Miata Mailing List: November 1993, Message #18
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   From: buck@petra.ma30.bull.com (Kenneth J. Buck)
Subject: Re:  It's a question of shoes?
   Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1993 07:32:38 -0500

> From: zp3b2a!chuang@attme.att.com
> Subject: It's a question of shoes?
> 
> I am unable to afford a 2nd
> car ( being an undergrad international student explains that ) that is more
> practical for winter in Indiana. What kind of shoes would you folks recommend
> for my Miata if I would like to be able to get around safely in snow... and

ok so far

> yet not having to change the tires again when Spring comes. 

argh, here's where things go wrong... :-(

> What I would like
> is a good tire for use on snow that would not compromise to a large extent
> the 'performance' of my Miata?

tire manufacturers sell tires that they call "all season tires",
but i feel their capabilities are way oversold.  since behaving well
in the wet, the dry, the hot, the cold, and the snow are such different
requirements, what you get is a tire that's "ok" at all of them while
not being "especially good" at any one of them.  if anything, they're
probably best suited to FWD cars that already have engine-over-drive wheels
traction benefits to start with.

IMHO, on a lightweight RWD car like the Miata, there's NO substitute
for Real (tm) snow tires.  if you have to deal with any real amounts
of snow, compromising on this just isn't worth the risk.  if you don't
have a couple hundred $$$ to spend on a set of tires, find a way to
get the money somehow.  otherwise you may well be paying that
amount in insurance deductibles after your next accident anyway.

my vote for the best solution is to get a set of snow tires on
steel rims and just use them during the winter months.
a set of generic steel rims is not that expensive, and used ones are
even cheaper.

--                                             
Ken Buck                                          /|
Internet: k.buck@ma30.bull.com                \'o.O'    ACK!
Mail:     Bull, MA30-833A                     =(___)= THPTPHH!
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