After flirting with the idea of selling my '02 for a while, I've decided I can't part with her. Therefore I'll be spending my first ever winter north of Florida driving a rear-drive 6-speed that likes to oversteer

Anyways...I'm in D.C., where there isn't much snow. However, there will be some. Additionally, I want to run the highest performance rubber I can in the summer months. Since not a lot of good options exist for the stock MY'02 tire sizes, how about this plan:

Put a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Seasons on my AP1 rims. They come in 205/55/R16 and 225/50/R16 - that isn't ideal, but it should be OK for calm winter driving, right? Are there any better options for the winter months in low-snowfall areas?

Then also pick up a set of AP2 rims, and mount 215/45/R17 and 245/40/R17 Bridgestone RE-O1r's on them. Those rims and sizes will be fine, right? Or is there a problematic overall tire height difference?

The way I see it, I have to buy new rims anyways if I want good tires to fit right. I also won't be able to sell my AP1 rims for very much (right?), and either way I'd have to store a set of tires year-round. So why not keep the tires mounted, saving mounting+balancing fees?

So am I missing anything?

 

I dont know about the goodyears in the snow. I have never drivin in snow ever. But that sounds like a good plan. Although I would go 225-255 with the 01r's. but I like alot of tire.

 

Hi sunrise089,
I have 2005 AP2 and its my DD. I bought GY Eagle F1 All-Season for this winter. I wasn't sure how they do on snow, but according to tirerack it should be fine on lite snow. I live in PA near Philly and last Sunday there was snowing in the morning, so I immediately drove out to test my new tires on snow. And the result was not so bad! Probably it depends on your driving style, but for me it worked great. Just let car warm up before you go on a snow and it's fine to avoid sliding. Yes, I felt ABS in my foot few times, but it was in the beginning, the rest of the time I've been prepared to that so it was fine. On wet road, heavy raining - those tires the best I've ever driven! I bought them about 1.5 months ago and very happy with them.

So, in D.C. area when snow is probably randomly 5-7 days in winter, yes, I would recommend that GY Eagle F1 All-Season tires.

I'm personally from Russia, so I know when you need winter tires , so when the most of the winter you don't have a snow/ice on a road, the real winter tires are not good, they are very soft for non-snow roads and they'll be just eaten by the end of winter, so I decided to go with decent all season.

Good luck with the decision.

 

My experience with all season tires; they do nothing particularly well. Best to go with dedicated snow tires, especially in the S.

I live in Colorado and would consider it fairly mild winters, would have lost the car if it were not for the snows I put on.

Contact Jim from Tire Rack to get the best recommendation.

 

I would agree with gotswap, in general A/S tires do nothing particulary well, but those GY F1s really impressed me.

As real winter tires, I would recommend NOKIAN hakkapelita, Bridgestone Blizzak, Michelin Ultra Grip 5... (everything from my own experience, those are great winter tires)... I had also winter tires with studs, but I guess you don't need them

 

Thanks for all the responses - I really appreciate the helpful info.

As far as all-seasons doing nothing particularly well, I agree. However, as Freek said above I would expect only a handful of days with snow up here, and possibly never having to actually drive in it. Still, a recent Car and Driver story indicated that summer tires are just unsafe on snow, and the RE-01r's seem to indicate they don't like sub-freezing temps at all.

Can anyone comment at all on either the smaller sizing on the rear all-seasons or whether or not there's any problem with stock AP2 rims and tire sizes on an '02?

 

No problem running 225/50-16s in back.
No problem running AP2 rims and tire sizes on an AP1.

 

Summer?Winter?Snow tires?

What is all that about?Just come to Texas and you can use your tires all year around. No snow to slow you down.

 

Heh, I know how that is - my car has lived it's whole life in Florida, so there was never any question of differing tire needs. But now I'm in VA, so hence the questions.