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Winter Tire Decision Nokian R2 vs Nokian 7 vs Michelin Xi3

articrandom

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Recently got new Winter wheels out of a GT (18 inch) and I am trying to figure out the best winter tire for them. I basically narrowed them down to 3. Haven't found much information on the Nokian 7s plus I would be interested in knowing what some people here are running and if they have some experience with any of these tires.

Little bit of background, I live in the Twin Cities so Winter can be tough from December through March. Not a whole lot of snow, usually 3-5 in per snowstorm and it tends to be pretty dry snow, not sticky but we also get slushy snow towards the beginning and end of Winter. Weather is really cold and the snow stays on the ground for a long time so packed snow and ice on side roads may be my biggest issues. I also drive around 50 miles round trip mostly on (90% highway 10% streets).

Based on those facts, here are the tires I found and thought that could work. (These are for a 235/50/18 unless you recommend me to go any different in size)

Nokian R2 - Most expensive but they seem really solid in extreme cold weather and snow conditions. Are they really that much better to pay that premium over the Michelin ones?
Michelin Xi3 - Seems to be a good tire all around. Slightly cheaper and with good warranty.
Nokian 7 - Least expensive by far plus a $100 rebate. Not a whole lot of info/reviews out there. Super cheap and the brand is really good for Winter tires but why so much difference in price?

What would you guys purchase? Any personal experiences with any of them? Which one would fit best the Mustang in my situation? I also attached a screenshot of the prices below.
2017-11-20 11_30_20-.png
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gearhead2685

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I drove my car all winter last year in Grand Forks North Dakota on Hakka R2s didnt regret it for a second!!

They are going back on tomorrow or friday.

Them Nokians were worth every penny.

Nokians or bust!!
 
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articrandom

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I drove my car all winter last year in Grand Forks North Dakota on Hakka R2s didnt regret it for a second!!

They are going back on tomorrow or friday.

Them Nokians were worth every penny.

Nokians or bust!!
Are the 7s a similar tire? I can't find much about them online even though I really want to get the Nokian R2s but they are so expensive compared to the other two candidates. :frusty:
 

gearhead2685

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I dont know about the 7s I researched for about 2 months last year to see if anything out last year was better than the hakka r2s and everything i found kept ssying they were the best you could get.

I was very happy with them and i drove all winter up and down the interstate about 25-30 mile drive at least every day.

Car took winter well with heated seats autostart and snow tires.
 

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articrandom

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I dont know about the 7s I researched for about 2 months last year to see if anything out last year was better than the hakka r2s and everything i found kept ssying they were the best you could get.

I was very happy with them and i drove all winter up and down the interstate about 25-30 mile drive at least every day.

Car took winter well with heated seats autostart and snow tires.
Yeah, I can't find much either. My guess is that they are some old tire model they are trying to get rid of. It also looks like it is not the best for deep snow but we don;t get much of that in the Twin Cities anyway.

I may end up going with the Michelins though, they are going to be much cheaper and they seem to be a great tire as well. I really don't want to spend over a $1,000 for a comparable tire.

Also, will any of these alternative tire sizes fir the 18in GT wheels??
2017-11-21 13_59_33-Tire Size Calculator.png
 
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articrandom

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I decided to go with the Michelins for $800 mounted. Plus a $100 rebate from Discount Tire.

Thanks to everyone that helped!

Last question I have is, do you guys think the 20in wheels will fit in the Mustang? I will be installing the tires on the 18in wheels I bought and I was wondering if I could fit them in the car on my way back or am I going to need an extra car to do so?
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