I have a 2006 A4 w/quattro and TPMS. We live in an NYC condo and thus don't have room to store four all-season tires in the winter; however, we do drive up to Vermont once in a while and occasionally need snow tire performance.

Is there an all-season tire out there that performs especially well in snow, or similarly, a winter tire that could pass for an all-season? Note that since I do a lot more city driving than highway driving, I don't really need strong handling performance anyway. A tire that can handle well in snow and sustain repeated blows from potholes would be ideal.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

This is debatable topic...

First of all, watch this

http://www.tirerack.com/videos/index...=23&tab=winter


With most All-Season you probably don't have any acceleration issues but lack of traction comes up at corners and during deceleration.

For winter traction if you want the best All-Season then Nokian WR is what you need.

Most important is your driving style and if you expect either one to behave like summer tires at summer then you will have hairy moments and be disappointed.

Here is what I learned on past 20 years living around Arctic Circle in Nordic Countries.

If you buy All-Seasons just when the snow comes down, meaning you have brand new tire for winter then with lower speeds it is doable and during coming summer you just need to haul **** to drive them bald to be able to buy new tires next winter when snow comes down.

I don't buy all-seasons but few times those came along with new car and well, I just changed from summers (my all-season) to winter and cleaned the summer rims to be ready next summer.



From that photo can be seen halfway worn out Dunlop GranTrek All-Season versus new Blizzak. Sure it is not fair comparison as other one is worn and other is new, though the point is that All-Season blocks are solid and freaking slippery compared to Blizzak blocks slitted with sipes.

If you buy All-Seasons with good winter traction like Nokian WR, it is soft rubber compound and at summer it will not offer as solid response as real summer tires.

Another issue is speed rating, Nordic tires are with lower speed rating as there winter season speed limits are around 50-65 mph and most of those tires have lower speed rating and haves softer rubber compund that haves better winter traction.

Here in States I have been hauling up to 80mph and my Blizzaks have higher speed rating than what I had in EU. It means it is harder rubber meaning less traction. Who knows what is the difference on that circle track, just 0.1mph or 1mph or 5 and more mph....

Either way you go, you have to change your driving style to adapt new tires and their traction and behavior.

One thing, the snow flake symbol on side of the tire meaning it is for severe weather, have lost its meaning as it is stamped to almost any tire. The Dunlop haves it and I would not take those to snowy mountain roads.

Either way, drive safely...

 

Look at Conti Contact Extreme DWS. I just put them on my wife's 2007 A4 3.2. I had their former model on my Infiniti M35X and they were great in VT. Haven't driven her car in snow with them yet but it poured in NY today and they were great. Reasonable price at Mavis.

 

I just put a set of Conti Extreme Contact DWS on my TT last week. Haven't tried them in any large amounts of snow yet, but they are smooth and quiet on the highway and softer on potholes that the original Potenzas.

 

Another vote for the Extreme Contact DWS.

Tires
http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AR8&...ires/index.jsp

 

I'm going to rock the boat and say that the Michelin Alpin All weather are much quieter and a lot better performers than the Perelli M+S that were on the car, and than the Blizzak's.

In the end, that's what my research and personal experience reflected work for the Audi I have. My Ford F250 like the Big O all seasons, and my motorcycle likes Dunlops.

You're starting right by asking the question - but it can take a lot of research and trial and error over the years to realize what works best for your driving style and typical snow fall patterns.

 

Conti Extreme DWS is on left and Nokian WR is on right.

Compare the thread blocks and you can see the main difference, one haves more solid blocks and other haves more sipes.

DWS might be ok on summer roads and lush, but when it gets cold and snow, the one with sipes is the one that keeps going on.

Like Lyman said, each of their own, one likes and other doesn't so you need to find the one you like as it is you who pays the tab

 

This thread began for a compromise tire sought by a NY City condo dweller. Not a person in the Rockies with a garage to store summer tires. The DWS look like all things to all drivers. The great rubber compromise!

 

Ok ok calm down and don't get offended if I happened to point out DWS sucks

Let me copy and paste what he wrote...

From comparing thread blocks for snow traction between two ALL-SEASONS...

- Conti Extreme DWS
- Nokian WR (not pure winter tire, it is ALL SEASON)

DWS lacks structural capabilities for good snow traction and WR with its sipes is better and safer choise to go.

What the heck I flame here, it is his money and each of their own, one likes and other doesn't so he needs to find the one he likes as it is him who pays the tab

 

WRG2 not WR is offered in 245/40/18 The former looks similar to the DWS. I agree the WR looks good. I don't see it offered to fit a recent A4.