Max Rebo Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 (Is there any other kind of advice on the internet?) Anyway, I have narrowed down two combinations for winter. Here they are: Tires: 225/45-HR17 Dunlop SP WinterSport 3D, $139 each @ Tire Rack or 225/45-VR17 Hankook IceBear W300, $104 each @ Edge Racing Does anyone have experience with the Hankook IceBears? I've read a few good reviews, but I've never bought this brand before. These are also performance winter tires. Wheels: 17x7ET40 Raze R24 (silver), 20 lbs., $127 each Any idea if Raze wheels are any good? Never heard of them before, but I want/need something cheap for the winter. http://www.kamispeed.com/images/r24tslb.jpg Or... 17x8ET48 5zigen Fn01r-c, $169 each @ Edge Racing. I've seen some people here and on VWvortex with this wheel, so I figure it's decent. It looks good, too. http://revhighonline.com/pics/2005-10-24-hyperblack.jpg I already know the Dunlops will be good. One reason to buy from Tire Rack is that they mount & balance at no extra cost. Not sure if they do that at Edge Racing. Gotta call about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krzyss Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I think ADAC did testing in this particular size and they did not like any winter tires. Would you consider narrower tires? Krzys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Rebo Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 I would, but the selection is pretty small. I've used 225/45-17 winter tires where I've lived for years and never had a problem. I don't have to deal with deep snow or constant ice through the winter, so a 225 tire will work very well. Any opinions on Raze wheels or Hankook winter tires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGT Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Hankooks have a good rep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiebrydon Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I had ASA LW5's with BridgeStone Blizzak's on my 02 WRX. Totally reasonably priced package from TireRack.com. I can only compare the Blizzak's to the RE92's so of course they were great. It seemed like I was only driving in the wet though, the Blizzaks just STUCK in the snow, they handled amazingly well. Dry performance wasn't as good as the RE92's by a hair and wet performance was better. Just my 2 cents Oh the pic I included is just to show the rims, I already had the blizzak's off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Rebo Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 It looks like I'll be posting a review of the Dunlop WinterSport 3D later on this winter. I opted for them, plus the Raze R24 wheel (17x7ET40, 5x100). Tires from TireRack, wheels from EdgeRacing. I like the Dunlops too much, so I had to order from separate vendors. I'll just have them mounted at a good local tire shop. I managed to find some info (not much) on Raze wheels. It appears they are made by RH, who happens to make some very nice wheels that I've seen on some VWs. RH can be pricey, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfxdave99 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 The only thing about the blizzaks is a friend of mine has them on his car and he said that they will wear quick if you beat on the car with them on. I had no problems with my Toyo's in the snow If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 if you are going with the winter set, get the narrower rim.. either tire is fine actually, you're good to go. Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Rebo Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 The only thing about the blizzaks is a friend of mine has them on his car and he said that they will wear quick if you beat on the car with them on. It depends on which Blizzak he was referring to. The LM-22/25 series are good on dry roads. Softer types, such as the WS-50 have that soft, outer 50% compound that wears quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiebrydon Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 The only thing about the blizzaks is a friend of mine has them on his car and he said that they will wear quick if you beat on the car with them on. Agreed. Blizzaks are for two purposes. Lots of snow driving + lots of freeway driving. They are just fine for traveling at 70mph on the freeway, not very noisy etc. They offer totally reasonable grip in the dry but the compound is VERY soft so you definitely do not want to do a lot of hard cornering in the dry, you'll wear 'em out as fast or faster than a racing tire. It depends on which Blizzak he was referring to. The LM-22/25 series are good on dry roads. Softer types, such as the WS-50 have that soft, outer 50% compound that wears quickly. I had the LM-22's. They showed very little wear after 4 trips to Tahoe from the South Bay, plus about a month total of driving them around in the dry. I was very careful (for the most part) to not drive fast, not corner hard. But they FELT a little soft, especially when the winter sun was warmest in the middle of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Rebo Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 Agreed. Blizzaks are for two purposes. Lots of snow driving + lots of freeway driving. They are just fine for traveling at 70mph on the freeway, not very noisy etc. They offer totally reasonable grip in the dry but the compound is VERY soft so you definitely do not want to do a lot of hard cornering in the dry, you'll wear 'em out as fast or faster than a racing tire. I had the LM-22's. They showed very little wear after 4 trips to Tahoe from the South Bay, plus about a month total of driving them around in the dry. I was very careful (for the most part) to not drive fast, not corner hard. But they FELT a little soft, especially when the winter sun was warmest in the middle of the day. I agree that the LM-22s feel a bit soft on dry roads. I think many performance winter tires will feel this way only because they have many treadblocks and lots of siping. The LM-22s *could* feel softer than others, though. It's difficult to know without a back-to-back test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chenc544 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 If you are buying from Edge Racing anyway, check out the Black Racing Pro N1. Black Racing are made by 5Zigen so the quality is the same as the fn01r-c. The N1 is a bit heavier 17.5 lbs vs 15 lb but they are on sale for $125. Since they are going to be winter wheels weight isn't as big of an issue. Edge Racing will mount, balance, include hardware just like TireRack. Per their website: Do you include all the hardware necessary for my Bundle Installation? Yes, we include lug nuts (or lug bolts depending on application), hub centric rings (if needed) and chrome-sleeved valve stems. What do you mean by “Free Mounting and Balancing”? It means that we mount and balance the tire on the wheel free of charge. We also “Road-Force” test all wheel and tire assemblies and guarantee a vibration-free ride. Many customers save upwards of a $100 by having all this service performed by our expert staff free of charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Rebo Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 If you are buying from Edge Racing anyway, check out the Black Racing Pro N1. Black Racing are made by 5Zigen so the quality is the same as the fn01r-c. The N1 is a bit heavier 17.5 lbs vs 15 lb but they are on sale for $125. Since they are going to be winter wheels weight isn't as big of an issue. Edge Racing will mount, balance, include hardware just like TireRack. Per their website: Do you include all the hardware necessary for my Bundle Installation? Yes, we include lug nuts (or lug bolts depending on application), hub centric rings (if needed) and chrome-sleeved valve stems. What do you mean by “Free Mounting and Balancing”? It means that we mount and balance the tire on the wheel free of charge. We also “Road-Force” test all wheel and tire assemblies and guarantee a vibration-free ride. Many customers save upwards of a $100 by having all this service performed by our expert staff free of charge. I guess I didn't read the FAQ, eh? Oh well... Anyway, I would have bought tires from ER, except they only carried one winter tire. I really wanted the Dunlop 3Ds instead, so I have to get mounting/balancing done separately. No big deal. It'll still be dirt cheap as far as 17" wheel/tires go. I did look at the Black Racing wheel (the one they had), but I couldn't bring myself to buy a black wheel for a silver car. If my car was any other color, I might have considered them. For some reason, I seem to dig 5-spoke wheels on this car. I may buy some 18" fn01r-c's in the spring since I cannot find the right size & color for the Rota Torques that I like. No one carries 18x8ET48, 5x100, silver or hyper silver. Not sure why... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rougeben83 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Narrower rim, narrower tire in 215/45, and it's cheaper all around. Be honest with yourself; just how aggresively will you drive the car in the snow? Unless there's snow autocross or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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