Believe me some days I wish I was in Japan. Nine years was enough, or was it? One odd thing is when I lived for two years in Sapporo, they do not ice or sand the roads. Everyone has winter tires on their vehicles. The winter shoes-boots worn by many Japanese even have the same rubber tread and compound used on the tires, in a smaller version of course. These shoes-boots are even sold under the brand name of a tire company, say Yokohama Tire for example. One wonders if we in NA would buy Firestones for our feet?

I stole KamakuraKid from the movie The Cincinnati Kid and the later offshoot from the CBC comedy show Kids in the Hall: The Toronto Kid.

KK

 

I was in Canuk Tire last week seeking their winter tires for a quote. They looked on the CT computer for winter tires and steelies, no steelies or winter tires are shown. So they refused to sell me anything. I had the tire size, the rim size and all the facts. They sent me to another tire dealer down the street. Also, they said they would refuse to install the tires on the Fit without the TPMS sensor as it creates some legal issues in the case of an accident. When CT goes under, I know why.

Odd really, I simply wanted a quote to satisfy my wife as it is her Fit. I ended up dealing with a local guy who really knows his tires and someone I can buy the replacements for the unimpressive Bridgestones which came with the Sport Fit 2007. We have put 30K on this car in 13 months. Never give fuel costs a second thought, off to the mountain areas every weekend.

 

For reference, my CT quoted for the Goodyear Nordics (175/65R14):
- $400 tax included for tires + balancing + installation
- $625 tax included for rims + tires + balancing installation

Your '07 shouldn't have TPMS?

 

I have a 2008, bought it last September. Sensors are standard.

I am looking at $750 for 15" General Tire Arctic tires, Honda (fitted) steel rims, balance and install. I think a "14 package was about $680. Still toying with getting them studded, I have a week to decide before the install. Adds $30 per tire to the bill. Calgary prices are high I believe, a mechanic at Honda Calgary makes more than a doctor. Wacked world here.

 

In my experience, the Fit is just fine in the snow. I drove mine through a full central British Columbia winter and it made it through no problem at all. I have an 07 Sport 5 speed. Our climate is pretty much the full Canadian winter. Slush in the Fall and Spring, frigid cold in the winter, ice and lots of snow (dry, wet and everything in-between).

My daily drive to work is on partial highway before getting into town. I felt no discomfort or concern driving my Fit. The key is that you have to drive to the conditions. Sometimes you are only doing 50 km/h on the highway. Sometimes you can do 100 km/h. In deep snow, just keep going slow and steady, don't get gas pedal happy or you will just spin. Keep your momentum going, avoid spinning your tires and there is very little that will stop you.

We did get one snowfall last year that dumped about 30 inches overnight and well, the Fit didn't even get started that day . . . LOL. I was plowing snow with the front bumper of my F-150 4x4, so there was no way a car would've made any progress even with winter tires. I literally had to dig my wife's Jetta out before it could move. Stuff like that will obviously stop the Fit, but I drove it pretty much every other day, including many days where we had snowfalls of up to and over 12 inches and it wasn't an issue.

The really amazing thing? I did this with the stock all-seasons. For snow I didn't actually find them that bad. For ice they were not acceptable. You really had to be careful. It could be done, but it wasn't ideal. I've since swapped them out for Nokian WR G2's and I expect the performance improvements will be significant. We had the WR's on my wife's Jetta and they were excellent in all winter conditions in addition to being great for the rest of the year.

There is no doubt that true winter rated tires will perform better in winter conditions. Do you NEED them? IMHO that depends on the conditions you'll be driving in. If you are just around town on roads that are well maintained (sanded, plowed all of the time, etc.) I think you can get by with good all seasons. If the road conditions are ever a doubt or if you venture on the highways, get winters.

 

Why do you say get winter tires if you're going on the highway?

In my experience, highway driving is easier in light snow than on back roads, due to no sharp turns and highways are plowed/sanded more regularly. I always see plenty of people spun out on the highway but I honestly don't know how they manage it. It's the back roads that concern me more.

 

Black ice I would think, really only studded tires stand a fight from what I was told by a forensic engineer who investigates vehicle accidents here in Calgary and elsewhere in Canada. He drives on studded tires all winter, uses a Swede designed tire on his German AWD cars. He says all season tires are very dangerous all year round as they do nothing well, everything is average to below average. His advice studded in winter, summer tires in the summer and stick to the tested brands and never the cheap tires found at Walmart, Canadian Tire, etc. Who can argue with someone who spends their life dealing with such matters?

 

Did you buy in Canada? According to the '08 Fit manual (p64) Canadian Fits don't come with TPMS.

No higher than in Ottawa; the 14" tires and rims here also cost $690, +$70 for installation.

Here's a question: the service rep said I also needed to buy tire pressure valve stem caps, or something like that, at $2 each tire. Said they were needed to actually put or keep air in the tires.

Now, $8 extra isn't a big deal, but a) I've never heard of these, and b) if these things are essential to the tires, why the heck aren't they included with the rims/tires in the first place? Is this a bit of BS I'm being fed?

I've merely reserved the tires and have an appointment to install them, so I can still tell them not to include them. I also probably should've gotten the quoted prices written on paper, too.

 

A few things to keep in mind here (some that may or may not apply to your situation):

- I'm from central British Columbia where you literally could be travelling for hours without seeing another vehicle, a city or plows. I'd want the most security as possible in those conditions.
- Our "highways" are probably similar to your back roads in regards to terrain, hills, corners, etc. So when I speak of highways, think of that as your back roads.
- Driving in the city, at least in my experience, is often more predictable. Roads are usually well plowed, intersections are generally sanded and if you do encounter some problems, you are usually going slow enough that it's much easier to react to the situation and/or the consequences of sliding into a curb or snow bank are not all that great (at least in regards to "life and limb" type consequences). On the highway, you often don't get that chance and things can escalate REALLY quickly into a dangerous situation. There are deaths on our highways every year around here in winter, due to the conditions. I don't think I've ever heard of one related to conditions in regards to city driving.

I think it comes down to odds. For what you describe with your back roads, I'd be going with something winter rated for sure. There is no downside at all, especially when you consider what could happen if you had to use subpar tires for those condtions.

 

where abouts in Central BC are you NMG if you don't mind me asking?

I'll be making a drive probably thru your part of the world next month. I'm driving from Victoria to Edmonton the first week of next month. I'll be doing it on the OEM all-seasons and be carrying chains (well...snow "cables") with me. I grew up in Alberta and drive for a living going to rescue all those people who think they can drive in bad weather so not TOO worried about the road condtions.

As you said it's more about driving for the conditions then about what tires you have. I'm not saying that better tires designed for winter won't help...but they're not going to save your ass if your not driving appropriatly in the first place.

I'll be packed accordingly should I get stuck, should be a fun trip.

Still debating on if I'll be going hwy 5 from Kamloops or if I'll go hwy 1 thru Banff into Calgary and then up to Edmonton from there.

 

Hey Gigarange, I'm smack in the middle up in PG

I don't think you'll have any problems at that time of the year. You may run into some snow and early morning ice, but mid day temps "should" still be above zero.

I've never driven the road from Calgary up to Edmonton, but I suspect it's a breeze. I have been on the #5 down to Kamloops via #16 east of PG. The #5 is a very nice drive, although there are some stretches where you will be isolated for a while. The elevation also sneaks up a bit, but nothing too crazy.

The drive from PG east to McBride and Tete Jaune Cache (you would come out at Tete Jaune if you took the #5) can be downright goofy in the winter and moose can be a bigger concern than weather. Once you get past that a little ways and through Jasper, it's pretty much smooth sailing to Edmonton.

It may be worthwhile to make a "game time decision" on route depending on the weather and whatnot. It sounds like you know the deal with the roads up in this area and based on that, I think you'll be fine regardless of which route you take. The Fit will get you through

 

Must be a printed manual for the USA, someone fell asleep in the proof reading area for Canada. The 2008 Fit has TPMS in Canada, the 2007 models do not.

New valve stems are the norm for new tires now a days. Anti-up, or when you get a slow leak they will blame the valve stems.

I am looking at 15' winter wheels as I do not need the car any lower, I already have two scrapes on the front spoiler.

 

They legally have to change valve stems when they change tires.

 

It's not just the manual; I checked on my dashboard, and there are no warning lights for low tire pressure, or to warn of a problem with the TPMS itself. I even shone a flashlight on it, in case they were indicators (like cruise control) that don't light up when starting the car, and couldn't find them that way either.

I got my Fit in May, and the VIN verifies that it is an '08.

Thanks to you and JCLW for info on this; an additional $8 isn't a lot, it just seemed like one of those last-minute additions they say you have to have, which you don't. Especially since

a) no one had previously said I needed them when quoting me winter tires and rims--not either of the Honda dealerships I called before going into one of them, nor Canadian Tire; and

b) he was working off a quick written price he had done for someone else's Fit, and he *hadn't* include the valve stems in that price

 

Let some air out of one of your tires. Just to be certain.






Well you are at it, some say the fridge light stays on when the door is closed....well if you have the time maybe take a look see.

Actually you are right, I have spent the last hour looking for the TPMS on 2008 Honda Fits in Canada. I can find no confirmation, so it looks like you are correct. It appears my information comes from USA sources speaking of their USA cars. I know the 2007 model in the USA was without a TPMS, and there was my confusion I suspect. The 2008 and 2009 USA models have the TPMS of course. One wonders how we have daytime running lights for years and not TPMS lights? Not that I think TPMS lights are the best thing going, I am glad you gave me this information as I and my wife might have been confused driving around with a flat tire thinking the lights not on so....all is fine.

Of course having a low tire is the reason for the TPMS, everyone knows when they have a flat tire.

Thanks for the heads up, now what about the fridge light? I am certain it remains on.....

 

The manual for my '08 says I have TPMS's??

Could it maybe be a sport thing?

We did get the 3 models here in Canada, could it just be that not all 3 models came standard with them? Which model do you have zukered?

 

Just look at your valve stems.

Black rubber = no TPMS
Aluminium with nuts = TPMS

 

I am looking on the way to work. My 2008 Sport valves will have a going over.

 

This is what they look like:



There is an aluminium nut that tightens it against the rim as well.

 

I have an '08 LX.

What page does it say this in your manual?