[jediphil]

To my fellow Canadians,
Which are the best winter tires( no matter the price) from your point of view!
Because winter is coming fast. Stud or studless? Nokian, Michelin, Toyo...!
I had the Toyo observe-2 last winter, I was pleased with them.
But now the 2011 touring has a different sizing, so any suggestion...

Thanks
2011 black touring

 

[ChaseMe]

Where abouts do you live? I see this as relevant for your stud/studless question. I've had the Toyo's on a couple of cars and they've done a great job. For the 2011 Odyssey however I'm going to go with the Blizzaks due to people raving about them on the Ody and MDXs. My Ody wont leave the city 99% of the time so no studs for me, but I'll keep the sudded tires on my Forester than I tend to take out of town.

 

[tdpark]

I have blizzaks and they are great- do very well on ice too.

 

[kes]

I'm thinking about getting either the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 or Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow, any suggestions? 99% city driving in Greater Vancouver area

 

[D_M]

My last vehicle had General Altimax Arctic, which were rated #2, just behind X-ice's, but were $$ cheaper, and performed quite well, but I have yet to buy winters for my van, but and re-considering them as an option. Doing research I found out that they were really Gislav's Nordfrost 3's, which were highly rated. Anyway, still a few weeks away until I end up buying a set.

 

[ChaseMe]

Still haven't found a clear answer to this, so I'll try here too. Anyone know the stock offset for the 17" wheels on the 2011 Odyssey?

 

[kes]

I'm thinking about getting either the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 or Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow, any suggestions? 99% city driving in Greater Vancouver area

I'm also looking at the Hankook RW11 ipike, any one try it before??

 

[I Am Canadian]

Blizzaks! Go to tire rack and review them all. I always opt for them.

 

[ByeByeSUV]

Are you guys buying new rims for the snow tires, if so where and which ones? I'm in Vancouver, not lots of snow and wondering whether the stock tires are enough? Haven't bought snow tires for years now as they tend to wear down too quick on our limited snowfall.

 

[D_M]

I plan on buying separate rims as switching from winter to summer cost about $70-$80 per change, so close to $160 per year. Times that by a few years and the rims are paid for. I know in Vancouver you guys are more temperate than the rest of Canada, but I imagine for a few months a year it can get nasty. I also tend to think of it as cheaper insurance as one accident caused by slipping and sliding could cost more than a set of winter tire. Out here in the Atlantic I wouldn't even think of not using winter tires, but we get a pretty good amount of snow.

 

[I Am Canadian]

I plan on buying separate rims as switching from winter to summer cost about $70-$80 per change, so close to $160 per year. Times that by a few years and the rims are paid for. I know in Vancouver you guys are more temperate than the rest of Canada, but I imagine for a few months a year it can get nasty. I also tend to think of it as cheaper insurance as one accident caused by slipping and sliding could cost more than a set of winter tire. Out here in the Atlantic I wouldn't even think of not using winter tires, but we get a pretty good amount of snow.

Not swapping the rubber each season also limits the potential of the tire bead (Seal) from prematurely failing. Get separate rims.

 

[Blueprint]

If you search older threads, you'll see my rants on the Pirelli Ice and Snow's I had bought in 2003 ... those were the worst snow tires I've ever had. Heck, the all-seasons were actually better. When I bought the Blizzak Revo-1s, heavily discounted at TireRack for 78$, it was like if the Ody had become awd !!

In the country, get studded Nokians. Elsewhere, Blizzaks will guarantee satisfaction. More research needed if you do a lot of mileage in winter.

I had a set of WS-70 on the MPV, the Revos on the Ody (they will attack their 5th season) and WS-60s on the Sentra.

 

[drivingmom]

Edmonton City Police began phasing in Nokians last winter. New all-weather tires for cop cars I am about to purchase a set for the 2000 Odyssey in our household. My husband has been running them on his 2007 Camry Hybrid year-round for the last two years and is very happy with them.

 

[D_M]

Well, I ordered my winter set today from Tirerack. 17" Elbrus i05, with General altimax arctics, and decided to get the extra TPMS sensors as there are times when I need to turn the VSA off, such as my inclined driveway. Decided to ship them to the border, saving on shipping.

 

[Blueprint]

Well, I ordered my winter set today from Tirerack. 17" Elbrus i05, with General altimax arctics, and decided to get the extra TPMS sensors as there are times when I need to turn the VSA off, such as my inclined driveway. Decided to ship them to the border, saving on shipping.

How does "border shipping" work out? Your goods are held at customs where you pay taxes, duties and all?

 

[D_M]

I'm using a service to ship it to the border, but it does NOT go to the customs at the border, it goes to a location (IE: a store or something) that is located within the town on the American side.

I'm using kinek.com, which I signed up (free to sign up, with a small charge for the location to hold your package, like a few $), and they have various locations across the CDN/US border. So I'll be driving to that town, just across the border, pick up my tires/rims, then come back across where I'll pay whatever taxes are required.

Basically I told Tirerack that I'm shipping it there, which they told me it happens all the time for Canadian orders I guess.

 

[IHMC]

For the upcoming 2011 Canadian Touring, we're ordering the Nokian WRG2 235/60R18 107V XL which is the same size as the OEM.

Nokian WRG2 SUV

Planning on just mounting them on OEM wheels and run them all year around, they have 80k km wear warranty too.

 

[skaha]

I drive a 2005 odyssey,in the winter i have FIRESTONE WINTERFORCE fitted on honda rims.I travel to Vancouver at three to four times in the winter on hwy 3 from Penticton ,under very heavy snow conditions. Great tires this will be my fourth winter,very quite ride and great tire,bought at Honda dealer here in town,very satisfied with the tires. Herb

 

[dixonL2]

Just dropping in on this Forum, saw the snow tire question. I've had several on our Odysseys, have to say the best balance for me between performance, durability, drive-ability and cost is the Altimax Arctic, with the Dunlop WinterSport right in there (if you want a Performance snow, though I didn't have them on the van, only my Cooper).

X-Ice: Great tire, got noisy quickly, whined in the wet
Blizzak: Best ice tire bar none, Very good on snow, but squishy/soft sidewalls and wore out fast. They have a good name and reputation, but I like the General's much better (the Generals are actually a rebadged Gislaved, or so the legend goes...).
Winterforce: Sorry Herb, didn't like mine. While Really great in dedicated snow, they weren't that good anywhere else (squishy, better on ice than all-seasons but barely so, poor wet traction)
Anything With Studs: ONLY good on ice, Really Terrible elsewhere, HUGELY noisy, and Blizzaks/Generals are really close to being as good on ice.
Cheap Old School Snow Tires: See comment on Winterforce, add "noisy".

We have interesting snow conditions in western PA, similar to Toronto/Buffalo but not the depth, similar to Windsor but not the wind. LOTS of semi-plowed-road, icy/slushy/packed, and much wet/dry road driving. Not as much the "all-clean-snow-all-the-time" you can get in the Great White North. All-snow is actually easier to drive in than the crap we get!

Good luck with your choices! I'll echo the "dedicated rims" option as well, for the above reasons.

 

[KeithA]

Just to breathe some life back into this.

This winter, I installed Gislaved NordFrost 5s on our 2007 Odyssey. So far, so good.