First set of Winters. Need advice! Thanks :) so torn!

T

theblufunk

Member
:
Mazda
Hey there!

I live in Ottawa, Ontario.
Drive a 2014 CX-5 GS AWD.

Been using All Seasons since the get go. Decided that this winter I'm gonna go with a fresh set of Winters to help with winter traction and handling.
Although I would love to splurge and get some Nokians, that's not gonna happen.

So I'm looking for a set of winters that will have very good tread wear and last as long as possible in these Ottawa winters.

I'm debating between:

Blizzaks - But not sure what's best for the CX-5 between the DM-V2's or the WS80's.
Micheline X-Ice - I've seen the Xi2 and Xi3. Canadian Tire and Costco have the Xi2's. Not even gonna consider the Xi3's as they are surely even pricier!

Any other recommended brand and model???

From what I've read, the Blizzaks perform a tad better on the snow and ice BUT to do so it sacrifices tread wear and lifespan.
Whereas the Micheline Xi2's apparently perform a tad less effectively on snow and ice compared to Blizzaks BUT the Xi2's tread apparently last longer than Blizzaks in terms of tread wear etc..???
Is all of this correct for the most part?

Now keep in mind that my past winter seasons, for the longest while, have been spent on All Season tires. So, I'm sure that no matter which actual Winter tire I buy, I should feel a big improvement compared to my usual All Season approach.

Nonetheless, I want to make the most ideal purchase possible.

Costco has a set of 4 Xi-2's for 665.96$ (includes a 70$ discount)
Costco has a set of 4 Blizzaks EITHER WS80 or DM-V2's for 599$.


At this point, without any advice, other than reading around in circles online about this vs that vs that etc..... I'm finding myself flip flopping and can't decide.
Currently the Blizzaks are selling for cheaper but then I also need to pick either WS80 vs DM-v2.....
Or do I pay a tad more and get the Micheline Xi2??

I also need to buy some rims to put these on so that's gonna cost me a bit more too.

Any help would be supremely appreciated! :)

Many thanks!
 
1) Those are definitely two excellent dedicated snow tires to go with, so I'm sure you won't be disappointed with either.

2) I run Blizzaks on my 6 and have been for 4 years - they're incredible. highly recommend because they make my car feel like a tank in the snow.

3) Treadwear/Lifespan depends on what kind of driving you do, and how much of it. Lifespan is largely dependent upon how long you're using the tires for each time you drive the car. The heating and cooling of the rubber ultimately plays a huge role in how long a tire will last. I.E. Lots of short trips will decrease lifespan of a tire significantly compared to long drives.

4) I've heard the exact same thing about Blizzaks as they begin to wear out - they get crappy quick. I have about 40k miles on mine and this is definitely their last season - but I also drive 80 miles a day for work, so they do a lot of easy miles. They're showing their wear, but they still get the job done better than any all-season tire.

5) Have you checked your local Craigslist or Facebook groups for tires? You'd be amazed what people are practically giving away for tires. I got my Blizzaks with 400 miles on them from a guy who totaled his car for $250. I got my wife's with 100 miles on them for $300. That being said, I'm only running on 17" rims, so I don't know what you might be using for the Cx5.

Hope this helps :D
 
Since you live in Ottawa - My son just rec'd this quote from OttawaTiresDirect.com for his 2017 CX5 GT: MAZDA CX-5 WINTER PACKAGE (17"), Mazda OEM black steel wheels with Nokian HAKKAPELIITTA 225/65R17 for $1050 + tax. Consumer Reports rates those tires at the top
 
Thanks for the response Byakuya.

I appreciate the chatter as it will help me decide.

I too am looking for tires to go on 17' rims. I will probably just buy the rims from the same place I get the tires. And I will leave them on those rims.

I thought of looking at the used tire option, BUT I'm always worried about getting fleeced on the deal. i.e. tires are more worn out than what they say OR something is wrong with the and I wont notice. Also, my ability to properly and effectively gauge the tire wear isn't the best so the eye test will only take me so far. Nonetheless I will look at that avenue! Thanks again for the info.

Anybody else have any thoughts? :)
 
mervingry said:
Since you live in Ottawa - My son just rec'd this quote from OttawaTiresDirect.com for his 2017 CX5 GT: MAZDA CX-5 WINTER PACKAGE (17"), Mazda OEM black steel wheels with Nokian HAKKAPELIITTA 225/65R17 for $1050 + tax. Consumer Reports rates those tires at the top
Click to expand...

The Nokians will always be one of the ultimate options BUT the price is just too steep for me. Thanks for the info though ! :)
 
Decide on the tires you want to buy first. Then go to Canadian Tire. Even if they don't have or stock them, they can order pretty much any tires in. Take whatever quote you have and make them match it for rims and tires. Then go with 2 year no fee, no interest plan, this can stretch your budget quite a bit. Pay for two wheels at a time, use CT Money to pay for the second two. Watch for promotions where you get $50 gift card when you spend $250 or so, use it in the same manner as points.
You don't have to mount them there, but it has benefits. You can get discounted road hazard plan, or even negotiate it for free. Might be useful. But if they mount tires, watch them like a hawk, don't be shy to ask for a technician that knows what they are doing.
Where I am, CT is the biggest and best store in Canada, at least that's what I was told, and the garage equipment is pretty decent. Techs- not so much, hence, you've got to be cautious.
 
Yo, I live in Ottawa as well, and have used Crappy Tire snow tires and steel rims for years.
Good prices and decent tires. Their house brand (Motomaster) is more than up to the job.
Makes a huge driving difference in our city. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
 
theblufunk said:
The Nokians will always be one of the ultimate options BUT the price is just too steep for me. Thanks for the info though ! :)
Click to expand...

A lot of places mark up the Nokians big time because people will pay it but they can be had cheaper. HAKKAPELIITTA 225/65R17 $145.38 US on Ebay right now.
 
Consumer Reports currently rates Michelin Latitude X-I2 highest at 74, and both Hakks and Blizzaks at 68. These ratings change over time as manufacturers modify the design/content of their tires. Five years ago, the Blizzaks were rated marginally better in snow while the Latitudes were marginally better on ice. Being from urban Ottawa myself and familiar with snow clearing by the city, I opted to go with the X-ice2 (currently Michelin does not offer the X-I3 in the Latitude SUV tire line). The in-city commute is more often on icy roads than heavily snow-laden. If I were worried about the thickness of the snow on the road I would then opt to stay home, or take the long sit on OC Transpo.

Brian
 
Thanks everybody for all of the comments.

Here is a rundown of my options and costs at this point. I would love your thoughts.

Costco (Ontario)

Bridgestone WS80 or DM-V2
675.96
+65$x4 (RIMS)= 260$
1057.63$ TAXES INCL (includes installation and balancing)

Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2
742.00$
+65$x4 (RIMS)= 260$
1132.26$ TAXES INCL (includes installation and balancing)

-----------

Canadian Tire

Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2
Around 1232$ (includes installation and balancing)


Cooper Weather-Master S/T2
692.00$
+65$x4 (RIMS)= 260$
1175$ TAXES INCL (includes installation and balancing)

-----

"I know a guy" Cooper deal from the guy's Shop-
Cooper Weather-Master S/T2
Includes, plain black rims, installation and balancing.
1051$-50$ (mail in rebate)
1000$ (All in)


Am I crazy to be preferring to go with the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2's from Costco??
The cost would be 1132$ ALL IN versus 1000$ ALL IN for the Cooper S/T2 from "my guy".

Is the extra 132$ worth it? Or just do the Coopers as I wont notice any diff between the Xi2 and the Coopers??? Or is the difference actually noticeable in our Ottawa winters?

Thanks again! :)
 
I'd make CT match Costco price and go with 24mo plan, making them to throw road hazard in. Heck, they'd replace the tire under many circumstances down the road. Get the manager on the horn and have a chat.
 
Our local Costco has a good rep for tire service. If using Costco I would go with the Michelins. If the Bridgestone still wear out faster, you're not saving anything. Your price at Costco is the same price as here in Alberta. I don't know anything about the Coopers.
I guess it's easy to over think this stuff. If using plain black steel rims, lots of places use generic that will bolt on multiple vehicles. The center hole is important, cause without the proper size, the wheel is centered using the 5 lugnuts. May or may not cause a problem. Sorry, had to throw that in there.

I run the Nokian Hakka R2, and all I can say is they do work very well in all winter conditions. Off the top I'm not sure on mileage, but it will be the third season, and they still look new. I used my stock OEM wheels for winter and purchased aftermarket aluminums for the summer.
 
try yokohama iceguard ig52c. very good tires for slushy and unpredictable ontario weather and these tires have been proven on my RWD BMW.
 
For what it's worth, I have a set of WS80's on my 328xi since 2015/16 winter (so will last 3 winter seasons, if not 4), I live and drive all over Ottawa and take lots of 400-500 km road trips in Ontario/Quebec to ski hills, and plan on getting the WS80's for the 2017 CX-5 GS AWD as well this year. They haven't failed me yet.
 
VOtt said:
For what it's worth, I have a set of WS80's on my 328xi since 2015/16 winter (so will last 3 winter seasons, if not 4), I live and drive all over Ottawa and take lots of 400-500 km road trips in Ontario/Quebec to ski hills, and plan on getting the WS80's for the 2017 CX-5 GS AWD as well this year. They haven't failed me yet.
Click to expand...

Thanks to everybody for the awesome chatter.

I guess now im trying to figure out if my CX-5 is better suited for the Blizzak WS80's or the Blizzak DM-v2's

I know the DM-v2's are Light Truck SUV tires VS the WS80's which are passenger car I believe.

I know a few peeps posted about how good the WS80's are on their CX5's. Just wondering why the WS80's are better to go to for the CX5 over the DM-V2's

Thoughts ??? Thanks! :)
 
theblufunk said:
...I know a few peeps posted about how good the WS80's are on their CX5's.
Click to expand...

No doubt, the WS80 is a fine winter tire choice.

theblufunk said:
...Just wondering why the WS80's are better to go to for the CX5 over the DM-V2's
Click to expand...

I am just wondering where/why this claim is coming from?

EDIT: or are you just asking "if" and not "why"? Personally, I would say the CX-5 is a "SUV" more than a car, so go for the DM-V2 as several tire experts led to me to do. The wife was happy with it in Friday's Toronto snow storm commute.
 
Last edited:
theblufunk said:
Thanks to everybody for the awesome chatter.

I guess now im trying to figure out if my CX-5 is better suited for the Blizzak WS80's or the Blizzak DM-v2's

I know the DM-v2's are Light Truck SUV tires VS the WS80's which are passenger car I believe.

I know a few peeps posted about how good the WS80's are on their CX5's. Just wondering why the WS80's are better to go to for the CX5 over the DM-V2's

Thoughts ??? Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

One's not really better then the other in regards to winter traction. They are very similar tires with a few minor differences. The DM-V2's have a load designation of 102, same as the WS80's which is 1874lbs per tire, more then enough for the CX-5. The difference is the DM-V2 have a speed rating "S" 112mph while the WS80's have a "H" speed rating of 130mph. The DM-V2 have 13/32nd tread depth vs WS-80's 12/32nds so you can get a bit more life out of the DM-V2's. The WS80's are 1 lbs lighter then the DM-V2's and have a different tread design.

Since I often drive spirited and the WS80 is more for sport sedans like BMW's and what not I choose the sportier tread pattern and higher speed rating of the WS80's. I feel the CX-5 is much closer in handling to a sport sedan then other CUV's in it's class like the rav4 or CR-V. You won't regret either tire choice.
 
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