New winter shoes for the FFH

[corncobs]

Received my new set of winter tires today. Went to pep boys right away to have them installed. Best part about the install it was free including the TPMS relearning!

I thought he was kidding since there was $9.99 on the service contract. Apparently the service manager didn't know that tire services are free according to the check out guy.

 

I like them a lot and they drive really good in the snow but time will tell.

 

 

Those are 17x8 ET45 with 225/55 R17 GoodYear Ultra Grip

[acdii]

I like those rims, what was your overall cost?

 

 

heheh forget driving to Canada for rims............... :)

[corncobs]

The Canadian rims would be free! ;)

 

Those are MODA MD17 and I paid $1200 for everything including the TPMS relearning tool $45 which I didn't need as it turns out.

On the other hand I might switch the wheels back myself in spring and then I need the trigger tool again.

[acdii]

Nice, maybe next year, so far mine has been doing OK in the snow. I was passing people tonight, traction was excellent.

[inco]

I like those rims, what was your overall cost?

 

 

heheh forget driving to Canada for rims............... :)

Yeah right! Like they would let sinners cross the border anyway. My rims are safe, I can stand down - for now.

[hybridbear]

Very nice!!

[inco]

Because I like to read a lot and try to stay current, I was paying attention to the issue of winter tires and considering my options for my car. A few weeks back I came across some interesting reading about a tire that is continuing to attract a lot of attention and making a lot of folks happy because of what they don't have to do. They don't have to change from summer to winter tires! :woot: Instead they install ALL WEATHER tires.

 

To be clear, these are not all season tires. They have the snowflake on the side wall and are all weather tires. A few companies make them - Hankook, Nitto, I think, and Nokian. I really like the Nokian tires and next year they expect to have them in our 18" size. 225 is what they have now...

 

Some areas in the North East USA and for sure Canada, are better served by true snow tires. Metro areas, like where we are, don't get a lot of snow and when and if we do it gets cleaned up pretty quickly and I think I will try them out next fall. They expect them to last about 40,000 miles, but many folks are getting more. I'm not a tire expert, but all the reading I have done has convinced me to try them out and not have to suffer the wrath of black steelies. Join me if you wish. :victory:

[hybridbear]

Very interesting! Living in the city we often don't need much snow traction because the roads are plowed. But overnight we got 6-8 inches of snow (rather than the 1-3 inches that were predicted) and when my wife & I went out this morning the roads hadn't been plowed very well. The FFH was washed yesterday by the dealer so we left it home to stay clean and took the Prius. It does ok in the snow, but there were a few moments where I thought we were going to be stuck in the deep snow. Snow tires would be helpful for us about 10 days each winter. The other 3.5 months they wouldn't really be needed.

[acdii]

I have Hankook H426 Optimo on my Flex and they have very good snow traction. I just looked them up and they are also listed as low rolling resistance. If they come in the same size for the Fusion I wouldn't hesitate to put them on it.

[corncobs]

My slight worries about the MPG impact of winter tires didn't come true. Could be the warmer temps or the holiday traffic but I noticed about 50 MPG on the instant gauge going down 290/355.

 

Anyway I almost made it to EPA for the full trip ;)

 

[acdii]

It's the weather and light traffic. I got over 20 in my Flex this morning, which I haven't been able to do for a few weeks. Don't worry, the sub zero is returning tonight and traffic will suck tomorrow.

 

Always look on the bright side of life.

[corncobs]

Damn that was a fun drive to work this morning. Add some winter tires to an already awesome handling car and you have boatload of fun. The only thing that's kinda limiting the fun are the other drivers ;)

[acdii]

Thats how my Flex is. I passed about 7 people last night on the way home. They were all driving like there was ice on the roads, not a dusting of snow. Traction was great. When I can take off from the light without slipping a wheel in that car, you know traction is good. This morning though, I drove the HyTi and it does not have the same traction at all, so just had to bear the traffic flow.

[tr7driver]

Go with the flo so you don't run into my bro.