winter tires and chains recommendations

[Bibm5]

Am I the only one who enjoys having fun in the snow? I grew up in NY and now I'm in GA. When it snows here I'm very excited! I don't plan to take the o2 In the snow... The rwd pick up truck satisfies my snow sliding itch.
I wouldn't be all that upset if I slide off the road in the truck but I don't want to put the 02 In a ditch.
Although it would be a bummer to have to put the car away for a northern winter [emoji53].

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[joebarthlow]

2 hours ago, Bibm5 said:

Am I the only one who enjoys having fun in the snow? I grew up in NY and now I'm in GA. When it snows here I'm very excited! I don't plan to take the o2 In the snow... The rwd pick up truck satisfies my snow sliding itch.
I wouldn't be all that upset if I slide off the road in the truck but I don't want to put the 02 In a ditch.
Although it would be a bummer to have to put the car away for a northern winter .

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I grew up in eastern Washington when snow was on the ground most of the winter. Once I made it to the Willamette Valley in western Oregon, I grew to like warmer, dryer climate pretty easily. My main issue with driving in the snow are not my skills, rather the inexperienced California drivers (from year-round warm climates) who move into Oregon with very little ability to drive in the snow.

 

Last winter we only had a 1/2 day of snow. I was able to exercise the 02 on dry country roads weekly. two years ago, though, we had a 25-year storm with snow on the ground for a couple weeks, plus a nasty 10 day ice storm. 

Edited October 6, 2018 by joebarthlow

[markmac]

Sorry to say "JOE" there are shit drivers everywhere (including OREGON).  Best of luck to you this winter...drive safe. Seems like you have enough info here to figure it out unless your a dummy.

Edited October 6, 2018 by markmac

[joebarthlow]

12 minutes ago, markmac said:

Sorry to say "JOE" there are shit drivers everywhere (including OREGON).  Best of luck to you this winter...drive safe. Seems like you have enough info here to figure it out unless your a dummy.

 

you are correct, shit drivers are everywhere. I appreciate the tire recommendations. thanks

[irdave]

I've lived in Tahoe, Fairbanks Alaska, 5 years in Breckendridge and 20 in northern Colorado.  A limited slip is really helpful, studs all the way around if it's icy, regular snow tires if it's not.  Out here in Colorado, studs aren't necessary.  The Nokians are great, the Bridgestone Blizzak is great, Conti has a Winterkontakt tire that's nice.  The nicer snow tires have a softer compound until they're almost dead then it becomes a regular compound tire.  And definitely some weight in the back-  Have fun!

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, irdave said:

...The Nokians are great, the Bridgestone Blizzak is great...

 

+1 on the Blizzaks!

 

They are fabulous, too, and my second choice where Nokian doesn’t make the right size or style of tire, e.g., my AWD Sienna needs a run-flat tire and Nokian does not manufacture a run-flat version in the correct size.

 

These top-notch modern snow tires are game changers. The difference between these dedicated top-of-the-line snow tires and an all-season tire is as dramatic — in snow — as the difference between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

 

As to Joe.....

 

Joe, do you really need snow tires for a 1/2 day of snow annually? ?

OK. They do look cool on an ‘02! ?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[tzei]

14" E30 rims & studded Nokia Hakka tires + lsd + about 30 kg's at the back = ?

[Conserv]

1 hour ago, tzei said:

14" E30 rims & studded Nokia Hakka tires + lsd + about 30 kg's at the back = ?

 

Not fair: I’ve heard that Finns are issued Hakkapeliitta’s at birth.... ?

 

(So, of course, Finland has produced many of the great winter rally drivers!)

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by Conserv

[72pdx02]

I use to live in Portland. When it snows I learned to stay off the road due to the other drivers.

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by 72pdx02

[tzei]

1 hour ago, Conserv said:

 

Not fair: I’ve heard that Finns are issued Hakkapeliitta’s at birth.... ?

 

(So, of course, Finland has produced many of the great winter rally drivers!)

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

We are the Hakkapeliitta lol 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakkapeliitta

[Bryan Bittner]

On 10/5/2018 at 6:11 PM, Guy Cocquyt said:

Best option is garage your car for their winter

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100% correct. the 2002 sucks in snow. Drive a beater instead Jeeps are cheap find one

[MikeD]

I used to put 4 Vredestein winter tires on and 6 boxes of computer paper in the trunk.  Never got stuck.  I know Verdestein still makes a 13" snow tire.

[Vicleonardo1]

Joe I am in agreement with the others. 

Your driving skills in the snow may be unmatched. 

It is the other Bozo's that are the danger. (see 72PDX02 above) I wouldn't risk a fender bender taking my 02 out even at the slightest risk of snow and especially ice. The good and the bad with Oregon being hesitant to use salt, (but now relenting on some stretches of I5) is that sand really doesn't do much of anything for the roads, but you don't have to worry about rust (as much)..

 

Studs are best for traction in the snow, but can be a pain in the butt to stop once the snow/ice is gone and the roads are wet. (which is par for the course in the Willamette Valley)

 

PS: Lived 5 years in Omaha Nebraska. The roads were extremely well kept and mostly clean and dry in all types of weather. Given that, there were still people (even locals) that couldn't drive in inclement weather. I did learn the lesson that black ice is pretty unforgiving no matter what tires, chains, studs etc. you have on your vehicle. (No accidents, but came close). 

 

PPS: You are in Les Schwab tire territory. What do they recommend? Plus Schwab has (or used to have) the policy is that you get a full refund on your chains if you buy from them and don't use them.  Which is a good gamble to take where we live. (Return by April first). 

[Gordon]

+1 on don't drive your 02 in the winter with ice/snow on the roads. As others have said, it's the other drivers you have to worry about. If you want to drive an old BMW in the winter. Find a 85-88 E30 or 82-88 E28 eta car. They are cheap, big diving board bumpers to help protect you, they get great gas mileage, and are fun to drive (with a 5 speed).  I just bought a set of Sumitomo Ice Edge 175/70-14 tires from Amazon for $51 each for my 91 E30.   That size is recommend in the E30 owners manual for snow tires. Glad I didn't turn in my bottlecaps to the scrap metal yard, now the snow tires will go on them. Since 13" snow tires have gone the way of the dinosaur in the US market, the alternative is to put bottlecaps on your 02 and put 175/70-14 on the bottlecaps and you won't have any speedo error from stock 02 size (165/80-13).  http://www.paspeedo.com/calculator.htm