How many people have tried modern studded tires? We got our first real snow this week and I finally got a chance to put my studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 tires to use. I was starting to regret buying studded tires because the are so noisy on dry pavement and the grip was poor compared to the OEM Pirelli P6 tires.
AWD with studded tires is awesome in the snow! There is no comparison to my old FWD Mazda 626 with Michelin X-Ice tires, my new car takes no skill to drive. In fact my wife got stuck backing the Mazda out of the driveway and had to be shoveled out. The AWD car feels unstoppable with almost no wheel spin. I take a lot of pleasure pulling around stuck cars and plowing through deep mushy snow while people stare at me in disbelief. The combination of traction control, ABS, and ASC with studded tires is great!
Some people claim that studs are totally unnecessary with todays winter tire technology, but have they considered modern rubber AND studs? My experience has convinced me that having both is a killer combination.
