Hello, can anyone help me with winter/snow tires.

Car was bought by mys ister in texas but now I own it and I live in chicago.
Dealer in TX told my sis that her car can't have winter tires because it will damage the car.
Dealer here in Chicago (called 4 of them) said it is ok and don't know why the dealer TX would say the same thing. I think my sister told me that the dealer said something about the car being low profile which really doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyhow, needless to say, I need winter tires now.. this week alone I drove the car twice and it was hell for me... stuck and all, spin and even run passed to the red light even when I pressed on the brakes halfway point of the block before the red light... I think I almost peed on my pants just screaming and praying that no car is on the opposite lane! Thank god none!

so, now the car is parked in the garage and I am so scared to drive it not until I get the winter tires.. this morning I tried to drive it again and no luck... I got stuck in the alley when I was halfway getting out of the garage.. and mind you no snow but there was little ice on the road and the tires just keep on spinning and not going anywhere! so back to the garage the car is!

I get different opinions... I could different places even the dealership.. dealer recommend continental... I called other tire shops... just tires have michelin Pilot Alpin PA3, Another place recommend a cheap alternative but still good the general tire arctic... then I look online and there a bunch of them... I look up tirerack and I see a lot of options there but for my set of tires they recommend the dunlop SP winter sport 3d....

question is how will I know that these places is not going to install tires that is not compatible with my car? I see the tire sizing for Michelin Pilot and Goodyear ultra grip adn the sizes of my tire doesn't even go with their tires but it is recommended... same with general tire and continental.. so I am confuse.. can I go up and down with regards to these sizes?

I know I may sound confusing now but I need help here.

Thanks in advance.

 

look inside the driver doorway there will be a sticker with recommended tire sizes per rim sizes,Take special note of the Speedrating and weight this isalso very important.
Ex:






205/55 is the size of my tire, R16 is the rim size,
91H number is a weight rating the H is the speed rating,this is what my C230 2003 uses.
If your car is using a low profile V speed rated yourRim may not leave enough clearance room for a slower rated tire.
Good luck

 

Hi I know the front is 225/45/17, rear is 245/40/17...

so can I go lower or higher?

cause some of the brands of the tires don't have the two sizes.

 

Try going to www.tirerack.com

The website can help you decide what you want, and they are very knowledgeable as well.

Ratings, reviews, sizing, pricing....it's all there.

 

You have summer performance tires on your car. I wouldn't drive in even an inch of snow if I were you....but that's my paranoia at work! [&:]

The dealer in Texas is probably not understanding the concept of snow tire as you in Illinois and I in Wisconsin understand it. Our dealers up here actually offer a winter/summer tire and wheel package for their cars that includes the wheel/tire package as well as the swapping twice a year (fall and spring).

FWIW - as I understand it.....
Your rear wheels are slightly larger in diameter and wider than the front wheels. In order to keep the total outside diameter of the front and rear *tire* the same, they put a lower profile tire on the back. Less sidewall flex on the rear for better traction and handling....and it looks pretty cool......

That said, the last poster's note about checking tirerack is a great idea. They also have a phone number that I think you can call for advice (double check my comments above for accuracy when you call too.....).

You can likely purchase a tire and wheel package (same size front and rear) from them or your Illinois dealer that fits within the specsyour car needs. That way you won't have to worry about clearances or buying different sized tires, and won't have tobreak tires off rims twice a year - you just swap summer / winterwheels on and off. Prices will probably be upwards of $800, but it's worth it to stay safe if you are driving this car year round.

Blizzaks and a newer Goodyear winter rated tire(I don't remember the model, but the police cruisers use them) rated highest on Tirerack as I remember when I was shopping recently.And since you are out to purchase a true snow tire, be sure the tire you get has a *true* winter snow rating which is designated on the side of the tire with a snowflake.....sounds silly but it's true - honest!

Also,be sure you don't runyour winter tirestoo early in the fall, or too late into the spring. I believe they are a much softer rubber for that ice/snow thing and will wear very quickly outside of the cold weather of winter.

Good luck!

 

thanks basssmith...

I am still checking on this one and tirerack is giving me to purchase the DUNLOP winter tires wich plus installation will run almost $900.... Then I checked another one the high performance all season tires and for my car tirerack is suggesting the DUNLOP SP Sport Signature... it ahs a higher speed rating I think... anyways this one will cause me around $200 less plus installation... so hence my dilemma... should I go all winter tires and just keep changing or do the all season tires.... the all season tires rate fairly the same with the winter dunlop tires with regards to light to deep snow traction.... any suggestion and advice here?

 

im in chicago as well, had the same problem...jus got a c230 sport 2007 in nov...swapped out the continentals (good summer tires) for a set of all season goodyear eagle gt tires. i feel sooo much more confident in the snow. and i can go in and out of parking spaces in chicago streets! same sizes as recommended. installed with lifetime replacement plan for $730 at discounttire.com (they have a location in mount prospect on rand road). Good service within 1 hour. hope that helps....

 

also, the tread design looks SICK! 4 different designs in one tire....

 

also got a $40 REBATE which comes out to $690, i think thats a steal with the replacement plan, not worrying about potholes, nails etc....

 

With all due respect to '07blackc230' I would strongly suggest you get four proper winter tires. All seasons often end up NOT doing any season particularily well. Compromises must be made to allow a tire to be good for all 4 seasons. To my mind 4 seasons are more like 3 goodseasons and a little OK for winter. I have never had summer perfomance tires on any of my MBs and have always run on all season OEM tires with a set of four winter tires added for winter driving. The difference in performance is remarkable. A skittish slippery car becomes a tank with 4 full winter tires.
The OEM all seasons are great for the first winter but the performance and capability in subsequent winters (as the mileage piles up) will be a big disappointment.
That said, if you don't drive during heavy snow storms or poorly plowed streets then the all seasons may be OK for at least one winter but after that the performance will fall off sharply. Believe me, I tried with my current coupe which is not driven from now until April.