Howdy!! I have to buy tires soon for my 95 VW Jetta. Living in the Northeast, snow occurs . I don't have much trouble driving in snow unless it is rather deep or hit ice just right. I am not one of those people who drive 90mph in the snow. Would studded snow tires help me very much for driving in snow and ice? Thank you much for any input. Don't have too much fun!!

 

Good on packed snow and even better on ice. Most states restrict them to winter months so you need a set of all season tires for the rest of the year.

 

Here's a link to studded snow tire info with names of states that do not allow them. WSDOT - Studded Tire Information

I put on snow tires every winter and take them off in the spring. Wouldn't be without them. Some studies do, however, show that studded tires don't offer any safety advantages over winter tires. They do offer road friction on ice. The big negative is pavement damage. Studded Tire Information

 

One of the real dangers with studded tires is the same as with a full time 4WD SUV - False sense of security and a lack of wanting or exposure to really learn how to drive.

A good set of radial tires is all you need in most conditions. If you have front wheel drive that can be a benefit, but you have to know how to use it to your advantage.

I have a 4WD SUV becaue it came that way because I needed the space and configuration. Despite living in Minnesota, I always have it set to 2 wheel high and once or twice a year use the 4 wheel high drive. I never use the auto 4WD wheel setting because that comes and goes and gets hard to out-guess. Never have used the 4 whel low, but I assume it works. - My wife calls me when she thinks she should 4WD on her identical SUV, but the calls are few and far between now becuase she has learned to drive better. - This is all without studded tires.

Considering the life and traction of good modern tires, studs are an excess cost and pain in the neck.

Dick

 

Studded tires will help on ice but I agree with Dick that they probably aren't needed. I have two 4x4s because of where I live. I even have a set of chains for my jeep...... but I've never seen the need to use 4 wheel drive on any paved road.

I first started driving in michigan but didn't own my first set of snow tires until I moved to fla - bought a car that was from pennsylvania

 

Studded tires are needed to get traction on smooth ice. They won't help you any on snow. Once ice has been roughed up by other people with studded tires, non-studded tires work also. Most important is to have proper snow tires, whether studded or not.

I completely disagree. 4WD gives a false sense of security, because it lets you accelerate better, but it won't help you stop or turn, which is what's most important for safety. Studded tires will help you stop and turn better. Obviously you will still easily skid, driving skills are required anyway. Driving on snow/ice without proper snow tires is reckless and extremely dangerous, in my opinion. However, for those who only get snow only a couple of days a year, it's going to happen once in a while.

 

I went to BJ's today and got 4 Uniroyal Tiger Paw all season 80,000 mile tires for $326.44 for everything but alignment. Did I do good?

 

Who knows...no sizes mentioned. May have done better at Tire Rack. Again..who knows...

 

Sorry forgot to mention that 195/60/14 with mounting, balancing, rotation, free flat repair ,rebalancing and road hazard warranty.

 

husband -

I thought that is what I said. - most 4WDs give a false sense of securtiy.

The ability to start easier leads to overdriving for the conditions. When you get going too fast for the feel and conditions, you have put yourself in a bad position/situation and a few studs are not going to ovecome the interia of a car going too fast on a surface that you cannot grab on to, no matter what you have between you and the road. If you have too much "grab" a car can keep going or just roll over. - Just look at the history of accidents with 4WD vehicles. The typical cause of accidents is running off the road by driving too fast. There is no way 4WD or studs will make difference.

After living in Minnesota and Michigan for over 50 years (over 1,000,000 miles), I would never waste the time and money on studded tires and the reason I do not use my 4WD unless it is to get out of trouble (stuck or starting on a hill) and never to keep me going. The only exception is in heavy traffic to lock it in 4WD to manuver at slow speeds.

Studs are not a cure-all as evidenced by the lack of use since they were introduced. Sips make more sense if you have variable conditions where accidents occur.

If you want to realy drive and get around in bad conditions, look at an Audi R8 or a Porsche Ceyenne as a way to be safe, but they are exceptions ($$s) because of the superior design.

Dick

 

Our family hasn't bought snow tires for over 30 years. I believe my winter driver (Grand Marquis) needs them. I went to TireRack.com to browse for snow tires and the only ones available were studdable. Are all snow tires now studdable? I'm more curious than anything since Michigan doesn't allow studded tires.

 

I think it just means studs can be installed on the tire. Must be done locally I guess. Not really into any of that snow stuff out here.

Snow tire design has improved a lot in 30 yrs...don't think you really need them (studs, I mean). Slowing down and good driving skills have done me just fine when I lived in snowy areas.

 

Apparently, not all winter tires are studdable. There is a link that follows re: testing of winter tires vs. studded tires, noting that some states do not allow studded tires due to potential road damage. It is noted that not all studded tires are created equal.

In Sweden, where studded snow tires are required by law, recent studies found that "All of the studded tires had shorter braking distances than the best studless tire on a prepared ice surface."

Snow Tires Reviews

 

"In Sweden, where studded snow tires are required by law, recent studies found that "All of the studded tires had shorter braking distances than the best studless tire on a prepared ice surface." (bold is mine)

Well, of course...they even race motorcyles on ice with studded (spiked!) tires, I sure wouldn't want to get run over by one though.

Snow is one thing, ice is quite another.

 

And, that is likely why people with studded snow tires tend not to apply brakes.

Gangway, matey!!!

 

as has been stated previously studed tires are only good on Ice, packed snow, very bad on dry hard surface or wet roads we used to install them just for ice storms at the motor pool and pull them the rest of the time, i drove them a few times and didn't like it one bit. using a soft touch on the throttle, brakes and steering will work about 90% of the time for bad road conditions. most people get into trouble by jerking the steering around and over throttling/braking

how come common sense isn't so common?