vik611

Just wanted to know what winter tires people are driving on (I've already used the search function). I was thinking of getting the Michelin X-Ice 2s as I had these on my other car but I found out that the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3s are better suited for the GS3 AWD due to the speed rating as well as performance...is this true? Any experience with Nokians? Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

narfy

GS300 awd? i'd use michelin PILOT alpin 3... not to be confused with the primacy alpin 3...

the XI2 is more for corollas and camrys which don't perform nearly as nicely as your GS...

my IS300 is rocking a set of 2 year old michelin pilot alpin 2 ZP (runflat)... don't get runflats unless you don't carry a spare tire lol

nokian makes wonderful winter tires as well, however, they're fairly expensive, and a bit harder to get than michelin, as kal tire is the only retailer/distributor of nokian tires in canada...

Johnny

I'll be installing Bridgestone LM-60 Blizzaks shortly, so I'll report on them sometime in the future. Michelins look like an equivalent solution, albeit an expensive one. I think Contis or Pirellis are also highly rated and even more highly priced. I ordered mine from Tire Rack during a recent one-week trip with my SO to the US, which meant they are duty-free. ($750 CBSA exemption x 2)

vik611

Thanks for the response. yea...i think i'm going to purchase the pilot alpine pa3s (non-runflats). What are the main differences between the pilot and primacy? I would try nokians, but as you said, they are expensive. How do they compare to the pilot pa3s? Any experience with them?

Thanks for the response. Definately post your experience with the Blizzaks, heard they were good..

narfy

the blizzaks are definately good, but my experience with the pilot alpin 2 was amazing...

my second lexus (01 GS430) was unbelievably capable... i went EVERYWHERE with that... i drove from vancouver to whistler during white-out conditions to take some friends home because they stayed at whistler for a few days and didn't have winter tires, and therefore weren't allowed on the s2s highway... highway patrol looked at me and my car, and recommended against me going, i told them i'd take my chances... they never let me down, and i so far, to this day, have never gotten stuck...

my third lexus (01 IS300 - purchased a month or 2 ago) will be enjoying this winter with the PA2...

my friend with a 2003 G35 runs pilot alpin 3's and had nothing but good things to say about this tire... he said that they feel like driving a performance all-season tire when there's no snow on the ground, but when it's slippery out, they're super consistent, very sticky and predictable... he's has many years of track experience, so i'll take his word for it about tires...

michelin rates the pilot alpin 3 to be better in every way in comparison to the PA2... i don't think i've seen michelin go wrong before...

difference between primacy and pilot...

primacy is michelins premium touring tire line-up

pilot is michelins premium performance line-up

both tires would be good for you, but i MUCH perfer the pilot line-up because of the square contact patch... the primacy has a fairly round carcass, which is great for lower rolling resistance, but in my mind, bigger contact patch = more traction...

vik611

thanks for the information narfy...i'm definately going to get the alpine pilot pa3s!!

UberNoob

alpine pilot PA3 are awesome winter tires
michelin always consistently makes good winter tires

newgsman

iTrader: (4)

I have been driving for 30+ years and all my cars have been rear wheel drive.

I have been using the pilot alpins on my Cressida for several years and they have been amazing. The Cressida has LSD so that really helps with deep snow traction. My GS4 had Blizzaks when I bought it and they were slightly worn maybe used a couple of winters. Anyway the Blizzaks couldn't even get the car up my driveway. I switched to Goodyear GW3's. They performed very well. This year I found a good deal on Pilot Alpins so I am trying them out on the GS4 (no LSD but has VSC). Hopefully they will work well.

I also now have a set of General Arctic Altimax on my Cressida this winter. So far they seem very nice. They come highly rated and they are a great bang for the buck. We'll see how they work out as we get more inclement weather.

Jetfire

iTrader: (3)

^let us know how the generals work, heard great things about them.

i always thought blizzaks would be better than alpins

SorrGwa

iTrader: (1)

[sarcasm]anything from linglong or wanli's[/sarcasm]

SorrGwa

iTrader: (1)

i had ws-50s, werent too bad, i managed to get thru most of everything last couple years. sold the tires and upped to 17s due to camber spacers. so now i got the blizzak lm-25s. so far, they suck! hahahahaha the rear breaks loose all the time and the vsc light keeps flashing!

narfy

my room-mate's sister had blizzak WS50s on her IS300... she got stuck in the SFU parking lot facing uphill on a patch of ice... completely unacceptable... with 28psi in all 4 tires, she completley scrubbed the centre bald on all 4 tires... absolutely horrible tire... i'm sure the WS60 is better against wear... i personally have stayed away from blizzaks ever since this situation...

the general altimax arctic looks to be a cool tire; however, the construction quality and consistancy is definately something that proves it's a "value brand" tire... i've seen better construction on off-shore brand tires... P205/70R15" sienna tires looked horrible, but P215/65R16" sienna tires looked decent.. the 15" tire looked like it missed a step of the finishing process... all the tread blocks had rubber flaps joining them... after a week of driving tho, they looked fine...

the tire i'm VERY curious to see results from is the BF goodrich winter slalom KSI... but thats a mid-range winter tire, vs premium products from michelin...

my next set of winter tires will be pilot alpin 3, and my next set of summer tires will be pilot sport AS+

winter tires i've owned/driven on and the vehicles they were on, and how i rate them:

nokian hakkapelliita RSi
P185/65R14" - 1995 toyota corolla 3spd auto 1.6...
unbelievable on this little car... never got stuck... even last winter...
bad: last winter took 50% of the tires life away... in 10,000kms...

michelin pilot alpin 2
P225/55R16" - 1995 lexus SC400, 2001 lexus GS430 (2 different sets of tires)
P205/55R16" - 2001 lexus IS300
very predictable handling, decent acceleration traction, very very good braking traction for heavy heavy RWD cars...
SC400 - 30,000kms and counting on these tires, and they're still 50% remaining
GS430 - 20,000kms and counting on these tires, and they're still 70% remaining
i have nothing bad to say about these tires...

michelin x-ice XI2
P185/65R14" - 1990 toyota corolla GTS
215/65R16" - 2008 toyota sienna CE FWD
215/60R16" - 2006 toyota camry LE V6
very sticky in winter conditions... especially last winter, where there was a foot of snow on the ground at all times between dec13 and jan30...
bad: spongy feeling, less than chrisp response... typical on passenger winter tires where "feel" is not important...

hankook iPike W409 studded
P175/65R14" - 1985 toyota corolla GTS coupe
unbelievable traction on ice, good thru hard packed, and deep snow, decent in slush
bad: because theyr'e studded, they're noisy, have decreased traction on dry ground, and are illegal most of the year, and in teh city...

michelin x-ice
P185/60R14" - 1985 toyota corolla GTS hatch
decent all-round winter tire... nothing phenominal...
bad: square shouldered blocks became roundish due to tread block flex under hard cornering... normal for a passenger winter tire... i drive like a ****...

michelin arctic alpin
P185/60R14" - 1990 VW jetta 3spd 1.8 auto
P185/70R14" - 1984 volvo 240 4spd 2.3 auto, 1987 toyota corolla GTS coupe
P195/60R15" - 1990 volvo 740GL 4spd 2.3 auto
smooth handling, wet or dry, great in deep snow, fair on ice, good thru slush (very well siped)
bad: whistles on acceleration and deceleration

yokohama gaurdex 600
P185/60R14" - 1985 toyota corolla GTS
decent in shallow and deep snow... fair on ice (old technology tire)
bad: horrible thru deep slushy snow...

SorrGwa

iTrader: (1)

driver skill has a lot to do with it too.

in my prelude, i had toyo observes. when i first got them, i was spinning around everywhere, until i was taught how to properly drive in winter, lesson learned.

in my gs, im still learning, i wouldnt say im a great driver, but years of driving and 3years owning a rwd car makes a difference.

in the highlander, got this thing stuck last year for the first time, because of 3ft pile of snow.

in my past g35, omg, nevermind, i was a total newb!

my dad, in the past had more skill but i think i surpassed him just by purely how much driving i do (use to log 30,000km on the road yearly)

my sis, a new driver, she got the highlander stuck once already, and we barely had any snow! im just waiting for her to crash it, not saying she's a horrible driver, but id keep far away if i knew it was her driving.

Photon440

iTrader: (3)

Good experience with Michelin Pilots on four different vehicles (Plymouth Laser, Plymouth Neon, BMW 735[not mine] and my SC400). However, with some wear and reduced tread depth, my SC was stranded at work a couple of years ago. Since then, I've installed the Nokians on both the Laser and SC.

What a world of difference. Both cars act as if their traction has doubled, for braking, cornering and acceleration. You know what the record snowfall was like last year, and I had no trouble anywhere. I'd get them again for winter driving. Mine have a treadwear rating of 400 and have barely any wear in 20,000km.

And, I don't think I've ever had a tire grab the road better when it's raining. Which means superior traction for over half the year around here.

BUT...they do have a little more road noise than the Michelins. There is a noticeable tire hum/whine at speeds over 60/kmh that I could do without.

I don't remember exactly, but I think they cost about $1200 for the set of 245/40 18's.

-=Photon=-

Jetfire

iTrader: (3)

i wanted to see how my OEM all seasons on sunday would fare against the super light snow on side streets. worst tires ever. even going 10km/h i started to slip during turns. abs kicking in, traction control, stability control(snow mode on). potenza re92s suck. why did lxus ever pick these as OEM? they're not even cheap.

i rather they put on some kumhos or hanooks than these tires. not surprised though, bad ratings on tire rack and whe i turn off traction control when it's raining, the tires just spin out.

tires with ~3500km on them feel like bald tires. thankfully i have a winter beater with snow tires. not gonna drive my IS unless the ice is gone.