The stock Toyos are absolute trash in the snow!
- Thread starter twintrbo
- Start date
If anyone cares, I just scored the TPMS sensors on Ebay for just under $74. My only issue is if they will fit the rims or not, I dont think I can tell until I try it. If anyone has a clue which rims these are, let me know! I know the brand, Sport Edition, is sold through tire rack but I dont know which model. I can only assume they are discontinued since I cant find them on any website.
I also put the blizzaks through their paces in an unplowed, 7" deep snow, parking lot. Simply amazing, they just grab and go in every situation. When I got home I parked it in a snow drift just because I could lol. I will try to get pics tomorrow. These tires simply go where all seasons cant, best $375 I ever spent.
Lastly, the TPMS finally caught on to there not being sensors in the tires after 40 miles, not exactly confidence inspiring.
I also put the blizzaks through their paces in an unplowed, 7" deep snow, parking lot. Simply amazing, they just grab and go in every situation. When I got home I parked it in a snow drift just because I could lol. I will try to get pics tomorrow. These tires simply go where all seasons cant, best $375 I ever spent.
Lastly, the TPMS finally caught on to there not being sensors in the tires after 40 miles, not exactly confidence inspiring.
I think they should, but they will be pretty old by then. If I keep the car for 4 more years they will be 10 years old. I wont be wearing them out since I think I will do around 2000mi max for the winter. I will make sure I store them as best I can to prevent dry rot but it should be fine.
chitownpete
Member
- :
- 2012 Mazda5 Sport.
I just drove the stock Toyos in our blizzard and if snow was under 5 inches no real problems. I only got stuck twice and that was when my car high sided on snow. I dont have rear seats so dragging 200+ pounds less may have helped. Ive had far worse OEM tires. Once the snow is gone I will be getting my 2010 Mazda 3 wheels going (half inch wider, same offset)
I found once the car is moving, there is no real problem with them. My issue stemmed from when you needed the extra traction for "special" maneuvers. If I needed to go around a double parked car into some deep stuff, or get into or out of a parking spot, it just didn't cut it. In the city there is also a huge problem with icy corners, when the cars sit they melt the snow from engine heat and then it freezes up solid. I've seen cars sit and spin pretty badly on ice and the snow tires can make a huge difference when you're on the threshold.
People really seem to trash the Toyos for noise, I dont think they are too loud at all. If I ever replace them I will know for sure I guess. I do find they spin very easily on acceleration but otherwise they seem to be a good match for the chassis.
People really seem to trash the Toyos for noise, I dont think they are too loud at all. If I ever replace them I will know for sure I guess. I do find they spin very easily on acceleration but otherwise they seem to be a good match for the chassis.
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To the original poster, while I do think the OE Toyos are junk, I agree with you that my Mazda5 is the worst fwd car I have had for winter. The problem, as you state, is more in initial starting on any slippery surface, especially when turning (like making a turn onto a new street) or on an incline. Now, let me state, I have been road racing and rallying for more than 15 years so I have lots of car control training and experience. Also, I am a native New Englander who skis more than 30 days a year with many trips in winter conditions. I am not a novice or unskilled winter driver.
Once underway, the 5, with snows, is actually a lot of fun on unplowed roads, very controllable and willing to carry speed and take corners. The issue I see is going from a stop or near stop on slippery surfaces. I believe it is due to Mazda using the same springs from the Mazda3. This affects the rear of our cars more as most, if not all, of the additional weight is in the back due to the increase use of glass. The soft springs cause weight to transfer to the rear when starting from a stop, unweighting the front wheels, and causing a lack of traction. Tires can only hope so much, we are battling weight transfer. I would love to get some stiffer springs that maintained the stock ride height. That would be the ideal solution, in my opinion. I will most likely be selling my Mazda5 before next winter, too bad, it is a lot of fun to drive in most situations.
Once underway, the 5, with snows, is actually a lot of fun on unplowed roads, very controllable and willing to carry speed and take corners. The issue I see is going from a stop or near stop on slippery surfaces. I believe it is due to Mazda using the same springs from the Mazda3. This affects the rear of our cars more as most, if not all, of the additional weight is in the back due to the increase use of glass. The soft springs cause weight to transfer to the rear when starting from a stop, unweighting the front wheels, and causing a lack of traction. Tires can only hope so much, we are battling weight transfer. I would love to get some stiffer springs that maintained the stock ride height. That would be the ideal solution, in my opinion. I will most likely be selling my Mazda5 before next winter, too bad, it is a lot of fun to drive in most situations.
Its interesting that you mention weight transfer as I wonder how well the MS3 rollbar helps with that. The handling is a little tippy initially but then takes a set and hangs in there. I see you have it installed so it must be good! I'm not sure the springs would make a big difference in front traction for this situation. The real culprit is the ultra low first gear. To get this thing to move decently with such low HP they put a crawler of a first gear in it. Unfortunately, that multiplies the torque tremendously and spins the tires like mad. I found using the winter mode 2nd gear start improves traction drastically. Just the other day I was doing something silly parking in a spot that still had a mountain of snow left and basically got it stuck, with the snow tires! A couple of rocks back and forth did nothing but once I used the 2nd gear start, it went right out.
was98strat
Member
you want a really bad car in the snow...96 civic hatch back. get a couple of inches of snow on the ground and it will float on the snow with the tires off the ground!!! it's probably the worst car I've ever been in for winter driving. the 5's weight bias (Which feels very rearward biased to me) doesn't help, but it's not too bad in the winter. If you have the MTX tranny, it's very controllable in the snow, including starts.
I had a theory that lowering the 5 with slightly stiffer springs would give it better winter traction as it would lower the centre of gravity and reduce the shift of weight to the back. But I also think my Toyo Observe G-02 Plus is junk. My lowered Corolla with Yokohama iceGuard iG20s was great in the snow and not even the steepest of hills could prevent me from going uphill or prevent me from stopping downhill. I got highsided on one unplowed street... got stuck going DOWNHILL. lol.
Twintrbo, the MS3 bar does improve handling by making the car more neutral and lessening body lean. Anti-roll bars have nothing to do with fore-aft weight distribution, the only factor there are the springs. Rear-weight bias with soft rear springs causes the springs to compress with the always present rear-weight shift the comes from acceleration. Preventing the weight from moving back and compressing the springs would put more weight on the front where it is needed in slippery conditions. My car is a manual, and yes, the final drive ratio is low, but starting in second would be dangerously slow.
It would be slow but how fast are you trying to go in the snow or ice? Under conditions where traction is that limited, speed is not a consideration. I dont feel like looking up tranny ratios but I'm willing to bet the gears are similar ratios from 5MT to 5AT.
Robotaz, 95 miles?! I didn't even have an impresion of the car yet, what made you decide to do that?
