Topic: UPDATE XICE it is.... Help me pick 17 Inch Winter tires for the Focus

[quadzilla]

The Costco clock is ticking and I'm not closer to knowing what tire to pick. If I buy in store I can use my Costco rebate chq ($68) or online I can use my CC for travel points but don't think I can apply my Costco chq online.

Current set which are only good for dry or light snow are Hankook W409's which never let me down and the only time I was close to being stuck was in snow deeper than my car so I was a plow.

Some local pricing which beats Costco.

225/45/17

Hankook W419 iPike 94T XL - $670.00
Hankook W606 iCept IZ 91T - $690.00
Hankook W310 iCept 94V XL - $740.00
Conti Extreme WinterContact 94T XL - $770.00
Gislaved Nordfrost 100 94T XL - $770.00
Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 91H - $780.00
Michelin X-Ice Xi3 94T XL - $820.00
Toyo Garit KX 94H - $840.00
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32 94V XL - $860.00
Dunlop Wintersport 3D 91H - $870.00
Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 98H- $890.00
Dunlop Wintersport 4D 94V XL - $900.00
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 94H XL - $930.00
Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 94V XL - $930.00
Pirelli W210 Sottozero 2 91H - $960.00

Leaning towards the Conti Extreme WinterContact or Bridgestone WS80. Anybody know if Conti has any rebates?

Another online tire test.
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2013-Auto-Bild-Sports-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

[Noto]

For an extra $10, I think the WS80s are a no-brainer.

[quadzilla]

For an extra $10, I think the WS80s are a no-brainer.

Why?  Remember that 90% of my driving is hwy.

[aquadorhj]

For an extra $10, I think the WS80s are a no-brainer.

yeah.  I would go Bridgestone.

2 reasons :
1) i already had conti before.  it's great.  but it's squishy.
2) bridgestone is new.  i wanna try it.

[Noto]

For an extra $10, I think the WS80s are a no-brainer.

Why?  Remember that 90% of my driving is hwy.

...because I loves the WS70s, even on the highway.  I think the Contis will be a better handling tire, but not as good of a winter tire.  You're driving a Focus - you probably won't notice the difference in 'performance', but you will notice a difference when it snows (guessing that the WS80s will be better than the Contis)

[quadzilla]

You're driving a Focus

I think you meant GTI   I'm using this thread as toolatecrew's wants are similar.

Would be nice to be able to test tires first.

[Noto]

You're driving a Focus

I think you meant GTI   I'm using this thread as toolatecrew's wants are similar.

Would be nice to be able to test tires first.

need to get my eyes checked , clearly I'm having trouble reading

Call me crazy, but from reviews, I've always craved Continental Tires, but then 'tire experts' unanimously seem to trash them.  KalTire sells them but will almost never recommend them.  Quite frankly, they recommended the Nitto 421Qs to me for the RX and I have to say they're the best thing we've ever done to the RX.  The car is smoother than before, handles on-ramps better than the Forester now (I know, right?!), and braking distances have been shortened, too.  I'll be sad in a few months when I have to put the winters on.

I see that the Contis are well reviewed, exceptionally so, actually, so they are probably good...but from my experience, I've yet to see a tire that is better than the WS70 (unless we're talking the Piriellis - but who can afford those?).

[toolatecrew]

$138 after tax difference between WS80s and the XICE at costco. Decisions decisions

[Noto]

$138 after tax difference between WS80s and the XICE at costco. Decisions decisions

i.e. the Xi3s are more expensive, or the WS80s are?

[tortoise]

Blizzaks seem to be cheaper.

And NoTo, have you driven a new Focus?  They handle really well,  you would easily notice  a squishy tire.

If the WS80's weren't H-rated I'd be going with the X-Ice.

[johngenx]

Why does everyone get so hung up on the Blizzak turning into an all season tire at 5/32?  All snow tires need to be pitched at that depth anyway.  At least the Blizzak could do some shoulder season work on that remaining tread.

[Noto]

Blizzaks seem to be cheaper.

And NoTo, have you driven a new Focus?  They handle really well,  you would easily notice  a squishy tire.

If the WS80's weren't H-rated I'd be going with the X-Ice.

I have driven the new Focus - I fricken love it!  It's my second favourite car that I rent, next to the Mustang (that's not a crack at either - I thoroughly enjoy driving them!).  While I agree that it handles very well, I wouldn't call the WS80s crappy performers - I'm not so sure you would notice the difference between the WS80s and the Xi3s.

[dkaz]

At 5/32", the tires become useless in rain let alone snow. 7/32" is the minimum tread depth for snow traction.

Admittedly, my X-ice 2s on my Sienna last year were less than 5/32", they were just barely acceptable in the snow, but they were still amazing on ice. So in mild climates where it hardly snows but you have to deal more with occasional ice and a lot of rain, I might recommend the X-Ice 3 over the Blizzak WS80s.

Or just get Hakka R2s.

[Noto]

At 5/32", the tires become useless in rain let alone snow. 7/32" is the minimum tread depth for snow traction.

Admittedly, my X-ice 2s on my Sienna last year were less than 5/32", they were just barely acceptable in the snow, but they were still amazing on ice. So in mild climates where it hardly snows but you have to deal more with occasional ice and a lot of rain, I might recommend the X-Ice 3 over the Blizzak WS80s.

Or just get Hakka R2s.

It's funny how we're trying to determine how the Xi3s and WS80s are compared to the Xi2s and WS70s.  They're totally different tires.  It's a crapshoot and you'll likely be happy with either.

...with that being said, the Xi2s were touted as the 'best tire on the market' when we got them in 2010 for the Corolla, and to be honest, they've been nothing but a let-down for me after the first season, even on ice.  I almost t-boned a TTC bus at Downsview Station when the Corolla, with Xi2s, failed to slow from 15km/h for the turn into the kiss n' ride area.  It was pathetic and made me look like a reckless driver when in reality, I was already crawling and hovering the brakes.

I'll start this season with the Xi2s, but if they're shyeet, I'm a-gonna replace them with iG52cs - I am still smitten by Active Green & Ross's free changeover, and therefore self-limit my tire choices to their offerings.  I really need to do changeovers myself and then get the tires I want.

[aquadorhj]

just get motomaster all season.  they are surprisingly good in winter... 

just don't get summer tires. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQovXqc8WfQ

[Angry Chicken]

I hated the Continental ExtremeWinterContacts which I had on my 2012 Mazda3 GT Sport. Size 205/50-17.  They were evil and uncommunicative. The best winter tires out there are Nokian, but they are very expensive. If I can get 90% of the performance at 75% of the price, I will.

If it was my money, I'd buy the Blizzak WS-80. I've not driven on them (which makes my choice even more open to debate) but I get the impression that some serious science and engineering goes into their design. Pixie dust, too. It's also a new design and a aesthetically they are good looking tires.

I've bought Yokohama IceGUARD iG51v's for my wife's CUV to replace our Blizzaks. We were very pleased with them (DM-V1) but they only lasted 2.5 winters for us.

...all just opinions of course.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk

[RunsinLight]

My last two cars have had Continental Extreme Contact after taking the recommendation of someone on the site here.  I'd highly recommend then, best tires I've ever owned. 
When I purchased my last vehicle this year I didn't care about sales and rebates on other tires, I wanted these tires.

[Bubba]

My last two cars have had Continental Extreme Contact after taking the recommendation of someone on the site here.  I'd highly recommend then, best tires I've ever owned. 
When I purchased my last vehicle this year I didn't care about sales and rebates on other tires, I wanted these tires.

I'm getting the Continental Extreme Winter Contacts installed on the 27th.  Hopefully, they'll be a good match for a Manitoba winter.

[Bubba]

I'm getting the Continental Extreme Winter Contacts installed on the 27th.  Hopefully, they'll be a good match for a Manitoba winter.

...of November? Have you seen the forecast!?  Leave 'em off! lol Time to un-winterize the camper!

Next week!  You're putting faith in Environment Canada?

[toolatecrew]

I had settled on Xice 3 the week before last and gone to Costco about ordering them. They told me it would be 7 days and since I was away last week I figured I wait until I got home before moving forwards. I tried to order online last week so they would be ready when I got home..OUT OF STOCK.

Since it was only 2 C today I was getting a little worried as I droive the Focus in to the Ford Dealer for its oli change. While I was waiting to give my keys I noticed a sign that said "we will not be undersold on tires". They offered to meet or beat a written quote from Cosco. Noting hacving the time to do that I took their quote did some quick calculations and figured "close enough". The dealer had the shuttle pick up my winter rims when they dropped me off and installed the tires while they were changing the oil. Meanwhile as I watched the shuttle drive away it started to SNOW! I could not have gotten any luckier on that.

When I went to pick up the car they had made a mistake on the quote and after the rebate I will get from the mail in it will actually be about $25 LESS than Costco.

I know I miss out on the free rotation etc but for $25 less, no hassle with the install and getting the winters on the day the snow falls I'm pretty happy.

Lesson learned. Give the dealer a chance on tires . You have nothing to lose.

I will report back in a few weeks with my impressions.