Well we just got our first big snowfall here in CT, and of course the talk turns to snow tires for all us RWD owners. I'm on night shift, and got to drive to work at 6PM and home at 7AM each night of the storm.
The first night, I made it though felt quite unstable, running the same tires I have for years on my 240s- Virgo rims with Michelin 195/60-15 MXV+4's. A good all around tire and it DID NOT leave me stuck anywhere, despite being 6 years old or so, and beyond 1/2 worn out.
Traction was marginal though they did grab and go with a fair bit of wheel spin. I could break them loose any time I wanted. Decent tire still, and if it wasn't a major storm extending over 3 days, I would have probably left them.
But- it was supposed to dump another 8-14" of snow Saturday, and it did get nasty though not as bad as predicted. I replaced the rears with 2 barely-used Gislaved Nord*Frost 185/70-14s on steel rims. Holy cow! I got me a snow car!
It really felt like I could go ice racing or something. They grab and bite and DO NOT let the rear end slide unless I abuse it. On plowed roads, with a bit of dirt for bite, they're amazing. If I'd put on all 4 (it was cold, OK?) this car would virtually climb mountains. I am able to start and stop on fairly steep hills and have no issues with stability or traction once moving. High speed, on wet highways they do seem to give up something to the Michelins, but I also have fairly low pressures in them right now, so it could be that. What a GREAT snow tire. Get them, you won't be disappointed.
Now by contrast, one of my neighbors couldn't get her 88 745 out this morning, even when we cleared it a path to the plowed lane on the street. This car has a month-old set of Pirelli P4000, size 185/70-14, and they SUCK! I've never seen a worse new tire in the snow. The car simply couldn't get any bite at all. They just spun and turned the snow layer to ice underneath them. Even when we pushed the car out, and got it on level ground, that is the plowed, snow-covered street with a bit of gravel and salt - it WOULD NOT GO. They were terrible. Even with 250 lbs of sand in the back, this car couldn't hook up. I do NOT recommend these tires for winter use- and I'm usually a big fan of Pirelli's. If you've got em, stay home when it gets slippery- you're gonna get stuck.
As a side note, coming home late last night in a friend's 4wd pickup, my wife came across another of our neighbors in her 87 244 (my old car). This thing has an assortment of "free" tires on it, and they're the wrong size (195/70-14). She was stuck in her 3rd snowbank of the night... they pushed her out and got her down the street and into the driveway. THese tires are cheapies made by LeMans, and they're not so good in the snow. Probably only as good as my worn Michelins. Driver inexperience may have played a part, but the conditions were really treacherous too when she was trying to get home in the early AM.
That's enough from me... take it easy out there!
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 225K, 88 744GLE- 209K, 91 244 183K. Also responsible for the care and feeding of: 88 745GLE, 229K, 88 244GL, 146K, 87 244DL, 235K, 88 245DL, 236K