[shawnz28]

Ok so I just got my GTO last week and need to make some winter tire decisions. I have called around and for the stock 18" Blizzaks will be around 208 per tire plus tax at costco mounted and balanced. looked on tire rack for a wheel package and the one rim they have would be around 1300 with tires and shipping.
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Disp...elModel=ST4&wheelFinish=Silver+w/Machined+Lip
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...ch=true&partnum=445VR7WSM3XL&fromCompare1=yes

I called discount tire direct and they guy there suggested this combo for about and said they would fit
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/d...=2005&wd=17&pc=60719&rw=7&bp=5-112&vid=008805
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?sw=false&cs=225&pc=11821&rd=17&ar=50

Not sure about the Hanook tires as I have not heard much about them. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[anmracing]

The Hankook is certainly a good brand... The more sipping you have the better for snow and ice...

Of course since I live in Phoenix, I don't use them but I have heard good reports about them for a long time.

Hankook is based in Korea and is a very large manufacturer in Europe. One of the largest, if not THE largest tire manufacturer in the world.

 

[Guest]

I dont know much about all terrain tires... but .. I think you should be looking into rims that have been track proven... luff, racinghart, koing, ect ect..
unless u are on a budget or something :willy: just remember your cars greatest asset are going to be your rims and tires... " cant just trust your life with anything"...
links""" www.luffwheels.com ..Dazz motorsports
personaly I like the Luff M1's .. I got a set of the 19" 8.5's silver machined ones on my LS2 ... looks great... 19"s are a bit much but not like with 400HP im really losing a whole lot of power ... LMFAO... :willy: arty:

 

[shawnz28]

Well I am keeping myself on a bit of a budget as these will only be for a few months a year thru winter say late Nov thru Feb/March. If I were going for summer or year round rims it would be a different story.

 

[catesbros]

Everyone and their mom has those rims so I would be careful before I purchase them. The rims I am refering to are the black rims from discount tire. Down here in Houston they are pretty common. But if you like them go for it. I dont know about the tires though. Not much need for winter tires in the south. I go for better street tires that will do better for traction of the line and handling.

 

[SilverGoat]

Can't say too much about Hankooks, but I run Blizzaks and am very happy with them. Just has 6 inches of wet, heavy snow that proceeded to freeze nice and shiny and only lose traction when I get a bit aggressive. Got them from a local guy and they are the 17's, not quite that pricey. I got my rims from discount tire and are very happy with them. Put my stock tires on them and the Blizzaks on the stock rims. Very happy with both combos.

 

[Guest]

I have used Blizzaks on an 83 Camaro, a 97 Monte Carlo, and now on the 05 GTO, They are simply like night and day.

With the Camaro i couldn't drive the car is there was ANY snow on the ground, try engine overpowered the rear brakes at idle, and thus made the car undrivable in the snow...problem was that it was my only car at the time. I bought a set of Blizzaks for it and it was then better in the snow than the womans Beretta. Never once did i get stuck with them.

With the Monte i've driven through snow drifts that were going over the hood, and it just drove right through them.

Hope to have good luck with the GTO this winter, but haven't had the snow yet.

 

[shawnz28]

At first I was set on the blizzaks on the stock rims but for the price of the Hankooks and the rims to mount them on for slightly more I might go that route. I actually really like the 18's that come with the GTO.

Can anyone else confirm these will fit, though I assume they know what they are talking about.

SilverGoat which rims did you get?

 

[SilverGoat]

I bought a set of Fitipaldis, kind of a double 5 spoke. Polished. They aren't listed on the web site any longer so I can't link it. They are 17's so that I could use the stock rubber. My tire guy was really supportive of 2 sets of rims because changing the 17's are really hard, I would guess that the 18's would be that much harder to change out.

I don't know if this picture will work as I've never posted one before.

 

[johnebgoode]

I kept the std. 17" size also. Got my wheels from Ronal in Ca. Going to use the stock wheels for the winter and put the Ronal's on in spring. Put a simple Toyo Preces 4 on them. The Blizzaks are supposed to be good in winter. I am going to try them out also.

 

[Hi Speed]

I just put a set of those Dunlop M3's on my stock 04 17" rims. It took about 300 miles for them to get sticky (Tire rack said to would take 500). Once they did they are as good as the KDW's on the dry pavement. I have driven them in the heavy rain and all I can say is they are fantastic (tracks up to 100+). One of our engineers has had a set on for the entire year and they have worn exceptionaly well. He said they are fantasic in the snow as well. We have had a bit of colder weather and they are very pliable. I have done a few tests around some pretty hairy corners and they have held on better that the stock KDW's in the colder temps. I would be a bit leary of the multi tread designed tires - they don't do as well as a dedicated snow tire. We replaced a set very similar to the hancooks on our bosses Audi - he said they were pretty much crap in the snow - we just put a set of the Dunlop m3's on his car as well. These tires also balanced with minimal weights (10 oz and under) which is usually a sign of a well built tire. The Dunlop's are a bit eaisier on the pocket book as well. Look at the area's the surveys are from - most of them seem to be from heavy snow area's

http://www.tirerack.com/survey/Surv...s=P&tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=Winter+Sport+M3

:cheers

 

[dealernut]

Snow Tire's Are Definatley A Must I Should Know I Used To Live In South Bend In. Michellen Is A Good Brand And Remember That Salt Will Pit And Damage Aluminum Rims So For The Winter You May Just Want Steel/w-hub Cover's.

 

[Guest]

BAH !! .. run deep dish rims and racing slicks...

..."Drift JDM FTW !!!! ".....

LMAO.. :willy: arty:

 

[shawnz28]

Snow Tire's Are Definatley A Must I Should Know I Used To Live In South Bend In. Michellen Is A Good Brand And Remember That Salt Will Pit And Damage Aluminum Rims So For The Winter You May Just Want Steel/w-hub Cover's.

I would go that route but it does not seem to be an option. Basically these are the two options I could easily find in the small amount of time I have owned the car and looked. The tirerack option will run about 1300 and the discount tire option is running about 1000 so I am trying to figure out is the tire options and or rim option at tirerack worth the extra 300. Or just get the 18"s from costco for like 900 on the stock 18" rim.

My thinking was if I got a separate rim I would save the wear and tear on the 18's that I currently do like. Though I am unsure how much wear and tear the rims will get from the swap twice a year. But I figure keeping them away from salt would not hurt at minimum

 

[Tom]

i bought a set of practically new blizzak LM-22s on BMW M3 rims (ASW i think is the brand. tire rack package) off ebay last year. they worked great.

Dunlop M2s on my Z28 worked great the year before. I had a set of M2s for my 944 when it was stolen and the guy i sold them to said they were great on his 944 turbo. i bought them back and kept the rims, sold the tires to another guy that put them on his turbo.

had michelin pilot alpins on the legend coupe and tackled many trips to killington in total comfort with great grip. put them on my brothers 944 for a few more seasons when is sold the legend. have a set of arctic alpins (may have pilot and arctic revesed, better ones on legend) for the aurora and they worked great last season in a blizzard that had roads closed and we just plowed along.

bottom line, all are good.

 

[shawnz28]

i bought a set of practically new blizzak LM-22s on BMW M3 rims (ASW i think is the brand. tire rack package) off ebay last year. they worked great.

Will all M3 wheels fit or only some? I am a bit confused if M3 wheels do fit but they do not list them as thye fit on tire rack

 

[Tom]

tire rack doesnt list them as fitting because while the lugs are correct, the hub on the bmw rims is 1mm wider so it may vibrate. someone sold a hub spacer.

since i didnt feel any vibrations i didnt hunt for a set of spacers. i think "amesgto" had them.