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Handles like a pig in the snow


uncleel
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It's not the car, just the tires. TC is terrific in snow, perfeclty balanced and high clearance.

The so called All Season tires are labeled like that for North America only. I am not sure what's the benefit in this but I guess it's the result of extreme competition. These tires are essentially just summer tires with a label which means nothing in terms of winter driving. They have the same hard summer compound, the same bare pavement tread with no snow extraction capabilities, standard block pattern no extra sipes to provide grip. Snow driving is all about grip and snow extraction, nothing else. For extra grip (in comparison with summer/all season tires) the compound is made much softer so it lays down on the surface like an octopus, the extra sipes (cuts in the rubber blocks) provide addidtional sharp edges which hook to the microscopic unevenness on ice. The snow tire technology has been around for several decades and developing every year in amazing pace. Every new model is better than the previous one.

To illustrate the difference: you don't know what you're missing unless you've tried it yourself. You can drive on snow/ice virtually at the same speed as in summer, the braking distance is longer but it will stop when you like, given you started braking in time. You will retain full control over your car (up until some point, of course, there's no denying physics). Don't get me wrong - it will be slippery, but you will be able to control the slip and know the breaking point from experience. After you've gone sliding you'll be able to control the slide.

Nokian's (Willie's post) snow tires are very good, Finns have always been pioneers in snow tire technology for the obvious reasons. So have most manufacturers provided their own technologies. Btw, I have Nokian All Seasons under my Mazda, for summer only. Not usable in snow at all. Bought Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 for winter, my TC has Kleber Krisalps for snow.

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Why do you think my post said "Tire Suggestions?"

A dissertation on winter driving in the snow belt of northeast USA, is like telling an eskimo not to eat yellow snow.

:backtotopic:

http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp (No Nokiana's available)

Avon (0)Hankook (0)BFGoodrich (0)Hoosier (0)Bridgestone (0)Kumho (0)Continental (0)Michelin (0)Dick Cepek (0)Pirelli (0)Dunlop (0)Power King (0)Firestone (0)Sumitomo (0)Fuzion (0)Toyo (0)General (0)Uniroyal (0)Goodyear (1)Yokohama (0)

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Why do you think my post said "Tire Suggestions?"

A dissertation on winter driving in the snow belt of northeast USA, is like telling an eskimo not to eat yellow snow.

LOL :D

No, really, when someone says "All Seasons" I get short cirquited and shoot from all barrels so noone would ever think smth like "All Season tire" exists.

We have a somewhat different selection of tires over here, so can't suggest what's good for you personally. I last picked WS70 because it drives a lot on countryside roads that don't get plowed too often.

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No, really, when someone says "All Seasons" I get short cirquited

Never said, "All Seasons." :nonono:

Only one (1) recommendation per tirerack.com

2010 Ford Transit Connect Van - 205/65R15

Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice+ Studless Ice & Snow

The Ultra Grip Ice+ is Goodyear’s Studless Ice & Snow tire originally developed for driving on Northern Europe’s toughest cold-weather roads.

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