Continental DWS vs Michelin Alpin PA2 for Snow

Ok, winter tire time.

For my C2S, I just purchased some used 18" rims thinking that 18" would give me lower winter tire pricing with more options. WRONG! Maybe my memory is failing, but I did the analysis last winter and well..... anyway, there are only two winter tire choices for each size on Tire Rack and the pricing is the same. But anyway......

So my choices are Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie II $960.00, Michelin Alpin PA2 (N rated) for $1,146.00 and an all season Continental ExtremeContact DWS $736.00

What do you think? Philadelphia, light snow, slush but can be heavy snow some years. Good snow performance is the issue for me as I am into safety.

From my personal experience with snow tires, I will never buy a Pirelli. Please, let's not get into a flame war about this. To be fair, these are a newer model but my honest use of the last model was so bad in all areas of performance, Pirelli would have had to outsource their design and manufacture to someone else for me to even consider them. If you like Pirelli, then fine, let's agree to disagree.

So, the big question for me is it the expensive Michelin which I never tried, to the less expensive all season Conti. From Tire Rack's user reviews, it appears they may be the same performer in the snow but it may be apples to oranges and not a good comparo.

Opinons?

Peace,
Bruce in Philly

Have you looked into alternative sizings that might work?

Michelin always makes a quality product. I found their now tires lacking, however, but that was years ago.

I've had some very good pirellis (Winter 190, Winter 210). Not awesome in snow, but good tires that would get you through snow.

Do you have to drive this car in very bad weather? Nothing with really wide tires is ideal for the white stuff

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

We have a set of Conti DWS on my wife's Mazda3. These should not be considered snow tires - just all seasons that work somewhat in light snow.

That is the kind of response I was looking for. The reason I am comparing the Conti vs the Michelin are price of course, but when I read the reviews on TireRack, they are comparable in snow performance so I thought I would throw out this comparo. Not everyone liked the Michelin's snow performance which surprised me. Others praised the Conti's snow traction. Odd.

Grant: No, I did not consider other sizes. I will but this makes me a bit nervous as I don't know what I am doing to make a good decision. Michelin, for example makes less performing snows that are much cheaper (at least as I remember) that I would consider. By the way, the Dunlops were my favorite snow tire also.

I am traveling extensively now between Newark NJ and Philly and I worry about getting nailed with snow showers or a storm. That always entertaining Jersey Speedway can be unnerving in the best of conditions. Since I only seem to keep the tires on for about 4 months, getting the top dry performing tires are not my highest priority. I don't want, however, the sloppy, rollover of Blizzaks either (can't get the prescribed sizes anyway).

If I had to pull the trigger today, I would get the Michelins.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

In Canada ...the great white north over 36 years of winter driving. I have tried all winters on my cars and the best so far for traction and quietness is hands down the Michelin Alpin. A few years back my tire guy convinced me to buy Bridgestone snows. Traction OK...but the road noise was not good...I thought I was driving a monster 4X4. IMHO

MIKELLIG