Urgent, need help deciding between winter tires

[Ryvius]

I was offered the following sets of tires:

Firestone Winterforce - $90 each

Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice - $110.75 each, $40 rebate total for a set


Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 - $112.5 each

I drive a 2008 Toyota Yaris Sedan, so I don't need the best for my cheap car, but which one on the list is the best bang for the buck? I know Bridgestone is the best out of the above, but will it make that much of a difference when compared to the cheaper Firestone if I mainly drive city?

[DavidY]

http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=297

WS60 gets five out of five stars from APA. Winterforce gets three stars and gets a good value rating. Personally, I get a set of four Winterforce. With the savings, I would get a set of dedicated winter rims. See attached link: http://catalogue.macpek.com/auto-en.aspx

Dave

[ericgu22]

I was offered the following sets of tires:

Firestone Winterforce - $90 each

Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice - $110.75 each, $40 rebate total for a set


Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 - $112.5 each

I drive a 2008 Toyota Yaris Sedan, so I don't need the best for my cheap car, but which one on the list is the best bang for the buck? I know Bridgestone is the best out of the above, but will it make that much of a difference when compared to the cheaper Firestone if I mainly drive city?

Hey bro, where did you get the quote. I've been looking for winters for weeks now and the price is above $600 for size 205/55/16. Any tire shop near scarborough????

[Ryvius]

Hey bro, where did you get the quote. I've been looking for winters for weeks now and the price is above $600 for size 205/55/16. Any tire shop near scarborough????

it's a private sales and my tires size is smaller than yours so it's cheaper.


Also, any more advices? This is my first winter since I got the car so I want the winter tires to be as safe as possible.

[DavidY]

http://www.wheels.ca/reviews/article/33060 noted that "The Blizzak WS-60 has the multicell rubber on the first 55 per cent of its tread. Below that, the tire reverts to a normal winter tread compound." Based on this information, I would expect that it's performance would also decrease when the remaining 45% tread is left.

One other difference is that the Winterforce is supposedly noisy. While the WS60 is relatively quiet.

Dave

[Jucius Maximus]

With the savings, I would get a set of dedicated winter rims.
Yaris OEM winter rims are 60.00 each at the stealership.

[Jucius Maximus]

http://www.wheels.ca/reviews/article/33060 noted that "The Blizzak WS-60 has the multicell rubber on the first 55 per cent of its tread. Below that, the tire reverts to a normal winter tread compound." Based on this information, I would expect that it's performance would also decrease when the remaining 45% tread is left.
Fur sure. However the first 55% is 100% awesome.

[dealmeone]

I have the Bridgestone Blizzaks and love them. I am on my 2nd winter with them. A friend of mine got 6 seasons out of his. They really do make a HUGE improvement in winter driving.

I'm sure the others are good too. The worst winter tires would be better in the snow than the best all season tires.

I guess it all comes down to the deal that you get. I set out to get the Michelin X-Ice tires but just happened to get a better deal on the Blizzaks. I don't think there is a huge difference between the 2 though.

[Tomy]

i had firestone on my 92 paseo and it sucked..

i heard nothing but good things about the bridgestone brand so far.. and from comments above, u should go for it!

[l69norm]

Fur sure. However the first 55% is 100% awesome.

+1. It took me 6 winters (70,000km) to wear out the multicell section on the first generation Blizzaks. The remaining 45% was WS-50 is all-season rubber vs. winter rubber in the WS-60.

[ES_Revenge]

Out of those, the Blizzak WS-60 for sure. UltraGrip Ice is dated, the Winterforce the price speaks for itself. Driving on Toronto roads though, I would say none of them and instead go with a Blizzak LM or similar. Though we did have a lot of snow last winter, even that wasn't really a lot of snow (compare to Montreal, Ottawa, Northern O, etc.); and, apparently this winter will not be as bad either.

[DavidY]

Yaris OEM winter rims are 60.00 each at the stealership.

At CT, 14 inch winter rims start at $46 each. 15 inch at $47. Also, Costco or Walmart should be in the same price range.

Dave

[Jucius Maximus]

At CT, 14 inch winter rims start at $46 each. 15 inch at $47. Also, Costco or Walmart should be in the same price range.

Dave

Yeah but those are probably not hubcentric.

[cheapmeister]

I had the blizzacks, the best winter tire I ever had. It only makes your car louder and dosen't handle as good as regular tires.
I like the michelins, they handle like a regular tire and still have good grip in the snow, not so much on ice though.

Since your in the t-dot I'd say get the michelins since you have less severe weather conditions to deal with.

[maniacshopper]

I have the Bridgestone Blizzaks and love them. I am on my 2nd winter with them. A friend of mine got 6 seasons out of his. They really do make a HUGE improvement in winter driving.

I'm sure the others are good too. The worst winter tires would be better in the snow than the best all season tires.

I guess it all comes down to the deal that you get. I set out to get the Michelin X-Ice tires but just happened to get a better deal on the Blizzaks. I don't think there is a huge difference between the 2 though.


+1
Out of the OP's list, w60 is the best. Don't cheap out, those 4 rubber bands that people call tires are the only contact with the road you have.

first 55% is awesome, after that, it's a regular winter tire.
If you don't like w60, the x-ice2i is also good compromise.
New tire tech sucks water off, so the tire can grip the road, ice, snow.
the michelin x-ice2 drive better than w60 in dry conditions, as w60 are full extreme winter tires.

[thomas101]

There are many tire reviews on www.tirerack.com written by buyers/drivers I assumed.

On that site, you can try to narrow down your seach to your size and makes then compare them side by side.