Topic: Advice on "Rain" tires to be used year-round in Vancouver

[infinitime]

Hi guys, I live in rainny Vancouver... absolutely love the city, but find driving in the rain somewhat annoying... was wondering if anyone had any advice on a good brand/model for rain tires (i.e. Goodyear Aquatreads, but cheaper)... The main criteria in addition to good (safe) performance in the wet stuff, is that it be decent (acceptable) also in the snow.  It hardly snows in Vancouver, and I can't find it in me to justify buying snow tires for such a mild climate... I figure then that the best compromise would be a set of rain tires that would also handle winter duties reasonably well... any suggestions?  The sizing I need is either 185/65/15 or 195/65/15

Cheers, Derek

[robarakira]

from my experience, summer tires with 'V' groves down the tire do a great job of flushing the water and getting grip.

[84im]

Kumho ECSTA ASX (195/65 x 15)  $98.21 through Tiretrends.

[morty]

Even in Vancouver a snow tire is required if it snows. Simple rule "If you can park it when the snow flies, then All-Seasons are perfect". If you rely on your car no matter the weather then you will want to invest in snow tires. Vancouver shuts down every time it snows. Why? Simple, it is because 90% of the vehicles are running on All-Season tires. People have either crashed, are stuck or driving so slow because they are white knuckling. If everyone had snows, traffic would fly. IMHO

Would you classify yourself as able to park or need the car no matter what? What type of vehicle do you drive? Year, make, model

[peterx]

What about the Nokian WR? I saw a review in Cdn Driver which suggests that they might be a really good tire capable of handling Vancouver's occasional snow as well as rain etc. They do have the snowflake symbol and have an 80,000k tread life.

[paulk]

I'm curious about the Nokian WR as well.

[Traum]

Even in Vancouver a snow tire is required if it snows. Simple rule "If you can park it when the snow flies, then All-Seasons are perfect". If you rely on your car no matter the weather then you will want to invest in snow tires. Vancouver shuts down every time it snows. Why? Simple, it is because 90% of the vehicles are running on All-Season tires. People have either crashed, are stuck or driving so slow because they are white knuckling. If everyone had snows, traffic would fly. IMHO

While I respect your opinion, Paul, I don't agree with your point of view entirely. The number one reason Vancouver shuts down when it snows is because Vancouverites don't have enough experience to properly drive in the snow. Even if you give them the best snow tires, people are still going to skid out and fall into the ditch because they don't know how to drive!

I've relied on all-season rubber for the 10 winters that I've spent here, and I've never been stuck in the snow.

-Rick

[avtoller]

I tend to agree with Traum.  I drove for 34 Vancouver winters on all-season tires and had no real problems, but then I grew up in a very high snow area and took (and passed) my driver's exam in a snowstorm that closed the schools.  Most Vancouverites just don't know how to drive in the white stuff - a fact that amazed me my first winter there ('68-69). It was, for Vancouver a very harsh and long snow season, and I spent a lot of time helping others get unstuck and trying to teach them how to drive. I had little success with the latter. 

[ovr50]

Well, a mere 10 years in Vancouver compared to Ross's 34, but I would agree with both of you who are saying that Vancouver driver's are very uneducated in snow. Having driven in Alberta for many, many winters, one learns quickly what things work and what doesn't. I was always amazed at the foolish Vanc drivers trying to get more traction by pressing harder on the "go" pedal. Yikes!!

Having said that, the snow in Vancouver occurs usually when the temp is just around or slightly below freezing and the water content of the snow is very high. It is a "slipperier" snow than drier Prairie snow. I didn't buy snow tires when I lived there either; but I did know how to drive in it, and on those rare days that it was just too crazy, I took a cab or the bus.

[infinitime]

Thanks for the advice everyone... While I too respect Morty's position with respect to snow tires, I live in urban Vancouver, close to downtown, and the amount of snow we get is really really minimal (i would call it freezing rain more than snow actually)... Accordingly, i will most likely consider staying just with all-seasons... having said that, IF i did have to travel outside of the city in a snowstorm, i would heed the advice to get snow tires...

Sadly, i agree with the other posters able Vancouverites not being very snow-savy when driving... Having grown up in Vancouver, I admit that most of us are simply not experienced enough with driving in the white stuff...

We currently have a 2003 Corolla and a 2004 Vibe in the family... we picked these cars largely because they are similar enough mechanically, and allows for "standardization" of maintenance items (i.e. oil filters, air filters, one type of coolant, tranny fluid, etc...) the tires are actually one of the few maintenance items that differ between the two cars... the Corolla takes 185/65R15 or 195/65R15, the Vibe takes 205/55R16... 

I will check out the Nokians review on CD... thanks for the advice everyone!

[morty]

Being poor snow drivers means it is all that more important to have proper tires for the conditions. Perhaps if you have many years experience driving in snowy conditions then you are able to drive some what safely with all-seasons. However, for those drivers who are not, snow tires make such a difference, that it can save those inexperienced drivers from an accident. We may not have as much snow but we do experience frost and black ice. If you save yourself from one accident the tires have more than paid for themselves.

Again all-seasons are fine if you can park your car during the odd winter storm and ride public transit. If you need your car no matter or like to ski then snow tires are an invaluable investment. We have many customers who run winters in Vancouver and swear by them.

[avtoller]

Morty, I can't agrue against your logic at all. Snows ARE all the more important for the inexperienced snow driver - which means MOST Vancouverites. I was simply noting that I was able to get along quite nicely because 1) I was a very experienced snow driver before I arrived in BC, and 2) I always chose cars and all-season tires with their snow capability in mind. There are many cars I would not even consider driving in snow without 4 snow tires, and many all-season tires that would make me leave my car at home.

"If you save yourself from one accident the tires have more than paid for themselves."  Absolutely true!!! 

[morty]

The problem is not everyone is as experienced as you. Many people panic as soon as they see snow . We could probably sell more tires if we offered the popular answer that all-seasons work in the snow. Everyone is mislead into believing all-seasons are good for snow. However, our customers are more important and the fact is that all-season tires do not have the proper compound to deal with cold temepratures. Why do they freeze a hockey puck before they play? Simple answer is less friction with the cold rubber (Yeah...hockey is back!). Same thing happens to all-season tires. Doesn't matter how aggressive the tread is if it has turned into a hockey puck.

I am not saying all-sesaons are a bad choice...just saying they dont work well in snow. Again...simple rule is "If you can park it when the snow flies, all-seasons are great. If you rely on your car no matter the weather consider winters."

[davidm]

I normally get up on my soapbox and rail against "no-season" tires (and I live in Vancouver), but I'll save everyone from my usual lecture.

With my two vehicles I run real snowtires - partially because in the summer I want to run real summer tires.  Don't get me going on how pathetic most A/S tires are in the rain period - no matter the temperature.  Summer tires are impossible here in the winter simply due to temp, so I buy winters for the winter.  Winter tires are about a lot more than snow, they are about low temps.  The classic -1 - +2 *C rain we get here in the winter (remember it gets a lot colder at night and outside the downtown core) is worse than snow in my opinion.  Winter tires are the only ones that sort of grip in these conditions.  Enough lecturing. 

Don't even get me going on Vancouver drivers - snow or not! 

[84im]

All season tires are a misnomer.  They're a three season tire....not for snow.  Do it right.  Run some good handling summer tires  for spring, summer and fall, and run snow tires for winter.