Hey all,
Just looking for some advice on my first winter that I'll be driving in Ontario...
I never really was out much last winter since I didn't have my car with me then, so I don't know how the roads get...

Right now I have a set of Cooper All seasons on the car I think, pretty much brand new, but not anything special. I won't be driving much in the first half of winter, possibly during my coop term in winter I'll be driving a bit more. Would all seasons suffice driving around the city streets, or are winter tires a big help?

How icy does it get on the roads in the winter here, or do they just salt the crap out of them like I've been hearing?

Thanks for the help!

certain parts are brutal id grab winters if u have the extra money just for a peice of mind because they are designed for winter specifically.

They definitely salt the crap out of them, but most of the time it seems like it's not at the right time, so there will be alot of snowy or icy days. All seasons should be fine as long as you're a careful driver, but snow tires are always great if it's possible you can get some

When I was in Southern Ontario I almost always ran with all season's that had meaty tread. Most times you'll be fine. I didn't actually get "snow" tires until I moved up to T-Bay. Even then they're "all weather tires" not dedicated snow tires.

You should be more than fine with what you've got.

yea with all seasons you should be fine if your careful. i always run all seasons, never got winter tires yet. just make sure your tires arent bald and if your in a RWD car throw 1 or 2 sandbags in the back

Originally Posted by 04CamrySE

yea with all seasons you should be fine if your careful. i always run all seasons, never got winter tires yet. just make sure your tires arent bald and if your in a RWD car throw 1 or 2 sandbags in the back

^I'd advise against the sandbags in a 240sx, I run winter tires on my 240, well worth it, but the sandbags will only benefit you in starting off traction (from a stand still), but will be a detriment due to extra weight/pendulum effect. The 240 (95) has about a 55/45% weight balance, so its not like say a pick up truck at 70/30%, where you would actually need rear weight.

If its your first canadian winter... proper winter tires can't hurt... just a little extra insurance, shorter stopping distances, easier to avoid collisions and so on....

I'm from Saskatchewan, so we have much worse winters than ontario, but I've never driven every day in the winter either. If I find a cheap set of winters I'll pick them up, if not I'll keep my all seasons.

Also I'm driving the Teg in the winter, not the 240

Even though my car has AWD I still put winters on every year.. the traction differance is huge, and also the ability to go out when you want and not when the city decides to plow is a nice bonus...
All season tires will get you going just fine if you know how to feather the gas propperly.. or left foot brake.. but the big change comes when you want to turn and stop.. so as long as you can safely say that nobody is going to wipe out around you or that you're confident you won't make a mistake and need to slow down/turn quickly this winter.. you're golden!

That being said, I know alot of people don't put on winter tires.. but after using them for so long, I just get used to being able to turn and stop in the winter.. and it's kinda nice.

If you can afford it IMO its a cheap safety precaution for anyone out there. Being from Nova Scotia winter tires are the norm. I've had snows for every car I've owned including my 94HP Talon. Night and day difference on all aspects of driving.
Myself and my wife both do an insane amount of driving for work so its well worth it.
I know Derek or Andrew at Beverly Tire on Hespeler can hook you up with a competitively priced set of snows. They provided me with the ones for the Talon at an insane price!

Personally I'd get snow tires just for the extra safety they offer if you need to stop or turn. If you drive carefully though, you'll more than likely be fine with all seasons.

Originally Posted by neonSRT

Personally I'd get snow tires just for the extra safety they offer if you need to stop or turn. If you drive carefully though, you'll more than likely be fine with all seasons.

I agree with dummy =P

I used to always run all seasons.....but when I started as an apprentise, I spent the extra money on winters cause I got them at a decent price. And what a difference, i'll never go back. Snow tires are accually alittle cheaper than average all-seasons, and you don't have to buy the premium ones to make a difference.

Unfortunetly snow tires only do so much, you still have to drive according to weather conditions. I can't count the amount of soccor mom's that bolt there snows on there caravans, and figure there driving a hummer, and can always stop on a dime, regardless of conditions. But there blown tires, belt rims, wheel bearings, and toe-sets keep me in buisness I guess

As yourself....how long are you keeping the vehical?
If your keeping it for 6-8 years then get winter tires....your gunna be buying 2 sets of tires anyway, so why not get the best of both worlds. I would advise getting steel rims for winter, so it only cost $20 to switch between seasons, and not $70 without rims.

Lets do the math on rims.....based on 7 years
7 x $20 - $140
7 x $70 - $490

$490-$140 - $350.
Rims are $50-$80 depending on model, and size, even at $80 a rim....it's only gunna be $240, so you already saving $110 buy buying rims.

So it all depends on how long you plan on keeping the vehical...and if you can afford the cost upfront. If you can ansewer yes to both questions....then buy them

Just my 2 cents
Duro

^^ Thats the other reason I run snows.. My summer tires are useless in temperatures below +10*, so even if theres no snow on the ground I need something with a softer compound(which snows have).

^

One of the worst drives of my life was on summer tires on 1" of snow.. whatever the tire is that comes stock on an STi (Bridgestone RE something Potenza) was NOT meant to go on any kind of snow or cold pavement..

I had to ferry the car from Richmond Hill Subaru to Downtown Subaru where I worked.. usually I'd be really happy about that, but on my way back it started snowing.. It was that kind of snow where it was falling on ground that had only moments before been wet, but it had frozen, so there was an ice layer it was sticking to... I had little to no traction... anything more than 20km/h and I couldn't stop or turn.. and getting going off traffic lights the thing spun all 4 wheels and started sliding with the camber of the road towards the kerb. The closest I came to losing it was at Yonge and Eglington the thing just decided not to turn when I was making a left.. left foot brake.. nothing.. and I hadn't gotten enough turn momentum to use the handbrake yet.. (I was going maybe 10-15km/h) but I had the DCCD set for a little more rear anyway so i just cranked it to the rear wheels and floored it so i spun rather than kerb it.. then I gingerly crawled out of the intersection with people honking at me and looking on in disgust.. like I fucking meant to do it?!?! Luckily it was only like 10-11am so it wasn't so busy.. but still.. by the time I got to the dealership I was shaking like a leaf. And I thought that my first time in an STi in the snow would be fun

Another more fun snow moment in Toronto.. same year.. same type of snow but a little thicker and on more ice.. on a morning commute.. I was on the hill at Bayview and something heading south.. where all the hospitals are.. anyway.. there was a dodge ram van and a bimmer stuck on the hill that were blocking all southbound lanes.. so every idiot had stopped at the bottom of the hill and they were all stuck down there because of the ice and their poor tire choice.. this was when I had my old black legacy, 250+hp on a JDM rex motor.. but it looked more or less stock.. after the ram van had decided to stop fishtailing backwards down the hill and admit defeat stopping on the kerb..
I decided to have a little fun with the bimmer.. I went around all the stopped cars at the bottom of the hill.. once free of all traffic opened up the car and spooled up the turbo so I was crabbing up the hill with all 4 spinning... I stopped very close to the bimmer (the muppet was driving a 540 on bald summers and stopped on the hill trying to make a left... ) Anyway.. 2 typical business guys.. big trenchcoats.. flashy watches/suits and neither of them had any idea what was going on around them, other than the fact that they were rich and needed to get somewhere in their expensive car to spend more money.. quickly. The BM had been sitting there doing the one wheel peel ever since I was stuck at the bottom of the hill.. I had my windows open because I'm like that in fresh snow.. don't ask... the passenger rolls down his window.. "stuck too, brutal weather!"
I just look over.. smile.. hand him my business card through the window (was selling subarus at the time) then I did a nice launch next to him giving him an earfull of blowoff valve and exhaust.. pretty much made my day..

If you're wondering, I never heard from the guy.. But I always get a kick out of recalling their faces when I pulled off..


So I guess that's a good comparison of winter tires VS not winter tires

That and stuff like this is fun too

^^ I coach skiing in the winter, and I've seen more than one STI at some hills in Collingwood(more money than brains for some people at the private clubs) rolling around in a blizzard on those gumball RE070's that come stock.. It just makes me laugh, 'cause they spend so much money for awd and power, then basically drive around on a slick in the snow.