Tire Rack Consumer Review of the General Altimax Arctic

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

General Altimax ArcticReviewer's Overall Rating: 8.18

2007 Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe with 4 Lug Wheels
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Miles driven on tires: 2500
Location: Wilmington, DE
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 2500 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

We finally had snow this winter in New Castle County, Delaware and I just got home from going to the grocery store in the snow. These tires are wonderful in the snow and slush - the car never slipped and I never spun the tires. They are much better in snow and slush than the OEM Continental's that came on the car. They are better than the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50's I had on my last car. The General Altimax Artic's are very impressive while driving in snow and slush - the the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50's were never this good.
The General Altimax Artic's are noisy on dry pavement because they are studded.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Monday, February 6, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70Reviewer's Overall Rating: 7.64

2008 Honda Civic Sedan
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Miles driven on tires: 200
Location: Syracuse, NY
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 200 Miles on Tires
February 03, 2012

Best snow tires I ever had. Live in Syracuse NY, and these things eat the snow up. The only complaint I have is that there very loud when dry, or wet. I would recommend these to anyone and planning on buying another set when the time is needed. Not the most sporty tires, but defiantly great for the winter season.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT

Monday, February 6, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFTReviewer's Overall Rating: 8.45

2007 BMW 328xi Coupe Sport Package
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Miles driven on tires: 1000
Location: EVANSTON, IL
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 1000 Miles on Tires
February 04, 2012

This is my second set of these tires. I got approximately 20,000 miles of winter duty out of the first set. I put another 5,000 miles over the summer in anticipation of replacing them for the winter of 2011-2012. These don't have the snow traction of a Bridgestone WS-50, which were superb on my Saab 9-3. What the LM-25 gives up in snow traction is more than made up in non-snow driving. They are a great winter run-flat for E-90 series BMWs.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3

Thursday, February 2, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3Reviewer's Overall Rating: 9.45

2003 Mini Cooper S
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Miles driven on tires: 30000
Location: Chester Springs, PA
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 30000 Miles on Tires
January 10, 2012

Absolutely well worth every penny. I've gone through deep snow that would have left me stranded using All-Seasons. These tires are the best. I compared the ratings of these and Blizzaks and decided to get the Michelins. I've been running these for 3 seasons now and the tread wear is excellent.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60

Thursday, February 2, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS60Reviewer's Overall Rating: 9.45

2003 Mazda Protege 5
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Miles driven on tires: 3000
Location: MILWAUKEE, WI
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 3000 Miles on Tires
January 27, 2012

We have only had one seriously heavy snowfall so far this season; the Blizzaks were outstanding! I plowed through several snowbanks to see how they'd take it; come through every bit as well as the last set of snow tires on the vehicle--Hakkapeliitta 4s.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Thursday, February 2, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70Reviewer's Overall Rating: 7.45

2001 Nissan Sentra SE
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Miles driven on tires: 6000
Location: Port Orchard, WA
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 6000 Miles on Tires
January 20, 2012

Hello From Bremerton Washington, Where no one knows how to drive in the Snow. this Winter Has been Interesting to Say the Least... I have been Expecting Massive Snow Earlier in the Season, but it has been Dry, Very Dry, Untill about a week ago. 6 inches of snow later and Driving on these all over town in the snow and Ice, Up and Down Hills, arround corners... I have never had so much fun trying to find the limits of these Tires. Traction is Awesome in the snow and Ice. while going around corners on these tires it is comforting to know that YOU WILL NOT SLIDE. Now, as for Normal Highway driving while not in the Snow and Ice, These Tires are a little Noisey and I keep drifting from side to side in my Lane, Ride comfort is OK, they Hydroplane a bit so best to take the wet areas at slow speeds. As Snow tires... I LOVE THEM

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1

Thursday, February 2, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1Reviewer's Overall Rating: 9.36

2009 Subaru Tribeca
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Miles driven on tires: 3000
Location: LYSANDER, NY
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 3000 Miles on Tires
January 27, 2012

Works very well, no issues. if not summer traction when driving on snow and ice, but I've never felt uncomfortable, or had to drive particularly slowly or cautiously because I've been afraid of having an issue.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70Reviewer's Overall Rating: 8.45

2011 Honda Odyssey
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Miles driven on tires: 3000
Location: WINDHAM, NH
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 3000 Miles on Tires
January 20, 2012

These WS - 70 Blizzaks are awesome all around tires. The car feels like it is attached to the road. Ice and snow grip is tremendous. My family feels much safer in the winter driving conditions with these tires mounted. I would absolutely buy another set of these tires.They are well worth the investment.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3DReviewer's Overall Rating: 8.36

2007 BMW 750Li
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Miles driven on tires: 2000
Location: Cleveland, OH
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 2000 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

Living in Cleveland, and driving a rear wheel drive vehicle (BMW 750Li), I wanted a tire that would be quite on the highway when dry, comfortably cruise at 80 mph, but handle the ice and sudden lake effect snow that the area can dish out. I have had several sets winter tires over the pst 15 years (original Blizzak's, Michelin Ice and Dunlop SP3 Winter Sport) and all I can say is they all keep getting better. Dunlop 3D's have to date met my expectations/needs perfectly. No way I could run my 19's here in the winter without being in a ditch, but with 17's for winter I have the confidence to go anywhere anytime, no matter the weather and they provide a bit of extra sidewall to handle everpresent and multiplying Cleveland potholes, so ride/handling is well balanced. No regrets on Tire Rack's tire/wheel combo (easy on/off for spring/winter). This is my 8th set of tires/wheels from TR. They continue to deliver. And if you are in Cleveland and need tires mounted the team at Whhite Wheel on Lorain Ave. is the best. They have been doing my tire work for 10 years on various luxry/sport cars and their attention to detail and service is tops. Hunter Road Force balancing on any tires is a must these days an they do it right.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60Reviewer's Overall Rating: 8.27

1999 BMW 528i Sport Package
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Miles driven on tires: 5000
Location: Stuttgart, DE
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 5000 Miles on Tires
January 20, 2012

I had these tires put on my BMW 528i (Sport Package) in late October before the snow started in Stuttgart, Germany. I've never really had to drive in snow unless on a skiing trip. I drive fast, aggressive and I enjoy driving on the Autobahn. I'm not much of a tire guy, but a friend that is said I can't go wrong with Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60. I found these tires at Tire Rack, read the reviews and thought they were one of my best choices. I'm glad now that I did take the leap and purchase these as find myself maneuvering (under control) around traffic in bad weather. These tires just grip and have a very deep tread! I live on a very steep hill and wanted to invest in a great snow/ice tire for the price and I made the right choice. You pay for what you get and now in challenging weather I'm confident I have reliable tires gripping the road. Thanks Tire Rack for the easy ordering process, payment, shipping to APO (overseas) and it only took 10 days until they arrived!

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Dunlop Graspic DS-3

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Dunlop Graspic DS-3Reviewer's Overall Rating: 5.82

2008 Mazda MAZDA5
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Miles driven on tires: 7000
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 7000 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

I've had two sets of these tires on two different cars,one an 03 Accord LX 4 cyl and the current car. Snow traction and ice traction are good, traction in the dry is very good, just don't drive it like an all season or summer tire, very soft (which is how snow tires should be.

Traction in the wet is a different story. Cornering and braking traction are fine, but accelerating in the wet is challenging. Neither car here is powerful, yet anything more than a gentle push on the accelerator( i.e. pulling out of an intersection across traffic) in the wet sends these tires scrambling for traction. It was the same when the tires were new and now when they aren't quite through 2 seasons of light use.

I'm comparing these to Blizzak WS-60(now the WS-70) that I had on a turbo VW Jetta. The Blizzak is a much more expensive tire, but I didn't have a problem with them in the wet.I'll probably go back to Blizzaks when these Dunlops are done.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70Reviewer's Overall Rating: 7.64

2008 Honda Accord Sedan
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Miles driven on tires: 4000
Location: Forestdale/Cape Cod, MA
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 4000 Miles on Tires
January 23, 2012

Although we have not had much snow this year, we have experienced slippery conditions with some icing. I have used the Blizzak LM-22 and LM-25 series in the past on different vehicles. The WS-70 has a lower speed rating but was the best fitment for the Honda. The road manners are outstanding and the overall stopping, turning and starting are way above average. There is some sacrifice for higher speed stability but this is to be expected for an ice and snow tire. I decided to keep the original size tire on the original rims but have found no disadvantage thus far. The car rides through messy weather like it is on dry pavement.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS60Reviewer's Overall Rating: 7.91

2006 Honda Odyssey EX
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Miles driven on tires: 10000
Location: Seattle, WA
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 10000 Miles on Tires
January 20, 2012

Another hellish winter storm here in Seattle area. We got snow on top of freezing rain on top of 6 inches of snow. These Blizzaks are amazing. I've been up and down numerous steep hills with barely any slippage and rarely the ABS would kick in. I was going up and down streets that only the bravest (or the most foolhardy) souls would venture without problems. I just went for a "survey" drive to check out the carnage... saw many cars, including many SUV, abandoned on the side of the road. These tires really prove the fact that tires are the only thing that makes any difference in this mess. AWD vehicles with all-seasons got nothing over my FWD minivan with Blizzaks.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Firestone Winterforce

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Firestone WinterforceReviewer's Overall Rating: 9.4

2007 Hyundai Sonata SE
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Miles driven on tires: 1350
Location: Ringle, WI
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 1350 Miles on Tires
December 24, 2008

I had originally wanted Blizzak WS50. Finding that model unavailable, and the replacement WS60 was rated similar to the Winterforce, I thought I'd save a few bucks and go with the Firestones. After a few months of use, including rain, snow and dry, I'd buy them all over again. I haven't had to use them in ice conditions, but we don't see a whole lot of that here-mostly just snow. I expected more road noise due to the tread design, but it's completely tolerable and I don't see how they could be quieter considering the intended purpose. It's just a light hum, honestly I've had more road noise with Michelin Symetry (an all season tire). The tread depth is impressive, we should get years of winter use from these.



The dry traction is fine, almost as good as the Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus that we use in summer, but the snow traction has really transformed the car. With these tires and ESC, we're totally confident in any weather. The deep (over 6") snow traction is really pretty good. I've conducted 6 panic stops tests from over 50 MPH in 5-7" of snow, each test ended without excitement, and in distances much shorter than I had expected. Stability Control has something to do with the directional control, and the ABS helps, but the stopping distance was probably 60-70% of what I would have expected with an all season tire.



Living in the country, we had considered buying an all-wheel drive car, but these tires have eliminated that thought. Winterforce inspire confidence and are well worth having, even using just 4 months of the year. I've never used a dedicated snow tire on any car before, but I'm sold on the idea now. If you think you need a new set of all season tires just to make it through the winter, seriously consider a second set for winter, it's apples and oranges.



Tirerack made it easy, tires/wheels/covers were delivered mounted, balanced and aired to correct pressure. I've ordered from Tirerack before, and will continue to do so in the future

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60

Monday, January 30, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60Reviewer's Overall Rating: 7.55

2009 Pontiac G8 GT
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Miles driven on tires: 12000
Location: South Lyon, MI
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 12000 Miles on Tires
January 26, 2012

This is my 3rd winter season with these tires -- about 12K miles on them now. I can drive my G8 GT (6.0L V8 RWD sedan) almost as spiritedly in the snow/ice with these tires as I like to drive with my summer tires in pleasant weather. These tires incredibly reduce my SE Michigan winter driving anxieties. Highly recommended!

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1

Monday, January 30, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1Reviewer's Overall Rating: 7.71

2002 GMC Envoy 4wd
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Miles driven on tires: 2000
Location: Manassas, VA
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 2000 Miles on Tires
October 18, 2010

I went with a dedicated winter tire since the stock Cross-Terrains, or basically anything in the OE size, just don't make it as a great winter tire. I bought these just in time for the big "Snowmageddon" in the Wash D.C. area in 2010, very glad I did.



These tires are simply incredible.



I have driven many, many miles in the snow, more than I care to think about. I have used chains, cables, whatever..these tires will put the biggest grin on your grill...promise.



Believe what others say, you will do in 2WD what others can't in 4WD..NO JOKE. I deliberatly went up a good 25-30 deg hill, in at least 12" of snow, stopped half way up, put back in 2WD, and it chugged up the hill no problem, barely any wheelspin. I went into a hard-packed neighborhood where the surface was glazed over..nearly ice to test the brakes. At about 20 MPH, I slammed the brakes and my coffee cup flipped forward out of the cup holder, it was in there pretty good, almost like summer tires on a wet road...unbelievable stopping power which is the biggest trait of a winter tire IMO...that alone will save you, others, and property damage.



I only have about 2K on them, tread looks very good, almost new. Here's the thing about this type of tire...the tread blocks are very soft, don't expect them to pull 1g of lateral force on an off-ramp, be realistic.



They will have more noise, this is normal.

They will have much higher treadwear, this is perfectly normal.

You must rotate them sooner to avoid rounding off the shoulders, don't fault the tire.



For a winter tire, they are very quiet, can hear them around 70 but again..it's a winter tire, this is normal.



Slightly squirmish on quick lane changes but this is normal, definately feel the difference.

With about 16" of snow, I was the only one out of my neighborhood aside from a neighbors very large silverado..and this is with about 9" of ground clearance on mine. I didn't need a running star

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Pirelli Winter 210 Snowcontrol Serie III Runflat

Monday, January 30, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Pirelli Winter 210 Snowcontrol Serie III RunflatReviewer's Overall Rating: 8.3

2008 Mini Cooper S
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Miles driven on tires: 3000
Location: Nyack, NY
Driving Condition: Spirited

Initial Review, 3000 Miles on Tires
January 26, 2012

I've only had these tires on my car for about a month but I've had a chance to experience them in most all driving conditions already and I am very impressed. In the dry, after about the first 500 miles, I felt them to be about as responsive as a regular all-season tire. They aren't sloppy like Blizzaks in the twisties, and they were great in the snow storm we just had last week. I have just driven them from New York to Florida and they were silent and smooth at 90mph. I am not counting the days until I can put my summer tires back on like I used to when I had Blizzaks. I will say, however, that the Blizzaks did have the traction edge in deep snow while going up hill but these Pirellis are more well-rounded for the driving I do.

Bridgestone Winter Tire Driving School

Monday, January 30, 2012 by Gavin Carpenter
This past weekend, a few of my Tire Rack cohorts and I traveled to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to experience the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. The trip was a wonderful experience as we got to learn winter driving skills in their premier program, Fifth Gear, as well as gain additional experience driving on Bridgestone Blizzak winter / snow tires.

Once we arrived at the facility, we were greeted by the training staff and went through an introductory class to learn the fundamentals of winter driving. On top of covering the fundamentals, we also practiced principles in proper control in low-grip situations, advanced skid control, threshold braking and how to maximize weight transfer.

The school is sponsored by Lexus in addition to Bridgestone, so the vehicles used for the weekend were the 2012 Lexus ES 350 (for a front-wheel drive platform) and the 2012 Lexus GX460 (for an all-wheel drive platform). The Lexus tires chosen for each vehicle were:
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1

There was no comparison test on the track, but might I say, both tires worked very well in advanced winter driving situations. We were forcing the vehicles to oversteer in every turn, forward spin turn, reverse spin turn and the Pendulum turn (Scandinavian flick). If you're looking for winter / snow tires for your Lexus or another luxury brand vehicle, the Bridgestone Blizzak lineup is worth considering.

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1

Monday, January 30, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1Reviewer's Overall Rating: 9.22

2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
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Miles driven on tires: 1000
Location: Creston, BC
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 1000 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

I am very impressed with these tires. They have performed better than i expected in all kinds of conditions. The traction is amazing and for the most part, I don't even need to use my 4x4. Even for snow covered or icy hills, I have a lot of confidence with these tires. They are just amazing!!

Tire Rack Consumer Review of the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Friday, January 27, 2012 by Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

The following post was created from content submitted via Tire Rack's consumer surveys. Information shown is the opinion of the consumer and meant to be used for comparison shopping purposes.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70Reviewer's Overall Rating: 9.33

2010 Nissan Altima Sedan
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Miles driven on tires: 1000
Location: ANCHORAGE, AK
Driving Condition: Average

Initial Review, 1000 Miles on Tires
January 24, 2012

Winters are long and tough in most of Alaska. This year we have consistently had snow or ice on the roads and I have never felt safer, more sure footed or relaxed during winter driveing. Easy acceleration on ice, uphill climbs and deep snow. No sliding, skidding or noise from metal studs is a plus. Can't wait for the freeze/thaw cycle of spring.