fellow canucks,

does any1 have good suggestiongs for a winter tire + steelie rim combo for our canadian winter coming up (i'm definetly taking off my HFP + all seasons)

oh and i was flipping thru canadian tire and saw that they had this rust proofing device that they install on ur car and it emits some specific wave/voltage to ur entire car that prevents rust... is that for real?

thanks.

kev

 

For that rustproofing thing, Im sure it will do something, just not sure how effective it is. Its best to get the car sprayed just before or after winter for the best protection against rust.

As for winters / steelies, Im currently looking for a set of winters too! There are waay too many choices out there and I don't even know what to choose. My favourite had been Nokian winter tires, but they jacked up the price by 25%, and I dont think its worth THAT much more for Nokian's.

There should be some snowtire group buy here on fitfreak.net for us GTA ppl!

 

I also have HFPs with Toyo summer tires. I am also looking for suggestions.

 

That device from Canadian Tire would do all but nothing for protecting against rust. In theory it is a great idea, donate electrons so that the steel in the car does not have to (when steel loses electrons it is called oxidation and results in rust) , but in practice with normal vehicles it does not work, at most it would protect the general area it is attached to.

 

As far as winter tires go, I'm planning to get Nokian Hakkapelitta RSi's. I was quoted ~$100/tire for them in the stock 14" size - doesn't seem too bad. I ran them last year on my Mini and on my Volvo wagon, and loved 'em - hopefully they'll work as well on the Fit.

I'm interested in any other opinions, though - haven't ordered the Nokians yet...

 

I've heard good things about the X-ice tires. I myself just have walmart brand winter tires (got all 4 w/ steelies for 100.00) suprisingly they worked very well.

 

I had the X-ice tires last year on my Corolla, and while they were quite good on ice and decent in snow, they scared me at first on wet pavement. I would actually squeel to a stop at what I had thought were low speeds and low brake pressure.
If you adjust for the wet pavement handling they were excellent and I drove 500km up north in a blizzard and had excellent traction the entire time.

This time I think I may get a set of Nokian WR's. I have read great reviews on them for both their summer and winter performance, and want to test them personally as what is classified as a truly 4 season tire, meeting winter tire standards and having a lifetime of 100,000km. I called Kal Tire and they have them for $136 for the 195's, $110 for the 175's.

 

Looking for a Vancouver resident to chime in: anybody get new tires/rust proof here (with our 2 days worth of snow)?

How about if I plan to go snowboarding quite a few times this year?

 

Yeah, that rust protection thing wont work like it should -- electrodes on boats, or inside water tanks work (but they get consumed), and I guess that's where the idea may have come from?

I bought 4 steel rims and Goodyear Nordics at Canadian tire for my fit -- need them here in Montreal -- and the price was right, especially since they kicked back about $50.00 in CT coupons with a scratch and save card.

I have yet to intall them, so I hope the rims will be good (I have the 14" ones), but they did tell me that if I wanted OEM Rims, they had them too -- but @ $57.00 each rather than the $45.00 for the universal ones. That was a no-brainer for me -- why pay more for steel rims than one needs to.

In any event, tires and rims came to $581.00 with taxes included, and then the coupon payback -- as usual, I'lll have to spend some more at CT -- but don't we all?

Later,
Bill

 

Well, I don't live in Vancouver, but in Calgary which gets more snow days than Vancouver. I don't plan on getting new tires, but gotten just the under coating done on my Fit. Also yesterday was the first day of snow that stay on the ground and the current tires on the Fit seems to grip well, I even had to do a more than normal sudden stop and it did'nt slide!

 

Yeah it snowed the last day or two, but nothing that really stuck to the ground. Fit handled well, I don't think it needs snow tires if you are an adept driver. Got undercoating done too, so no worries about rust. Vancouverites do not need snow tires at all...you guys get virtually no snow (compared to us )

 

I used to think that way as well when I lived up in Northern Ontario about being an adept driver, but when I moved to Southern Ontario I realized that most drivers here don't know how to drive to the conditions properly and I quickly switched to using winter's to help me avoid the other people on the roads and highways.

For the Vancouverites who are interested in snow's if they do go to the mountains during the winter or for the occasional blast of snow, you could try the Nokian WR's. They meet winter tire specification but yet are rated to drive year long and come with a 100,000km warranty. Mine will be installed next thursday so I will see if they perform as well as they have been rated and reviewed for dry and wet pavement, and then eventually for actual winter conditions. I will give a report on them for each of the conditions when I meet them.

 

I'll let you know how my Goodyear Nordics perform once I get them installed and the wretched snow arrives -- although Montreal winter's are not as bad as they used to be, we still get a few storms that create the need for good snow tires, and driving savvy -- but everybody seems to forget how to drive when the first snowfalls arrive in town.

Hopefully not too soon -- I still want to get in a few rounds of golf!

Later,
Bill

 

Purchased a set of WS-50 Blizzaks and 14" winter rims for my 07 Fit LX (AT). Not really impressed with the road noise and slight vibrations they make on the dry pavement...however I am hopeful that they perform as advertised on the snow & ice.

Snow tires are a must, in my opinion, as you get north & east of Toronto. Never had much need for snow tires on the Queen Charlotte Islands!!!

Going for Tinting, chip-guard and rustproofing next week!!

HavingafitinOntario...

 

Blizzaks, Nokian, Toyo, Michelin X-Ice are well quoted tires. Personnaly, I purchused my Yokohama AVS (195-55R15) from M. Mufflerat $513 total.
Steel wheels? If you are willing to buy universal instead of OEM, why not buy them in a scrap yard for $100 a set of 4!

Anyway, any wintyer tires will be safer than all seasons, right?

 

Well, I've installed the snow tires and at 120 k the road noise becomes apparent. Thankfully no snow yet -- I really hate winter, as you might have guessed.

Did not notice any vibration from the Nordics, but then again I don't normally drive fast in winter, and seldom bring the car up to speeds of 120 k for long peroids of time.

These days Montreal winters are not like they used to be, but we're sure to have some storms and then I'll see how it performs. My past experience with light cars has been with rear wheel drive, except for an Austin Mini that used to climb up onto the snow, and then get stuck there! My other front wheel drive cars have always been good in snow, so I expect the Fit will be too!

Later,
Bill

 

I am running toyo winters on my stock rims..

-joe

 

I had some 1 season old 185/65R14 Nordic Icetracs on 99 Civic 14" steelies that I've installed on my Fit. I also picked up some "H" spindle nut caps to protect the spindle nut from rusting.

Rustproofing this week or next.

 

I just put some Semperit Winter Grip on with directional tread pattern. Nice quiet ride, and handling isn't bad. They are supposed to be very good in snow and ice according to European reviews.

I'm actually partial to the Kumho KW17, but lack of availability and jacked up prices caused me to look elsewhere for some value tires. Semperit Sport Grip would probably be better on dry pavement but I was planning on getting a tire that can really handle the few days of nasties in Toronto.

 

Anybody here from Greater Vancouver Area with plans of installing a set of winter tires this winter?

I live in Richmond and commute to West Broadway, Vancouver and probably stay with my all-season tires.

When it starts to really snow...the car stays in the garage and we either stay home or take the bus! It gets pretty hairy sometimes with too many crazy and inexperienced drivers out there!