OEM Tires stink...

[wbloomfield]

In snow. I got a chance in the Detroit area to give these tires a real test over the weekend in the snow. I have the 4x4 Contact by Cont. and this should not be a tire for any snow conditions period. My car has AWD and plenty of times it was loosing grip in the wet, snow conditions. This tire is not recommended for winter conditions.

[Derango]

My rogues continental tires seemed to be doing all right in the snow we got up here in Central NY. Granted I wasn't trying to push it, but for my normal careful snow driving procedure, it felt very solid.

[killercross]

Well had the Rogue in 30cm of snow yesterday and in slushy snow about 15 cm deep also and now problem. The Cont. work just fine. Hey no tire will give you kickin traction if it's really slippery.

[TwistyO]

I was driving Hudson Valley NY during the ice/sleet/snow storm, up a mountain road yesterday. Conti's worked great for me, even on those unplowed/unsalted side roads. Also, blasted through some snow piles up a driveway during the previous storm, no prob with the AWD Lock on.

[exeunt]

You have to remember, it is SNOW. Snow gives way under pressure, and will always have a little bit of give to it. Snow tires generally have more grooves made to move that snow more, which results in less sliding, more traction, but you'll always get some sliding. Just look at the rally car racers, who have tires custom made for every condition, they still slide around corners

[philipa_240sx]

If you want snow/ice traction, then forget all season tires.

Although I am no tire expert, I do know that all seasons are a compromise:

- The rubber compound tends to be harder which offers longer life but turns rock hard in freezing temps.- The tread pattern is less agressive which is quieter but is not optimized for snow traction.

I have always advocated dedicated snow/ice tires. With their soft compound and specially designed tread patterns, they cannot be beat for traction and most importantly safety. I can't recount the number of times they have saved me during poor weather. While the initial cost may be higher, your tires will last twice as long. I drive on Nokian Hakkapeliitta's and typically get 4 winter driving seasons out of them... or about 80,000km. That's 80,000km less wear on my summer tires.

IMHO AWD/4WD gives a false sense of security. Although it improves acceleration by distributing power to 4 wheels (thus optimizing traction), it's the grip of the tires that will ultimately determine how well you can corner and stop. Those that forget this basic fact are the 4WD/AWD SUV's I see in the ditches every snowstorm.

Take care out there and drive according to the conditions and get home safe.