What is the most logical winter tire size?

[ACV1081]

I am planning on purchasing Blizzak MZ-01's & want to choose the best size for the car. Is it skinnier is better for the snow & ice? If so what tire should I go with out of these sizes? 205/55QR16 215/55QR16 225/50QR16 225/55QR16.... I believe the 225/55/16 would keep the speedometer within +/- 1 mph but as long as it's close I want to go with what's best. Any info would be great!

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~Adam Varney~ mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>
1993 RED ATX(3 replacements) W/shiftkit, 17" Konig Reigns, 245/45/17 Goodyear F1 Gs, 26mm ASB w/poly bushings, SHOSHOP Cold Air Snorkel W/ K&N Filter.
Not yet installed: 24mm ASB, 70mm MAF, all 60K service items, & rest of the poly bushings. Soon to be G-teched to see where I stand.

 

[RStalveyARFF]

I'd get the stock size tire for it to be effective in keeping accurate speedometer readings. That should be narrow enough to g ive you traction also. I'm going with 195-60-15's, but that's only cuz I'm saving money and taking them off my old saab.

 

[olympic]

The "skinnier is better" rule doesn't apply to Blizzak's or similar tires. The new tread compound really does stick to ice like the comercials say. So they dont have to be narrow to cut through the slush and snow. So you would be fine with a stock or near stock tire size.

 

[fredhurderjr]

I went stock sizes with my old Monte Carlo & the old Blizzak design - worked great, but only did great in a set of 4. I put 2 only the first year on the rears, and it was no-go. went 4 the next year, went anywhere I wanted to. Now, with the FWD, perhaps you'll only need 2 for the SHO. Don't know for sure.

 

[94ShoOff]

I'm going with the stock size Blizzaks I'm putting on. A question for you though. The guy I'm buying my tires from gave me some advice about the Blizzaks. He quoted me on the 02's which are a little more expensive. He said that the 01's were the older style which are cheaper. He said that alot of places have these on sale to unload them. He said they were an older design which did not grip as well and wore out a significant amount earlier. Have you heard any difference between the two, besides price? I trust this guy cause I've known him for a long time and he really doesn't make much money off anything he sells to me.

 

[ACV1081]

94SHOFF here's the info I read & this is from the tirerack...
MZ-01'S.... By the way these are a little more expensive than the 02's @ least on the tirerack
"Many sports cars, sports coupes and sedans come from the factory equipped with low profile tires mounted on the large diameter alloy wheels needed to clear their big brakes. Unfortunately through winter this has meant that their owners had to select between vehicle appearance, snow and ice traction, or be forced to park their favorite ride for winter. So if you want to maintain your vehicle's sporty appearance, but driving in snow and on ice has left you with white knuckles in the past, you'll be glad to know that the low profile sized Bridgestone Blizzak MZ-01 tires will help provide the traction you need.

The Blizzak MZ-01 features a directional tread design split by a wide circumferential center groove to help maintain good traction on wet and slush covered roads while its zig-zag sipes and independent tread blocks provide the edges to help bite through snow. It also features Bridgestone's latest Link Multicell Compound which is glass fiber reinforced to enhance vehicle stability on dry roads while it helps disperse water to reduce the risk of slipping on the thin surface film of water that makes ice so dangerous. This allows the Blizzak MZ-01 winter radial to approach the traction provided by a studded tire on ice ... without the use of studs."

MZ-02'S....
"Icy roads are the worst winter has to offer. Ice offers very little traction (about half that of snow) and that means it's white knuckle time for the driver. Bridgestone has developed the Blizzak MZ-02 as a next generation studless winter ice tire to provide even more traction when roads are at their worst.

The Blizzak MZ-02 features UNI-T, Bridgestone's Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology which is a comprehensive combination of tire design and manufacturing methods that integrate everything from the tire's casing design to its tread compound. The Blizzak MZ-02 uses thousands of offset zig-zag tread sipes to enhance ice traction while increasing tread block stiffness for dry road handling. It also features a new Multicell tread compound which in addition to the original Blizzak's micropores is combined with radical new circumferential channels providing more efficient drainage as it helps eliminate the thin film of water that forms as tires run over ice. This allows the Blizzak MZ-02 winter radial to approach the traction provided by a studded tire on ice ... without the use of studs."
205/60QR16(123mm)(Close to oem tire) $84
In Stock

235/60QR16(141mm) $95
In Stock
These are the only 2 sizes avaiable in a 16" tire.


I see the 01's as being more for sports cars & cars like ours because they offer closer sizes for instance...
205/55QR16(112.75mm) $102
In Stock

215/55QR16(118.25) $105
In Stock

225/50QR16(112.5) $124
In Stock

225/55QR16(123.75)(closest to oem tire) $110
In Stock

Myself I was planning on the 225/55 because they
only differ 5.25mm from the stock tire diameter. I am not sure how much this would throw off the speedo but I am guessing none or very little. Please correct me if I am wrong. I have done my homework & most likely the blizzak Mz-01 will be my chose. Any additions or corrections please feel free to post but overall I don't think the 02's should be more. Oh & sorry for the super lengthy post.

 

[94ShoOff]

Thanks for the info! I sure wish they would make it easy and make a stock size.

 

[olympic]

You definitely want a set of 4 on any vehicle, FWD or RWD. They arn't just for drive wheel traction but for braking and steering also. If you just put them on the front of a FWD car then you'll have a "tail happy" car. When you go around a corner, the back end will want to swing out on you...very dangerous.

 

[90MTXSHO]

Why must I not be able to convince myself to drop the $300+ it'll cost to put blizzaks on my car?!

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Clint
90 Elec. Red SHO
My Pimpin Webpage

 

[sdpatt]

Reading this topic makes me very appreciative of the fact that I live in a warm, dry climate. The hassle and expense of installing winter tires just to make sure you can get to work and go to the grocery store is a mind boggling concept coming from a state that rarely sees snow. I'll say my thanks and just keep rolling on my dry weather performance tires.

I'm working on a road trip down to Corpus Christi on the Texas coast for a long weekend of windsurfing. I'll bet the water is warm enough in the Laguna Madre (very shallow (4') water between Padre Island and the Texas mainland) to still not require even a shorty wetsuit. My lifestyle is dependent upon a long warm season and lots of water. Water that doesn't freeze! Come on down, ya'll.


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Scott

1991, 252K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
Class II hitch, Silver award at the SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[94ShoOff]

Kiss my frozen rear Scott!

 

[90MTXSHO]

Originally posted by 94ShoOff:
Kiss my frozen rear Scott!

Eh, if I had a choice of living in Texas or freezing my satchel off in Wisconsin, I chose a frozen satchel

 

[noSHO]

I like to use my skiboards, they are so much fun. BUT, since Scott is inviting us all down for a lil vacation....

 

[olympic]

I have 2 sets or rims for all my vehicles. Then it's just a 20 min job to swap in the winter tires.

 

[sdpatt]

I have adapted to my enviroment. In Texas, I enjoy windsurfing, boating (skiing), biking, in-line skating, running, almost anything I can do outdoors that is active. If I lived in Colorado, I would own several pairs of skis, a snowboard, a mountain bike and probably a snowmobile. I have learned to make the best use of the conditions I have at my disposal. I like wet water in the winter.

Scott