fnthawar

I'm debating whether my 2008 AWD *requires* winter tires? I live in Toronto, but have never put winter tires on any of my cars since 1990

Over the last few years however, many of my friends have switched over to getting winters and I'm wondering if need to do the same. Obviously winter tires are better, but are they required?

Farhan

shikbas

Having snow tires will be the best, I have the rx in our north east USA for many years,you have just to go slow but donot expect it will run free of troubles on snowy roads

RMB350

I run all seasons on mine and have never had any issues. I simply take it easy and if the roads look hazardous, I stay home. I'm sure however that Toronto gets more snow than Pittsburgh, so perhaps winter tires would be your best bet. Since it's an all wheel drive vehicle, make sure that you buy four of the same tire.

ripster

Run all seasons in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, have driven thru some storms. If I was driving every day and needed to go, then snows would be the choice. Since it is the wife's car and if the weather is bad, she could go, she just decides not to, so they have been fine even after the storm has stopped. Physics still plays a part regardless of tires.

dcdyd

My wife is driving 08 RX and we had it from 2010. It is AWD and we didn't get snow tire in 2010. But I am getting one for this winter because it is safer. If you drive very carefuly you can get it alone without it.

jfelbab

I live in the snow belt and have not gone to dedicated snow tires on my 04 AWD RX. I never had an issue even in heavy snow. I'm on Bridgestone Alenzas. I know from past experience that dedicated snow tires can make a huge difference but I've not felt the need with the RX. On other vehicles I've owned I bought dedicated snows mounted on take off wheels and would just swap them out in the garage. I'm also getting old and lazy so I think if the snow is bad I'll just stay home these days.

hypervish

I haven't ever bought snow tires, and never will. Don't need them.

ac921ol

iTrader: (1)

only an answer you can really answer our yearly snowfall must be different then yours. This is my first winter with the rd, but on my Audi I did all season tires
but in our case
Toronto - 50 AVG
DC- 53 AVG
you should be good with all season.

gusar

Don't have winter tires (Toronto) because there are only a few really bad days in winter. AWD behaves well on snow even with all seasons. But if I had a budget and place where keep spares... May be I would've bought them... May be not... Its entirely up to you.

stunt66

We got winter tires for the RX right away. For the most part AWD and a decent all season tire is ok but i've been saved twice because of winter tires in my car. Im 99% sure i wouldve slid into the cars in front of me if it werent for the winters, i drive like a total old man but when cars start to spin in front of you there's only so much space you can leave. Sure winters will cost a lot right away but you have to keep in consideration how many years of use you can get out of them. We paid $800 for the RX and i'm sure they'll last atleast 4 years if not more so thats less than $200 a year which to me is totally worth it. If you think an AWD RX with all seasons is good in snow wait till you run winters. My wife was away when we got our first huge dump last year 15-20cms overnight and i took the RX for those days and it was insane how good it handled. My best friend owns a rim shop and he said the cheapest winter tire is better than the most expensive all season tire(please tell me he didn't lie to me lol)

willyb0b

snow tires definitely help, but some decent all seasons and some common sense go a long way as well

Benzat17

never used winter tire nd not planing to use em . there is no need and specially in toronto you only get couple heavy ones and thats about it i usualy go with all season tires with 600+ thread and i should be ok

rcy

One thing no one has mentioned yet, is that WINTER tires (not snow tires) are not just for driving in snowy conditions, but in cold conditions. When it gets cold, the rubber in all season tires harden and the available traction diminishes (around 7 celsius according to the tire companies). The rubber in a winter tire stays flexible in cold weather, allowing the rubber to grip the road and maintaining traction over an all season tire.

In the end it's your call, but a few other advantages to offset the inital cost, is that your all seasons will last longer (since they're not being driven on for four to six months depending on when you mount your winter tires). If you have them on separate steel wheels and happen to ding the curb (easier to do in winter than summer), a steel wheel is way cheaper than a alloy rim. Depending on your insurance company, you may recieve a discount for running winter tires.

I'm no expert in rubber technology (and I doubt any of the people responding to this post are) but there are many experts out in the world who are, and almost all will extoll the benefits of winter tires.

willyb0b

I just woke up and it looks like there's a good 8 or 9 inches on the ground from overnight, and it's still coming down. I could go out there with the factory michelin tires and see what happens. But it's too cold, I'm too warm in the house with some good coffee, and the lexus is washed and clean in the garage.

MerlinT

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