Mr. Sinister Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Hey Guys, I finally got my Winter tires and wheels. Ended up getting a set of Factory 17" from Docksteader Subaru at a sale price of $325 each. They were originally listed at over $590 each. I still think the sale price was a bit steep, however most of the aftermarket ones that were decent quality were around the $275 US price. Factor in Hub centering rings, shipping etc., I figured I'd just get these. The fun begun as I got to the tire store after reserving my Hakkas, the guy at the counter told me that they were sold out. Eventually after some heated discusion, I got them to transfer the last 4 to their store from another store. Drove away a happy customer. Initial impression of these tires...Simply AMAZING !!! They actually STOP really quick on ice. I was very impressed. I highly recommend them, forget all seasons if you have dedicate summers. One thing that I have noticed though is the back end of this car has a tecdancy to want to slide out when things get very slippery; almost seems as like the AWD setup is more rear biased. Anyone else find this ? See Pics below Did you bother getting TPMS for the winter wheels, or did you just skip them altogether? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I don't think Canadian models have TPMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrata Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I don't think Canadian models have TPMS. ^Correct. Hey, YVRspec... we should meet up at Whistler to compare tire notes (and sneak a day on the mountain!) C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I don't think Canadian models have TPMS. Oops. Didn't notice he was from Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YVRspecB Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 i'm up for a ski hangout sometime, or even just to drive up the mountain. Not sure about the whistler road tho. Yeah the CDN models don't have TPMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnXpectedError Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Man o man, the summers that come on the Spec B are downright suicidal on snow/Ice! I was at my dealer yesterday and myself and the mechanic were trying to diagnose a problem with my spec b. He decided to take out a new 09 with the summers to see if the problem was common to all spec b's. I had no idea a tire could be that bad. Like seriously, It cannot be described how dangerous they are. It can only be experienced 1st hand!. He almost killed us about three times:eek:. In the dealer lot the grade was about 1 degree off being flat, and it was all ice. Not one word of a lie the car slid at about 2mph across this entire lot (about 200ft) until we hit the snowbank on the other side. Nuts, simply nuts. There should be warning stickers all over this car, especially being a canadian model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I don't think there should be a warning sticker - it is up to the driver to know what tires are on the car and to know that a summer tire is no good on ice. It's not a flaw of the tire, the Spec B tires are pretty decent summer tires, but are simply not designed to stay soft enough and handle ice at those temps. I think there should be some type of warning, hopefully from the salesman, but that's unlikely. The reality is, most people won't know this fact. It's in the owner's manual, but who reads that before leaving the dealer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnXpectedError Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 They never warned me, but i bought mine in spring. Of course i knew they were summers and put my winters on back in Oct. I gotta believe that if i were buying that car today they would have to tell me about those tires. It would be criminal not to IMO, they are just that dangerous. Scary when you think about it but i'm sure theres a few idiots out there driving on those tires in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest adam07specB Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Here are my snow tires and wheels... 17's and yes my tpms light blinks after about 20 minutes of driving because i never moved the sensors over http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/adam07specb/IMG_1193.jpg http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/adam07specb/IMG_1194.jpg http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/adam07specb/IMG_1195.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 They never warned me, but i bought mine in spring. Of course i knew they were summers and put my winters on back in Oct. I gotta believe that if i were buying that car today they would have to tell me about those tires. It would be criminal not to IMO, they are just that dangerous. Scary when you think about it but i'm sure theres a few idiots out there driving on those tires in winter. Please. Tires are one of the most important element of a car. How about checking them yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnXpectedError Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Please. Tires are one of the most important element of a car. How about checking them yourself? Read what i said again you fool. I knew all about the tires. What i'm saying is its crazy to think that their are people out there who are driving around on these tires, Thru their own stupidity. And yes the dealer should be responsible for at least giving the customer a heads up before they drive off the lot in a -20 canadian winter day on those tires. I'm betting at least 25% of Spec B owners didn't know their tires were summers when they drove off the lot. Most people are not in the mindset that they have to replace the tires on a brand new car before they can drive it off the lot, not even spec b buyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-WDC Spec B Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 My dealer told me that the car had summers and its on the window sticker and in the car brochure and its on tire brochure. One would assume that if you have summer tires that they were ment for the summer and would not be good for the winter. My frist experience with them in the cold was a rainy 40*F night out and i was drifting turns that i normally eat with my legacy. **Edit** I just realized that there prolly is a warning in the Tire Brochure that came with the car. I never cared to read it thou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Read what i said again you fool. Namecalling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonts Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Read what i said again you fool. I knew all about the tires. What i'm saying is its crazy to think that their are people out there who are driving around on these tires, Thru their own stupidity. And yes the dealer should be responsible for at least giving the customer a heads up before they drive off the lot in a -20 canadian winter day on those tires. I'm betting at least 25% of Spec B owners didn't know their tires were summers when they drove off the lot. Most people are not in the mindset that they have to replace the tires on a brand new car before they can drive it off the lot, not even spec b buyers. I bought mine in the winter. I was aware of the tire issue. I drove 60 km to a tire shop and bought winter wheels/tires on my way home. Really .... there can't be many people who buy this car and aren't aware of the tire issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnXpectedError Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I bought mine in the winter. I was aware of the tire issue. I drove 60 km to a tire shop and bought winter wheels/tires on my way home. Really .... there can't be many people who buy this car and aren't aware of the tire issue. I hope you are right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonts Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I hope you are right! Hope..... I agree. I would EXPECT that somebody buying this type of car is enough of an enthusiast to research and know .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannalegacy Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I am having my stock 2008 Spec B tires replaced and both driver side rims as I hit a giant pothole on 66E going around 60mph. Insurance will only cover the tires that are damaged and not all 4 which is going to hit the pocketbook pretty hard. I have been stupidly albeit carefully driving them in the snow and ice around here. Brakes=Fail with those tires. Downshifting is my friend. I'll be keeping the stock tires for summer use, but would like to buy a set of winter tires. Any suggestions? The technician at the dealership doesn't think that my stock tires are summer performance. I thought that was funny and got a little chuckle out of it, but wish the people working on my car were more knowledgeable about their stock tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenzo Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I've been very happy with 215/45R-17 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 on 17x7.5 wheels - this will be my third winter with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I am having my stock 2008 Spec B tires replaced and both driver side rims as I hit a giant pothole on 66E going around 60mph. Insurance will only cover the tires that are damaged and not all 4 which is going to hit the pocketbook pretty hard. I have been stupidly albeit carefully driving them in the snow and ice around here. Brakes=Fail with those tires. Downshifting is my friend. I'll be keeping the stock tires for summer use, but would like to buy a set of winter tires. Any suggestions? The technician at the dealership doesn't think that my stock tires are summer performance. I thought that was funny and got a little chuckle out of it, but wish the people working on my car were more knowledgeable about their stock tires. Dunlop Wintersport M3's FTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochNY91TSI Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I've been very happy with 215/45R-17 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 on 17x7.5 wheels - this will be my third winter with them. Same here. I've had two sets on two different cars (Nissan before and the LGT for 4 winters now). The WS-60's aren't performance tires, but are great snows. Besides, how often do you really want a performance tire in the winter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 wannalegacy, as you see with only the above three posts from our fellow LGTers, there are widespread differences in personal preferences of "winter tires." No one is wrong. It's just a matter of personal preference. What you've gotta decide, first, wanna, is where along the decision tree you're going to branch off: - do you want a "winter-capable" all-season? - do you want a "Performance Winter?" - do you want a "Studless Ice & Snow?" Typically, when we make the decision to get winter tires, only the last two of the above decision branches are considered - "Performance Winters" versus "Studless Ice & Snows" is usually what the majority of us end up trying to decide between. But you're in NOVA. Yes, you guys got creamed this year, with snow - but how common is that? And given the NVH, performance (including safety), and potentially durability trade-offs that you'd make, by going to true "winter tires," it definitely brings the possibility of using a "winter-biased/capable" all-season a very, very reasonable and logical decision, for your particular locale and your specific needs. There's always a trade-off with tires. It's unavoidable. Even the strongest of the "winter-capable" all-seasons - like the Nokian WR and WR G2 - simply pales, in "winter performance," in comparison to the higher-ranked "Performance Winters." Yet, at the same time, even premium, top-rated "Studless Ice & Snow" tires will have a much more "disconnected" feeling, particularly at highway speeds, when compared to the "Performance Winters," and they certainly won't be as durable as a longer-wearing all-season. Additionally, there's some current data which reveals that their performance in clear-wet conditions is lackluster when compared to all-season tires, even at temperatures which, traditioinally, we've been led to believe that the only proper choice is a "winter" tire. Does this necessarily mean that a "Performance Winter" is right for you? No, I don't think that's a perfect, no-compromise choice, either. Certainly, wanna, it's not a good idea for you to be on your summer treads. But in so far as your "winter" choice goes, know that you've - due to your location, if nothing else - got quite a number of acceptable choices. And the first hurdle for you to clear is to decide which "genre" of tire best fits your driving needs and preferences. --- I'll give you a personal example - our family. We live in NE-Ohio, in the near-eastern suburbs of Cleveland-metro. Mention this location to anyone, and they immediately think "OMG, 'Lake Effect Snow,'" and will immediately recommend "Studless Ice & Snow" tires. I couldn't disagree more. Why? In Cleveland-metro, snow is cleared quickly and efficiently. Thus, if you travel during normal hours, it's rare that you'll be met with more than an just slush - much less an inch of powder on the ground. Do we get "Lake Effect?" Yes - probably about twice a year - but that's highly dependent on exactly where you are in NE-Ohio, and for my specific locale, it's definitely *not* an every-year occurrence. This, combined with the fact that "Studless Ice & Snow" tires do tend to feel a bit more imprecise at even legal highway speeds, along with less hydroplane resistance and overall wet performance - added to the fact that I do tend to have my share of fun when the roads are clear (and also want to be able to have some "fun" in the snow, too), means that a wider "Performance Winter" was a good fit for me (why did I not select a "winter-capable" all-season? because I wanted the extra margin-of-safety for wintry precip., which we do see plenty of). Meanwhile, for my wife, last year, I selected a "Studless Ice & Snow," as her commute can sometimes take her out before the snowplows - and I also wanted an extra measure of both "self-extraction" capability as well as more safety margin for frozen precip. In-trade, I was willing to sacrifice both clear-road performance (she's not the "drive to have fun" type, so that wasn't a concern - and trust me, even when the tires were fitted to her WRX [she's now in an '09 FXT], they were just no fun at all) as well as highway stability (her commute is nearly purely local). Get the right tire for your needs, your wants. <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannalegacy Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 TSI WRX, Thank you very much for your help in deciding which tire I'm going to go with. I don't know much about tires as is evident by my post, but think that a winter cabable all-season would be best for someone in my current locale (assuming there is a good one out there) however with the nature of my work I don't have a clue where I might be living by next winter. I have some time to figure it out since I need to save up for them after hitting that pothole which is going to cost me around 1400 bucks. Happy Holidays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 ^ Happy Holidays to you, too. No thanks needed - just glad to help the discussion, and to repay those who've guided me in the past. And hey, I may not have to spend as much as you, but I feel your pain...I'm spending about a tenth of your repair costs to replace the punctured Xi2 on my wife's FXT. Currently, "winter capable" all-seasons include the venerable Nokian WR and WR G2 - which is, AFAIK, the only "all-season" to be branded with the "snowflake on the mountain" symbol, as well as the long-time Subaru-community favorite Continental ContiExtremeContact (the jury seems to still be out on the new ContiExtremeContact DWS variant, as you can see in another current thread). The MazdaSpeed6 community, reported via my friend in Colorado, seems to also like the Kumho Ecsta ASX, but I honestly don't know about cross-application to our platform. Their Ecsta LX Platinum has a rather unique inboard waffle tread, which seems to promise good light-snow traction, but I have not seen any reviews. In the December issue of Car & Driver, the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 was very impressive in the snow, as compared to the Pilot Alpin PA3 "Performance Winter" - the two traded-off compromises in snowy versus clear-weather performance, respectively. On the flip side, I know locals who run the affordable Hankook IceBear W300 as a true year-round tire, akin to what someone would do with the Nokian WR/WR G2, and these NE-Ohioans have been very satisfied with overall performance as well as treadwear. In your specific position, I think that you'll have to make a difficult call. A set of "winter-capable all-seasons" may be the best choice for your locale, but if you were to move to a more snow-bound location, it would certainly be a less-than-ideal choice. On the other hand, in going with a "Performance Winter," if you were to continue to live in NOVA - or move further South - the same could be said. I don't envy the choice you have to make, but I truly don't think you could go *that* wrong, either way, either. <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Is 215/55-17 too huge of a size for stock spec.b?Shopping for some Nokian R's and they get damn expensive with every mm or sidewall height decrease. Its about 2.7% higher rolling diameter. 215/50-17 should be ok though, it just $100+ more for the set. 666 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpmarky Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 215/50/17 has only a 0.59% smaller circumference than the stock spec.b set up.215/55/17 is 2.6% bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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