Winter Tires needed for NY

nitwit · 10-29-2007, 10:45 AM

I'm moving to upstate NY very soon and am looking for suggestions regarding winter driving. I have a 2005 V6 and have upgraded to GT knock off tires 235/55/17 and a Brenspeed 93 tune. This is a great setup for driving in dry pavement but I'm worried about winter driving. I'm thinking of Goodyear Ultra Grips, but is it better to use the original narrower 16" tires or go ahead with wider ones? Should Ialsoput the origninal tune back on for winter? Apologize if this is a stupid question, thanks in advance for any advice!

Dwisforme05 · 10-29-2007, 10:53 AM

gt knockoff? do u mean takeoff? if u want a good winter tired the goodyear triple treads are great. i had them on my stock 16's and didnt have too much of a problem. better then the pirelli's in rain and snow. but pirellis are alot better on pavement.

28HopUp · 10-29-2007, 12:50 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: nitwit

I'm moving to upstate NY very soon and am looking for suggestions regarding winter driving. I have a 2005 V6 and have upgraded to GT knock off tires 235/55/17 and a Brenspeed 93 tune. This is a great setup for driving in dry pavement but I'm worried about winter driving. I'm thinking of Goodyear Ultra Grips, but is it better to use the original narrower 16" tires or go ahead with wider ones? Should Ialsoput the origninal tune back on for winter? Apologize if this is a stupid question, thanks in advance for any advice!

Yup, you should use your 16" rims to mount a full set (ie four total) of dedicated snow tires (also called winter tires). The "M+S" all season tires (like the Pirelli P-Zeros) are not great in the snow. Using your extra rims for snow tires is a great idea for folks who get snow. I have a set of 17" Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero snow tires mounted on GT take-off rims for the wife's vert, and they were great last year. Conversely, I ran the P-Zero's on my coupe last winter. If it snowed, we took her convertible out because of the better tires. After a full season of winter driving, they have plenty of tread left too.

For winter tires, a narrow width works better to cut through the snow.

oldtimer stanger · 10-29-2007, 04:05 PM

i used235/55/17mastercraft glacier grips(studded) tires on mine last year with 200# of kitty litter in the trunk last year
left the pirelli P-zeros on front she went like a bear no problems at all (i think being studded was the trick)and you could use the kitty litter to help ya out if you would have problems.our stangs have much better weight balance than previous models just take it easy you'll have no problems at all

feejay · 10-29-2007, 07:10 PM

Get the winter tire package from TireRack and you will NOT be sorry. I have the samewheel setup as you (235/55 17" GT takeoffs) and bought Bridgestone Blizzaks mounted on 16" steel rims last fall.

They are the absolute BEST winter tire I have ever driven on. They handle great, starting and stopping is no problem on snow or ice. I should charge them for the free advertising, but honestly, they are fantastic. I live in Buffalo and dont have ABS or traction control and it was the easiest winter driving I have done in a long time. WAY better than my '95 Mustang, or any of our other cars.

Hopefully I wont have to break them out for a few more weeks, but it is Upstate NY so you never know.

nitwit · 10-30-2007, 09:42 AM

Thanks folks for the advice, this will be a big help!

teetertotter · 11-10-2007, 05:47 PM

I bought second best rated snow tires last year and are Bridgestone Blizzaks. Bought cheap $80.00 rims at Sears and had local front end shop in town mount and balance. Fortunately , we have front end shop that works on race vehicles and know how to balance tires...etc. Anyway, I couldn't be happier with these Blizzaks to and from work each day totaling 115 miles per day in the heaviest 6 inch snow last year on the interstate. Also have 150 lbs in the trunk. I'm passing up front wheel cars with their all season tires skidding all over while I'm riding straight and narrow passing on by. I'm sure many of them thought I was crazy, but if you have the right gear for the right conditions, you will feel perfectly safe using common sense driving techniques!

speedstang06 · 11-10-2007, 05:49 PM

get snow tires and put sand bags in the trunk and drive slow and you will be good.

oi8achevy · 11-10-2007, 06:52 PM

i live in upstate ny or the rust belt as we call it. buy a cheap winter beater and store the stang through the winter. youll be glad you did a few years from now when your stang isnt all rusted out from the salt!!!

james00bond00 · 12-06-2007, 02:08 PM

yeah my v6 convert is terrible in snow.... at least it was untill i put 300 lbs of sand bags in the bag. That GREATLY increases traction and i also got two snow tires from midas in the back for like 300. Now my car drives fine in snow. Those snow tires are a life saver. I wouldn't drive in winter with out 'em!