So, I ended up buying three barely-used Pirelli "Carving Edge" snow tires. It was a set of four, but one of them had been damaged by a tire machine, so I passed on it. I got the other three for $80. The reviews of this tire indicate that it could be better on ice, but isn't as bad as the "WinterForce" snow tire, and is good to excellent otherwise. I'm hoping they will be better than the Ecopias, anyway! (With the added bonus of not having to worry overmuch about blowouts.) The reason for the average ice grip is apparently the harder compound, designed for longer wear and better tolerance of dry roads. With luck I can leave them on through April, or even May. It remains to be seen how quiet they will be. Now I have to find a fourth one, either nearly-new like these, or brand new...
Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:
I need to buy winter wheels for my Nissan Leaf Tekna 2013 (=SL).
However I have a little problem, because I can't find any Goodyear or Nokia 17" wheels with spikes, and with 16" wheels I calculated that my ground space would be 1.02cm less, which might be critical when there is a lot of snow.
How is the VDC/TCS (Vehicle Dynamic Control/Traction Control System) working on the Leaf? Would M&S wheels be good enough for arctic winter like in Finland, or should I have spikes because of the strong torque on acceleration?
However I have a little problem, because I can't find any Goodyear or Nokia 17" wheels with spikes, and with 16" wheels I calculated that my ground space would be 1.02cm less, which might be critical when there is a lot of snow.
How is the VDC/TCS (Vehicle Dynamic Control/Traction Control System) working on the Leaf? Would M&S wheels be good enough for arctic winter like in Finland, or should I have spikes because of the strong torque on acceleration?
Wennfred
Well-known member
Here try "Tires by Web" they have the studded winter Nokians there,
NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA 7 - STUDDED TIRES for the 13 Leaf.
http://www.tiresbyweb.com/tbw_tiresearchresults.aspx?cti=115,673&pageindex=1&winter=0&choice=2&choice2=NOKIAN%20TIRES" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Fred
NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA 7 - STUDDED TIRES for the 13 Leaf.
http://www.tiresbyweb.com/tbw_tiresearchresults.aspx?cti=115,673&pageindex=1&winter=0&choice=2&choice2=NOKIAN%20TIRES" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Fred
There is currently a 100 rewards points special going, according to the October One-To-One Rewards newsletter. Was supposed to be only One-To-One Rewards members only. Plus the email only said "eligible tires" without saying which actually were. But with a little detective work, I found out that non-Rewards members can get a straight $100 discount. And the offer is good on Dunlop, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, Michelin, Hankook, Kuhmo and Toyo tires. Coupon code is TRR12I and it expires 10/31.
Well, I'm over getting tires. My Ecopias still looked like they had a few thousand miles in them, but I'd started to get some cracking on the sidewalls. Still keeping the two best ones as emergency spares though.
Was going to go with the Ecopias again, except they ordered the wrong ones and got me the EL400s instead (which I think are/were stock on the Prius?). So I made a last minute decision to switch to the Michelin Primacy MXV4s instead. Hope you guys haven't steered me wrong on those! LOL!
Was going to go with the Ecopias again, except they ordered the wrong ones and got me the EL400s instead (which I think are/were stock on the Prius?). So I made a last minute decision to switch to the Michelin Primacy MXV4s instead. Hope you guys haven't steered me wrong on those! LOL!
TomT
Well-known member
25,000 miles later I still love them and they still look almost new. My efficiency is now with a tenth of what it was on the Ecrapias...
mwalsh said:
Wennfred
Well-known member
Got my new Nokian Entyres in today and got them installed, wheel alignment ok except for rear right is 0.5 but it still within specs. The Tire Express shop I used to install all 4 tires had set the air pressure to 40 PSI, as I drove off and took it onto a stretch of road at around 45 - 55 mph, the tires felt really good, quiet but at 40 PSI they still felt a little to squeeshy or spongy... infact from looking at them they look too low, so I went to the nearest air station and went with 50 PSI on all 4 tires. The max PSI on these tires is 51 psi. At 50 PSI, these tires felt awesome, I mean talk about Low Roll Resistance, they roll effortlessly, you can actually feel no drag with these tires when you first take off, they look meaty and wide and have and (outside / inside) label on the tire wall itself to indicate which way they are to be installed.
At 40 PSI, Both GPS's were reading 2 MPH difference, at 50 PSI it was almost perfect to -1 MPH difference. I had already made the Speed Calibration within the Nav settings to -2.5 a few days ago.
Using my Decibel -10db Iphone App, the sound was very quiet at cruising speed, 35 - 45 mph and around 68db with a peak of 74db inside cabin sound.
Economy wise, no difference so far, with the Ecopia's and these Nokians they pretty much read the same, 4.1 to 4.2kwh. Later tonight the wife and I will be off to Coronado for dinner, its a 12 mile commute each way so I will see if I can improve on those Kwhs. With these tires you feel as if you need to re-learn the car as with the Ecopias you needed to give it some power to get it to move, with these they just want to roll. It could be that these a freshly new. They suppose to get better with a little more wear on them.
I return back to work Sunday night and that is where I set a benchmark, I know that the GOM doesn't help much but I always get to 53 Mile left on the GOM when I get to work, usually at 55 - 60 MPH all the way, its late when I head to work and I can go that slow on the hwy. I will report back Monday with stats to see if these tires helped any on that trip. These tires are Finnish Tires but are made in Russia. They are pioneers in LRR tires, set the standard way back, that and great reviews is why I went with them.
Update, tonight's trip gained me 4.3Kwh.
Fred
At 40 PSI, Both GPS's were reading 2 MPH difference, at 50 PSI it was almost perfect to -1 MPH difference. I had already made the Speed Calibration within the Nav settings to -2.5 a few days ago.
Using my Decibel -10db Iphone App, the sound was very quiet at cruising speed, 35 - 45 mph and around 68db with a peak of 74db inside cabin sound.
Economy wise, no difference so far, with the Ecopia's and these Nokians they pretty much read the same, 4.1 to 4.2kwh. Later tonight the wife and I will be off to Coronado for dinner, its a 12 mile commute each way so I will see if I can improve on those Kwhs. With these tires you feel as if you need to re-learn the car as with the Ecopias you needed to give it some power to get it to move, with these they just want to roll. It could be that these a freshly new. They suppose to get better with a little more wear on them.
I return back to work Sunday night and that is where I set a benchmark, I know that the GOM doesn't help much but I always get to 53 Mile left on the GOM when I get to work, usually at 55 - 60 MPH all the way, its late when I head to work and I can go that slow on the hwy. I will report back Monday with stats to see if these tires helped any on that trip. These tires are Finnish Tires but are made in Russia. They are pioneers in LRR tires, set the standard way back, that and great reviews is why I went with them.
Update, tonight's trip gained me 4.3Kwh.
Fred
I got to drive my Goodyear Eagle L/S tires on some moderately slick roads recently, and they were fine. I had been a bit worried about them because the tread looks very much like the Ecopias - like Summer tires or non-aggressive all-seasons. It still seems to me that these tires are an excellent economical alternative to the Ecopias. Mine were less then $50 a tire through a high-rated Ebay dealer. I'm also getting very close to the same efficiency as with the Ecopias - only about 0.1 M/KWH less.
woodgeek
Well-known member
I've been using Michelin X-ice Xi3's on my leaf for a couple weeks. Super grippy. Bought from tirerack with steel wheels, so I can swap them myself easily.
I almost got the Nokians, which ARE supposed to be better in deep snow. It seems the Xi3's are better on cold/dry and cold/wet than the Nokians, and since they are pretty good at plowing around here....I went for those.
I am hoping putting 25% of my miles on the snows will get my Ecopias to lease end. Time will tell.
I almost got the Nokians, which ARE supposed to be better in deep snow. It seems the Xi3's are better on cold/dry and cold/wet than the Nokians, and since they are pretty good at plowing around here....I went for those.
I am hoping putting 25% of my miles on the snows will get my Ecopias to lease end. Time will tell.
