Dunlop M2 sport winter
bridgestone blizzak lm-22
bridgestone blizzak ws-50

The ws-50 seems to be the best snow traction but you loose on the other ablilities of the tire. The lm-22 seems to be good and so does the m2.

Neal help? I tryed calling you a few times on your phone but now answer. Please pm me and i'll pm you my phonenumber.

 

thanks neal

 

I've only had them on the car two days, but I'm fairly happy with my Nokian WRs.

The "extended load" tires are V-speed rated, which you don't get in most winter tires (except the M3s, which it seems nobody can get). They have less grip than the Advans, obviously, but they're not too shabby, even in the thinner 225 width I picked for New England winters.

Pity TireRack doesn't carry Nokians. I'd think (hope?) they'd have better prices than the local distributors.

The WRs locally cost more than the Advans. But they get good reviews in Canada and Scandinavia -- where winter performance counts. And they'll (reportedly) last a lot longer on bare pavement than the WS-50s.

I was surprised at the poor reports the M3s got out of Germany (for poor full-on snow handling). (The Internet gives you access to a whole world of people grousing about something or other. )

 

A bunch of people by me are running the Wintersport M2's and M3's. I've also personally driven on the M2's and they are very nice. Handling isn't too off from stock with mild driving, and the tread looks MEAN.

 

I've got Michellin Pilot Alpins and the only comment I can make so far (did not have snow yet since I put them on) is they are a lot quiter and less grippier then Advans.

 

I have the Dunlop Wintersport M3s. They have very good grip for winter tires. (Of course, not close to the Advans in the dry.) They don't feel nearly as stiff and the car does not transition nearly as well.

However, they did great in one snow so far with lots of slush on the roads.

Overall, I'm happy with them so far. Thanks Neal!

 

??? What size M3's are you putting on your EVOS? 235 45 17 is not avalaible???

Thanks

 

Ive never bought full winter tires before

Is it a good idea to drive with them when its not snowing?

Like are they fine to drive around in the winter months even when there isnt any snow on the ground?

 

"Dedicated" snow tires like the WS-50 or Hakkas will wear rather quickly on dry pavement. They're designed for snow, with a compound that remains soft in cold weather.

"All Season" tires, like the LM-22, M3s, or WRs, have a cold-tolerant compound that was designed for multiple surfaces, and will do better in dry ... at the cost of full-on snow handling.

That german complaint about the M3s I saw was only about the full snow handling of the M3s, compared to a dedicated snow tire.

If you have snow on the roads all winter (e.g. if you live off a country road that doesn't get plowed), then go for dedicated snows. You might not get many seasons out of them, if you drive them in the dry, and they'll have more dry surface tread squirm than all season or summer tires.

If you have a variety of road conditions to handle over the winter, a good all-season tire may fit your needs better.

But all season tires are a compromise. They do everything, but don't excel at anything.

If you want maximum performance at all times, then you'll need a tire support truck, so you can choose the appropriate tire for each daily commute "stage", like WRC cars.

But then, the Advans aren't likely to last very long in the dry, either. The best gripping tires often don't wear well. Heck, F1 tires won't even last 30 laps. (That old performance vs money thing again.)

 

Ive got the M2s and no snow....I've been drivin it just as i did with the stock tires minus gettin loose in the rain. I love them! Its not just about the snow, its the temperature that you need to be concerned about as well. Get the M2's...you wont regret it

 

Maybe you could try the Semperit Sportgrips, i put them on my Evo a couple of weeks back.

While not well known over here they are made in Austria and are a subsidiary of Continental. The things are H rated, the first few days were a bit suspect but after that they have been great.

 

I just put my Winter Sport M2s on about an hour ago and took them for a little 6-mile get acquainted ride. Damp roads, no rain falling, temperature in the high 40s.

My first thought with these tires is that my wife and kids will like riding in the car a bit more now... The ride is noticeably less stiff, I suppose due to the softer sidewall. And that's with the tire pressures up around 36-38 psi; I assume the ride would be even more compliant at the recommended 32 psi front / 29 psi rear.

Cornering, I definitely recognize a grip deficit compared to the A046 tires, but I didn't really push it hard due to having unfamiliar tires on damp roads.

And as Fireball alluded to, the tread looks pretty ballsy. I expect it to give some decent bite in slush and snow.

As an aside, my A046 tires are worn to the tread wear bars (2mm tread), but I drove them 30-40 miles today in a cold downpour with no problems at all. I was a little worried, between the temperature and the tread depth, but they never surprised me. I still wouldn't dream of driving them in snow, but I was pleasantly surprised how they handled even on barely legal tread depth.

 

I partially base my decision off of the tirerack customer surveys. The Dunlop Sport M3 review better in every category than every other winter tire offered, however they were just a little out of my price range. Last winter I ran the Blizzak WS50 on my WRX, which while offering supreme snow traction are just appalling on dry pavement. I didn't want to go that route with the EVO, so I ended up with the Pirelli Snowsport. The price is good, and the survey's rate them as good if not better than the venerable Blizzak LM22.

I'll let you know what I think when I have some snow miles on them.

-Pace