Posted: 12/17/2011 3:55:15 AM EDT
| I have recently switched my summer tires to Hakkapelita snow tires and noticed my gas mileage suffer. The winter tires are on their third season (they work real well). I never paid attention to my gas gauge before, I just kept filling up when I needed it. Is this normal for snow tires? |
|
Quoted:
I have recently switched my summer tires to Hakkapelita snow tires and noticed my gas mileage suffer. The winter tires are on their third season (they work real well). I never paid attention to my gas gauge before, I just kept filling up when I needed it. Is this normal for snow tires? Yes, it's normal. Snow tires are softer rubber compounds, and have more sipes and traction area. By design; you want that for cold slippery snow and ice. The more traction a tire has, the more 'grab' it has. But most non-car people don't understand that 'grab' works in both directions. It helps you to stay sure footed while under acceleration, but it also slows the car down faster when coasting. (the tires are still doing their job 'grabbing' no matter what; it doesn't know you want to coast) This adds what's known as rolling resistance to the tire. You'll end up using more energy just to keep the car rolling, even when coasting. (you'll coast for shorter distances, and have to apply gas more frequently) All terrain and mud tires for SUVs and Trucks suffer from the same problem; they are also designed to 'grab' at all costs, and end up sapping fuel economy also. The only thing you can do to combat this is to overinflate your snow tires during the dry days. This will reduce the contact patch, and negate some of the rolling resistance. But you will a) wear the tire unevenly and b) have to be SUPER diligent about your air pressure. If you don't reduce pressure back to a full contact patch when the weather gets wet or snowy, you basically invalidate the point of having snow tires, and increase the risk of loss of control. If you are not willing to check your air pressure daily, do not attempt this solution. E. |
|
Due to winter driving conditions, why even worry about MPG. I know that my MPG's are going to go down and do not worry about it. That is something that one 'pays' for living where the road conditions get bad. Plus during the winter, diesel fuel is switched over to DF1 or DFA and fuel MPG's really go down.
Suck it up, drive on and enjoy the winter. |
|
'Not trying to be a dick but how does a grown man not understand that if you buy a tire for more grip, it's going to create more drag on the car and in turn get worse mileage?'
Beleive it or not there are lots of people out there that do not evne know where/how to check their oil level. Why would you expect them to know about tires? |
|
Quoted:
'Not trying to be a dick but how does a grown man not understand that if you buy a tire for more grip, it's going to create more drag on the car and in turn get worse mileage?' Beleive it or not there are lots of people out there that do not evne know where/how to check their oil level. Why would you expect them to know about tires? I just happened to end up in VT, but am from California. I have never used snow tires before but managed to crawl along on M+S tires while living here. These are my first set of snow tires. I have checked and even on occasion, changed my own motor oil. I am very busy with work and family and only manage to reload and shoot when I have free time  . The more mundane things in life, I will usually hire someone to do for me, which gives me more of that ever so rare "free time". I wasn't making excuses, but here is my man card back...
eta: When someone starts his comment with, "...not trying to be a dick but..." usually, they are. 
|
|
Quoted:
Put some octane booster in your gas tank see if that makes a major change But yes the tires do decrease MPG Probably not a good bit of advice, as most cars don't have high enough compression to take advantage of the octane boost––when it might in fact make it run worse. |
|
Yup normal. My mileage dropped from 26 to 22 when I put on my Cont ExtremeWinterContacts on my Mustang. You probably also noticed the much different handling and steering with the snow tires. Of course, your grip is increased so taking off from a stop and braking are improved. Corning is actually better, but you have the understeer to deal with so it's kind of a wash.
I can't wait to try mine in the snow! The Mustang doesn't like snow at all. Oddly, we have only had one day of a very light snowfall in the KC area. Hell, I got my motorcycle out and took it for a ride earlier today. |