Topic: Question for all you Ottawa folk

[dorin]

You really ought to get winter tires.  If anything, the 401 around Kingston is way nastier than Ottawa proper in terms of freezing rain and snow.

Personally, I much prefer to take highway 7 to Peterborough, then the 115 to the 401 in order to get to Toronto.  It takes slightly less time since it is 50 km shorter.  Also because the lower speed limit on the 7, I find that I use notceably less gas to get to T.O.

[mmret]

You really ought to get winter tires.  If anything, the 401 around Kingston is way nastier than Ottawa proper in terms of freezing rain and snow.

Personally, I much prefer to take highway 7 to Peterborough, then the 115 to the 401 in order to get to Toronto.  It takes slightly less time since it is 50 km shorter.  Also because the lower speed limit on the 7, I find that I use notceably less gas to get to T.O.

I fully intend to get some Hakkas...my problem was whether or not I should go for AWD. I might be doing a lot of Ottawa-GTA drives in the winters upcoming.

Thought about Highway 7, but it sounds like it would be more deserted than the 401. Also, fewer places to stop for a snack, etc. IE: if you get into trouble you're more likely to find help on the 401 than on highway 7, but perhaps thats overanalysing it.

[airbalancer]

You really ought to get winter tires.  If anything, the 401 around Kingston is way nastier than Ottawa proper in terms of freezing rain and snow.

Personally, I much prefer to take highway 7 to Peterborough, then the 115 to the 401 in order to get to Toronto.  It takes slightly less time since it is 50 km shorter.  Also because the lower speed limit on the 7, I find that I use notceably less gas to get to T.O.

I fully intend to get some Hakkas...my problem was whether or not I should go for AWD. I might be doing a lot of Ottawa-GTA drives in the winters upcoming.

Thought about Highway 7, but it sounds like it would be more deserted than the 401. Also, fewer places to stop for a snack, etc. IE: if you get into trouble you're more likely to find help on the 401 than on highway 7, but perhaps thats overanalysing it.

it is only a 4 hour driv along hwy 7( just over 3 to Cobourg down 45)
There is alot of small towns along 7, and there is always people driving along there.
I think it is a bit of a longer drive then the 401, but it is not great
Like Dorin writes, you use less gas

[tortoise]

I tend to take the HWY 7 route as well, provided the conditions are decent.  It's a lousy drive at night and in the rain.

Another alternative is to take the 37 south to the 401.  This gives a more even split of two-lane vs. 401 driving.

As for winter tires, they really are useful in ottawa winters.  Especially if you're planning to do any skiing.  Like Wing said, they make the drive safer and WAY less scary. 

[curls]

About the Nokian Hakk comments... we have them on my wifes' car and they are great winter tires, but only truly great in DEEP snow.  On ice, they're not the best there are (about midrange, basically), and they are noisy on most road surfaces.  There are the Hakk 1's I'm talking about -- I don't know if the 2's or the newest ones are the same -- read some reviews.

I currently have Michelin Acrtic Alpin on my TSX and they're more than sufficient for ice/slick conditions and light to moderate snow.  In the rare even we get VERY deep snow, they're not the best but the roads are plowed well here (especially if you live on a bus route).

I think one more season out of these Michelin's and then its on to something else, maybe the X-Ice, or a cheaper tire that performs well on ice.

[safristi]

"gently used tyres"...wot did she use them in her Dominatrix swings? .....once ya put a tyre on a car..it's in it's "element" made to be weighed down,squeezed and spanked round corners..sort of like Trixies house of PAIN...now unless they rip it off curbs,use it flaccidly and paddle it on glass and gravel it's A TYRE.................

[mmret]

About the Nokian Hakk comments... we have them on my wifes' car and they are great winter tires, but only truly great in DEEP snow.  On ice, they're not the best there are (about midrange, basically), and they are noisy on most road surfaces.  There are the Hakk 1's I'm talking about -- I don't know if the 2's or the newest ones are the same -- read some reviews.

I currently have Michelin Acrtic Alpin on my TSX and they're more than sufficient for ice/slick conditions and light to moderate snow.  In the rare even we get VERY deep snow, they're not the best but the roads are plowed well here (especially if you live on a bus route).

I think one more season out of these Michelin's and then its on to something else, maybe the X-Ice, or a cheaper tire that performs well on ice.

I think Hakka 1s is a pretty old design. I've heard good things about the Hakka RSi (successor to the Hakka Q), but then again most if it has been anecdotal rather than comparison test.

I guess I could get REVO1 or X-Ice but those cost a bit more AFAIK.

EDIT: I have found this review that compares the RSi, Wintersport M3, and three other tires I haven't heard of. Its in Swedish but there is enough there to understand.
http://www.vibilagare.se/produkttest.asp?guid=F9BE899B-39D1-4787-9C47-63A3B64FF837&PageNo=0&pageid=

[carjoe]

I hated my Arctic Alpines...loved my crappy tire super deep lug no name winter tires as well Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice.

On topic, winter tires are a must. Not so much for the deep snow but the slush and the ice. Black ice on bridges is a big concern too...

AWD is very nice but not necessary. FWD or even RWD with traction control with winters will make it everywhere.

[daft]

I'll echo what most have said. In the last 10 years, Ottawa has been getting a mixed-bag of winter surprises. Winter tires are a must in Ottawa, wether they are the best you can buy or Crappy Tire specials.
We used to get way way more snow than now...

I gotta say that Ottawa's snow clearing is the best I've ever seen.

[mar1990]

...Michelin dropped them after only a couple of years because of poor performance. They replaced them with the X-ice model. ...

I agree with that.  The Arctic Alpines are great on ice/packed snow, but lousy in loose snow.  The main tread has no blocks, just continuous bands of sipes all around.  Looks like the engineers focused on ice/ freezing rain performance, and forgot about fresh snow.  One time,  coming to a stopsign, the road was full of snow, but the area where the stopsign was very icy.  The arctic alpine tires were useless on the ice as I suspect they had been covered in the fresh snow from just prior to reaching the ice.

The newer alpines are separated into blocks.