A question never before asked...., At least not in 40 years! Options

[Hank914]

Now that Snowpocalipse has descended upon half the nation, us Daily Drivers might want the collective wisdom of this group...

What is a good AllSeason Radial that fits under a narrow-bodied-no-flares 914?

Can't do chains, and won't do studs. Just want some deep tread tires for the occasional 3-5 inches that happens in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada foothills. Or the gully-washer downpours that leave massive water on the roads, you gotta have some deep treads to prevent hydra-planing.

Thoughts?

(Not everybody parks for five months...this car was one of the best snow cars 40 years ago, just saying...)

[julian914]

I will agree with you totally on best snow car. My first 914, when I was 17 (now 41), became the family car with 4-6" of snow on the roads for about a week. Our pick up and Audi 5000 weren't going anywhere, but the 914 has no issues. It amazed us all. As for tires, I was a poor 17 yr old, so I'm sure they were nothing special and probably sketchy to say the least.

[green914]

I used my 914 as a daily driver going from Carson City to Lake Tahoe and back again for a few years. It (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) did great in the snow, but the damage (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) caused by the extreme use will keep me from driving it in those conditions in the future.
I used mud and snows on all four 165/80R15, it was a blast (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) to and from work (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[jd74914]

I have a set of Blizzaks for my car (DD for 2.5 winters). With dedicated snows the car would power through everything.

[iamchappy]

Go with a snow tire there is no substitute in ice and snow. I have 3 sets of snow tires for our cars, i even have them on my Jeep Grand Cherokee, our Lexus SC400 and LS400 wont get up our hill without them.
If your going to drive it in those conditions sacrifice the handling.

[Hank914]

I got some Fuchs 2.0 rims for summer, so my Empi rims can be dedicated to Winter. So some of you are saying snow tires with the chunkier tread are a good choice, instead of AllSeason. Good deal.

I can do dedicated snows on rims, and even swap them out multiple times between Nov-March. What size Blizzaks did you run? Or are there other tire combos and sizes people did that worked well?

(No salt here in the West, so I don't think I'm damaging the 914 too much. Just want my Smiles to go year round on this car!)

[Bulldog9]

I drive my M3 year round, use Dunlop Winter Sport/snow tires mounted on the stock rims (summer tires are Pilot Sports on BBS). They are a little loud, and grip suffers but they are great in the snow and mush and get 20-30K miles, 3 years so far.

[Jon H.]

I've run Blizzaks, Firestone winterforce and Nokian Hakkipellitas on various cars and they were all great tires but the Hakkipillitas were the best. Those Finlanders know winter driving!!

Jon H.

[Last930]

They put so much salt on the roads around Chicago that I couldn't bring myself to drive a 914 in the winter here. Many years ago I had a corvair that was pretty much unstoppable in the snow; I imagine a 914 would be much the same.

It's so hard to find a rust-free one in my neck of the woods that it would be a crime to sacrifice one to the salt gods here!!

[rgolia]

I will agree with you totally on best snow car. My first 914, when I was 17 (now 41), became the family car with 4-6" of snow on the roads for about a week. Our pick up and Audi 5000 weren't going anywhere, but the 914 has no issues. It amazed us all. As for tires, I was a poor 17 yr old, so I'm sure they were nothing special and probably sketchy to say the least.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Only got stuck once when I tried to drive across a field with 8 inches of snow due to too many beverages at the college ratskeller.

[damesandhotrods]

When I was in Portland I ran a set of Goodyear Triple treads on my VW. They were great in the rain, and pretty good in the snow. If I hadn’t have gone with 205s on the rear they might even have been very good in snow. But with Empi rims 205s won’t be a problem. For snow stay with a narrower tire, and while I haven’t had to drive my 914 in snow, in my opinion the left mounted hand brake keeps the car out of the great in snow category…

[Ian Stott]

I run Michelin X-ice on the cars I drive in the winter, excellent traction and are quiet when on dry pavement. I live in the snow belt and have a pretty healthy hill to climb to get home and I can only say good things about the michelins.205-60/15 fits the teener.

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

[Hank914]

Thanks everybody for the suggestions.

I'm leaning towards some skinny (165-185) Blizzaks or Michelins. But I might try and look for the Hakkipellitas.

[iamchappy]

The general altimax arctic are probably the least expensive option in snow tires and have great snow grip, I have them on the Lexus's, i have the blizzacks on the jeep but have been very impressed with the altimax tires.
My SC400 has the Contiextreme contact DWS tires for the other 3 seasons but wouldn't consider driving them in the snow with that car even though they rate well for all season tires.

[steuspeed]

I'm looking at these Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D tires. Not the top ice tire, but maybe better for all winter driving with occasional ice/cold/snow shot. Comes in the proper diameter 195-65-15.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...D&tab=Sizes

[r_towle]

Hakkapaliitta FTW.

Not the best snow car, sorry, the beetle or a 911 still dig down and tank through anything.

I drove mine for one winter...but the beetle conquered what the 914 could not handle.

Jack it up and redo the alignment for winter, it helps getting over things....

[davep]

I used to drive through blizzards with my 914 when there were few others on the road. I could climb slippery slopes while dodging those that could not. My vote for a winter tire is the Blizzak. I found them astounding. I have not tried the Hakkapaliitta, but may consider them if I can find some next time. On the way to work yesterday it was very slick in places; saw one vehicle with rubber in the air.

[ClayPerrine]

What is this "snow" you speak of? Is it that white stuff we see on the television in the less hospitable parts of the country? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



Actually,I just park the car when it snows. But here in Texas, the snow rarely lasts out the day. And they don't make snow tires in 245/45/16 anyway.