Looking for Snow Tires

[Rainbow1616]

Well unfortunately when I called Thursday he had them but when I went to get them sat they were sold.



I need new tires today before My son goes back to school so My question now is:

The stock size is 185/55/15 which must be an odd size because no one has them or they have 1 set that are 160 each tire. If I go up to a 195/55/15 I have a lot more choices.
Will this size fit with no problems?

[Rainbow1616]

Well after checking a few threads I decided to go with the 195/55/15. I was surprised when the tire shop did NOT want to install those. I told them I checked with a chevy mechanic and I had to sign a paper...wow really? Anyway there being put on now.

[petrified.rabbit]

yes they will work, although (for summer tires) a 195/50r15 is the better size. good thing your still at stock height

[Rainbow1616]

yes they will work, although (for summer tires) a 195/50r15 is the better size. good thing your still at stock height

Thats kool, I got some chinese snow tires at Flynn's. I will be taking them off in 3 months and getting new summer tires so I'll remember that size.

[petrified.rabbit]

find yourself a set of rims for the summer tires, i think you would be better off not paying for mounting and dismounting 2 times a year. As well as risk some tire monkey shredding a perfectly good tire.

[Goose127]

Hey guys, I work at a tire shop so I figured I'd jump in here and clarify a few things even though I'm a few days late.

First off, the main reason behind doing all 4 tires at once is so that you can get the best overall grip with your tire. If you were to only get 2 tires the rule is (at least at Discount Tire) to put them on the rear so you don't slide out when cornering, doing that leaves your fronts with less traction so it will be harder to start out especially with snow on the ground. Here's a link to the Discount Tire website to explain it and even show a video Only Replacing 2 Tires? - Discount Tire

As far as additional tire sizes, that same website has a list of additional tire sizes that will work with your vehicle. I personally run 185/65r14 for my winter tire and 205/55r15 for my summer tire. My reason, in the winter a thinner tire is better (in my opinion) because it will cut through the snow and onto the pavement easier than a wider tire. As far as a wider tire in the summer, I like having more tire on the ground i guess.

For different summer and winter rims, I definitely agree with Mr. Rabbit. This is for a couple of reasons the #1 being having some nut job that works at tires plus rip your bead and making your tire useless. Other than that if you do end up getting rims or even have the stock rims after a few winters they will corrode extremely bad and obviously will no longer look as good as they once did. Just to throw some prices out there, steel wheels are 55 a piece, MB Five X for 80, Konig Incident for 85(my wheels). so really they aren't to bad on price, its well worth having 2 sets.

Now getting down to which tires are good and which aren't as good. I am currently running Hankook iPikes for my winter tire. They have a very aggressive tread design, very deep and they have a lot of sipes which help with traction in the snow. My brother and I both run these, along with the store senior manager and another guy that has been there for over 7 years. They are highly recommended. If you don't like the look of them or just have a grudge against Hankook tires my next choice would be the Michelin X-Ice Xi2. This is because it is Michelin best snow tire with a retarded amount of sipes. This tire deals unsurpassed breaking and traction on ice and snow.

If you decide to just go with a good all season tire go with the Michelin Destiny, by far the best all season tire out there, with an 80,000 mile tread warranty.

Sorry for being long winded, but its all good information.

[Aveowego]

I use snowcat studded snowtires on the stock 15 inch wheels with hubcaps in the winter. I basically plow the roads with a lowered aveo in the snow we get up here. Great tires! they were expensive though!