Anyone just run all season tires in the winter?
 

This will most likely be the last winter my SDL sees so I don't want to spend $500 on a set of Blizzaks. I have an aftermarket set of wheels on it now with a set of Yoko's that are not really ment for snow.

But I do have a set of stock wheels with a set of Firestones on them that have around 1/2 tread left. I was thinking about just cleaning up these wheels and using them.
Or option two is to get a super cheap set of tires mounted on my other set of stock wheels. These wheels came with the car and have a bald set of Mich on them but the wheels are in great shape. I could probably get the local tire shop to mount and balance a set of 4 cheapo tires on them for around $200. I replaced my spare with a new $50 tire this spring and frankly it has a nice tread and looks like a decent tire. H speed rated too.

Any thoughts? I only need to run these from the begining of December to the end of March. Once the snow stops my nice wheels will be going back on. I only need to get a few months out of them next year I won't be driving the SDL in the winter.

Thanks

Ill be running all season continentals on our E300D this winter. They are fairly new.Will see how the car will handle

Are the Firestones M&S rated or all-season rated?
can you measure the tread, either use a milimeter ruler or insert a penny upside down in the middle and side groves of the tread and tell us at what point does Lincoln's head disappear.

I use all season in Maryland with ice and some deep snow most winters.
Also I'm comfortable using a shovel to dig out a path, but be sure health wise it is safe for your heart before using a shovel.

No doubt a cheap pair of snow is the surest way not to get stuck. Tread depth is the key to deal with traction on deep snow.

have you ever delt with snow chains?

just some things to think about,

My experience is that M+S tires are Ok, not great in the snow. If it is cold enough then they do ok, but the driving when it is 28-34 degrees can be when you really have to pay attention to the car and traffic. I have come to the conclusion that all season tires just stress me out when I have to get somewhere... so I run winter tires in the winter, and what ever else durring the other 2 and a half seasons around here.

I drive my rear-wheel drive volvo mostly in the city and on expressways in an area where we have 3 1/2 months of winter, often with little snow, and with good road maintenance. Therefore, I use my Yokohama H-rated all-seasons year round. If snow happens, I plan my route better, watch where I park, and drive very carefully ... or just wait for the salt trucks. If we had a lot more snow, I would probably have a separate set of winter tires. Only regret is using my pricey wheels in the winter.

JDmills you have an SDL with 23k miles! :eek: :cool: You must come to one of our gtg so we can drool over it! :D It must look like new!

Ok I looked at the tires their not Firestone their BFgoodrich Touring T/A's that are M/S rated. The tread comes up to about 2/3 of Lincolns nose.

Maybe a used set of Blizzaks is the way to go?

Your tires seem to be right at the margin of useful snow traction if my measurements are correct.
If you live in an area where most people use dedicated snow tires, time to change.

It doesn't snow that much around here since I'm on the water. Maybe I should go the cheap new all season route.

if you don't get much snow, maybe a two inch coating once in awhile, keep what you have.

After much research I decided on the Continental ExtremeContact for the 87 300SDL. This will be it's first winter so we'll see what happens....... Price was very reasonable from TireRack.

I have started looking into tire chains just to have.

Stephen

I snagged a set of slightly used Firestones from Brian C, I will mount them on the best set of 15 hole wheels I have and call it good. I just need to get through this winter.

I have used my Michelin MXV4's predecessor (I dont remember what they are called) in up to 6 inches of snow and ice with few problems. However, I just invested $500 in Nokian Hak2s shipped from Denver. I have decided against studding them though, with the warning from the retailer I bought them from about the noise.

Get a set of Nokian WR's. I have a set on my Passat Wagon right now and they outperform the Michelin MXV's which came with the car. They're also better than my old Michelin Arctic Alpins. I'm in Denver right now, we had snow yesterday driving up through Ute pass, snow in the morning in the city, sunshine in the afternoon. Temps went from 28F to 40F. The car never broke traction.

Hatterasguy,
would like to make it to a GTG some time. the first event will be with the BEATER 300TD.

The 300SDL was my dads, I will dig it out some day, and try and iron out a few of the electrical gremlins in it. Then find out if the trap oxidizer has been replaced, get the radio code installed... boy it is an endless list and you wouldnt think so with a car of such few miles... but it is a sweet body style, and such a Big car.

I am considering chains, although I drove the last three winter in a 2wd ford ranger, and never had any problems, if the roads are that bad, I am best staying home.
Jason

My girlfriend's AWD subaru gets most of the nasty winter days, and it uses a quality all-season year round (turanzas). Of course, the AWD and low clearance means it hugs the road like it was velcroed to it. I don't know why people think big high SUVs are better in the snow. More weight = more to skid, more clearance means more wobble, which means more likely to skid. 4 wheel drive does NOT mean 4 wheel STOP. Sorry, just frustrated at all the 'hardcore' vehicles we see run off the road in the winter while our subaru works the worst weather like it was born for it.

As for the 300TD, I'm going to keep all seasons on it all year. We are projected to have a light winter this year, and I don't have a whole lot of driving to do, certainly not enough to support the cost of an additional set of wheels and 400$ worth of tire. Just go slow, be careful, and if conditions are too bad to drive, just stay home, no job or class is worth risking your life.

peace,
sam