Which winter tires do you use?
 

Hello

I have been browsing for Winter tires for XE. I am planning to get 225/40/R18's all around even though my car has 245/40/R18's at the back.

Do you have any recommendations?

Is it worth to get Performance Winter tires like Pirelli Sottozero 3s or Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4's? or save some money and get Blizzak WS80 or Michelin X-Ice XI3'?

My car came with Continental Procontact GX's and these tires are garbage. They are noisy, tread life seems to be very poor and I am pretty confident that they will be useless in snow.

Thanks!

The stock tires and AWD won't work sufficient enough for your region? Im in NJ and hope my stock 20"s work for the small amount I will drive in the snow.

Blizzaks are phenomenal in snow. However they are soft so not recommended for summer use. I believe not recommended above 45 degrees.

They are all good snow tires you mentioned. You don't need Z rated snows IMO. Do you plan on travelling 100 mph this winter? I'd go for best price and service out of your choices.

225/45/18 is the correct size.

Are you planning on using the stock rims? If so, putting on narrower tires on those back rims will cause the rim lip to be more exposed to curb rash.

We sure have snow in Switzerland, so winter tires are a must ;-)
My tires: Continental WinterContact TS 850 p
front 225/45 R 18 V XL
rear 245/40 R 18 V XL
It was the dealer's choice and I'm happy with it.

----------------
XES 3.0 V6, 340PS, 19" Alloy Wheel, Black pack, Lighting Pack, Active Safety Pack, Cold Climate Pack, Parking Pack, Memory Pack, HUD Pack, Sliding roof, Pro Navigation Pack Meridian 380W, Configurable mood lighting, illuminated treatplate

I live in NJ and we get snow in winter, always used all season tires on all my cars and never changed rims or tires on any car for a season..... that would be such a pain in the #@$%#$

I bought the car after big snow falls, so I won't buy snow tires now, but for the next winter I'm planning to buy Michelin X-Ice

I don't really see a point of getting snow tires, its a complete waste of money unless you live in such an area where they don't often clean the snow of the road..... and that is not many places. If it does snow so bad that roads are covered up its probably not a good idea to drive a sports car out there regardless of tires. I think in 20 years of driving I might have had to drive in actual snow maybe half a dozen times, and even a front wheel drive Elantra did great in snow with all weather tires for what they were needed. These tires are not cheap but then again I am talking to Jaguar owners who probably have cash to spare :P

The main advantage of snow tires is not in driving in the snow, but in the fact that compound retain traction under low temperatures. All season tires are really three season tires. Try to apply an emergency braking under freezing conditions on the dry road with all season and winter tires and you will see the difference.

It is definitely your choice of selecting the tires for your car, but you are absolutely wrong in saying that it is a waste of money.

Not to mention the fact that the set of summer and winter tires will be used for the same mileage as two sets of all season tires. With the benefit of increased safety

Demetre, what did you end up getting? And how were the tires this winter?

Since I got my XE after what I thought was the last of the big snows in MA (!!!), I plan to buy winter tires in the fall. I go skiing and drive up to Canada often, so I've never even considered using "all seasons" with the cold temps I drive in. I've always had the best luck with Blizzaks, although I'm considering trying Continentals (tread wear on these has been a problem in my experience, so will have to do some more research before I decide). I had Michelin X-Ice on a previous car, and HATED them. I never had so little control over a vehicle in my life. Then again, I generally dislike Michelins.

FWIW, when MA got 8-12" of snow a couple of weeks back, I took the XE to a few empty parking lots to test her out in the snow. Even with (brand new) all season Pirellis, and the car in S and dynamic mode, piles of uncleared snow were no issue with the AWD kicking in. I've always joked that I didn't know how to drive an auto car in winter (always had manual transmissions), but the XE makes it easy. It was a great way to test the car. Plus I gave the snow plow drivers and security camera watchers a pretty red car to look at... Can't wait to see how she does with snow tires next winter...

Did you try in snow mode or with snow-ice launch mode? The XE worked well in snow for me, but there were a few times the tires did not dig in. Not enough to make me want to buy snows since this is a leased car.

I actually ended up not getting snow tires at all for this winter. I wanted to but it was such a weird/mild winter that in the end I think It was a right choice.

We only got several days with snow and even then, it melted quick. I only got stuck once this winter and it was totally my fault (drove very slowly over the train tracks and bottomed out on snow). Other than that, the car drove like a champ in snow mode.

Guys, I want to emphasize that winter tires are here to help us in case of emergencies. All seasons will do just fine 99% of the cases, but that 1% will make all the difference.

Those extra 3 feet of stopping in case of emergency can and will make the difference :)

I agree completely but this winter neither snow nor temperatures went below freezing all that much.

I just drive with much more caution when it's cold and wet out with all-seasons.
For winter that we just had, snow tires would be a luxury, not a necessity.

I did have one scary moment when I almost missed the turn. I was driving fast, had to brake quickly, ABS got activated but the back of the car slid sideways under braking (even with TC on) and I had to countersteer really quickly or I would spin out for sure.
That just goes on to tell that if your tires are not suitable for conditions, electronics cannot save you in an emergency.

I completely agree too.

If you've bought an expensive car like this, you believe in "investing" the extra finances in things that aren't always utilized every day. Things like the "Ooooh!" you get from an impressed passerby, the purr your sweetie lets out when she reclines in the leather chair beside you, and the growling Jaguar launch you can pull off on the occasional open roadway.
So buying winter tires really should be done, for the same reason. You're not going to need them on every winter drive, but every day you wear them is a day you're prolonging the life of those 3-season tires (so-called all-season by the makers, yawn....)

You're also not going to encounter the dummy in that suv beside you on the freezing cold street EVERY day, but.... he's going to put your tires' cold-rubber capability to the test any minute now. :(!!
Put the winter tires on your Jaguar whenever possible (or leave the car in the garage for most of the winter----my preferred method, whenever I can't afford the winter tires this year).

I read a GREAT tire for areas where you get more dirty water than snow, or you hardly get two spells of snow all winter. Nokian WRG3. Something about the tread makes them smooth and very fuel efficient on dry winter roads. Not at all like the snow tires we're used to.
Give them a try. I love Nokian's baby soft rubber.