Fiesta ST Winter Tires, Lets hear what you think

[Fnord]

So, up here in the sub-Arctic, winter can come quickly, and selection can be spotty. With the overnight temps dropping into the 40's, I pulled the trigger a little early and was able to grab some Michelin IceX 205/50R16's on 16 in. 4x108 steelies that set me back about a grand.

The roads here are pretty bad to horrible, in the winter it can be a mix of deep snow, melting snow, ice and rain, and everything else in between, intersections that are a criss-cross of deeply rutted and frost-heaved asphalt, and potholes that are more like craters. The cool thing about this car is that you can easily avoid most of them.

So of course the stock Rado's and Potenza's let you feel everything....and I mean everything.

The ride is now much quieter and softer, and with that the steering isn't nearly as tight as it was, even with the TB traction and torsion bars that I have on.

Much stickier on wet roads and not nearly as squirlly in the ruts

So....for wheel covers, I'm thinking....maybe....Stainless steel racing hub caps ? Baby moons with beauty rings ? Any ideas ?

Thanks in advance !

 

[rexdriver85]

Yeah, maybe it's time to bring this up again. The time will be here before some of us know it.

This will be my first winter with the FiST. I'm about to pull the trigger on a set of General Altimax Arctics in 185/60R15s wrapped around a pair of steelies. You guys seem to have liked this tire and it gets crazy good reviews. [emoji106]

I hope they are as good as the Hakkas I ran on my last car, they were absolutely unstoppable for 3 winters.

What will some of you be running this year?

 

[Tonysarchy]

I am buying the exact same thing! And putting on my ra mud flaps.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Yeah, maybe it's time to bring this up again. The time will be here before some of us know it.

This will be my first winter with the FiST. I'm about to pull the trigger on a set of General Altimax Arctics in 185/60R15s wrapped around a pair of steelies. You guys seem to have liked this tire and it gets crazy good reviews. [emoji106]

I hope they are as good as the Hakkas I ran on my last car, they were absolutely unstoppable for 3 winters.

What will some of you be running this year?

Ran the same thing last year on 15x6.5 wheels. Loved them.

 

[Xtreme545]

The money you spend on winter tires, you could pretty much by a beater car and leave the fiST in the garage

 

[rexdriver85]

Ran the same thing last year on 15x6.5 wheels. Loved them.

Awesome!

The money you spend on winter tires, you could pretty much by a beater car and leave the fiST in the garage

I wish... no garage yet. Sometime during the FiST's life with me she will get a garage though, lol.

 

[KKaWing]

Just a friendly reminder to people storing tires. Don't put them near electric motors or other ozone generating sources like the central vac. Keep it away from heating vents too. The combination will keep the tire nice and (relatively) soft for the next season. If you kept tires near the central vac like I did, they go rock hard in 2 years... my poor poor X-Ice2's. Also, let some air outta the tires when you're not using them, having the tires filled oxidizes them quicker according to this article ( http://speed.academy/tire-age-how-old-is-too-old/ ).

Interesting tidbit: The General tires uses 2-ish generation old Gislavid design. They're both Conti. subsidiaries. Look into the new Gislavid tires if you like how the General performs.

 

[TrickSTer]

Did the research on Tire Rack and otherwise, before buying the car Jan 15.
Top Choice: Michelin X-Ice Xi3 195/60-15 on steelies - highest rated
2nd Choice: General Altimax Artic 195/60-15 on steelies - rated second, slightly less dry traction (but that's not what I needed them for).
Bought the tires with the car (0%). Dealer had a package for the ST in the Generals @$900 with TPMS, balanced and installed. Would have had to pay a substantial premium to go with the Michelins, so I pulled the trigger on the Generals.
No regrets, LOVE THEM!
Perfectly comfortable @ 120 kpm (75 mph) on the highway in 4" of snow (obviously slowing if traffic ahead required it). Never even thought of getting stuck.
At one point last year, as I was crankin it around a traffic circle in my subdivision, my 23 yr. old son asked if the car had ever even slipped in the snow. (Yes they have, but you have to push them pretty hard)
Highly recommend these tires.

 

[ShadowInDaNight]

I am buying the exact same thing! And putting on my ra mud flaps.

Still debating on a winter set, mostly can't decide on steelies or spend extra $ for non-steelies....thoughts? 15 or 16?

I am putting on RA flaps shortly though!

 

[Tonysarchy]

Still debating on a winter set, mostly can't decide on steelies or spend extra $ for non-steelies....thoughts? 15 or 16?

I am putting on RA flaps shortly though!

I'm getting steelies because alloys get scuffed and look worse then steelies imo. Also when I hit a pot hole the steelies are cheaper to replace.

 

[rexdriver85]

Hey, are you guys using the OEM lug nuts with the steelies or have you purchased something else? If so, what did you get?

 

[Tonysarchy]

I am buying from tire rack and they supply the lug nuts. I believe most steelies are ball seat lugs.

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

I'll be running General Altimax Arctic 185/60R15 wrapped around my Team Dynamics Pro Rally 15x6. Though they will be black within a day from all the brake dust.

 

[stuntdoogie]

I'll be running General Altimax Arctic 185/60R15 wrapped around my Team Dynamics Pro Rally 15x6. Though they will be black within a day from all the brake dust.

In for some pics.

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

Should be installing within the next few weeks, had them on my old Fiesta S

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Those Artics seem to be the popular pick for our cars. Love mine.

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

They're cheap and perform extremely well

 

[GAbOS]

I would also put the Firestone Winterforce in the mix if you deal with taller snow or want more bite/rallyx.

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

In for some pics.

Here you go, the wheels and the car need a good cleaning.

 

[Tonysarchy]

Here you go, the wheels and the car need a good cleaning.

How close are these tires to your nuts on the front mud flaps?