I had the altimax arctic's as my snow tire last year and was very very pleased. Great value and never left me stranded....I had to deal with quite a winter last year too! I definitely suggest them! I drove highway a lot and didn't find them squirmy at all!
Last winter I threw 4 Altimax arctics on my wife's CR-V. I was so impressed with them I put another set on my STi for this winter. I have used Blizzaks, Arctic Alpin and Toyo Observe snow tires in the past. The Altimax arcitcs are the best by far in deep snow. They are no louder than any other snow tire I have used in the past. They are quieter than the Arctic Alpin's by a long shot though. Those things are LOUD in the rain.
When I first had mine, I used to run 38psi all around but after a few thousand KMs I found them to ride too hard so I lowered mine to 36psi but was slightly better. But lately, i've been running them at 35psi all around and I find that this is the right balance for comfort and sportiness. I think 35-38psi is a good pressure. Anything higher seems to be over inflated in my opinion. These tires are far better than my experience with Falken's FK452s. Those tires were just noisy as they wore. I also found them to be stiffer on the widewalls in comparison to the conti's.
I find that I do notice that cornering gets more "spongy" on any of the Contis I have had below about 36-38 psi. The factory recommendation is a compromise with soft ride / comfort. To get better handling and mileage you can go way above 38 psi before the inside wears out faster - something like >45 psi, perhaps. I run my TDI at 40 psi, and the outside edges still wear out quickly (from the many corners in the hills, here). And yes, the Contis IMO do like to be inflated.
Another vote for the General Altimax Arctic. Got a set last winter and was pleased. Seems a good compromise for high speed drives too - a quiet tire with good grip. Made in Germany, FWIW.
Best bang for buck = General Altimax Arctic. It's outright won several winter tire comparisons (where a certain Nokian wasn't entered) and still was one of the cheapest entrants.
On my Passat 4Motion, I replaced a set of Michelin Exaltos with the HPs. To my butt, there wasn't much noticeable difference between them. For the price difference, I'd go with the Generals again hands down.
I have those Generals on my TDI. They're quiet, very resistant to hydroplaning, and have very good wet traction. I run them year round in the DC area. They are a light tire, which may affect their long term durability (potholes, and the such) They aren't performance tires, but they're very competent, and I push them up to, and often beyond their limits with confidence.
My Jetta had Altimax HP when i bought it. They rode very quiet and smooth, and helped return good fuel economy with a light foot. Not a sports tire but perfectly acceptable for normal driving.
The general altimax is the tire I fit on all my sedans. I used to run the Goodyear assurance triple tread, but I feel these are sportier, and have better wet traction. The sidewall is a little soft, so I run a little higher pressure. Between an Acura CL, Audi A4 and JSW the altimax have never let me down.
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