (not sure which model number to look for, but without studs).

How did your snow tires work out for you last year? Any recommendations, Michelin, HAKKAPELIITTA, or other?
Click to expand...

I really like my Michelin X-Ice Xi3’s. I posted pics of the rims I bought on post #132 in the Snow Tires & Rims thread.

Do NOT get caught in snow with the stock tires. :)
 
Last winter in Baltimore on my Clarity's OEM tires, including on packed snow, was fine (15-25 miles each way to work). I'm a physician and have to go to work regardless of weather, often at odd hours; did so for almost 20 years on Civic Hybrid standard tires (prior to the Clarity), even in blizzards. I'm a careful driver, fwiw. YMMV.
 
I was very happy with the Yokohama IG52 tires (215/55 R17 94T) I purchased with the car from the dealer last year. They got me through a very snowy and icy Ottawa winter with no issues whatsoever!
 
GV Ottawa said:
I was very happy with the Yokohama IG52 tires (215/55 R17 94T) I purchased with the car from the dealer last year. They got me through a very snowy and icy Ottawa winter with no issues whatsoever!
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What wheel size did you use? For example, would 17 X7.5 5-100.00/114.30 40 work with these tires?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
ClarityDoc said:
Last winter in Baltimore on my Clarity's OEM tires, including on packed snow, was fine (15-25 miles each way to work). I'm a physician and have to go to work regardless of weather, often at odd hours; did so for almost 20 years on Civic Hybrid standard tires (prior to the Clarity), even in blizzards. I'm a careful driver, fwiw. YMMV.
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I too found the stock tires to be good in snow. We only had one period of snow last February, but in about 6" of fresh snow and on hard pack snow and ice it handled very well. Coming from a 2006 Prius with LRR tires it was a vast improvement. For myself I see no reason to put snow tires on or for that matter change the type of tires when these wear out.
 
I got by with all seasons for many years on Long Island, and even here in upstate, NY including my first very rural home with steep hills with a Subaru Outback. I've since moved closer to suburbia now, but our winters can still be harsh here (between Albany and Syracuse), it can be -25F in the morning (just a few days), and we have had snow up to 48" over two days, I think it was March, 2007. Of course in many cases, most folks do not go out before the first plows come through. The way I explain it to my NYC and LI friends, a lot of the time they get rain showers in the winter months, we get snow. Often, it's only an inch or two, but sometimes day after day, seemingly for weeks.

Anyway, no criticism to those who can get by on all seasons (many do the same here), but having given in and purchased my first ever set of snow tires last fall for the Bolt (the X ice), I am converted. Also, while no tire is completely safe in ice conditions, I will take any advantage I can get in both snow and ice. Already snagged one of those spare sets of new wheels from sellers like Victoria tire in California who sell online (his price seems to be increasing) (apparently after installing custom rims and tires on new Claritys). This approach is expensive. At least after I put the winter tires on, I will also have a set of four new Michelin OEM eco saver spares. This customization seems to be a trend that benefits those of us looking to buy a "new" OEM set of wheels and tires. So, now it's just a matter of deciding on which winter tire to buy, and then waiting for a winter tire sale, probably in the fall.

(note as mentioned in this thread, there are less expensive rims, and some have previously talked about relatively inexpensive "steelies", I think for Canada where snow tires are required (?))
 
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I put Michelin X-Ice Xi3 on the stock wheels and they were just fine. Bought from the dealer because they were the only ones who could get them before a long trip.
 
On most road surface, the X-Ice are as quiet and are softer than the Energy A/S. Only on super smooth new pavement is there a bit of extra whine from the winter tires. The X-Ice are what I use on all my vehicles and I buy them for my son's vehicles too. Tires are the connection to the road and so important to safety it's worth every penny to run winter tires in Michigan. It's not really an extra expense because while winter tires are on the car, the A/S tires are sitting in the garage. It's simply "buying ahead" on tires.
 
sniwallof said:
I got by with all seasons for many years on Long Island, and even here in upstate, NY including my first very rural home with steep hills with a Subaru Outback. I've since moved closer to suburbia now, but our winters can still be harsh here (between Albany and Syracuse), it can be -25F in the morning (just a few days), and we have had snow up to 48" over two days, I think it was March, 2007. Of course in many cases, most folks do not go out before the first plows come through. The way I explain it to my NYC and LI friends, a lot of the time they get rain showers in the winter months, we get snow. Often, it's only an inch or two, but sometimes day after day, seemingly for weeks.

Anyway, no criticism to those who can get by on all seasons (many do the same here), but having given in and purchased my first ever set of snow tires last fall for the Bolt (the X ice), I am converted. Also, while no tire is completely safe in ice conditions, I will take any advantage I can get in both snow and ice. Already snagged one of those spare sets of new wheels from sellers like Victoria tire in California who sell online (his price seems to be increasing) (apparently after installing custom rims and tires on new Claritys). This approach is expensive. At least after I put the winter tires on, I will also have a set of four new Michelin OEM eco saver spares. This customization seems to be a trend that benefits those of us looking to buy a "new" OEM set of wheels and tires. So, now it's just a matter of deciding on which winter tire to buy, and then waiting for a winter tire sale, probably in the fall.

(note as mentioned in this thread, there are less expensive rims, and some have previously talked about relatively youinexpensive "steelies", I think for Canada where snow tires are required (?))
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I agree. Snow tires for the winter season, All Season Tires for the other 3 seasons of the year. I have lived in multiple places in that area in NY as well and I always bought a separate pair of snows and rims for my cars. I either bought Blizzaks or X-Ice’s. I felt Blizzaks were better when it was more consistently below freezing (west toward Syracuse) vs. X-Ice for mostly above freezing (east toward Albany). Blizzak WS series were more “squirmy” in consistently warmer weather in highway driving, and may feel more uncontrolled if that matters to you.

Anyway, I have only used X-Ice’s on front wheel drive cars now that I think about it. It turned my Prius plug-in into a tank/rally car and they work pretty well for the Clarity. The only issues have been a few times with very deep, un-packed accumulations of snow where it took some extra time to get moving. But I attribute that to the low profile car (maybe the Blizzaks deeper tread would have helped here?). Once moving the tires let the Clarity turn and stop very well though.
 
GV Ottawa said:
I believe the Honda part number for my steel rims is 08W17-PC4-300. I've attached an application table that was provided to me by my dealer at the time of purchase for your reference sake.
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Isn't it cheaper to buy aftermarket winter alloys than use Honda steel wheels?
 
I got Michelin winter tires which are fine and can't complain about the tires, but the place I got them changed damaged the anti-vibration piece on the rims on 3 out of 4 of them. I would recommend getting the change done at a dealer or garage that you trust. It's now august and I am waiting for my new rims to arrive still , and it took several months to resolve everything through the insurance company.
 
Chris Messer said:
I got Michelin winter tires which are fine and can't complain about the tires, but the place I got them changed damaged the anti-vibration piece on the rims on 3 out of 4 of them. I would recommend getting the change done at a dealer or garage that you trust. It's now august and I am waiting for my new rims to arrive still , and it took several months to resolve everything through the insurance company.
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Chris thanks for the reminder, I almost forgot that earlier I made a mental note to take copies of the pdfs from post #5 by @jorgie393 of your earlier thread to my tire installer to alert them to the internal structure and risk of damage to the anti-vibration part.

Winter Tire Experience - Be Careful by @Chris Messer
 
Chris Messer said:
I got Michelin winter tires which are fine and can't complain about the tires, but the place I got them changed damaged the anti-vibration piece on the rims on 3 out of 4 of them. I would recommend getting the change done at a dealer or garage that you trust. It's now august and I am waiting for my new rims to arrive still , and it took several months to resolve everything through the insurance company.
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How did you find out the piece was damaged?
 
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