It didn't take me long to figure out to go with either Bridgestone Blizzak WS-70 or Michelin X-Ice Xi3. They are basically the top rated semi-affordable passenger tires on most sites. The Xi3 are actually new this year, replacing the Xi2. They have all kinds of funky technology built into them which you can read about here: http://www.michelin.ca/tire-selector/category/winter/x-ice-xi3/tire-details
There are pros and cons to both tires. The Blizzak's have a deeper tread which makes them better in deep snow but they also wear quicker than the Xi3 according to most reviews I read. They wear especially quick if you drive them in above 0 temps, of course around here temperatures fluctuate quite a bit and we don't usually get the consistent deep cold snaps like in other parts of the country. If the plan is to get Blizzaks you should wait to put them on and get them off as soon as winter is gone, but look like a great winter tire.
The Xi3 may not be as good in deep snow but they come with a 60,000 km warranty which is great for winter tires, most winter tires don't come with any treadwear warranty. I'm sure there are some catches with that warranty but basically they are saying you will get 60,000 km before they need to be replaced. That will probably cover 4 to 5 winters for most drivers. These tires are supposed to be great for icy and packed down snow, which we get a lot of here.
So if both are equally priced I think the Xi3 are the way to go. Unfortunately they are not equally priced. Just for the heck of it I went to Crappy Tire to get a quote on 4 installed Xi3 tires on winter rims, they had a $70 rebate on a set of 4 tires. The grand total came to $1,230...... that seemed like a lot. I then went to Costco and got a quote on 4 installed Blizzaks on winter rims because they had $70 off a set of Blizzaks. The grand total on those was $770. WOW $460 difference, how can that be, the actual tire cost was $168 for the Xi3 vs $138 for the Blizzaks, that only accounts for about $150 of the difference once tax is taken into account.
Could it be that Crappy Tire is fleecing the unsuspecting consumer....... of course they are, detailed results to follow in a day or two!
