Just got a great deal on 07 S Touring 5 door. The original tires only have 9,700 miles and it does have Traction Control but it was scary how bad this car was in my first snow experience. We have an 0 P5 that's been fine. Is the change from
16" to 17" that significant? Or are the Goodyear's just a nasty all-season tire?
Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

The Goodyears are gaaarbage tires.

Where do you live? That's a pretty important factor in deciding what suggestion to give.

If you live up where I do, I'd say you're out of your mind to even attempt going through a winter on all-seasons, no matter what the brand. All-season is just a marketing gimmick. Get some Bridgestone Blizzaks or Nokian Hakkapeliittas on steel wheels for winter use.

If you lived even just as far south as Virginia, everything shuts down when it snows so as long as you are ok staying put until the snow is gone, just use summer tires year round.

 

I'm north of Pittsburgh but have done fine with all-seasons in general with
92 honda accord, 01 civic, 99 ply voyager and 03 P5. I mistakenly assumed, which is dangerous, that the 3 with Traction Control would be even better - what a shock! I hated to just run out and buy new tires but still have problems. You think those snow tires in 205 50 17 are good enough or try playing with a 16" on steel wheels? Thanks

 

If you have the space to store extra wheels then try going with a narrower 16" tire. With the smaller wheel size you'll have many more options for tire choices, and they'll tend to be cheaper than the 205/50/17 stock size. Also a narrower tire is better for snow driving anyway.

 

yeah what that other guy said.. plus I just wanted to point out that you can think of traction control as "launch control". It'll reduce tire spinning on takeoff by applying the brake to wheels that are slipping. It won't do anything to prevent you from spinning out or anything, that is where Stability Control (marketed under many different but similar names) comes into play. Stability control sucks all of the fun out of driving though. It just.. murders the experience, for lack of more vividly descriptive negative words

 

I got a set of rims from the tire rack (sport edition F10's 16") along with bridgestone traction TA's. They don't seem to have quite as much traction as the same size on my maxima but they do pretty well. Whole setup of rims, tires, and TPMS from ebay was under $1000... good deal if you want to have a decent look all year and a set of winter rims/tires too.

 

Goodyear Ultragrip Perfomance are good tires.I use it on my MPS(mazdaspeed3).Better is just Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi.