Winter tire thread :)

[Mazda3]

Its about time for the CX-7 to have its own winter tire thread. :)
The tires that come on the CX-7 are crap for winter driving(RS-A or Turanza). So I have to decide on something better. After considering many options I have narrowed it down to two. I'm considering a true top-line winter tire or the lastest thing to hit the market an all-weather tire.

Nokian and Goodyear make an all season tire that has the "snowflake" extreme weather designation. The tires are WAY better in the winter than a regular all season, they handle great on dry roads, and are guaranteed for 100,000 KM's. I can buy most tires at dealer cost which really helps. The Nokians I can't get so they are too much money.

So my choices are Goodyear Fortera Triple treads for all-weather tire or Pirelli Scorpion Ice Kings for real winter tire. I also considered Nokian and Blizzak snow tires, but the Pirelli's are rated almost as good for ice traction and the are H speed rated and are supposed to last longer.

The advantages of the Fortera:

1) Cost!! One set of tires instead of two. I can get some trade value on the OEM tires as well.

2)Forteras will go on the factory rims, not ugly steel wheels.

3)No need to worry about when to switch tires, because they are mounted year round.

4)Excellent on the highway and will probably handle better than the OEM tires.

Advantages for the Pirelli:

1) State of the art snow and ice traction.

2) 100% sure of the performance level. Forteras level of performance is not proven to me at this point.

Money is a bit of an issue at this point. We just bought two new cars and are landscaping the back yard so excess cash isn't abundant at the moment.

The cost of the tire for me is about the same, but with the Forteras I can trade in the OEM tires and don't need to buy extra rims. A savings of about $650.

So the question is how good are the Fortera Triple treads in the winter? All our cars for the last ten years have had Blizzak or Nokian snow tires, will I be satisfied with the Fortera tires? I have reviewed all the reviews and survey's available. They basically say that the Fortera is better than any all season on the market, but not quite as good as the elite snow tires.

This is causing me stress!!(bang) Does anyone have experience with these tires?

[080669]

So my choices are Goodyear Fortera Triple treads for all-weather tire or Pirelli Scorpion Ice Kings for real winter tire.

The Forteras get good marks on Tirerack.com
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Fortera+TripleTred#Survey

However, I wasn't able to find them in 235/60-18. I was also cautioned about putting other sizes on because it might screw up the AWD.

For the Pirellis, if you mean the Scorpion Ice & Snow, then they're also highly rated on tirerack
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Pirelli&tireModel=Scorpion+Ice+%26+Snow#Survey

and definitely come in the right size. Though I guess you were going to buy wheels for them, so that's not a big factor.

[1Sleepy93]

I've only had the Blizzaks in the past so I'm no help.

I will say though that if you're a good driver, a good set of all seasons will probably work just fine.

[Mazda3]

I've only had the Blizzaks in the past so I'm no help.

I will say though that if you're a good driver, a good set of all seasons will probably work just fine.

My concern is the wife's driving. The driving traction with the AWD will abviously be fine. However she will have Blizzaks on her M3 and has always had Blizzaks or Nokian's. My concern is the stopping distance on ice. She has never had to drive on ice with a regular all season. The write-up on the ice traction for the Fortera sounds great, but does it work is the question? I will drive the CX-7 75% of the time, but it still has to work for her as well.

[Black CX-7]

However, I wasn't able to find them in 235/60-18. I was also cautioned about putting other sizes on because it might screw up the AWD.

As long as all 4 tires are the same size I don't see how it could hurt the AWD setup. Going with a different width is a different story. They have to clear brakes and suspension, even when the front tires are turned.

My old jeep had a "quadratrac" system on it which is a type of AWD and different size tires was a big deal. All 4 tires need to spin at the same speed all the time (ofcourse one wheel spinning in dirt or snow is not a big deal as long as it is not excessive). It was important enough for them to recall the spare tire on all of the jeeps with quadratrac they swapped the tire out with one the same size as the other 4. Also the only way they would tow this vehicle was by flatbed so all wheels were off the ground.

I just went and checked the spare on my CX-7 it is a 155/90/D18 which by my calculation is 28.98 inches in diameter and the stock tires 235/60/R18 are 29.10 inches. Not a big difference but I don't know how much it takes to cause problems. I wonder if Mazda will do the same thing if they realize it?

[Dalton]

Offtopic, but those 0.12 inches wont matter so much :-)


Ontopic:

I still use spiked wintertyres - so check out those...

91152 (omg)

[Mazda3]

I ended up going with the Nokian WR all-weather tires. They are V-rated, have the severe winter weather designation, and 100,000 KM guarantee. They seem to handle about the same as the Goodyear's on dry pavement and they were AMAZING in a rain storm last weekend. I was cruising down the highway at about 85 MPH in a downpour and they just sliced there way throught the water. No hydroplaning or slippage at all. Now awaiting the first big snow fall!!! So far very happy with these tires.

[CX7_Scott]

The only downside to having good traction for stopping on snow or ice...

...is that the person behind you might not.

:)

I may be looking into snow-tires myself

[1Sleepy93]

The only downside to having good traction for stopping on snow or ice...

...is that the person behind you might not.

Yeah that always sucks.

[CX7_Scott]

I just got a price for four(4) Toyo G-02 Severe Winter tires, same size: 235/60-18... mounted, balanced and FREE seasonal changes every year;

$879 - I "think" that's before tax... so probably $922.95

[CX7_Scott]

FWIW: Changing the overall diameter "does" effect the vehicle in small ways.

It will render the speedometer and odometer inaccurate - if your tire size yields an overall increase in circumference of 1"... that's an additional inch of travel with each revolution of the wheel that's not accounted for in the speedometer and odometer - not sure if it'd effect the timing of gear-shifting on a minute level.

Over-time... that adds-up. 12 revolutions of the tire and you're 1-foot farther than your odometer thinks. 63,000 revolutions later, you've traveled a mile further than the odometer thinks, etc...

So... for every 90 miles you drive, it will only record 89 of them.
Subtle... but present.

blah blah blah - just being anal about it. :)

[jrpembe]

Had a chance to test out my CX-7 in winter conditions here in Calgary for the first time today - and all I can say is yikes!@?$ This thing does NOT corner well in slippery conditions. We got about 6 inches of snow over night and temps today were around -6 celcius (too lazy to convert right now). Here in Calgary that usually means there's about an inch of ice at the bottom and a few inches of packed snow on top.

I have the stock all season (read "no-season") tires on and am planning to buy true winter tires asap. I took several turns at slow speeds (30km/h) and almost ate a few telephone poles. A few amazed on lookers thought I was going to crash into them. I used to own a Subaru Forester and it handled icy conditions much better than this. I'm a little worried what will happen at higher speeds.

I've got my eyes on two tires right now. Michelin's Latitude X-ice and Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV. Unfortunately for 18" tires it will probably mean a special order.

Once I get them I think I will find a nice quiet parking lot and see how they do. It almost felt as if the rear end was kicking me out of the turn (excess power to the rear tires).

[Mazda3]

Had a chance to test out my CX-7 in winter conditions here in Calgary for the first time today - and all I can say is yikes!@?$ This thing does NOT corner well in slippery conditions. We got about 6 inches of snow over night and temps today were around -6 celcius (too lazy to convert right now). Here in Calgary that usually means there's about an inch of ice at the bottom and a few inches of packed snow on top.

I have the stock all season (read "no-season") tires on and am planning to buy true winter tires asap. I took several turns at slow speeds (30km/h) and almost ate a few telephone poles. A few amazed on lookers thought I was going to crash into them. I used to own a Subaru Forester and it handled icy conditions much better than this. I'm a little worried what will happen at higher speeds.

I've got my eyes on two tires right now. Michelin's Latitude X-ice and Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV. Unfortunately for 18" tires it will probably mean a special order.

Once I get them I think I will find a nice quiet parking lot and see how they do. It almost felt as if the rear end was kicking me out of the turn (excess power to the rear tires).

It's not the vehicle it's the tires. The stock tires are total crap!! Most Subarus come with a better all-season tire then the crap RSA's on the cx-7. Either of those tires you mentioned will get the job done.

[1Sleepy93]

Bad tires will make even the best cars handle like shit in foul weather.

[Mazda3]

Woke up to 6" of snow this morning, probably 10" by now. The Nokian WR all-weather tires performed like champions!!! Passed many 4WD trucks on the highway. The DSC works great when you have proper tires. I highly recommend these tires to anyone who lives where there is snow. My wife has the same tires on her Mazda3 and said they worked great as well.

[Nash04]

Who makes the Nokian tire,

Thanks

[Mazda3]

Who makes the Nokian tire,

Thanks

Nokian is a company out of Finland who has made the best winter tires in the world for many years. Rather than spend millions on advertising like the big name tire companys the spend all there money research. These tires are truly amazing.

They out handle the RSA's that came on the CX-7 on dry pavement, only a true top notch summer performance tire will top them on dry. They are the best tire in the world in the rain. And will out do all tires in the snow/ice except for maybe the top 3 snow tires like Blizzak and the actual Nokian snow tires. They are V-rated and come with a 60,000 mile guarantee. I recomend these tires on just about all vehicles, except maybe a true sports car where I would want the maxium summer performance tire and top of the line designated winter tire. You can find more info at www.nokiantyres.com (http://www.nokiantyres.com)
The Nokian WR all-weather tires are the ones I'm talking about.

No I don't work for them :) lol!!!

We've been buried in snow for about 4 days now and the CX-7 is a riot to drive with these tires. Even on our Mazda 3 the only way it will get stuck is if the snow is deep enough to hang up the bottom of the car.

[jrpembe]

Just got a set of four Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV tires installed and they make a world of difference over the all-seasons that came with the CX-7. I also reduced the rim size and increased the tire size. Instead of getting 18" rims and 235/60/R18, I went with 17" rims and 235/65/R17

[Nash04]

Just got a set of four Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV tires installed and they make a world of difference over the all-seasons that came with the CX-7. I also reduced the rim size and increased the tire size. Instead of getting 18" rims and 236/60/R18, I went with 17" rims and 235/65/R17

You have sold me but can we order them on the web, the closest dealer is 40 miles down the road.

Thanks(peep)

[Mazda3]

Just got a set of four Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV tires installed and they make a world of difference over the all-seasons that came with the CX-7. I also reduced the rim size and increased the tire size. Instead of getting 18" rims and 236/60/R18, I went with 17" rims and 235/65/R17

Your next snow experience will be alot more fun now. I elected to go with the new all-weather tire so I wouldn't have to switch tires or have ugly steel wheels on half the year. But you definately can't go wrong with the dedicated winter tires.

[Mazda3]

You have sold me but can we order them on the web, the closest dealer is 40 miles down the road.

Thanks(peep)

Kaltire has the exclusive rights in Canada, I'm not sure about the US.

[CX7_Scott]

[ cross-post from other thread ]

I think mine are the Bridgestone and I encountered my first winter "storm" this past weekend driving up to Burke VT (almost Canada). At a rest area, I decided to do some random braking and accelleration and I must say it was difficult to keep the vehicle under predictable control.

I have owned 2 other AWD vehicles in the past, so I had a rough idea of what I should expect... but it didn't perform as anticipated and I'd like to think it's the tires, not the vehicle (although I do not know for sure).

I wonder if getting the Nokian snow-tires would improve the vehicle's stability and control much... or if it would just be marginal. (?)

I may cross-post this in the snow tires thread.

[Mazda3]

The difference is huge. Changes the whole vehicle. You have to keep in mind the the RSA's and the Turanza's are some of the crappiest all-season tire on the market when it comes to winter performance. The best part about the Nokians is if you get the all-weather ones they ARE all-season. so you don't need two sets of tires. The Nokian WR's perform admirably in ALL weather conditions wet, dry, and snow.

[Nash04]

The difference is huge. Changes the whole vehicle. You have to keep in mind the the RSA's and the Turanza's are some of the crappiest all-season tire on the market when it comes to winter performance. The best part about the Nokians is if you get the all-weather ones they ARE all-season. so you don't need two sets of tires. The Nokian WR's perform admirably in ALL weather conditions wet, dry, and snow.


Was involve in the same snow storm this weekend and have the Nokian tires and they were great in the snow, great traction!! Worth the money

[mb011b]

Y'all might want to keep an eye on the CX-7 OEM Rims that are selling occasionally on ebay... sometimes with OEM tires, sometimes just the rims. Either way, this is a great way to do a set of winter wheels. Somebody just got a set of OEM rims with nearly new Bridgestones for $100. Well, I paid $600 for mine and I thought I was getting a great deal. I got a set of Dunlop winter tires for $100 to put on them, so I can't complain.


The only cautionary note... most of these wheels aren't coming with the tire pressure monitors. I guess people are swapping these out for aftermarket rims and keeping the TPMs on new rims. My installer told me that sensors would cost $80 per wheel, plus re-do on the labor, but discouraged me from bothering, as only the newest cars get TPMS anyway. The Tire pressure light is going to be on through the winter for me; maybe I'll get some of those pressure-monitoring valve-stem-caps instead.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=190071105457&rd=1,1

[snorris]

According to Nokian's website, they have 2 versions of the WR series tire: WR Plus (passenger) and WR SUV Plus. The WR Plus are H rated whereas the WR SUV Plus are V rated. Just wanted to confirm which model you actually bought as I think you did mention V rating in an earlier post. Also, I am wondering how they are in warm weather conditions in terms of handling and road noise (I, like you, don't want the hassle of swapping tires twice a year).

I know I'm going to have to replace the Bridgestone's before this winter so I'm starting my research now. The tread patterns are very similar though the SUV version looks at though it might have a little more bite when it comes to winter driving conditions, however there is a considerable price difference between the two: SUV's are $50-$60 dollars more per tire over the "passenger" version WR, yikes!

[astraelraen]

I can't vouch for the Fortera Triple Treds, but I've used the Assurance TripleTreds (passenger car version) on two cars and they perform outstanding in all weather.

[1Sleepy93]

According to Nokian's website, they have 2 versions of the WR series tire: WR Plus (passenger) and WR SUV Plus. The WR Plus are H rated whereas the WR SUV Plus are V rated. Just wanted to confirm which model you actually bought as I think you did mention V rating in an earlier post. Also, I am wondering how they are in warm weather conditions in terms of handling and road noise (I, like you, don't want the hassle of swapping tires twice a year).

I know I'm going to have to replace the Bridgestone's before this winter so I'm starting my research now. The tread patterns are very similar though the SUV version looks at though it might have a little more bite when it comes to winter driving conditions, however there is a considerable price difference between the two: SUV's are $50-$60 dollars more per tire over the "passenger" version WR, yikes!

More than likely the SUV version just has a higher load rating. As long as the passenger version matches the OE specs for load rating, it should be fine.

[Mazda3]

According to Nokian's website, they have 2 versions of the WR series tire: WR Plus (passenger) and WR SUV Plus. The WR Plus are H rated whereas the WR SUV Plus are V rated. Just wanted to confirm which model you actually bought as I think you did mention V rating in an earlier post. Also, I am wondering how they are in warm weather conditions in terms of handling and road noise (I, like you, don't want the hassle of swapping tires twice a year).

I know I'm going to have to replace the Bridgestone's before this winter so I'm starting my research now. The tread patterns are very similar though the SUV version looks at though it might have a little more bite when it comes to winter driving conditions, however there is a considerable price difference between the two: SUV's are $50-$60 dollars more per tire over the "passenger" version WR, yikes!

I have the V rated WR SUV tires. The dry warm weather handling is about the same as the Goodyear RSA's that came on the vehicle. As I stated before the winter performance is as good as any snow tire except maybe the top 3. The top 3 winter tires would have slightly more grip on glare ice, but not much. The most amazing thing these tires do is handle in the rain. The way these things cut through water in a downpour is UNBELIEVABLE. I have never driven a tire that is even in the same league as these in the rain.

I also have the WR's on our Mazda 3. Those are V-rated too by the way. The passenger car version speed rating depends on the size. I would give pretty much the identical review for them on the 3.

I do know a couple people with the Goodyear Triple treads as well. They seem to be satisfied with the tire. Its the same idea as the WR, I don't know which would be better. I picked the Nokian because I have connections to get good deals on them and I have used their winter tires before and trust the Nokians.

Hope this helps.

[MZ CX-7 AB]

I have the V rated WR SUV tires. The dry warm weather handling is about the same as the Goodyear RSA's that came on the vehicle. As I stated before the winter performance is as good as any snow tire except maybe the top 3. The top 3 winter tires would have slightly more grip on glare ice, but not much. The most amazing thing these tires do is handle in the rain. The way these things cut through water in a downpour is UNBELIEVABLE. I have never driven a tire that is even in the same league as these in the rain.

I also have the WR's on our Mazda 3. Those are V-rated too by the way. The passenger car version speed rating depends on the size. I would give pretty much the identical review for them on the 3.

I do know a couple people with the Goodyear Triple treads as well. They seem to be satisfied with the tire. Its the same idea as the WR, I don't know which would be better. I picked the Nokian because I have connections to get good deals on them and I have used their winter tires before and trust the Nokians.

Hope this helps.

Mazda3, how are the Nokian's in summer driving conditions? How has the wear been? I too will be replacing the stock Bridgestones with something else in a couple of weeks or so. I have heard good things about the Nokian's. Could you post pics of yours?

Thanks!(flash)

[Mazda3]

Mazda3, how are the Nokian's in summer driving conditions? How has the wear been? I too will be replacing the stock Bridgestones with something else in a couple of weeks or so. I have heard good things about the Nokian's. Could you post pics of yours?

Thanks!(flash)

Dry weather handling is about the same as the factory tire. I have had them for about 11 months now and there is no noticable wear at all. I have my doubts that they will last to 100km's, but the wear seems good so far.

[AJ_CX7]

Anyone tried 16" snows on their CX-7?

I have a set of 16's (from my previous car) sitting in the garage... tried to fit them, and they "just" clear the calipers. How much clearance is required? My local dealer said that Mazda doesn't recommend anything less than 17" (because the taller sidewall can compromise the handling, he said).

However, Tirerack, and others offer 16" packages. So, before I drop $500+ on some decent snows, does anyone know if I can use the rims, or should I shell out for 17's and new rims?

[1Sleepy93]

Yes the taller side wall will compromise handling and make it easier to roll over but if it fits, it fits. Just don't drive like an idiot and you should be fine.

[AJ_CX7]

Dry weather handling is about the same as the factory tire. I have had them for about 11 months now and there is no noticable wear at all. I have my doubts that they will last to 100km's, but the wear seems good so far.

I'm considering the Nokians.... How many km's have you put on your WR's in the past year? How aggressive would you consider your driving style?

I would consider my driving fairly aggressive, and my RSA's are almost dead after 32,000kms. I'm hoping to do better...

I'm just in the debate between going with the WR's for year-round, or Hakkas on dedicated rims (I have a set of 16" rims collecting dust in the garage) with new summer tires next year (maybe ResponseEdge or Advan ST).
Our winters in Ottawa are not *that* bad most of the time, but when we get the snow and ice, you need a decent snow/ice tire. Not sure that I really need the Hakka's, but my worry with the WRs is that after a couple of summers, the winter performance will be no good.


(canada)

[MZ CX-7 AB]

I had the Nokian SUV WR's installed a few weeks ago. I went with these after reading some reviews on some tire websites. I was not going to go another winter with the Bridgestones. I too was worried about the wear question, however after discussing it with the Kal Tire representative, and getting the 80,000km wear warranty, I am no longer worried.

By the way, I too am an aggressive driver and see no difference between the Nokians and the Bridgestones.

[Mazda3]

I'm considering the Nokians.... How many km's have you put on your WR's in the past year? How aggressive would you consider your driving style?

I would consider my driving fairly aggressive, and my RSA's are almost dead after 32,000kms. I'm hoping to do better...

I'm just in the debate between going with the WR's for year-round, or Hakkas on dedicated rims (I have a set of 16" rims collecting dust in the garage) with new summer tires next year (maybe ResponseEdge or Advan ST).
Our winters in Ottawa are not *that* bad most of the time, but when we get the snow and ice, you need a decent snow/ice tire. Not sure that I really need the Hakka's, but my worry with the WRs is that after a couple of summers, the winter performance will be no good.


(canada)

I drive fairly aggressive. I put my foot into it quite often and there are a couple corners on my daily travels that I like to take with out slowing down :)

My RSA's were half worn out at 10K. The WR's have 14K on them so far and look like new. So far they are everything I hoped they would be. The Haka winters are awesome I had some on my Mazda 6, I wanted to give the WR's a try this time and avoid the hassle of swaping tires at least twice a year.

[CX7_Rider]

Hi,

In Quebec, Canada, we made snow :)

For many years, I use TOYO tires (I can drive 4 or 5 winter with these tires)
I'm just buy Toyo Open Country G02 + for my CX7. (for this winter)
And I have Toyo Proxes 4 for summer (20 inches naturally).

http://www.toyocanada.com/products/OPATG02plus.asp (10)

They have 235/60R18 size.

Good traction in snow, good responce in mud, good in wet surface, and less expensive then Nokian...

[Mazda3]

Hi,

In Quebec, Canada, we made snow :)

For many years, I use TOYO tires (I can drive 4 or 5 winter with these tires)
I'm just buy Toyo Open Country G02 + for my CX7. (for this winter)
And I have Toyo Proxes 4 for summer (20 inches naturally).

http://www.toyocanada.com/products/OPATG02plus.asp (10)

They have 235/60R18 size.

Good traction in snow, good responce in mud, good in wet surface, and less expensive then Nokian...

Yeah, Toyo makes a decent tire. Not as good as the Nokians, but they are a cheaper alternative.

[AJ_CX7]

I drive fairly aggressive. I put my foot into it quite often and there are a couple corners on my daily travels that I like to take with out slowing down :)

My RSA's were half worn out at 10K. The WR's have 14K on them so far and look like new. So far they are everything I hoped they would be. The Haka winters are awesome I had some on my Mazda 6, I wanted to give the WR's a try this time and avoid the hassle of swaping tires at least twice a year.

So, I get the WR SUVs installed on my old 16" rims... fit was fine. I refer to this setup as my clown wheels (as the tires look sooo big, with teeny tiny wheels in the middle). Would have preferred 17's, but would have been an extra $400 for new rims and more expensive tire.

They certainly feel a little less precise than the stock RS-A's, and don't hold quite as well on dry pavement (got a bit of squeal on hard stops that the RSAs didn't make a peep on). Still, they seem to perform pretty well - very confident in the corners. Also much quieter than my worn-out RSAs (about 32k so far, not much left).

Now, bring on the rain and snow (plenty of the former coming in the next couple of days!), and I'll see how they do in the less hospitable weather.

[Mazda3]

I have the WR's on the factory rims. In the same 18" size the handling is good. It's just the tall sidewall on yours that's taking some to the handling characteristics away. Also the mine are V-rated, the size you have might only be H-rated, but you will love them when the snow comes!! :)

[AWmustang]

So, I get the WR SUVs installed on my old 16" rims... fit was fine. I refer to this setup as my clown wheels (as the tires look sooo big, with teeny tiny wheels in the middle). Would have preferred 17's, but would have been an extra $400 for new rims and more expensive tire.

They certainly feel a little less precise than the stock RS-A's, and don't hold quite as well on dry pavement (got a bit of squeal on hard stops that the RSAs didn't make a peep on). Still, they seem to perform pretty well - very confident in the corners. Also much quieter than my worn-out RSAs (about 32k so far, not much left).

Now, bring on the rain and snow (plenty of the former coming in the next couple of days!), and I'll see how they do in the less hospitable weather.

Love to see a pic of that.

[CX7_Scott]

I just dropped a bunch of money into some Nokians. I really hope there's a remarkable difference since I paid over $1k for these puppies. We'll soon see. I can't imagine them being any WORSE than the stock tires - those performed sub-par when driving through snow storms in Maine & Vermont last year.

On another note - I don't know how they plan on cheating physics, but apparently they are all-season tires. The person at the tire shop said to me: "I don't know how they [Nokian] did it, but they figured-out how to formulate a compound that stays flexible in sub-zero weather, yet doesn't wear-away too fast in the warmer, dryer months..."

I guess we'll see.

[AJ_CX7]

So far, after about 1500km, pretty happy with the Nokians. They're a bit squirmy on the highway (although that's settled down a bit), but great in the wet. Have to wait and see about snow performance.

The manager of my tire shop has been running WRs for the past year and a half (2 winters)... still tons of tread left, and great winter performance (according to him).

[CX7_Scott]

Yeah - same story from the guys at Direct Tire in my neck of the woods... the manager and a couple of other guys there have been running them and rave about them - wasn't sure if it was a sales-pitch or genuine user feedback.

We'll soon see. :)

[AJ_CX7]

Time will tell as to how well they wear.

One thing however, I certainly wouldn't run these all-year-round. They perform well for a snow tire, but I definitely want something more precise and grippy for the summer.

[mogulman]

Got some 17" Mazda wheels from someone on Craigslist last year and bought some 17" Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 at the same time (End of season deal). I didn't have a chance to try them until this week. Put them on my car.

Cars were sliding out on the icy conditions here yesterday. I hit the brakes hard a few times, to try out the new tires. I couldn't even get the ABS to kick in, because the car just stopped. It was great.

[Mazda3]

Got some 17" Mazda wheels from someone on Craigslist last year and bought some 17" Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 at the same time (End of season deal). I didn't have a chance to try them until this week. Put them on my car.

Cars were sliding out on the icy conditions here yesterday. I hit the brakes hard a few times, to try out the new tires. I couldn't even get the ABS to kick in, because the car just stopped. It was great.

Yeah, the Blizzak's are awesome on ice!!!

[CX7_Scott]

I'm sorry, but Blizzak just sounds like ebonic-slang... doesn't it...? :)
( It's just a joke people )

[wongster]

I'm sorry, but Blizzak just sounds like ebonic-slang... doesn't it...? :)
( It's just a joke people )

hey hows the winter tires?

going to put on bllizzak lm-25 4x4 tomorrow.. so i guess will let you guys know how thoses are.

[CX7_Scott]

Haven't gotten any accumulation of snow yet. Will absolutely post here when I have any feedback on the Nokians.

[wongster]

well i got the bllizzak lm-25 4x4 today,... and there is no snow to test them, but the handling on dry pavement is pretty good.. i had to do a few turns and fast speeds.. and the tires stuck to the ground pretty good..

[ljmattox]

We had our first significant snow in St. Louis last weekend.

On Friday, we got the first blast, and about 1 inch on the roads as we were coming home late. I was looking forward to some confident, FWD with traction control, high-clearance motoring. But after reading the comments on this site about the stock Bridgestone Turanza's I was alert and aware.

Tried a street corner at a cautious speed, and detected some front end plowing. Hmmm, not good. Then tried to stop...slid and slid. We made it into the garage aok.

The next morning, we had the first 4-5 inches down. I backed out into the driveway about 5 feet, it's inclined but not severely. My CX-7 was immobilized! Just spin...and spin. We shoveled some clear paths for each side and rocked it onto concrete so it could get back into the garage. Nice. A nearly-new SUV that's worthless in the snow, due to those crappy tires. I had the image of an elephant on roller skates. We tossed the usual 80-lb bag of cement into the trunk of our commuter Miata, and drove around Saturday night on it's Kumho Solus all-season tires...it was fine, and fun at times :-).
We got the rest of our total 8" of snow that night.

So Monday, I found a site (TiresByWeb) that had Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV's at a good price, and ordered some. Got them mid-week, they're now on in place of the Bridgestones. So far satisfied w/r/t noise (not much, considering) and ride (actually a bit more forgiving over impacts than the Bridgestones). Just need the next snowstorm to see what improvement we get in the slippery stuff.

Been driving in the snow since the 60's...and with a couple other FWD's too (a classic Fiat 128, and a Toyota Camry). It's really a shame the stock Bridgestones are so inept in the snow. I'd believe many owners will blame the vehicle, when it's those smooth-riding and quiet but snow-averse Bridgestone tires that cause the poor performance.

[MrPirelliCX7]

triple tread is not a winter tire.

Go with the Pirelli Scorpion Ice or the Nokian

Tire Rack has best deal on Pirelli Winter tires in US

[Killer]

Mr. Pirelli, If you must insist on being a constant Pirelli Spammer...please contact admin to become a authorized vendor.

[wongster]

welll i have had a few snow storms with these bllizzak lm-25 4x4 , and i love them... they are excellent in the snow, and ice

[CX7_Scott]

I am VERY happy with the Nokians after this last string of storms. I had to REALLY push the car to enable either the TCS or ABS. They are not "magical" by any means... they WILL lose grip if you push 'em, but they are MUCH better than the stock tires. Great investment.

[AJ_CX7]

I am VERY happy with the Nokians after this last string of storms. I had to REALLY push the car to enable either the TCS or ABS. They are not "magical" by any means... they WILL lose grip if you push 'em, but they are MUCH better than the stock tires. Great investment.

Agreed... we have been dumped with 150cm of snow in the past 3 weeks and the Nokian WRs have no trouble. After the last 60cm fall, I left my inlaws spinning their wheels in the AWD Santa Fe (all-seasons) while I easily backed out of the unplowed laneway in my 2WD CX-7 on the WRs.

I would easily say hands-down the best snow tire I've ever had. On ice I would say it is "good" not "great" (on snow they are "great"). I've never had Blizzaks (which I hear are awesome on ice), but the Nokians do as well as I would expect the laws of physics to allow on ice (i.e. don't be stupid, ice is slippery!).

Absolutely no regrets on the tires, and think that I made a better choice than the Hakka SUV tire (which were $70 more per tire, and significantly less treadwear).

[Benfolio]

I've heard great things about the WR Nokians, and know of some people that have them and swear by them, and they aren't trying to sell me anything :)

Our 7 has the RSA's and have been just fine in the past 17,000 snow falls we've had this month already. Got another 6" yesterday, and it decided to freeze underneath. Got my car stuck a couple times but I got out okay (until I tried to drive up my un-plowed driveway in the 7's tire tracks and missed). The 7 only got stuck when I tried to back into our driveway and the front tires were on ice in the street, the rears on ice in the driveway. 4 wheels spinnin', car not moving.
Other than that it handled our un-plowed side streets just fine.
Yes it would have been better with some sort of snow tire though, but for an all season the RSA did better than I thought, seeing how much they SUCK on the Mazda3's.

[AWmustang]

I have the Turanza's.... On the way home on 12/28 (same snow Benfolio mentioned), I slid all the way down a hill and nearly rear ended a car... thankfully there was no one in the parking lane. The ABS was so determined to not allow the wheels to lock that I got basically no braking force at all.

Then I get to my parent's house to let their dog out. The have a driveway that is on an incline but nothing major. All 4 wheels spun and the car slid sideways trying to get up it. Then once I got up it, I stopped, put it in park and let off the brake. Once I let off the brake the car slid backwards 2-3 feet IN PARK.

But I checked into it... winter tires would cost me more than my insurance deductible... so I'll just be extra careful in the snow... usually the plows and salters are out enough that it isn't a huge deal.

[CX7_Scott]

But I checked into it... winter tires would cost me more than my insurance deductible... so I'll just be extra careful in the snow... usually the plows and salters are out enough that it isn't a huge deal.

And what is the cost of a life...? Your life...? Someone else's life...? I understand money is a factor - trust me. This is my FIRST time ever buying "winter" tires myself... but I learned that the investment is not about bragging-rights of traction, or being able to do wilder, faster stuff in the snow...

I had TWO close-calls in the snow last year (before I bought my CX7) that scared the bejesus out of me. I vowed I would get "better tires" for winter driving and so-far, I am 100% pleased that I made that investment.

$1,200 spent to potentially AVOID being in an accident is a far better insurance policy to me than a $300 deductible for repairs to my car, but also potentially being hospitalized, killed or injuring others.

Again... that's just me - not "looking down" on you for not getting them, just giving perspective to the reasoning that your deductible is a cheaper route.

Happy New Year.

[wongster]

And what is the cost of a life...? Your life...? Someone else's life...? I understand money is a factor - trust me. This is my FIRST time ever buying "winter" tires myself... but I learned that the investment is not about bragging-rights of traction, or being able to do wilder, faster stuff in the snow...

I had TWO close-calls in the snow last year (before I bought my CX7) that scared the bejesus out of me. I vowed I would get "better tires" for winter driving and so-far, I am 100% pleased that I made that investment.

$1,200 spent to potentially AVOID being in an accident is a far better insurance policy to me than a $300 deductible for repairs to my car, but also potentially being hospitalized, killed or injuring others.

Again... that's just me - not "looking down" on you for not getting them, just giving perspective to the reasoning that your deductible is a cheaper route.

Happy New Year.

I agree with Scott.. i use to be the type who just get all season tires when i had my talon.. but than a friend finally convinced me to get winters.. and dude its like night and day.. and i have continued getting winters with my cx-7... i do not have to worry about driving careful and worried that i am going to lose control..

not saying you can drive crazy with winters.. you should still have some caution with winters, but atleast now i dont have to worry that i am going to slide into somebody or not even get up on my own drive way... 1200 is a very good investment and good winters should last you upto 4 winters or more depend how crazy u drive..

[AWmustang]

Valid points from both scott and wong.

I don't HAVE to be at work by a certain time so I can take my time heading in. I can even work from home if I have to. The sliding down the hill was at 10 MPH so no one's life or limb was in danger. In fact if I had hit the car I doubt there would have even been any damage.

The driveway was after I spun the tires creating incredibly smooth ice which would have probably caused traction issues for most winter tires. (Though maybe the winter tires wouldn't have spun... but whatever) Also, no one around so no danger to life or limb.

And I have had winter tires before... they make a huge difference. Hence why if I really needed to be somewhere in a snow storm, I can take the Speed6 -- AWD and Winter tires. The 7 is leased... I just can't justify snow tires on it for 1.5 more snow seasons... which aren't generally all that snowy. Probably less than 10 days per year where I have to take it easy coming in.

And the comment about the deductible was meant more in jest than anything else... I have every confidence in my ability to operate my vehicle in a safe manner; having survived many winters accident free (and that includes accidents not my fault).

[nic8137]

I Just got the blizzak's for my cx-7 The tire guy said I should have great traction for my AWD cx-7. Exact measurements of those horrible stock turanza tires. I live in New york but, the tire guy is from colorado and said these will be great! I am having them put on this week w/ some expected snow friday to try them out....Any comments on the purchase??

[UpNorth]

I think you all have convinced me to get some new tires, probably the Nokian WR for SUVs if I can find them here. I don't drive much generally (I walk a mile and half to work instead for fun and fitness), but I have had a couple of slides while running errands (& driving slowly) this winter that have made me think twice.

I love this car and would hate to crash it or worse, hurt someone. Thanks for the good advice on options. I would love to step up to a winter tire that works all year as Nokian claims for its WR.

One concern I have is I see in the manual that it advises not to drive > 75 mph on winter tires. I have been known to drive that fast when the roads are dry, clear and inviting in the summer. (zoom zoom, you know) Do you think that manual advice needs to be followed for Nokian WRs in summer? For those of you that have them, what has been your experience with speed, if you leave the tires on year round? Have you had to slow down where you might not otherwise. Another way of putting it is: are the Nokians Zoom-worthy?

Thanks for any advice.

[ljmattox]

Sounds like over-caution by the mfr. w/r/t recommending such a low speed for the snow tires. Presumably the tires themselves are speed rated for at least 112-117 or whatever is that lower "letter" rating that makes them govern many U.S. market vehicles to that speed.

I ran Michelin Arctic Alpins on my Benz 190E for years, year round (too lazy to swap them out). Never a concern for a 75 mph limit.

[Mazda3]

The Nokian WR 18" are a v-rated tire good for 149 MPH. I've been over 75 MPH several times they handle great.

[ljmattox]

So we've had no more snow in St. Louis since the December blasts.

But I did get a chance to drive to Iowa (twice) and had some snow experience both visits.

We drove up to Grinnell IA on 1/5 to visit our GSD breeder...fun trip. They'd had a major winter blast mid-week, so the major roads were plowed. But the farm roads weren't, and I got a good read on how my CX-7 worked with the new Nokians.

Superb!

Very stable, good grip, braking and turning also improved. The drive to the kennels was steep with a good 6-8 inches of snow unplowed, some packed. Drove up very sure-footed, back-and-forthed at the top to get turned around. A real non-event...the type of performance I'd expect from a high-clearance vehicle with FWD. Piece of cake.

On the return trip a week later, temps were now in the 40's, and her drive was now about 6" of snot-slick melted snowpack. More challenging, since the tires really couldn't "dig in" much of the way. Between the ice siping of the tires and the traction control, we still made it to the top in great fashion.

Very impressive.

So I'm done with any snow traction concerns, other than non-sensical stuff through major drifts or somesuch. Good to go.

[mogulman]

I've been driving in the mountains of colorado for the last few months. Lots of snow... a few feet last week. No problems with the Blizzaks. They work great. The only comment I have is that the CX-7 isn't quite as good in the snow as my Subaru WRX. Both have Blizzaks on them.

[CX7_Scott]

The Nokians are rated for a speed well-beyond what you should be driving at. :)

I had my CX-7 at around 95-97 for fairly-long stretches on a 4-Hr drive back from Maine. They feel fine to me. Traditional "old-school" snow tires could not handle that kind of speed. The Nokians are (supposedly) an "all-season" with snow-tire properties... or a Snow-Tire that can be driven year-round without excessive wear issues.

I dunno what magical elves created the super compound used in these tires... but I thank them immensely. :)

[UpNorth]

You all are making me darn happy with your answers to my questions!!

Thanks so much everyone! I can't believe I'm this happy about spending a bunch of money on tires. :)

[CXTiger]

Just got back from Lake Tahoe and thought I'd describe my experience driving an AWD CX-7 with the Goodyear Eagle RS-A. Ten inches of snow fell while I was there.

Overall, I would have to say I was satisfied with the performance of the CX-7 and the RS-A tires. I drove uphill through unplowed neighborhoods and did not get stuck or slide around. I went up some pretty steep inclines and had no problems.

I did get stuck in the backyard (only place to park the car) of the cabin I rented. But that was probably due to the fact I wanted to see if I could plow the snow with the CX-7. I had to shovel out snow from underneath the car and place some cat litter under the tires to get it out.

Later, I drove over the summit along HW-50 with no problems. The plows hadn't cleared the roads, but had no problems over the steep inclines. The tires performed when it mattered.

I've read frequent criticism of the RS-As. I'm not here to endorse them, just to give my experience with them in snow. Maybe winter tires would have helped me while plowing around in the backyard.

[Mazda3]

Just got back from Lake Tahoe and thought I'd describe my experience driving an AWD CX-7 with the Goodyear Eagle RS-A. Ten inches of snow fell while I was there.

Overall, I would have to say I was satisfied with the performance of the CX-7 and the RS-A tires. I drove uphill through unplowed neighborhoods and did not get stuck or slide around. I went up some pretty steep inclines and had no problems.

I did get stuck in the backyard (only place to park the car) of the cabin I rented. But that was probably due to the fact I wanted to see if I could plow the snow with the CX-7. I had to shovel out snow from underneath the car and place some cat litter under the tires to get it out.

Later, I drove over the summit along HW-50 with no problems. The plows hadn't cleared the roads, but had no problems over the steep inclines. The tires performed when it mattered.

I've read frequent criticism of the RS-As. I'm not here to endorse them, just to give my experience with them in snow. Maybe winter tires would have helped me while plowing around in the backyard.

The problem with the RSA's is not getting stuck in deep snow. The problem is on extremely icy streets they don't stop or corner worth a crap.

[CX7_Scott]

In all fairness... icy conditions are something that NO TIRE is going to deal with effectively without studs or chains. There's not a heck of a lot you can do to cheat physics. Mass + Inertia on an icy surface = lack of traction.

Yes, SOME tires will do slightly better than others on ice... but ice is ice. It's slippery and unforgiving. They are snow-tires, not ice-tires.

For me, the difference between the stock all-seasons and my Nokians have been demonstrated the greatest in snowy conditions and packed-snow roads and parking lots. It also seemed to respond "BETTER" over patches of ice, but it still would slide/skid if you pushed the limit.

[wannabe]

bump :)


i'm looking into new winters for the cx-7, and i just want to verify that someone else here has actually run on the steelies that tirerack has as the "prefered package"

$640 for 4 wheels, 4 tires mounted, sounds like a deal to me, just want to make sure it will work.

[mogulman]

You may want to keep checking on craigslist. I found some 17" Mazda 6 wheels for $75 total on there. Got some Blizzak DM-Z3s for them from Tirerack. They were great last winter.

[wannabe]

i got my 235/70-16 Pirelli ice and snows mounted up today on old stock Protege wheels that i bought off a local member. got em sitting in the basement ready to go on as soon as the snow hits the ground :)

[AlbanianDude]

I am getting my RX8 rims powdercoated black this week they are at the shop, and tires are at the shop they are going to Sippe them a little, they are Cooper ZEON XST 255/55/18, will be on mid or end of October.

[wannabe]

oooh. pics of the black rx-8 wheels once done :)

[AlbanianDude]

oooh. pics of the black rx-8 wheels once done :)

Should have them the latest by next Tuesday depending how busy the shop is.

[AlbanianDude]

oooh. pics of the black rx-8 wheels once done :)

Here they are
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/AlbanianDude/Word096.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/AlbanianDude/Word092.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/AlbanianDude/Word094.jpg

[wannabe]

very nice :)

[wannabe]

just an update to my setup, i have the factory 16" P5 wheels (+50 offset) on the wife's cx-7 now. NOTE: I needed 5mm wheel spacers(purchased from wheeldude.com) for the front wheels. the wheel DID NOT clear the caliper without them! I probably could have used the 3mm spacers, but didn't want to risk it with winter being here.

the 16s had a large enough inside diameter, but only JUST barely. one of the wheel weights was loose, and i'm pretty sure it will be ripped off by the time my wife gets home from work today.

tires are Pirelli Ice and Snow 235/70/16