2015 Subaru Forester - Terrible Snow car

[Mister Moose]

ABSOLUTELY!!! I live on a STEEP winding private rd, blizzaks rule here... but they are HUGE coin nowadays...

Why not take the trifecta of studded snows?

Get a 9/10 good tire like Cooper, add studs, now you're a tank. Better traction, longer life, and cheaper. Made for STEEP VT driveway. And you'll have better traction on ice.

[random1]

I run hakkas and it goes through anything.

I think Vianor in Rutland (used to be Goss tire) still has a Columbus Day Nokian sale. I have a 6-cylinder Outback coming in about a month and that's where I expect to buy tires next fall assuming they have a sale.

Second the Vianor recommendation - got my Hakkas there last fall, love them. I missed the sale, but the prices were good anyway, within a few bucks of the cheapest I could find at the time.

You might want to look at the Nokian WRGs if they come in your tire size - I'm planning on using them on my cars that I don't typically use for ski trips as year-round tires.

[madhatter]

ABSOLUTELY!!! I live on a STEEP winding private rd, blizzaks rule here... but they are HUGE coin nowadays...

Why not take the trifecta of studded snows?

Get a 9/10 good tire like Cooper, add studs, now you're a tank. Better traction, longer life, and cheaper. Made for STEEP VT driveway. And you'll have better traction on ice.

the stud-less snows actually work better...my dad ran the studded hakas on his jeep one season, mine far outperformed his w the blizzaks...he sold em and went w the studless the next season...hasn't had a problem since...key factor is taking them off as soon as the asphalt rds start warming up in spring... sunny day hwy miles eat em up quick...

[ejrides]

I'll second the recommendation of Vianor in Rutland. Give Mike a call, always helpful. From my experience, choose your winter tire carefully. If most of your travel is highway, skip the studded tires and buy a more performance related snow tire. We have the Hakka R on the car that goes back and forth to NY and the Hakka Nordman on the car that stays in VT.

[Woodsrider]

I run hakkas and it goes through anything.

Yep. ...but Tire Rack doesn't carry Nokian and their internet presence is so huge that Nokian is almost invisible. You want the absolute best snow and black ice grip on the market? Buy Blizzaks and look at the very competitive Tire Rack wheel/tire/TPMS package. The problem is you toss them in the dumpster at 12K to 15K miles when they lose that amazing grip. Nokians are almost as good and you get 3x the wear.

I think Vianor in Rutland (used to be Goss tire) still has a Columbus Day Nokian sale. I have a 6-cylinder Outback coming in about a month and that's where I expect to buy tires next fall assuming they have a sale.

ABSOLUTELY!!! I live on a STEEP winding private rd, blizzaks rule here... but they are HUGE coin nowadays... Hankook winter I-pike is a decent comparable...That said, I sprung for the blizzaks on my new ( er) jeep...FYI tirerack is in windsor CT and tires arrived at my house in VT in 1-2 days after ordering online ( summer tires and wheels for a dif vehicle)

I actually have a set of half worn Blizzaks at my house from my Chevy Impala company car that got wrecked. They are 17" but a different aspect ratio. I will probably put those on just to get through the rest of the season.

I live on a steep road up on the mountain my NY house is on and this car barely made it up. I had to turn off the traction control and rally it up last night.

[tyrolean_skier]

I run hakkas and it goes through anything.

Yep. ...but Tire Rack doesn't carry Nokian and their internet presence is so huge that Nokian is almost invisible. You want the absolute best snow and black ice grip on the market? Buy Blizzaks and look at the very competitive Tire Rack wheel/tire/TPMS package. The problem is you toss them in the dumpster at 12K to 15K miles when they lose that amazing grip. Nokians are almost as good and you get 3x the wear.

I think Vianor in Rutland (used to be Goss tire) still has a Columbus Day Nokian sale. I have a 6-cylinder Outback coming in about a month and that's where I expect to buy tires next fall assuming they have a sale.

Did you buy the Outback in Rutland?

[Mister Moose]

ABSOLUTELY!!! I live on a STEEP winding private rd, blizzaks rule here... but they are HUGE coin nowadays...

Why not take the trifecta of studded snows?

Get a 9/10 good tire like Cooper, add studs, now you're a tank. Better traction, longer life, and cheaper. Made for STEEP VT driveway. And you'll have better traction on ice.

the stud-less snows actually work better...my dad ran the studded hakas on his jeep one season, mine far outperformed his w the blizzaks...he sold em and went w the studless the next season...hasn't had a problem since...key factor is taking them off as soon as the asphalt rds start warming up in spring... sunny day hwy miles eat em up quick...

So you got my curiosity going with that one. Here's some interesting info from Alaska:

The passenger fleets for the city of Anchorage and state of Alaska are also for the most part outfitted with studded tires during winter. Some of this is a function of performance. The Anchorage Police Department, for instance, said other models aren’t rated for high speeds, a problem if you’re in the business of chasing bad guys.

“We like them for the ice, they are much better on icy conditions,” said Alan Czajkowski, director of Anchorage’s Public Works Department. Winter was so fierce last year, the deadline for removing studs was extended until May 1. “And a lot of it is (also) dollars and cents."

The city has found that Bridgestone’s Blizzak tires cost 60 percent more than studded models and don’t last any longer. “If we are not seeing better traction or a safer tire then it doesn’t make sense to spend 60 percent more,” he said. It would cost Anchorage $123 per tire to outfit its police cars with Blizzaks, while studded tires run about $74 per tire, according to data provided by the city.

http://www.adn.com/article/most-effecti ... r-studless" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The article goes on to say that one study found that studs have more traction near the freezing point, but as it gets colder the traction advantage on ice disappears. (Did not know that)

It sounds like driving skill might be as much a factor as studded or Blizzaks outside of near 32 degree ice.

[Big Bob]

If you want to see accelerated wear on an asphalt surface due to the use of steel, look at any snowmobile trail crossing over an asphalt road surface. I couldn't use picks on my track due to the depth, so I used carbide tipped screws, 272 of them.

[Woodsrider]

Blizzaks are going on the car tomorrow. Now you know it won't snow again this year. Sorry guys.

I spoke to my tire guy today and he said he all the new Subaru's come with tires that absolutely suck in the r*in and snow. He is seeing a lot of new owners come in for the same problem.

[madhatter]

http://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp?video=7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ice Traction Testing: Studded vs. Studless (01:51)

Category: Winter / Snow Tires
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The Tire Rack's team of testers review the performance of winter / snow tires on ice, comparing the control of studded tires to a new generation of studless. The results show that studless tires proved they have what it takes in the areas of acceleration, control, traction and cornering, surpassing that of studded tires.

madhatters field testing concurs.... your results may vary...Yes the blizzaks and other studless tires cost more... But the performance is great and they are MUCH quieter on the road as well...Definitely my number one choice...

[Berkshiregal]

Not to sound like a broken record, but it's the tires. I'm on my second winter in a new grand cherokee. Last winter, I ran the stock 20" Goodyear Forteras and it was downright scary. This year, I have 18" Blizzaks and the drive home was a breeze. Car tracked straight and never wavered... Even through some of the deeper snow.

I had the same exact experience with my 2012 Grand Cherokee. First winter up here I was on the stock tires. I was so disappointed in the car's performance in the snow, especially after having a great experience with my former 2001 Cherokee. I put Blizzaks on my Jeep and am very happy I listened to everyone who told me to get the snow tires.

[jimmywilson69]

This is good intel as my wife and I are leaning towards a Subaru as our next vehicle.

I have Bizzaks that I put on my Honda Civic because otherwise it's useless in what little snow we get here in central PA. I only put them on the front because it is a front wheel drive care and it does wonders. Good to here others have had great success with this tire manufacturer.

[Atomic1]

My wife's 2014 Subaru Crosstrek is great in the Snow and yes I test drove it in a snowstorm ! I also feel it's better than my 14 Rogue . Why ? It's because the tires they are putting on these vehicles out of the factory are for gas milage not traction. Advertising gas milage is what sells ! Who test drives a car in a snowstorm besides me ? But if you put the poor traction, good gas milage tires on the vehicle than you can advertise higher milage and thus sell more vehicles.
I bought the Rogue because we get a Corp. discount from Nissan but not Subaru so I was able to get a bigger vehicle with better GAS MILAGE for less money than a comperable Forester.

[madhatter]

My wife's 2014 Subaru Crosstrek is great in the Snow and yes I test drove it in a snowstorm ! I also feel it's better than my 14 Rogue . Why ? It's because the tires they are putting on these vehicles out of the factory are for gas milage not traction. Advertising gas milage is what sells ! Who test drives a car in a snowstorm besides me ? But if you put the poor traction, good gas milage tires on the vehicle than you can advertise higher milage and thus sell more vehicles.
I bought the Rogue because we get a Corp. discount from Nissan but not Subaru so I was able to get a bigger vehicle with better GAS MILAGE for less money than a comperable Forester,

best snow car I ever owned was an audi quattro avant wagon...W the proper tires that thing went thru snow far deeper than it ever should have... Crappy mudseason car though... Lots of control arms and other parts to ruin...any of the jeeps I've owned ( I've had many) easily outperform our chevy pickup...

for on pavement snow performance just about any awd/4wd w proper tires and even many FWD vehicles also equipped w proper tires will handle most conditions safely and w reasonable effectiveness...When it gets steep or offroad, well there's only one...( honestly I'm sure there are others too)

[Atomic1]

My wife's 2014 Subaru Crosstrek is great in the Snow and yes I test drove it in a snowstorm ! I also feel it's better than my 14 Rogue . Why ? It's because the tires they are putting on these vehicles out of the factory are for gas milage not traction. Advertising gas milage is what sells ! Who test drives a car in a snowstorm besides me ? But if you put the poor traction, good gas milage tires on the vehicle than you can advertise higher milage and thus sell more vehicles.
I bought the Rogue because we get a Corp. discount from Nissan but not Subaru so I was able to get a bigger vehicle with better GAS MILAGE for less money than a comperable Forester,

best snow car I ever owned was an audi quattro avant wagon...W the proper tires that thing went thru snow far deeper than it ever should have... Crappy mudseason car though... Lots of control arms and other parts to ruin...any of the jeeps I've owned ( I've had many) easily outperform our chevy pickup...

for on pavement snow performance just about any awd/4wd w proper tires and even many FWD vehicles also equipped w proper tires will handle most conditions safely and w reasonable effectiveness...When it gets steep or offroad, well there's only one...( honestly I'm sure there are others too)

http://www.tirerack.com/landing/fuel_efficiency.jsp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here is what I said but also in English !