Forester Tires

[etbm2003]

I have a 2004 Forester XS that needs new tires. I live in the
northeast and HATE to drive in snow and ice, so I'm wondering what
kind of tires will give me optimal performance in those conditions.
Consumer Reports suggested Dunlop Sport SP 5000s, performance all-
season tires, but I'm wondering if anyone else has other
recommendations. I don't want to get too much tire (I don't do
anything crazy in the car, so I don't need anything extravagant), but
I also want to get tires that will do as well as possible in winter
weather (without getting separate snow tires; I can really only afford
one set). Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[Catherine Jefferson]

I have a 2004 Forester XS that needs new tires. I live in the
northeast and HATE to drive in snow and ice, so I'm wondering what
kind of tires will give me optimal performance in those conditions.
Consumer Reports suggested Dunlop Sport SP 5000s, performance all-
season tires, but I'm wondering if anyone else has other
recommendations. I don't want to get too much tire (I don't do
anything crazy in the car, so I don't need anything extravagant), but
I also want to get tires that will do as well as possible in winter
weather (without getting separate snow tires; I can really only afford
one set). Thanks for any help you can give me!

My husband and I have a 1999 Forester, and when we bought it last year
we replaced its worn-out tires with a set of Michelin Harmony tires.
They've served us well, on dry paved roads, on ice and snow, and on jeep
tracks in the deserts and mountains of southern and central California.
We recently moved to Reno, Nevada and might need to get snow tires
here, but the Harmonys really do perform well in a wide range of conditions.

 

[Harvey]

Not sure if Nokias are available in your area - but check out:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/hl/nokian.htm

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I have a 2004 Forester XS that needs new tires. I live in the
northeast and HATE to drive in snow and ice, so I'm wondering what
kind of tires will give me optimal performance in those conditions.
Consumer Reports suggested Dunlop Sport SP 5000s, performance all-
season tires, but I'm wondering if anyone else has other
recommendations. I don't want to get too much tire (I don't do
anything crazy in the car, so I don't need anything extravagant), but
I also want to get tires that will do as well as possible in winter
weather (without getting separate snow tires; I can really only afford
one set). Thanks for any help you can give me!

TripleTreds have a center section with some type of particles embedded
in the rubber to help with ice traction IIRC.


fyi

Carl

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

TripleTreds have a center section with some type of particles embedded
in the rubber to help with ice traction IIRC.


fyi

Carl

oops - here's a link to some blurbs and reviews;
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...reModel=Assurance+TripleTred&partnum=26HR6ATT

 

[J R]

go to Tirerack.com and click on the tires in the size you need, then if
you click on a certain tire, you can read many customer reviews, & that
will give you a good idea what actual users of each tire you might be
interesterd in thinks of them. I alwys check that sight ot when I need
tires just because they ave so many unbiased reviews, good ones & bad
ones.

good luck...

 

[S]

Hi etbm2003!

I have a 2004 Forester XS that needs new tires. I live in the
northeast and HATE to drive in snow and ice, so I'm wondering what
kind of tires will give me optimal performance in those conditions.
Consumer Reports suggested Dunlop Sport SP 5000s, performance all-
season tires, but I'm wondering if anyone else has other
recommendations. I don't want to get too much tire (I don't do
anything crazy in the car, so I don't need anything extravagant), but
I also want to get tires that will do as well as possible in winter
weather (without getting separate snow tires; I can really only afford
one set). Thanks for any help you can give me!

The Ms. and I both drive Forries. We are using the Hankook "I-Pike
RW11" tire on both cars, and it performs well. While it is a winter
tire, it is reasonably quiet on dry pavement, works great on
gravel/dirt/muddy roads, and seems to wear well. I'm running a studded
set this winter, but used the same tire w/o studs all last summer.

FWIW, the tread pattern is very similar to the _much_ higher priced
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5.

Please consider that no "all season" tire is going to perform as well
as a dedicated winter tire on snowpack or slush, and nothing short of
studs or chains works particularly well on glare ice. Your best friend
in these conditions is the awesome Subaru AWD system, and your driving
experience/confidence.

Good advice, no matter what tire you ultimately select is to get your
car out in a empty, snow/ice covered parking lot and practice sliding
around until you're comfortable with the feeling, and can make your
car stop and go where you want it to. Better advice would be to find a
local club that sponsors autocross or rallycross events (try searching
for local SCCA clubs), and see if they don't do "ice-cross" events in
the winter. Sign up and go have some fun! Trust me on this one; not
only is it HUGE FUN, you'll be a much more confident (and hence
safer), driver in winter conditions as a result.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101