OEM 17" Winter Tires?

[abronco1]

Hey everyone,I live in MI, and I have the OEM 17" wheels on my vibe (Dunlop SP9000)...I don't have a lot of money to get winter tires for this upcoming (very close in time) winter. How would you say that the 9000's will handle in (fairly) extreme winter conditions? I've tried to convince my dad that these tires are not safe for winter, but he believes since it's front wheel drive it won't matter. Also...what would be the cheapest way to replace my tires? Should I buy steelies, if so, where can I, and how much do they usually cost? What tires are recommended (the cheaper the better) to replace the 9000s? Thanks so much!-Eric

[millster]

In anything more than a dusting of snow, VERY unsafe! I drove with them last winter in Ohio, and I was lucky to be unemployed and did not have to drive much. It was scary at best. I just ordered my steel wheels and snow tires from Tirerack.com. They aren't cheap by any means, but steel wheels, tires, lug nuts, and hubcaps cost me $599.43 mounted, balanced and shipped.Those are the stock 16" size, if you downsized to 15", it would be even cheaper. 17" snow tires are really pricey. You're better off buying new steel wheels and 16 or 15 inch tires. Either way, I highly recommend changing the tires out.

[JustinVGT]

How about all-season performance tires on 17-18" wheels? If I buy some new wheels and tires, I would prefer to just have one set and not switch in the winter. Our winters in VA are not all that bad, except last year was. I really want to upgrade my stock 16" wheels to 17-18". Will there be much of a difference in winter performance between a 17" or 18" tire with all-season tires?Thanks,

[millster]

Unless you regularly get less than a couple inches of snow, I would still recommend going with something smaller and more winter oriented. Large diameter all-seasons will get by fine on a little snow or slush, but once the snow gets deep they'll just kind of skim on the surface and not really dig in. For that reason, narrow, small diameter tires with large sidewalls work the best in snow. Add to that the fact that salt, gravel and whatever else your city may use is scratching at your expensive alloys, and I figured in the long run it is cheaper to change the tires in the winter. To fully answer your question though, if you do go with the larger wheels, the 17s will handle the best of the two. 18s don't leave much sidewall, so snow handling will be a little sketchy. Also, finding true all-season tires in that size can be a bit challenging.

[abronco1]

Thanks for the reply!I'll look at tirerack and see what kind of 15" package deals they have.

[millster]

No problem. I would like to add something though. We are having our first snow of the season here in Billings. My snow tires are due for delivery tomorrow so I'm still running with the 17s. I now cannot recommend driving in any sort of snow/icy conditions with these tires. There were several times I thought about pulling over and calling someone to come get me. Fortunately traffic was moving slow so I wasn't pushed to go any faster than I felt comfortable with. My point, don't risk it, please. In the long run you'll be far better off even if you have to spend a little more than you want.There, my little PSA is through.