Tire Rack Consumer Reviews

Initial Review, 1,000 Miles on Tires
November 18, 2011

Well, I wanted to buy another set of Dunlop Winter Sport M3's but they are not availabkle anywhere - only reason I can guess is that the sunami screwed up this summer's shipments... so I needed something else. After considerable research on both Tirerack and Consumer Reports websites, I just bought a set of 4 of these. Despite misgivings about the unaggressive tread design, I have read nothing but favourable reviews. My summer tires are Michelin Primacy MXV4s and are also V rated. In just switching tires recently there has not yet been any real snow or ice to test them in, but there has been slush and rain. Snow is coming soon - an inevitability here in Canada. My initial impressions? Well, the tread doesn't look very aggressive (what you would think a winter tire should look like), but the other reviews said `not to worry'. The overall ratings are quite impressive and hard to ignore.
In driving down the road with these I forgot I had switched off of the Primacys and to the Alpins... feels almost the same for handling and driving along. Noise is the same... cornering abit less rigid but not much. So - so far so good! One thing to remember is - yes - I am the only Chevrolet using these it appears, but my vehicle is tweeked with the police package pretty much - I have an Impala LS with the 3.8L engine and run V rated tires, have put in the police HD quickstruts, have larger heavier brake rotors (tres expensive) and pads, and stiffened up the suspension in other little ways (I do some trailering as well). I will update this review at the end of the winter to let people know my official verdict.