X-ICE XI2 or Blizzak WS-60

[stevencyt]

So today it was kind snowing in Toronto, and it reminded me to get some winter tires, and now I have to choose between:

1. Michelin X-ICE XI2
2. Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60

They are both good winter tires with same price, I just can't decide which one to go with...
Please give me some advice or comment for these two tires

Thanks

[mrpeasle]

I tried some WS-50's on my parents Honda Civic a few years ago, I loved them. So I got a set of WS-60's for my subaru inpreza last year and I am not that impressed with them. They are not even close to the WS-50's.

With that said I ordered a set of Dunlop Graspics from Tirerack and they should be here tomorrow, for my Yaris HB.

I have no experience with the Michelins.

[refotsirk]

This will be our second season with the Dunlop Graspics and we
were totally sold on the choice we made to do it.
I tried to get stuck. Going up hill in 6 inches of snow and didn't even
spin. Ice control seemed excellent too.
Snow tires or not, the big evil is when you go onto plowed snowpack
that is higher than your space below your car. Tends to hang you up.
Nothing a snow tire can do for that. Thus. The shovel in the trunk.:thumbup:
For the cost of four steelies and snow tires, that ='s my deductable in
the worst case body shop scenario. So peace of mind.
I would check out the Dunlops too.
Kristoff

[battleversiontc]

ws 60 worked fine for me on my civic hatch during the winter

[edisonfire]

where are you buying them in T.O and how much? I'm looking for some, and I need the steel rims too..

[06vitzRS]

I sell both of those tires in my shop, they're both great but the Nokian Hakka R out performs both and it's less expensive. http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=10924176&group=1.01&name=Nokian+Hakkapeliitta+R

[evan]

I sell both of those tires in my shop, they're both great but the Nokian Hakka R out performs both and it's less expensive. http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=10924176&group=1.01&name=Nokian+Hakkapeliitta+R
Less expensive? I got a quote from a local Kaltire last week on those and they said it would be $169 plus tax per tire installed and balanced. That's for the stock size (185/60/15).

I'm wondering if we are getting gouged because there is nobody but Kaltire that sells Nokian in Saskatoon.

[Dave]

where are you buying them in T.O and how much? I'm looking for some, and I need the steel rims too..

I'm in the same situation. Bridgestone shops in the GTA had a 50% sale for the last half of October (read: now ended) but I missed out because I was moving apartments and didn't have the time to stop in.

If anyone knows of a good winter tire deal in Toronto, I'm very interested.

[firemachine69]

I have a set of Graspic DS-2's Superior to the stock Potenza's in every way.

[MUSKOKA800]

FYI,
Last Saturday's (Nov. 8) Toronto Star Wheels section had a review/article discussing all the current winter boots. The article may be archived at their website???

[stevencyt]

Hi all, thanks for the review, I just got WS-60 from a shop called IC Muffler in Scarborough, for 14 inch tire, $108 each. Now just waiting for the snow to come and see how these tires perform in winter.

[Dave]

So I have a sedan with 15" tires, and when I was calling around for quotes today, one of the dealers suggested going with 14" for winter tires to save some money. I imagine since the base Yarii come with 14" tires, this would be an acceptable match, but I'd never really considered the idea before. Anyone have any input on why this may or may not work?

And for the people in the Toronto area looking for a deal on winter tires, try calling Mazz Auto at Bloor St and Dundas West. They have 40% off Blizzak's right now. 416-536-4423.

[06vitzRS]

The 14" tires will be cheaper than 15" but you will have to get a second set of rims. I think 2 sets of tires and rims is a good idea but buying the extra rims will probably cost more than just going with 15's. All depends on how much you can/want to spend.

[evan]

My Yaris came with 15" steel wheels from factory and I just had winter tires put on them. I think I'll probably go one more summer on the stock tires, put the winters back on and then leave them on. I'll get some new aftermarket wheels the following spring. ...maybe. I might give in and get wheels this spring.

[Dave]

The 14" tires will be cheaper than 15" but you will have to get a second set of rims. I think 2 sets of tires and rims is a good idea but buying the extra rims will probably cost more than just going with 15's. All depends on how much you can/want to spend.

Correct. Forgot to mention that I was looking at getting a second set of rims regardless of if I get 14" or 15" tires (with the rims sized to match the tires). I'm just wondering if the 14" tires will put my speedometer/odometer out of calibration at little bit?

[Bob_VT]

Had the Blizzaks mounted today on my steelies.

[evan]

Correct. Forgot to mention that I was looking at getting a second set of rims regardless of if I get 14" or 15" tires (with the rims sized to match the tires). I'm just wondering if the 14" tires will put my speedometer/odometer out of calibration at little bit?
No, you can get a 14" tire that matches the height of your 15's.

[thebarber]

14" = the cheap

i have 14" summers (hi performance all seasons, actually) and 14" winters on the yaris, and have 14" all seasons and winters for the aveo

175-65-14 or 185-60-14 work perfectly fine for the yaris....the speedo MAY be off a bit if you had 15's stock, but its only about 3.3% which is really only 3km/h at 100km/h

personally, i say the smaller the better.....hard to argue w/ sub $50 tires, lol.

as for brand.....i had x-ices on my matrix xrs the second winter i had it....they were good, but i never hit THAT much snow and i found them to be pretty soft (which is good in the cold, but i found they wore kinda quick). the winter following i ran goodyear nordics from CT, also a nice tire.....different dynamics than the x-ices, but noticeably louder on the highway (made for an annoying drive from london, on to fredericton, nb!)

last winter i had snowtrakker winters on the yaris which worked spectacularly well, but like the nordics they have a more open tread, which is great in the snow, but on dry pavement and on the highways they were not super quiet.

ive got some other form of snows on the aveo this year that i picked up used off a guy who had an echo hatch. i like them so far, not too loud, good grip in the cold so far, but we havent got any snow in freddy beach yet....so i dont know how they do.

i guess my opinion in the end is to just pick something and try it.....id lean get whatever you can get thats cheap......gta roads arent covered in snow THAT much that you need winter tires for cutting thru snow......slush, maybe......

next time i get winters (as im moving to waterloo, on soon) ill buy something with a more closed tread thats good for more clear pavement vs 2' of snow....because typically, thats what id drive on most....

[Dave]

I ended up getting a set of 14" X-Ice's and rims from the local Active Green & Ross. Friendly guys who treated me well when I brought my old car in there.

My parents live out in the country so I do a fair amount of out-of-city driving when I visit, so I figured they're worth the investment. Plus, there were some pretty hairy nights/mornings driving to and from work last year after heavy snowfalls (before the plows get out to the streets that aren't main arteries) so I'd rather not take my chances.

[randdtso]

This will be my second winter on Dunlop Graspic DS-2's. Got a set of four mounted and balanced on steel rims, with chrome wheel nuts all for $440 from Tire Rack. Excellent tire too; they will run away and hide from the stock Potenza's when there's just a hint of snow. They feel a little more "squirmy" on dry pavement though...but who buys snow tires for handling?
Part of this might also be due to the 175/70-14 size, compared to the stock 185/60-15's.

[minicorolla]

Hi, I bought four General Altimax Arctic with studs. Went through 10" snow getting on freeway, 30 mi. of snow squalls, and now the roads are sheets of ice. They are performing great.

[refotsirk]

For some reason that was what happened to us. Potenza tires on steel rims. got Graspic DS 2's and they are 14 ".
My tires are now spinning 3.3% faster. So When it says I am going 60, I am actually going about 55.5 mph.
Checked it with A GPS. so am looking forward to driving 55 when I am going 55.
But they kick arse on the slush, snow and ice, and with the extra deep treads, soften the ride nicely.

[randdtso]

That's why I got the 175/70-14's rather than the stock non-RS size of 175/65-14...very close to the same OD of the 185/60-15's.
Plus the narrower tire is better for snow.
Plus...I saved $2 per tire. (Hey, 8 bucks buys 5 Tim Horton's coffee's...)

[mrpeasle]

I just put my graspics on yesterday, they are definately "squimier" but again, they are meant for snow so I dont really care. I got the 4 tires with 14" and steel rims from tirerack for 450 bucks, which is cheaper than I would have paid for 4 tires around here.

Tim Hortons, you must live in Canada, I had never heard of one until I rode through Alberta and BC on my motorcycle this summer, weird.

[derickveliz2]

I'm using Dunlop M3s and they are great, less road noise than OEM, Much better grip and handling than OEM, read lots of reviews before buying and WOW!!! I can't believe I'm riding on winter tires (100 mph no problem).

$112 at Sears.

Dunlop Sport M3 link (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Winter+Sport+M3&vehicleSearch=false&partnum=06R5WSM3&fromCompare1=yes&place=3)

my 2 cts.

http://derickveliz.googlepages.com/YarisNF210.JPG