I live in the frozen tundra aka Chicago and need to replace the tires (Bridgestone Turanza EL42) on my 2008 LS460 after 24,000 miles. Can anyone recommend a decent all weather tire that will get me through the snow and ice? The Turanzas are worthless in the snow and the dealership recommended the Dunlop Sport Maxx All Season. Thanks in advance.

I've always had good luck with Michelin Pilot Sport A/Ss in Chicago ... I've been running Pirelli Nero Zero M + S on the LS this winter , and so far so good ..My driving is mostly post-plow pre melt slushy city crap, but have been out during a few snow showers ..

if you are going to drive in snow, snow tires..

the rwd and all-season combo doesn't really work to well on snow..

think of it this way... you are risking $7000+ in damages to save $700 (which will last you 3+ years/seasons)

cheapest snow tires > best all-season tires.

I agree with joedaddy1 that your best bet in Chicago would be to go with snow tires but if you've decided on AW tires, I had very good results with the Bridgestone Potenza RE 960 AS Pole Position on my 550i.

I have the Dunlop tires on my car and they're terrible in the snow. Go with Michelin's...
The Dunlop tires are terrible tires in any weather.

Craig

Dedicated Snow Tires are NOT always the best bet if one lives in the city of Chicago; There's an additional expense of storage of the Summer wheels ( not everyone has garages, and some condos restrict what can be stored in the parking area ) .Some dealers offer the service . The second issue is finding the right snow tire; dry handling is important, since the city is very good at clearing the main streets and expressways quickly , and keeping them treated - some snows wear out very quickly on dry pavement and are truly meant for more continuously or packed snow . It's also contingent on the OPs driving requirements; lots of city folk can use alternate, more snow friendly transit ( or, if it's really bad, stay put ; the taxis and SUV mainiacs are a big threat then) ... Bottom line, if I lived in the 'burbs where the plowings not always timely and need to drive everywhere, the blizzaks or something equivalent would be on from 10/15 - 4/15 ..but I don't , so I can get by with good all seasons year around ..

Amen to that!

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Imdons, you should research the tires at Tire Rack.

I'm no expert but shouldn't we be talking about "winter" tires rather than "snow" tires. I live in Toronto and I believe we get less severe winters than say Chicago IL. but I still use winter tires. I have read that the main reason for winter tires is the ability to stop, not just go. Also, below about 7 C (~45 F) winter tires grip better than all season even on dry surfaces.

Actually, premium All Season M+S rated tires do use the compound for lower temps .. i've run mine in -5 to -10 F with no 'hockey puck' issues of stiffening compound .. This is the primary reason the typical 'performance summer' tires can be a hazard in winter, even on dry pavement ..

Interesting - does this mean that developments in tire technology eliminate the need for winter tires, especially RWD vehicles?

No ... if one lives in an area where plowing can be infrequent, or in the snow belt , full blown snow tires are a must ...Using the Chicago area as an example, if one lives in Northwest Indiana, particularly from Valparaiso and east, the lake effect snowfall is usually double what the city gets, and areas are suburban to ex-burban.. all-seasons won't cut it because of the frequent heavy snowfalls .. I'm in the city, but I wouldn't run anything but M+S all seasons precisely because I have cold pavement 4 -5 months out of the year , and really cold for 1 to 2 of those most winters ..

We've just had over 5 days of rain out here in Sunny San Diego ;-( I replaced the OEM tires with new Micheln Pilot Sport A/S from Discount Tires last month. Very happy with performance and they seem to be quieter.

Being a fellow Chicagoan (West Rogers Park), we gave up and always switched tires for winter.

Thanks, wr,
jeff

you are mistaking, my friend.. snow tires are actually winter tires.. i am pretty sure the winters in chicago are below 45F average.. they are not only designed for snow, they are also designed for cold weather. They don't wear out any faster on the dry pavement than any other tires. they wear out faster on a HOT dry pavement.. say when it's 90 degrees outside.. i think you should visit www.tirerack.com they have great readings/videos on winter tires, and why they are useful.

i have tried running all-season vs winter tires.. world of difference.. especially on a RWD.. wow.

I say go Michelin buddy. Best tires I ever owned!!!! All Season or Summer tires you cant go wrong with Michelin!! No tire is perfect but, in my 17 years of car ownership I never owned Michelins until 2 years ago and Im overjoyed with them. Wish I had got them from day one because though they cost a bit or much more than cheaper brands the quality and longevity of them pays you back. L.G.N.M