Topic: Blizzak WS-80 - 100$ rebate at Costco

[pi314]

Now that I've driven the Focus through some snow I can confirm the WS80s are very good.

Normal day-to-day driving it's only slightly noisier, but handling is still very good

Snow driving... AMAZING... only mild slipping through the slushiest of slush when gunning it... but certainly very good.

Not sure there's a whole lot of difference compared to WS70s, but that isn't a bad thing... Haven't tested ice yet.

[phil]

Been out in the snow and ice with the Legacy and new WS80s.  I like them a lot. Excellent braking and startup. 

[tortoise]

Finally had my WS-80's installed.

My wife and oldest went to Costco on Friday for a 6 pm appt.  Earlier in the week they had said it would be an hour.  When she dropped the car off it was going to be an hour and a half.  Ended up being 2.

I forgot to tell my wife where the wheel lock was located (I really need to stop using those).  Costco staff didn't get her cell number so they tried calling our home, to no luck.  End result was I had to bring the car back yesterday and pay an extra $30.  Not sure that charge is entirely fair, but I wasn't entirely in the right so I'm not going to whine about $30.

Took them for a spin in the rain and so far am very impressed.  They are quiet, smooth and handle really well.  None of the squishyness associated with Blizzak's  and handled leagues better than the Nordfrost 5's that were our previous winter tires (never really liked those).

[SKYMTL]

I bought the tires without the rebate.  Anyone know if Costco will refund me the price difference how that there will be a new rebate in place? 

[johngenx]

I bought the tires without the rebate.  Anyone know if Costco will refund me the price difference how that there will be a new rebate in place?

Doubtful.  The rebate isn't by Costco, but by Bridgestone.

[SKYMTL]

That's may be true.  However, when I look at the Bridgestone page, it says the rebate is applicable for purchases from all locations BUT Costco.  I believe Costco manages their own rebate programs for tires. 

I'm also wondering the mileage I'll get out of these things before hitting the "all season" compound.  With my ~2000KMs per month I'm guessing three winters worth. 

[johngenx]

That's may be true.  However, when I look at the Bridgestone page, it says the rebate is applicable for purchases from all locations BUT Costco.  I believe Costco manages their own rebate programs for tires.

The money for the rebate is not Costco cash, it's Bridgestones.  They have a separate rebate program that is unique to Costco, but is still administered by Bridgestone and they set dates, rebate amounts, etc.  If you're outside the dates, then Costco receives no rebate, so I doubt they'd extend it to you.  But, you never know.  Back when they had the double rebate ($70+30) I had to order tires and technically I ended up outside the $30 rebate window, but when I spoke to the store manager about it (as I was ready to buy during the rebate period) he saw that I'd been a member since 1989 and my local store picked up the extra $30.

[quadzilla]

I ended up outside the $30 rebate window, but when I spoke to the store manager about it (as I was ready to buy during the rebate period) he saw that I'd been a member since 1989 and my local store picked up the extra $30.

I'm sure he noticed that you spent around a bazillion dollars on chicken alone so the goodwill was well worth it. 

[Noto]

RX got the 17" iG51vs on today, Corolla gets 5th season Xi2s tomorrow, and Forester gets 4th season Blizzaks on the 22nd.

Compared to the 18" Nito 421Qs on the RX, the Yokohamas are softer, steering feels lighter, but are much louder and handling is now a mess.  Perfect exactly what I was hoping for!

my back isn't happy with the tire loading/unloading though.

[tortoise]

5th season?

I've never got more then 3.

[HeliDriver]

5th season?

I've never got more then 3.

Measuring tire life in seasons is like measuring your fuel economy in kilometers per tank.

[johngenx]

I'm sure he noticed that you spent around a bazillion dollars on chicken alone so the goodwill was well worth it. 

 

[Solstice2006]

That's true, on my 5th season with my Continentals, but I am always late to put them on, and early to take them off. End of November, and end of march.  They have gone from 2008 Mazda6, 2010 Mazda5, and now back on a 2015 Mazda6, on November 27th. 

[tortoise]

Measuring tire life in seasons is like measuring your fuel economy in kilometers per tank.

Oh, totally.

I just have a hard time believing that we drive almost twice as much as NoTo.

[dkaz]

Measuring tire life in seasons is like measuring your fuel economy in kilometers per tank.

Oh, totally.

I just have a hard time believing that we drive almost twice as much as NoTo.

I think it's more like Noto has twice as many cars as you (or 50% more)? Or he drives 15,000km a winter spread over three cars vs. 20,000km a winter for you spread over two cars. Or he puts his winter tires on later and takes them off earlier than you.

[Noto]

Measuring tire life in seasons is like measuring your fuel economy in kilometers per tank.

I just have a hard time believing that we drive almost twice as much as NoTo.

I think it's more like Noto has twice as many cars as you (or 50% more)? Or he drives 15,000km a winter spread over three cars vs. 20,000km a winter for you spread over two cars. Or he puts his winter tires on later and takes them off earlier than you.

Close.

Noto only started working recently (2 years ago), so the Corolla was purchased as a second 'family' car for use on weekends, etc.  From 2010-2013, to be honest, it rarely left the garage.  Most of the mileage (28,000 at the start of the summer of 2014) was done in the summer months and not in the winters.  In the winter, the car was really only used to drive for ski weekends to Blue Mountain or Mt. St. Louis.  However, since I started working, it's become the daily driver, and now that Lady Noto's in NY state, it's become a long-distance traveller (which used to be done in a different rental car every weekend).  The Corolla now has 58,600km (almost 30,000km since May of 2014!!!)...so the all-seasons are probably near done, but the Xi2s have probably only about 10,000km on them at most.  With that being said, I'm pretty sure they're somewhere near 7/32", but they started at 10/32" (not impressed, by the way) as opposed to the 11/32" that most winter tires start with.

I am also a pretty bad offender of the put on late, take off early camp.  The RX got the tires done yesterday, Corolla today (will pick up in a few hours), and the Forester still has another 2 weeks until it gets its winter boots put on.

[Weels]

The WS80 & Costco purchased wheels were installed last Wednesday, looks pretty good.  No more steelies for me.



With the snow we had last week I was able to get a good feel for the Blizzak's performance... needless to say.. i'm impressed.  Very very confident in the snow, no doubt the Subaru's awd system is awesome as well, but these tires are good.

The bigger surprise is how well they ride on bare pavement.  Quiet, no squishy-ness which i didn't expect given how soft the tread is.  Happy with their performance driving in the rain to Niagara last night too.   They get a big    from me.

[HeliDriver]

Had the WS80s installed at Costco yesterday and am happy so far. The drive back from the city started out on bare pavement, so had them up to 120 km/h and they seemed fine. A little vague on-center, but otherwise not mushy/squishy at all for a winter tire. Interestingly, the 225/45R17 looked narrower on the rim than the 215/50R17 Continentals I just took off.

Closer to home, started to get into the storm that came through here last night. The roads were a little slick, with snow falling pretty good and temperatures just a few degrees below freezing. The tires were great, even on the packed, icy roads and intersections around town.

So far I'm pretty impressed, and think these might just be the perfect dry-pavement/snow&ice compromise I've been looking for.

Edit: woke up to this pleasant winter scene this morning and decided to go for a drive. Tires are great: good bite in deeper snow, good grip at icy intersections, and nice and predictable when they do break away. Definitely a more jarring ride over the icy ridges and bumps, though.    Now I'm missing the soft, squishy sidewalls of the Contis.