At 4 degrees C, all season tires start to get hard. Winter tires stay soft, hence better traction. If you have ever driven a car with winters, the proof is obvious. I will NEVER run all-season tires in the winter again. Been running winter tires for 6 or 7 years now and the difference is entirely worth it.

(And if you think about it, the cost is minimal. Sure there is an upfront cost, but in the long run your cost per km or mile is pretty much the same considering your good all-season or summer tires sit in a garage with no mileage while you run the winters.

 

The key here is they start to get hard at 4°C. In my experience, a high quality All-Season is still the better choice on dry winter roads down to about -18°C. Granted, below about -8°C the All-Seasons start to flatspot after having been stationary for a while and take a few miles to warm up, but I can live with that.

As for the cost; the difference isn't as minimal as you might think. True when I had a 530i with the Sport Package and Performance tires on it, the cost per mile was actually lower by running winter tires due to the fact that the summer tires were so expensive and wore so quickly, but compared to all-seasons, the cost equation isn't in ones favor. Why? Because winter tires wear so much quicker than all-seasons. I typically get between eighty and one-hundred and five thousand kilometers on a set of all-seasons (this from my last four all-season shod vehicles and ten sets of tires); I've yet to run a set of winter tires which lasted much beyond twenty-five thousand kilometers (I've run winter tires on three cars now totalling five sets of tires, and never got to the thirty-thousand kilometer threshold).

 

Neither of the links you included provide any tests to back up their claims; I've read several side-by-side tests which show that, once warmed up from driving a few miles, all-season tires perform far better on dry roads down to about -18°C.

 

On a previous thread I gave you proof on how modding can increase HP. Even with proof you were not convinced.
I am supposed to believe your word with no proof whatsoever? At least I gave you something.
I am going to quote you on this one with what you said on the modding: "sorry, not buying, not even a little".
I personally think All Season Tires suck (I was glad to get rid of mine, although they may be getting better). I will never buy all seasons again. I am more than pleased with my summer/rain tires and winter tires.

 

Now we have All Weather Tires:
Hankook
Hankook Optimo 4S | the Hankook Optimo 4S reviewed and rated | the online tyre guide
Hankook Optimo 4s 45/50 Series - Tire Ratings, Hankook
Hankook Optimo 4S All Weather tires - YouTube Video
Hankook Optimo 4S - Car Review Videos, Car Review Articles, Car Reviews, Auto Reviews, Consumer Auto Reviews Video

This has a "Snowflake on it" so it is winter rated. This blows away all previous all season tires. At least someone is moving in the right direction. These I would by if I only had 1 set.

 

I just picked up a used 2007 Mazda5, with either original tires, or equivalent (namely all-season). Mine are the low-profile type. This weekend was only the third time driving the car and we got caught in a snow storm somewhere around Cobourg, Ontario. I've been driving 30 years and this was the worst car in the snow that I have ever driven. If I had known, I would have got some snow tires... and I've always told people that a careful driver doesn't need snow tires.

 

Don't judge it too harshly. If it's got OE tires on it, they SUCK ROCKS in anything but DRY weather.
I am not familair w/Ontario, but a good set of All-Seasons will get you most places in light-md snow.
If you have the Good Year RS-A's on there still, I suggest you.... GET RID OF THEM NO MATTER HOW MUCH TREAD IS LEFT!!

 

Thanks for the advice - I will check my tire asap and replace if needed.

 

Ah... I actually checked (duh!) what's on my car. Wanli 1088's. I googled these and I think these are just summer tires. No wonder my Mazda was so bad in the snow!

So I went to my trusty garage and they said the Wanli tires are pretty good tires (for summer, I hope he meant) and I should wait until next fall before doling out for some expensive all-season tires + rims.

I'm lusting after a set of Nokian All-weather tires. I on the fence about waiting, but in Toronto we were supposed to get a snow-storm today, but we've only got lots of rain - maybe that's it for the winter (fingers crossed, knock on wood).