snow tire options?

[jimmythemufflers]

So i have a 2004 boxster base with the factory 17" wheels. Any opinions on snow tires to fit the stock wheels?

Northern Illinois just got our first snow dusting and the Boxster could barely get into 1st gear no matter how easy i let off the clutch. Stopping was even more scarry. It has Pirelli P Zeros. Very sticky on warm dry asphalt. I bought the car to drive not look pretty in the garage.

[flyingpenguin]

Checking on tirerack.com and going down the list of best rated performance / winter snow tires, it is surprising to see that many makes (Michelin, Goodyear and Pirelli) have a limited range of sizes.

 

In fact not a single make has an exact fit for the 17" Boxster rims. The closest you can get is with Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D's (see here: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Winter+Sport+3D),and the closest size you can get is  215/50R17 @ $147 each for the fronts and 255/45R17 @ $178 each for the rears. You have to add shipping but there's also a rebate out that covers most of that at the time of writing.

[lkchris]

Vredestein Wintrac Extreme and Nokian both have correct sizes available. In fact they have both rear sizes.

Note that there are two approved sizes for rears and I'd do the smaller, I.e. 225/45. Fwiw it's the one tire chains will work with. This is described in owners manual.

There is zero reason to fit any but approved sizes.

Edited November 18, 2014 by lkchris

[jimmythemufflers]

Why would other sizes not be recomended other than the speedo and odometer? What are the approved sizes? I was checking out tire rack and couldnt find an exact size snow tire thats on there now.

[jimmythemufflers]

Sorry yall it appears im a noob. I didnt even realize the front and rear wheels are different sizes. Ive got some homework to do. Thanks for the suggestions.