It's quite mesmerizing to sit and watch car after car hit an icy downslope and slide into the curb/retaining wall/fence/tree. Driver after driver after driver will do it. Even when they see chaos, they still try it! Amazing..
My son slid off the road into the ditch going down a long icy hill on a back road in Quebec. He got out, walked around the car -no damage! He was about to get back in and drive away, when he had to jump out of the way; a second car came along and slid off the road into his car, totalling it. Apparently he wasn't the first one to slide there either.It's quite mesmerizing to sit and watch car after car hit an icy downslope and slide into the curb/retaining wall/fence/tree. Driver after driver after driver will do it. Even when they see chaos, they still try it! Amazing..
^^^ That's terrifying.
A lot of ugly stuff happens on interstates where getting way out of the way is the only way to stay safe.
I have had Michelin ice-x and similar in Continental. Both about equal, which is to say exceptional.This is timely for me.
Our 2003 Landcruiser needs new tires. I have owned this “cars/trucks” for 20+ years. This is our third 100.
I have run summer and winter/snow tires. Michelin LTX in the summer, which are not a very exciting/inspiring tire, but which have had great wear if on top of tire pressure.
In the winter, we have run Nokian Hakkas. No complaints, and lots of pluses. Our most recent set is now on the vehicle and they are at the end of their life...or what I am comfortable with.
I would like to set it up with a year round tire. I am planning to have a set of wheels refinished, restored and powdercoated.
We live in New England. We are no longer making the every Friday night Sunday night 225 mile drive to amd from ski country. Being old and retired has it advantages...like planning travel. We do obviously have snow, slush, sleet and ice.
This is not an offroad vehicle. 99% of driving is on pavement. Which in New England can suck in the winter. Summer, it can get hot and humid. We drive this car less than 10K miles a year. Third vehicle for us.
Stock size. Or close.
Highway? Yeah, and we don’t drive that slow. Normally 75-80mph.
Load...normally a couple of people and our “stuff.” Sometimes a bit more.
I’m less concerned about price than about getting this right. Though, like all of us, I also appreciate striking the right mix of performance and price.
Appreciate any and all ideas and recommendations.
Thanks!
People might need more info.Appreciate any and all ideas and recommendations.
This is timely for me.
Our 2003 Landcruiser needs new tires. I have owned this “cars/trucks” for 20+ years. This is our third 100.
I have run summer and winter/snow tires. Michelin LTX in the summer, which are not a very exciting/inspiring tire, but which have had great wear if on top of tire pressure.
In the winter, we have run Nokian Hakkas. No complaints, and lots of pluses. Our most recent set is now on the vehicle and they are at the end of their life...or what I am comfortable with.
I would like to set it up with a year round tire. I am planning to have a set of wheels refinished, restored and powdercoated.
We live in New England. We are no longer making the every Friday night Sunday night 225 mile drive to amd from ski country. Being old and retired has it advantages...like planning travel. We do obviously have snow, slush, sleet and ice.
This is not an offroad vehicle. 99% of driving is on pavement. Which in New England can suck in the winter. Summer, it can get hot and humid. We drive this car less than 10K miles a year. Third vehicle for us.
Stock size. Or close.
Highway? Yeah, and we don’t drive that slow. Normally 75-80mph.
Load...normally a couple of people and our “stuff.” Sometimes a bit more.
I’m less concerned about price than about getting this right. Though, like all of us, I also appreciate striking the right mix of performance and price.
Appreciate any and all ideas and recommendations.
Thanks!
The Michelin Ice-X and Continental Winter Contact are both winter hybrids, not extreme snow. They ride great, wear well, no vibration or snow tire noise/ride. But give "90%" of the traction and control of a true snow tire. I think they would make a great tire for the land cruiser and the bimmer too if they come in the right size.OK,
I guess I thought that some of this was a bit more obvious. My fault.
We have had a UZJ-100 series Toyota as our primary ski car since 1999. This is number three. I bought this one, a 2003, for reasons specific to that model year, and bought it 6 years ago. Between the three, we probably put 600K miles on them. So familiar with the car.
When our kids were in their ski academy years, and before, and when racing around the country in college, we had our LC "shod" with three sets of tires. Winter {studded Hakkas}, Summer {Michelin LTX} and a variety of shoulder season tires that were "OK" in some occasional late season weather, but would not melt off the 6000 vehicle as things warmed up near Boston. Where we live "at home", and where our ski home is located is "only" 225 miles apart, but it's very different climates.
The LC's standard size tire is a 275/60/18.
I'm looking to have ONE tire that will do fairly well in snow. But nobody on my family is living for the entire winter in Carrabassett Valley, ME, let alone driving in blizzards between there and Whiteface or Quebec, to making "runs" to the Rockies.
I'm also looking for the tire to be a decent year round tire. This vehicle is a big family SUV. Back in the day it was pretty top in class in terms of a "luxury SUV." I never wanted a Lexus badge, not did my wife. But these is no off road vehicle. No. So with new tire technology, I'm asking opinions for ONE tire.
This car/truck/vehicle will be driven 10K miles a year at most. There was a time when we drove it about 600 miles a weekend EVERY weekend from Labor Day through early June. Plus about 200 miles during the week. Not now.
So having a tire that is "the best" in heavy winter weather, to just GO, is not a priority. I have had great experience on all of our cars with Hakka's for that. But no need. I also mentioned that we have a much more flexible schedule at this time of our lives. If heavy weather is forecast, we can leave early, or after it passes. BUT, when "at home", North or South we can se everything.
Reminds me of when my son was coaching a group who were coming East from CO for their first U16 Nationals. The weather report sucked. "Heavy Mixed Precipitation." Which was a new term to these kids. My son listed all of the options and explained that we had garbage bags to cover them up. Later and he and I were joking and I said that "you could have said every possible thing that could fall out of the sky, and most of which would freeze on contact." So, we have that.
I want a real all season tire, which as we al know did not exist 5 years ago. I would call them "no season tires", and I can't tell you how many I had removed the first week that I took possession of other AWD cars. The three sets of tires, mounted on three sets of wheels was the norm for at at least two of ours at the same time. Most of our Mass neighbors could not understand this.
I live 100 feet from the Ocean. This AM it's blowing a gentle 45-50mph. We have everything here for weather, and everything in the winter. Over 6" of snow happens maybe 4-5 times a winter. Of that, over a foot is a once a year, possibly two event. Heavy snow is almost ever dry. Maybe once every few years. But we get slush, packed down wet snow, if freezes to ice. @James gets it.
So.....if you were in my shoes, and were thinking on ONE tire on ONE set of wheels for the LC, what might it be.
Bonus question. One tire for a BMW 328xi wagon, with a six speed. It's a nice now that has had "some work" done to it. Any one tire that you think might do it all? I would be more inclined to keep snows on this one in the winter, than the LC. I have not been in the tire shopping game for some time. This one will not be driven a ton, either....10K miles a year these days.
One thing is that as we get older and are downsizing in terms of house, garages, barns, I'm realizing that and extra 5-6 sets of mounted tires on rims takes up a lot of space!
Thanks a lot!!!
OK,
I guess I thought that some of this was a bit more obvious. My fault.
We have had a UZJ-100 series Toyota as our primary ski car since 1999. This is number three. I bought this one, a 2003, for reasons specific to that model year, and bought it 6 years ago. Between the three, we probably put 600K miles on them. So familiar with the car.
When our kids were in their ski academy years, and before, and when racing around the country in college, we had our LC "shod" with three sets of tires. Winter {studded Hakkas}, Summer {Michelin LTX} and a variety of shoulder season tires that were "OK" in some occasional late season weather, but would not melt off the 6000 vehicle as things warmed up near Boston. Where we live "at home", and where our ski home is located is "only" 225 miles apart, but it's very different climates.
The LC's standard size tire is a 275/60/18.
I'm looking to have ONE tire that will do fairly well in snow. But nobody on my family is living for the entire winter in Carrabassett Valley, ME, let alone driving in blizzards between there and Whiteface or Quebec, to making "runs" to the Rockies.
I'm also looking for the tire to be a decent year round tire. This vehicle is a big family SUV. Back in the day it was pretty top in class in terms of a "luxury SUV." I never wanted a Lexus badge, not did my wife. But these is no off road vehicle. No. So with new tire technology, I'm asking opinions for ONE tire.
This car/truck/vehicle will be driven 10K miles a year at most. There was a time when we drove it about 600 miles a weekend EVERY weekend from Labor Day through early June. Plus about 200 miles during the week. Not now.
So having a tire that is "the best" in heavy winter weather, to just GO, is not a priority. I have had great experience on all of our cars with Hakka's for that. But no need. I also mentioned that we have a much more flexible schedule at this time of our lives. If heavy weather is forecast, we can leave early, or after it passes. BUT, when "at home", North or South we can se everything.
Reminds me of when my son was coaching a group who were coming East from CO for their first U16 Nationals. The weather report sucked. "Heavy Mixed Precipitation." Which was a new term to these kids. My son listed all of the options and explained that we had garbage bags to cover them up. Later and he and I were joking and I said that "you could have said every possible thing that could fall out of the sky, and most of which would freeze on contact." So, we have that.
I want a real all season tire, which as we al know did not exist 5 years ago. I would call them "no season tires", and I can't tell you how many I had removed the first week that I took possession of other AWD cars. The three sets of tires, mounted on three sets of wheels was the norm for at at least two of ours at the same time. Most of our Mass neighbors could not understand this.
I live 100 feet from the Ocean. This AM it's blowing a gentle 45-50mph. We have everything here for weather, and everything in the winter. Over 6" of snow happens maybe 4-5 times a winter. Of that, over a foot is a once a year, possibly two event. Heavy snow is almost ever dry. Maybe once every few years. But we get slush, packed down wet snow, if freezes to ice. @James gets it.
So.....if you were in my shoes, and were thinking on ONE tire on ONE set of wheels for the LC, what might it be.
Bonus question. One tire for a BMW 328xi wagon, with a six speed. It's a nice now that has had "some work" done to it. Any one tire that you think might do it all? I would be more inclined to keep snows on this one in the winter, than the LC. I have not been in the tire shopping game for some time. This one will not be driven a ton, either....10K miles a year these days.
One thing is that as we get older and are downsizing in terms of house, garages, barns, I'm realizing that and extra 5-6 sets of mounted tires on rims takes up a lot of space!
Thanks a lot!!!