bigdog Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Per a post in another area. I have just bought a Caterham. At present. It has yoko A048's 185/60/14. The weather here in Germany is very simular to Seattle. Just a bit colder though. The A048's will of course be total rubbish. Seems that all seasons might be a little hard for such a light car. Would the very soft winters (blizzak's or simular) be ok. What do you folks use that own 7's in cold, wet climate areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timax Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Have a look on Blatchat. The UK guys love the Yoko AO21's for cold and wet. Available in that size also. Otherwise if your out mainly when its dry you could go the Yoko 48's in a soft compound or better still the AO50's. For the road here in Aus im running Dunlop Direzza star spec2's also in your size and love them but the car does move around on them in a predictable way. Hope that helps Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I just happen to live near Seattle. To date I've run Yoko AO32R, Toyo T1S, R888, and RA1. The Yoko's were flat terrible when temps dipped below 60F. Back then I had a crossflow but could get wheel spin in 3rd gear in those conditions. The T1S was put on prior to USA2005 in anticipation of rain. They were later replaced by a set of 13" R888 that proved just as grippy in a back-to-back test on a 48F day. This comparison was done with both sets of tires stone cold. Although the R888 and RA1 both work significantly better when hot, they still work surprisingly well above freezing. Rain is a different story -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 (edited) I just happen to live near Seattle. To date I've run Yoko AO32R, Toyo T1S, R888, and RA1. The Yoko's were flat terrible when temps dipped below 60F. Back then I had a crossflow but could get wheel spin in 3rd gear in those conditions. The T1S was put on prior to USA2005 in anticipation of rain. They were later replaced by a set of 13" R888 that proved just as grippy in a back-to-back test on a 48F day. This comparison was done with both sets of tires stone cold. Although the R888 and RA1 both work significantly better when hot, they still work surprisingly well above freezing. Rain is a different story -John When not in Germany. The wife and I are in Walla Walla. We own a home there. When we move back to WW (Aug 2015) The Cat & family shed will come through the Tacoma port. Might see you sometime. I should probably be a little clearer. I suppose I'm not in need of a 7 sport/comp tire that will work a bit in the cold & wet. I was thinking more along the lines of an all season/wet tire that will work on the 7. I have the 048's for the summer. In Germany. If one has an accident between October & April and the polizi don't see a snowflake or M/S on your tire. You can then be held responsible for the accident. As they will assume that a proper tire would have prevented the crash. I just envisioned an A/S as being way too hard a tire for the 7 given the light weight. I would think that a spongy winter might not be overly stressed by the 7. As long as one gave due diligence with their driving if we had a dry, warm spell over the winter. A sport winter would be nice. But those (along with performance all seasons) are hard to find in anything under 18 wheeler size. I'll have to research the Direzza's further. Edited November 22, 2013 by bigdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 A friend (and former Westfield owner) lives in Walla Walla. Supposed to be a lot of great roads nearby. If no one here has recommendations, check out the group tests and user reviews on Tire Rack. There is a lot of really good information there that should point you in the right direction. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Kuhmo ecsta ran them all last winter, minus 5c. Got them on now, good in the wet as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Nethercote Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 A couple of winters we ran Michelin X Ice snow tires on our Imprezza. They were quiet on dry pavement and great in snow and ice (which is perhaps irrelevant for 7 handling on snow-free pavement) but the Michelin literature said that after they wore below the level of the siping they would perform well as summer tires with excellent wet weather performance. The X Ice line is now two generations on, so I don't know if this obsevation is still true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 A couple of winters we ran Michelin X Ice snow tires on our Imprezza. They were quiet on dry pavement and great in snow and ice (which is perhaps irrelevant for 7 handling on snow-free pavement) but the Michelin literature said that after they wore below the level of the siping they would perform well as summer tires with excellent wet weather performance. The X Ice line is now two generations on, so I don't know if this obsevation is still true. I was almost hoping that one of the forum members had run some winters on their 7 and post there experience. I have those same X ice tires on the wife's '08' 328i. If we go the least bit fast in the dry it can get a bit dicey. They perform brilliantly in the snow and ice. For the summer we run Hankook evo V12's. I had a set of performance winter Hankook's on my BMW Zed4. They served me very well. But with the easily swayed public (my perception) buying into the myth that the bigger the diameter the better the tire. It's getting more difficult to find anything but cheesy Chinese city car tires or full on race tires in the sizes that the classic 7 uses. I don't want to go down the road of mounting 18 wheeler sized wheels on my 7. I want my 7 to look like a classic 7. I don't care for the pimp daddy big wheel look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Nethercote Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 What abour some of the dedicated rally tires? I presume they are not all designed for gravel? Regret I have no experience in that regard though ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Kuhmo ecsta ran them all last winter, minus 5c. Got them on now, good in the wet as well. These are on my seven...I will be taking the car out today! I don't do deep snow runs but I do go out when its snowing lightly and in temps around the minus five celsius range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 These are on my seven...I will be taking the car out today! I don't do deep snow runs but I do go out when its snowing lightly and in temps around the minus five celsius range. Excellent lancylad.:cheers: What particular model Ecsta are they? My local tire shop here in Germany handles Kuhmo's. On the Kuhmo usa web page. Not one Ecsta listed in my size. But they do come up on the overseas google search. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timax Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 http://www.blatchat.com/t.asp?id=214025read from entry 6 The guys in the UK drive in these conditions all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hi Bigdog, they are Kuhmo ecsta ast..just got back from a quick blat, an inch or so of snow on the side roads, no problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 A brave soul you are. Good for you. I'll give that tire look see. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 Timax. Thank you as well for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timax Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hi Bigdog, they are Kuhmo ecsta ast..just got back from a quick blat, an inch or so of snow on the side roads, no problem! If you read his first post you will note he has 14 inch rims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 (edited) Yep! no Ecsta ast in 14" I'll check with the shop that swaps my seasonal tires. I just wanted to go in with a little knowledge so I don't seem as dumb as I really am. I did see a blizzak lm30 high performance winter in the right size for the European market. it's not even on the bridgestone USA site. Checked out that tumblr page. Very nice. Edited November 25, 2013 by bigdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Oops....well hush my mouth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Oops....well hush my mouth... No worries. You were simply trying to help me and I appreciate it.:cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Another good place to get input is in the Wheel & Tire forum on Miata.net. Although fat pigs by se7en standards, the older Miatas are still pretty light and are used as daily drivers in all kinds of weather, so lots of threads on all season and dedicated snow tires. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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