Studded tires for Subie?

[ljm]

I have a line on nearly new studded tires for $250 for my '00 Outback. I've had the car less than a year, so I'm not super familiar with it's handling in snow, although it did great last year w/ all-season siped tires in limited action.

Is it total overkill to get studded tires for an Outback? Should I look at studless winter tires instead? I'll be driving to the mtn 3-4x per week.

[SPREAD EAGLE]

AWD = Security

Not necessary unless you're a gaper driver. Studs are noisy and are not necessary during off months so there will be a need to purchase another set also. Just get an all season radial w/ atleast 50,000 mile warranty. Outbacks are the bomb during winter/icey driving just watch out for the ABS breaks because it takes more distance to stop if it's icey.

Enjoy

[Vets]

I have an Impreza wagon. I put studded snows on in the winter. Some may think of it as overkill. I see it as added security. Sort of like putting Booster straps on your boots even though they already come with velcro power straps.
I used to live 6 miles out of town on a dirt road (often covered with snow/ice in the winter.) That is when I first went with the studded snows. The new house has a long steep dirt/gravel driveway. Last winter the studded snows allowed me to make it all the way up the drive without a problem after some major storms we had here (I even skied the front yard and driveway last winter.) I am now used to the added security and I do feel better when heading up Kingsbury Grade, Carson Pass, the scenic route to Mammoth, or other fairly interesting winter drives.
Most studded tires also have deeper, more aggressive treads.
If you live in the mountains and are driving in the snow most days in the winter, studded snows may be the way to go. However, if you are only driving up to the mountains on the weekends from a city, you probably wouldn't want to deal with the noise on pavement.

[ljm]

Thanks for the replies.

Thanks Vets, I was hoping to hear from someone who ran studded tires on a Subie. I'd rather err on the side of overkill as well.

I'm thinking there will often be snow on the ground here (Bend, Or), but it will also be my first winter here too, so I'm not positive about how bad driving conditions are in town. That said, I work from home, so the majority of my winter miles will be to the mountain and back.

[Vets]

Thanks for the replies.

Thanks Vets, I was hoping to hear from someone who ran studded tires on a Subie. I'd rather err on the side of overkill as well.

I'm thinking there will often be snow on the ground here (Bend, Or), but it will also be my first winter here too, so I'm not positive about how bad driving conditions are in town. That said, I work from home, so the majority of my winter miles will be to the mountain and back.

ljm, I believe that there are some maggots in Bend. Hopefully they can post and let you know their experience with winter driving conditions.
I did spend a week spring skiing at Bachelor many years ago. It did snow a little bit each night up on the mountain and I had no trouble driving up from town with my old rear wheel drive Pontiac Tempest at the time.
Oregon also has a pretty short season for use of studded snow tires.
In Oregon they are only allowed November 1 - April 11. (or April 1.) Here in Nevada they are allowed from October 1 - April 30.
Here are a couple of related links:
An article about Oregon last spring
and
An article from Idaho about neighboring states
Montana: Oct. 1 - May 31
Nevada: Oct. 1 - April 30
Utah: Oct. 15 - April 15
Oregon: Nov. 1 - April 1
Washington: Nov. 1 - March 31
Wyoming: Legal all year

[avacadotoast]

IMHO regular snows with no studs are the way to go. Try tirerack.com - they have inexpensive winter tire/steel rim packages and they will come mounted and balanced - then you can just change the tires yourself whenever you want.

I went the other route - ordered bigger alloys w/ high performance summer tires and got snows mounted on my stock rims - 4 years later I'm still rocking the same tires - was a great money saver over the long haul.

Friend of mine ordered snows on steel rims from tirerack for his old outback and the thing is an absolute billygoat in the snow. Ice is the only thing studs will help with - but an outback with snows is the bomb.

[Free Range Lobster]

Ice is the only thing studs will help with - but an outback with snows is the bomb.

They work on that super hard packed snow that plows create also, not just ice.

I run studded haukk's on my wrx when I head north/when we expect snowstorms.

VIVA LA AIRTOOLS + GARAGE.

[aspenskibum]

i had an outback till about a week ago when some dumb bitch ran a stop sign and totaled it. but awd does equal security, but it will not do anything to help you brake better.

[KarlHungus]

i got some used studded tires (with plenty of life left) for 15 bucks each and new steel wheels at a junkyard for 15 bucks each. had them mounted up and balanced. i just throw them on in the winter and away i go. overkill? probably. worth the less than $150 it all costs? in my opinion... yup.

[extreeski]

studded tires are for gapers.

I've owned my 2001 outback since, well fall 2000 and have only used all seasons.

first the tires included with the car, then some gift touring tires my dad gave me, (he's a mechanic), this fall I am putting some bridgestone G009's on there. (That's what's recommended.) If you don't believe me do your own research. I came up with those or Yokohama avids.

According to Oregon Dept of Transportation an AWD vehicle with decent all seasons, (read more than a 1/4 inch of tread) qualifies as a traction device and hence there's no need for chains or studded tires.

I have never been stuck anywhere in my suby. and I love to follow snow storms.

Studded tires wreck the road. And you don't need em. If you were driving a prius, or some front wheel drive car then maybe.

[Benny Profane]

I finally put snows on my Forester last winter after moving up to snowland, and am very happy with the $250 purchase. I was just telling someone how an overlooked benefit of snows is never talked about - braking. I stop a lot faster when it's slippery.
Studded are overkill unless you live in conditions Vets is describing, and never do highway travel.
Consider the cost of snows as "extension" insurance on your present warm weather set. I want my new all seasons to make it to the death of benny'slezmobile, and 3 or 4 seaasons of snows on in the winter will get me there.

[altagirl]

Snow tires yes, studded tires, no. I guess they'd make sense if you're almost never going to be driving on dry pavement, or can change them out in your garage or something when you need them, but otherwise I think regular snow tires do an excellent job. I had snow tires on my last Suby and they were noticeably better, but it's not like I ever got stuck or had problems with the all seasons I was using previously. I'm still debating whether to get snow tires for the new Subaru - the all seasons that came on there look pretty good...

[extreeski]

Seriously, for your money, the Bridgestone G009 is the best tire for an outback.

According to two different dealers in the portland area and a couple of tire stores I called.

And I did tell them I skied all the time and needed my car to have traction on the snowiest of days.

I drive up to bend from pdx, over govt camp and down through the warm springs reservation on 97 in rough, windy, snowy conditions. you honestly have nothing to worry about and don't need the studded tires.

[ljm]

Some good advice in here. It does sound like studs are way overkill in my situation, and I'm not really cool with tearing up roads for no reason.

Studless snow tires sound like a good idea. Even though I have good all-season tires now, I would definitely like the added security of snows w/ the AWD.


Sooo, to sum up: I'm passing on the studs. Thanks guys!

[PimpMasterJ]

Sooo, to sum up: I'm passing on the studs. Thanks guys!

good choice, the road up to bachy is flat and studs are overkill in town unless you live on top of a steep hill. I have never had traction problems with my hakka Q's (studless) on the outback.

[Buzzworthy]

Some good advice in here. It does sound like studs are way overkill in my situation, and I'm not really cool with tearing up roads for no reason.

Studless snow tires sound like a good idea. Even though I have good all-season tires now, I would definitely like the added security of snows w/ the AWD.


Sooo, to sum up: I'm passing on the studs. Thanks guys!

I am in Northern Utah and I drove thru a canyon that 4wd's slid off several times this winter. I never needed studded and doing 30k per year on the 01 Outback wagon, I also did not want the noise. This car does better than the 4wd Jeep Liberty we have. Good allseasons should do you fine.

Bend maggots, look up Tap and Bossass (maybe out of Portland, to lazy to look it up). I have yet to meet them personally, but I know I would like too. They seem like very good peeps.

[Buzzworthy]

I'm still debating whether to get snow tires for the new Subaru - the all seasons that came on there look pretty good...

Give it a shot without this year. I did not and was fine thru Sardine and LCC and BCC and Snowbasin all year.

[slippy]

You know, fat skis are overkill. I can get down the hill just fine on smaller skis, and I never lose an edge with the smaller skis! Just slow down and you'll be fine! Fat skis are for gapers!

Jeez, better braking, cornering, and safety is overkill? I doubt I'd buy studs in SLC and Bend, because your gas mileage goes to shit on the dry roads.

I have gotten stuck with studs plenty of times. Usually it's because of a clearance issue in my Subaru. I've also got un-stuck from being plowed in or whatever thanks to studs.

Don't get studs if you don't feel like it. Not everyone needs them, as it depends on your driving type and car. But saying they're for gapers....please. having studs on AWD is a fucking blast.