Hi Alex,

It is getting to be time to replace our 195/55 x 16 summer tires on our 09 Clubman S with some winter tires. We are in Seattle, and when we get snow it is usually wet/packed or ice. We are dithering between Bridgestone WS-60's or Michelin X-ice x-ice2's. Do the experts at Tire Rack have a recomendation for our area and conditions. Oh, rain is a large part of our winters too.

Thanks, Les.

 

tirerack had been offering a winter package for us here on NAM. If you are interested in a completely separate set of winter and summer wheels/tires. I didn't see the deal till I had already ordered mine through somewhere else otherwise I would have done the deal. I went with the WS-60s after doing research.
I am from Portland, now living in SLC. I believe you guys get more snow than we did, but I don't know how much more. If the amount is very close to that of P-town then I would probably get the Michelins as I remember them as being better for cold cornering/driving when the snow/ice isn't present- and they were pretty darn well priced at Costco-- do you guys have them there??
J/k- I know the origin of "kirkland Signature".

I was going back and forth between the two quite a bit and had just read so many good things about blizzaks that I just went for it.
Another thing if you aren't already aware of is if you have a separate set of wheels/tires for the seasons like myself then also get another set of TPM Sensors so you don't have to keep mounting/balacing the tires everytime you change them.
I just ordered mine today from Alex from Tirerack- They should be here by the weekend.

BTW thanks for the storm today. Watching the cold front going over Washington and Oregon that has been dropping snow since I left for work before the sun even got up. Which is what made me get on ordering the sensors NOW.

 

Hey PT I'm in Vancouver, I just put on some Bridgestone Potenza G 019 Grids (195/55-16), we've had plenty of rain and I now know why I chose these tires, driving Freeways with standing water is a breeze, where before my RFs got squirly. I've only put about 250miles on them so far, I just put them on on the 19th.

Good Luck...let us know what you decided on!!

 

Les,
For what your encountering they are about the same. The Ws60's are
notably better on ice, I am not sure that's a factor for you. I know of
a few Seattle Mini's running all season tires, the Bridgestone Re960's
because a wet winter is more prolific in that region. If your winter is
like last season you need the blizzaks.
Let me know
Alex Mouroulis | Sales Specialist

 

Ordered the WS-60's this morning from Alex. Will post an update as to how well Minirva does when the flakes fly.

 

I have a similar question for my 2005 Mini Cooper S (17"). I really don't know much about tires but from the research I have done it sounds like Alex is the expert!

I switched out the original 17" run-flat tires a couple years ago for Falken All-Season tires. I am really disappointed with the tread life of them and they were horrible in all of the snow we got in Seattle last winter .

Now, I need new tires again as the tread is very low. My company doesn't allow snow days and I am on my own so I really need something that works well in the snow so I can get in to work. But, we don't always have a lot of snow in Seattle. So, I have a couple questions:

1) For the Seattle area do you think I need to have a separate set of dedicated winter tires if I need to drive in the snow? I really don't have the budget to buy 2 sets of wheels & tires but I do want to know what is recommended. If so, what size and do you have a recommendation for the wheels (low budget but still look good)?

2) If I go instead for an All-Season tire, what is the best tire that will get me around in the snow and least likely to hydro-plan in the rain? I am not a real performance driver but I like how the 17" tires look.

Thank you,
Jill

 

I've got Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3's on my '06 JCW (LSD). Last winter in Seattle I didn't get stuck until the snow on the road was about 18" deep. I don't know that blizzaks would have helped there.

For awhile I was plowing the neighborhood with my front air dam. I was the only thing making it around other than SUV's and AWD cars.

I've had Blizzaks in the past on other cars, and they will definitely buy you some additional traction on ice, but I didn't like driving on them. Too spongy.

The Primacy Alpins are fantastic when it's 40 degrees and raining, when the summer tires turn hard as a rock and have no grip.

 

what size are you running? Do you have a set you use in summer? I live near SEA too and am looking for something good for winter and when it's raining & 40 which is most of the time.
thanks,
steve

 

I still say my Bridgestone Potenza G019 Grids will fit the bill for Seattle Winters. And at $87/Tire it's a great Deal too!!

 

I think mine are 215/45/17, but they make them in the stock 205/45/17 now (I don't think they did last year when I bought mine).

This last week when it's been 15 degrees during my commute, you wouldn't know it by the grip I had. They don't have quite the steering response of an ultra high performance summer tire, but they are way better than driving on Blizzaks when it's wet or dry.

I do have a set of summer tires, Bridgestone RE760 Sport. They are good when it's warm, but when it's below 45 degrees they (like all summer tires) the rubber gets hard and you lose a lot of grip.