Snow Tires Needed??

Tough call. Buy a second prius equipped with snow tires.

I know I wouldn't be caught on a snow/ice covered, hilly road without my studded snows but that is just me. Possibly some good seasons would be a good trade-off?

Welcome aboard by the way!

 

I take it you are in Auburn or Grass Valley?

I would do one of two things depending on how many trips you plan on making up the hill in winter.

1. Buy a second set of wheels for snow tires and keep a jack in the garage so you can swap when needed.

2. Ditch the OE tires for a set of Ecopia EP422 tires which do well in snow. You can carry a set of chains for bad conditions.

Personally, I wouldn't trust all-season tires on I-80 past Colfax in a storm. The road is just too fast to recover from a slide icy conditions.

 

Yes. Cost of one accident, one towing incident, getting stuck is as the $500 to put on really good snow tires. The snows on four months of the year will extend the life of your regular tires so you save money there. You'll have peace of mind and safety and, end of the day, it won't cost that much more.

 

In that case look into a set of Nokian WRG2 tires for general use and occasional snow OR go all out with a set of Michelin X-ice Xi3 studless snow tires. Both offer great fuel economy and good handling compared to real snow tires. They wear down faster than all-season tires but they are designed for cold temps. Most tires lose pliability in temps below 45F so traction and braking suffer. That is why snow tires and winter tires are better even when the roads are dry.

Nokian WRG2

Michelin X-Ice Xi3

 

My brother had a place in Incline Village and kept a 4WD beater for mountain use. (He was a merchant marine officer and only commuted to or from work every 6 months.) My dad would spend summers in IV, and his FWD Buicks with all weather tires were fine for rain and summer snows. My late wife and & I considered moving there in the mid '90s. Alas, what a beautiful part of the country.

 

I travel the Cascade, Bitterroot and Rocky Mountain passes throughout the year. I put my studs on in November and take them off in April. I have yet to be sorry. Someone always has to say that studs are only an advantage on ice. My response: "And your point is?" The winter road reports almost always include "ice".

 

But they can be a detriment in dry and wet conditions. The winter reports almost always include dry and wet. The new breed of studless tires work so well there is very little need for studded tires unless you're an ice fisherman.

 

On a similar note, what do people think about tire chains?
I've lived most of my life in the Northeast (NY) and I've only ever used All-Season tires. I just got a new set of Ecopias (I think 422, not the 100) less than a year ago. I'll be going on a road trip in December/January to the West coast and I was wondering if forum members think I need to buy a set of tire chains (either 4 or 2?). I'll probably be hugging the coast to Florida and then go towards Texas and California, so I don't think I'll encounter heavy snowfall. But someone told me some mountainous/unpaved roads require tire chains or else I would need to detour?
I'm looking for any help/comments since I'm not very well-traveled. Thanks in advance!

 

The temperature piece is often forgotten, but yes, snow tires will work better at cold temps. I know the stock Yoko's my '10 Prius came with turned into skate wheels below 40 degrees, regardless of whether it was wet or dry.

 

If you're going down south, you shouldn't need tire chains. They're only required if you're going through the mountains (Colorado primarily). And only if you're passing through when it snows.

Though, if you've never been through Colorado, I'd highly advise doing so if you find the weather is clear.

But yes, if you're going through Colorado without regard to the weather, it is advisable to buy chains in advance, as doing so is cheaper than the alternative (buying them on the spot or being forced to pull off / stay in a hotel).