Topic: Tires for Subaru Outback 3.6

[saint_satan]

My cousin has sought my opinion as a "car guy" but I confess I don't know too much about winter tires.  Last week he picked up a spiffy red 2011 Outback 3.6. (I have to confess, I hated the new styling at first but it's really growing on me - after driving it around the block I'm actually envious - things have come a long way from my '01 XJ!)

The Subie dealer has a tire package featuring Firestone Winterforce in the $130 -140 range.  He was wondering how these would stack up against the Goodyear Nordic which is slightly cheaper.

He lives on the edge of the snowbelt and drives to Brampton.  I think his main threats would be the occasional 30cm dump of snow and the hardpack you get on secondary roads.

How do these tires compare?  Are there beter alternatives in the sub$150 range?

[mrthompson]

My family has used Winterforce tires on several vehicles (94 Cavalier, 98 Cavalier, 99 Taurus wagon).  They are a good all around winter tire.  My only complaints are that they are noisy and squirmy.  The Nordic is probably a better bet given the lower price.

[inco]

For the price of the tires and rims that the dealers sell, it's worth it to buy them. Down the road you can always change tires if you are not happy and still get a reasonably good buck for the Winterforces.

[quadzilla]

Are there beter alternatives in the sub$150 range?

Is that price for tire only or tire/wheel?

[davidy]

General Altimax Arctics are value priced winter tires that are rated very highly by CR (2nd behind Michelin XIce Xi2) and others. They are studdable where it is legal too. Tirerack has done real world testing on the General Altimax Arctic, Firestone Winterforce and Pirelli Winter Carving Edge.....General Altimax Arctic were the best of the three. Not sure if the General have the right size for the Subaru though. One should check if the tires can minus sized. I think that the 2011 Subaru Outback 3.6 has a stock tire size of 225/60-17. If it can clear the brake calipers, one can minus size down to 225/65-16 (-0.4%)or 215/70-16 (+0.8%) -- need to check load rating too....stock load rating is 102. Alternate tires are 100. Change to alternate tire size to 225/70-16 (+2.8%)...load ratings vary from 101 to 102.

Dave

[saint_satan]

$150 is tire only.  I think subies factory steelies are in the $70 -80 range...

[blur911]

We put used 16" WRX wheels on our Outback shod with Dunlop DS-3 winters, looks great and the wheels were $120 used.  Check Kijiji.
Other than that, he'd probably be happy with either the Nordics or the Generals.

[KptKrunch]

General Altimax Arctics are value priced winter tires that are rated very highly by CR (2nd behind Michelin XIce Xi2) and others. They are studdable where it is legal too. Tirerack has done real world testing on the General Altimax Arctic, Firestone Winterforce and Pirelli Winter Carving Edge.....General Altimax Arctic were the best of the three. Not sure if the General have the right size for the Subaru though. One should check if the tires can minus sized. I think that the 2011 Subaru Outback 3.6 has a stock tire size of 225/60-17. If it can clear the brake calipers, one can minus size down to 225/65-16 (-0.4%)or 215/70-16 (+0.8%) -- need to check load rating too....stock load rating is 102. Alternate tires are 100. Change to alternate tire size to 225/70-16 (+2.8%)...load ratings vary from 101 to 102.

Dave

Good job thinking ahead. I have a 3.6R - GREAT VEHICLE!!!!! You need 17" rims - 16" WILL NOT clear the Rotors (they're bigger than the 2.5i).

Price is for tires only (not a bad price, they wanted $160 here). However, I do a lot of highway/freeway driving. I don't want a squirmy tire. I bought the NITTO SN2's - on alloy winter rims - here's a pic:





The rims look close to factory. Tires were $200 a piece. More of an ice tires (parent company is Toyo and they are close to the Observe GO2) but they are more performance oriented.

I've driven in all kinds of ice and snow already this winter, hwy, freeway, and city streets/side streets. Tires are great. Oh, and the General Altimax do not come in the stock size, you'd need to go to a different size.

Figure out what kind of driving will be done, and how aggressively it will be done (I can easily do the speed limit in icy conditions with this vehicle and tires as long as I have open road, and have all the confidence in the world when passing on said icy roads).

[saint_satan]

Thanks for the replies, guys!  I've told my cousin to read this page. 

Nordics are known as being a little loud, but they aren't a squishy tire, are they? 

Most of his trips are up the 400 with the odd trip in the winter to cottage country for snowmobiling.  He lives in Innisville (just south of Barrie) so he'll get a bit of lake effect snow.  His trips are similiar to mine.  The roads get ploughed fairly well but the heavy use of the local roads means they frequently get covered in packed snow.

[blur911]

Good job thinking ahead. I have a 3.6R - GREAT VEHICLE!!!!! You need 17" rims - 16" WILL NOT clear the Rotors (they're bigger than the 2.5i).

Good to know, our Outback is a '03 with the 3.0, 16" work fine.  Guess they upgraded the brakes on the later models. 
Good thing as some people complained previous Outbacks were underbraked which led to problems.

BTW, If your friend doesn't like a squishy winter tire, the Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D is a highly rated performance winter tire that would solve that problem.  Might be pricey though.

[davidy]

After checking several Canadian tire etailers, there is only one H-rated winter tires in the 225/60-17 size that is less than $150. It's Kumho KW23. Other H-rated tires in this size are much more pricey.

An alternate tire size is 215/65-17 (+1.4%). Little or no H-rated winter performance tires available in this size.

Dave

[KptKrunch]

Good job thinking ahead. I have a 3.6R - GREAT VEHICLE!!!!! You need 17" rims - 16" WILL NOT clear the Rotors (they're bigger than the 2.5i).

Good to know, our Outback is a '03 with the 3.0, 16" work fine.  Guess they upgraded the brakes on the later models. 
Good thing as some people complained previous Outbacks were underbraked which led to problems.

BTW, If your friend doesn't like a squishy winter tire, the Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D is a highly rated performance winter tire that would solve that problem.  Might be pricey though.

Yeah, but only on the 3.6R. The 2.5i 4 cylinder has smaller rotors and can take a 16" wheel no problem.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

This little tidbit of info had slipped past me. Now I've got brand new 225/65R16 Blizzaks on my old Outback winter rims, and of course they don't fit over the front callipers.

Fortunately, I bought the tires at Costco, and they're willing to replace them with 225/60R17s once I provide them with the new rims. Apparently, it's going to take 5 days to get the 17" rims in.

26 years of swapping out tires, and it's the first time this has happened.

[2latecrew]

I just chose winter tires in that price range (although in 16 inch size)
http://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php/topic,76149.0.html

For the extra few $ I'm very happy I chose the Continental Extreme Winter Contact
Picked up the car yesterday and it was clear sunny and 9 C but the tires were surprisingly quiet. For a T rated tire they don't seem squirmy on the highway really no worse than the Toyo Observe KX I had before (thats on the highway cornering the Toyos were definitely superior)

If you look you should be able to find them for close to the price of your other choices.

[5 Wheel Drive]

This little tidbit of info had slipped past me. Now I've got brand new 225/65R16 Blizzaks on my old Outback winter rims, and of course they don't fit over the front callipers.

Fortunately, I bought the tires at Costco, and they're willing to replace them with 225/60R17s once I provide them with the new rims. Apparently, it's going to take 5 days to get the 17" rims in.

26 years of swapping out tires, and it's the first time this has happened.

Oops!  I almost made the same mistake when I had my RSX.  The Type S had bigger front brakes and you couldn't go down to a 15" rim.  At least you're not stuck with them...