My GTI is almost due for snow tires. Currently I have Blizzaks (no complaints other than fast wear). I have Michelin X-ice on my wife's allroad (wear like iron, great tire, and are going to age out first). Both are $250+ per tire. The Vredestein Wintertrac Pro saves me almost $60/tire and are rated on Tire Rack really well. I am on snows almost 5 months in Michigan so I need a good wearing and performing snow tire. Just wondering if anyone has first hand experience with them.
Thanks!
The Wintrac Pro is a performance winter tire, not a heavy duty studless tire like the Blizzak WS series or the X-ice. So it won't be as good in the snow for the most part, particularly not as good with ice. But it'll drive better and have more grip on cold wet or dry pavement.
A friend has a set on a WRX in upstate NY and likes them. Snow performance is good (but not as good as a more hardcore snow tire) and the report on how they behave on dry pavement is that they're "almost like a summer tire".
No experience with the Wintracs but my Alltrack came on Quatrac Pros when I got it. I switched to Continental DWS06+ after they aged out and found myself missing the Quatrac Pro's within a few hundred miles. The Vredesteins were quieter and performed just as well in my mixed commute.
Also, no direct experience with the winter tires, but I too opted for the Quatrac Pros on my CX-9. Honestly, the fact that they were remarkably inexpensive had little to do with my choice. Reviews on Tire Rack were overwhelmingly positive and I thought I'd give them a try. They have impressed me more than a little, outperforming the OE Yokohama Geolandars in every way.
I just mounted up some Wintertrac Pros for my A4, but they aren't even on the car yet. They replaced X-Ice. So, not actual experience with the tire, but I made the same choice you're thinking about.
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