It’s time for new shoes. In the past I’ve kept two sets of tires, one summer and one winter. I’ve moved to an area that only has a few weeks of freezing weather in the winter and temps are too warm for true snow tires 10 months out of the year. This past year I just ran the summer tires through the winter and things got tricky in Jan-Feb a few times. Can you guys recommend some cheap tires that work well in snow/slush but won’t wear out in temps above 50 degrees?
Move to a part of the country which doesn't have cold winters? But seriously, it is miserably hard to shop for Prius tires if one wants LRR ones because, unlike in Europe, there is no requirement to disclose those numbers and consequently they are largely unavailable. (I even tried contacting manufacturers directly and they would not provide that information.) General Altimax RT45 were installed on our 2007 a while ago, replacing Ecopia 422s. I always found the Ecopia's to be marginal in the wet (we don't get snow in S. California, we do get torrential rains) and I wanted better grip in those situations. After many months I think I may see a slight drop in MPG at low speeds but negligible change at highways speeds. That would be consistent with the RT45's having more rolling resistance than the Ecopias (drag at high speeds is mostly from the air). Other than this possible drop in efficiency, these tires have been fine so far.
Doesn’t look any better than my current highway tires. The Ecosa literature doesn’t mention anything about winter driving either.
Goodyear Reliant All-Season 185/65R15 88H All-Season Tire Fits: 2017 Hyundai Accent LE, 2013-14 Honda Fit EV - Walmart.com
After a few hours looking I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to buy a cheap set of snow tires and swap to summer tires after the cold spell. There are a few ‘All-weather’ (different from ‘all-season’) tires out there that are basically tires with snow siping and harder rubber that won’t melt away in the summer but they are like $180 per tire. I’m better off just buying two sets of $50 tires and swapping them seasonally. The only drawback is if I take a drive further south while I have the snow tires installed.
I’m sure you’re telling the truth. My problem is that I’ve gotten accustomed to snow tires during the winter and I’m wanting similar traction from a harder compound tire. The tires I currently have are all-season and they truly suck on snow and look very similar to the ones you suggested.
After owning a set of LRR tires (I think it was one of the Ecopia's), I don't buy it anymore. Ecopias may give you a slight boost to MPG, but the ones I had were sketchy in braking especially in rain/snow. I'd rather be safe than save a few gallons of fuel. I would suggest you do at least a quick internet search on whatever tires you decide on, just to see its braking distance performance, etc.
Driving in snow and ice I expect to be sliding around . Yes exactly the reason I'm out not to go sideways 400 ft to strike other cars . But I expect to see a lil w gas pedal . Prius Corolla rides on top of the mess not dug into it . Grip they is none you keep it moving . Go certain routes were ya know certain types won't be etc . it's others that brake you're stride and get ya stuck .
Yup; dumb flat-landers. I used to do a lot of skiing in my younger days - never really had an issue on all season radials. You can air them down a bit for better traction, around 28 lbs. The rear end would break loose every once in a while, if your going too fast. Mostly FWD cars, nothing but ski junk and emergency rations in the trunk. My older self would tell my younger self to throw a couple of 50# sand bags in the trunk for more stability. That shouldn't be an issue in a Prius with a 60:40 bias towards the front. If your breaking traction a lot, your probably going to fast and/or rotating the wheel too aggressively. I drove mainly stick shifts in the snow; so you really need to know your limits to control it. The nice thing about FWD is when you start slipping, you can just point it in a direction and try to gently pull out of it. If your too late in reacting or going too fast, your momentum will just swing you around and you'll lose control. IMHO Snow tires isn't going to help; if you drive like that.
I spent some years in the Rockys and have driven the Prius with and without snow tires in the winter. There is no comparison. I once drove up the hill on I-70 out of Denver during a snow storm and made it to my destination. There were 4x4 trucks with all-terrain tires sliding down the hill and couldn’t make it. That was the trip that sold me on snow tires.
Besides better snow traction, snow tire rubber is softer, and stays softer at low-temps, has a traction advantage even on bare pavement, below 7C (45F)..
