You don’t live in Southern California. You don’t live in Florida. You live in the state of Washington where it rains a good 200 plus days a year (give or take some crazy summer). So when it comes to looking at buying a convertible car in Seattle, you ARE taking a chance. Rag top or hard top? The answer is simple, considering the convertible will be closed most of time, better make it a hard top. The last thing you want is to have a slight rip and you find a puddle in your passenger seat in mid January.

So if you must have a convertible for the summer months, here’s a list of some stylish ones that will make you the envy of Seattle, for at least 2 and half months.

2010 Ford Shelby GT-2dr Convertible (5.4L 8cyl S/C 6M)-The quintessential muscle car

2009 VW Beattle-2.5L Blush Edition 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl 6A)-Not REAL manly, but gets the job done in the “fun” department.

2009 Smart Fortwo-BRABUS cabriolet 2dr Convertible (1.0L 3cyl 5AM)-Could offer the best MPG of all convertibles.33/41 MPG

2009 Porche Boxster-S 2dr Convertible (3.4L 6cyl 6M)-A classic.

2009 Mazda Miata-Sport 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6A)-It’s small but feisty

2009 Mini Cooper-S 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)-You either love it or hate it

2010 Honda S2000-CR 2dr Convertible (2.2L 4cyl 6M)-Honda reliability in a convertible

2008 BMW Z4M-2dr Hatchback (3.2L 6cyl 6M)-Can’t go wrong with this one.

2009 Cadillac XLR-Platinum 2dr Convertible (4.6L 8cyl 6A)-A head turner.

2009 Maybach Landaulet-4dr Convertible (6.0L 12cyl Turbo 5A)-Had to have a ridiculously expensive one. At $1.3 million… it is.

Everyone knows the basic rules of renting a car – return it with as much gas as was in the tank when you were handed the keys…  don’t light up in a non-smoking vehicle…  take the free map in an unfamiliar locale, even if you think you don’t need one – but there is so much more to the process.   

WHEN AN UPGRADE IS A DOWNGRADE

• There’s nothing I love more than a complimentary upgrade.  Extra spot in First Class for this frequent flier?  Why thank you, I’d love a cup of coffee before we take off.  HOWEVER – be very wary of a common occurrence at the rental counter during this era of a challenging economy – the “free” upgrade. 
• If you have heavy miles to rack up during a trip, don’t be persuaded away from the vehicle size you requested.  That SUV might look spacious and boast a better stereo than the compact car on your reservation, but you’re going to lament those luxuries at the gas pump.  The bigger the ride, the worse the mileage – and it’s your right to rent what you’ve reserved.

THE UNEXPECTED DOWNGRADE

• Flights are late.  It’s inevitable.  But what happens to your rental reservation if you saunter up to the counter several hours beyond when you were supposed to pick up your vehicle?  If you have my good fortune, you could end up with a wee three-cylinder death trap that smells like a dirty ashtray instead of the clean, cozy intermediate-sized ride you reserved months ago (intermediates are VERY popular – first to fly off the lot!)  What are your rights in this case?
• Depends on both the company you’re renting from and your active participation in the process.  Some companies, for example, will ask you to provide them with your flight information so that they can monitor its progress.  If you have supplied the flight number and they can see it is late, they WILL save the ride you requested, anticipating your eventual arrival.  However, this is not a global policy for all companies and you cannot expect the helpful ones to guess where you’re coming from.
• It is on you to do a little research, otherwise, you can only blame yourself for rolling off the lot in a vehicle better served to be in Sanford and Son’s yard (and I’ve been there – more than once).

Check out Part 2 on Car Rental Nightmares

Cara Capuano has worked in television, mainly in sports, for over a decade, spending the last four years covering the Northwest Sports Scene for Fox Sports NW and before that on ESPN News. A dedicated storyteller, from time to time she’ll be lending some “female perspective” to SeattleAuto.net.

The Capri had an eight-track player in it, and I managed to acquire an adaptor that would allow me to play cassettes — the height of technology at the time. “Rust” could be used to describe the color of the car as well as the makeup of much of the exterior by the time I got it. Mechanically, it had seen far better days.

Still, for the year or so I managed to keep it running, I loved that car in the way you can only love your first. I washed it more often than was necessary or practical and cruised through the parking lot of my high school certain that everyone was impressed. They weren’t.

I think every teenager should start with a clunker. It’s a rite of passage, and it gives you great stories about the door you had to hold shut with bungee cords or the time your muffler fell off during your homecoming date. I had a friend whose first car wouldn’t go in reverse, and when we went places we were always hunting for places to park that wouldn’t require backing out later — otherwise as the passenger I was stuck having to push it.

I think I’ve owned nine cars since the Capri, cars of all shapes and sizes. There was the Honda Accord I drove until it had almost a quarter of a million miles, and the Jeep Wrangler I rolled in a snowstorm at Snoqualmie Pass while trying to get to a football game. There was the Datsun 510 hatchback that kept going despite all my abuse, and the Nissan Pathfinder everyone said stunk of wet dog — probably because it had a wet dog in the back seat most of the time.

For 17 years, up until the closure of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in March, I was a sportswriter. I covered baseball for the P-I, which meant a lot of time on the road and a often driving a different rental car every three days. More than a few times, I arrived in a city late at night, drove to the hotel, then the next morning walked out of the hotel and couldn’t remember which car was mine.

I got to drive a lot of different cars, and there were often surprises. I’d get into a car that had an impressive reputation and find that I didn’t like it at all. Or discover a car that was a joy to drive even though it was a make or model I would previously never have even considered buying. Sometimes I’d get a model I’d never even heard of before.

Those experiences have given me a good idea what I like and don’t like in a car, and the little things that make a car the right fit for me. In the end, that’s what matters — having a car that just feels right.

Speaking of which, does anyone know where I can find a 1979 Mercury Capri?

Dave Andriesen is a former Seattle P-I sports reporter. His stories can been seen on SeattleAuto.net as a contributing writer.

Ever since late last year, car dealers throughout the nation have been feeling the squeeze. The Big Three carmakers, GM, Ford and Chrysler, constantly made the evening news with the need for a multi-billiion dollar bailout package. Even consistently performing brands like Honda and Toyota saw sales of their veritable Accord and Camary lines slowly dropping.

Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker, announced yesterday that March sales were likely to be even worse than January and February, which had set records for 27 year-lows in car sales. Honda also announced that it would be delaying one of their new factories in Japan due to the low demand. Consumer research firm J.D. Powers came out and said that retail sales for new vehicles dropped 40 percent in the first half of March compared to last year. 

The Northwest – and specifically, the Puget Sound region – was optimistically thought to be resistant to the national downturn in the economy. Up until earlier this year, big local employers like Boeing and Microsoft were still getting brisk business and powering the local business engine. However, with recent layoffs, pay cuts and hiring freezes and falling real estate prices, it would appear that the Seattle region is inevitably tied to the national – and global – economy as a whole.

Seattle car dealers have been caught up in the mess, as almost every dealer has seen sales figures fall  - with the odd exception of Subaru, which has actually increased in sales. Ancedotal reports have been coming in from everywhere of novice but persistent negotiators coming away with great deals on new cars. Bothell resident David P. tells us that he walked onto a lot and was offered invoice pricing on a new, loaded 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser, which included the $3,000 manufacturer rebate at the time. 

First hand accounts like these from Leonard and David are eye-opening in the world of car dealers, namely because the industry has had the notorious reputation of fleecing customers at every possible opportunity. Now that local car salesmen are willing to offer up select inventory for nothing more than holdback on the front side, it is quite indicative of not only competition among dealers, but also the urgency of closing with a buyer. Only twelve months ago, short of using an auto buyer or being an expert car negotiator, would it be possible to have a car delivered in invoice pricing.

Does this mean that Seattle dealers are getting desperate?  Yes and no. While overall sales are certainly down, dealers are still selling inventory and obviously making money on the sale – whether it be limited to holdback or some number magic on the financing side. Smart shoppers that do even a minimal amount of shopping around will generally find reasonable pricing on the vehicle they’re looking for. Certain makes and models are still in high demand or limited supply, so not all dealerships are looking to unload their inventory to the first buyer that comes by. In addition, not all consumers are born negotiators, so it’s fair to assume many buyers are paying more than they might be able to get away with. 

The overall sentiment of the local car industry is hopeful, but restrained. If you talk to most car salesmen, they’ll be optimistic and tell you things aren’t as great as last year, but still fine. Behind that optimism though, is a sea of worries of what the next few months will have in stock for the auto industry.

Don’t forget to take a look at some of the protection incentives from Ford and GM. These will essentially pay your monthly car payment if you lose your job. Be aware that each car maker has different rules for their plans, such as owning the vehicle for a few months before it actually kicks in.

If you don’t like the dealership experience, check out the SeattleAuto.net buying service, as we have teamed up with a customer focused auto buyer. Email cam@seattleauto.net with the make, model, year, and color you are looking for. The more specific you are the better help we can give you. We can find essentially any new/used car at a great price and you won’t have to step foot into a dealership.

Here are some great deals that will come to an end this month.

Buick, GMC,
Cadillac,Chevrolet,
HUMMER, Pontiac,
Saturn, Saab- 0%  APR financing for up to 60 months on many models.  New GM Total Confidence Plan includes payment protection, some protection against negative equity.  Expires: 4/30/09

Ford- 0 % APR  financing for up to 60 months, plus rebates up to $5000 on many 2009s, plus payment protection under new Ford Advantage Plan- Expires: 6/30/09

Toyota- Many models have 0% financing and cash back offers. However deals vary depending on region. Cash back rebates can reach up to $4000 on certain models- Expires: 4/30/09

Mazda- 0 – 0.9% APR financing for 36 months, can also be combined for cash back offers on certain models- Expires: 4/30/09

BMW- 0.9% APR financing (up to 60 months), plus no payments for 60 days on most 2009 models Expires:  5/31/09

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep- Employee Pricing Plus Plus sale – 0 % APR financing for 36 months, plus employee pricing discounts, plus cash back offers varying by model

Volkswagen-0% APR financing (60 months) on 2009 Passat Wagon, Routan, and Toureg 3.9% APR financing on most models- Expires: 4/30/09

 

But every driver is different and the important question to ask yourself when considering an auto purchase is; what do I need? What do I want? What can I afford and willing to spend?

Answering those questions will guide you to the vehicle that’s right for you.

US News and World Reports published a list of the best and worst vehicles for the money, depending on many specific factors relating to cost. Their rankings are based on opinions from the automotive press, it also incorporates a five year total in ownership of the vehicle, and includes facts from Intellichoice which determines new car values and owning costs.

The rankings are not based on rebate incentives, but more on how much buyers will spend on the maintenance and fuel, while also calculating depreciation. So in reality their rankings are, best car for your money… over time.

Jamie Page Deaton writes

Car shoppers face an uncertain economy and a shrinking ability to borrow. The key to surviving the current marketplace is to stretch your dollars as far as they’ll go — but that doesn’t mean flocking to the biggest incentives.  It means focusing on cars that are proven winners and offer a great value over the entire life of the car.

Here are five from the US News and World Reports 2009 Awards

Toyota Camry -Best Midsize Car for the Money

Honda Fit- Best Subcompact Car for the Money

Hyundai Elantra -Best Compact Car for the Money

Chevrolet Tahoe-Best Full Size SUV for the Money

Lexus GS- Best Luxury Car for the Money

In all, the magazine had 14 different vehicle categories, with Toyota being the big winner. The Japanese automaker placed five Best Vehicles for the Money in their respective classes, also getting another three from Lexus. However the biggest surprise could be the Hyundai Elantra which ended up being the best compact car for the money. Proof the Korean automaker is gaining ground on powerhouses Toyota and Honda.

See the full list of Best Cars for the Money  and all the different categories by US News and World Reports.

Before we start, we would like to give a big thanks out to Edie Hirtenstein, who is the Senior Product Manager at AutoCheck for her assistance on this article. Edie was kind enough to agree to an interview to help explain and answer questions we had about AutoCheck’s features and services.

When running a vehicle history report, each car will have certain information that includes:

• VIN Number
• Engine Type (Ex: 2.0L I4 EFI)
• Year / Make / Model / Style (2004 Toyota Camry / LE / 4DR Sedan)
• Last Recorded Odometer Reading (Ex: 45,290 miles)
• Age
• Country of Origin / Manufacture (Ex: America, Japan)
• Calculated Vehicle Owners (Ex: 3 owners)

When comparing the used car that you’re looking at against the vehicle’s history report, you want to make absolutely sure that the car’s description matches the official information. Some sellers might make an honest mistake and list their vehicle a year off, but less ethical types might “fudge” their car listing in the hopes you won’t pick up on it.

Pay close attention to the calculated vehicle owners, because that is an important aspect when assessing the quality of a car. A car that has had many owners is not ideal because it’s harder to keep track of maintenance records with multiple owners, which is important to know. You don’t want to have a timing belt go out at 100,000 miles when the last owner “claimed” that the owner before him performed the service – you want the actual records. Also, there might be reason the car as changed hands so many times, such as a stuttering engine or intermittent electrical problem that doesn’t show up readily on a test drive.

AutoCheck Vehicle Score

If you’re the type of person that bores easily by details or is daunted by the sheer amount of information involved in buying a used car, AutoCheck has made life easier. As a proprietary service, AutoCheck lists a vehicle score that rates each vehicle on an absolute score of 1 to 100. It takes into account various factors such as: age, vehicle class, number of owners, mileage, usage, title brand, mileage brand, accidents and other factors. In addition to the vehicle score, the report lists the scoring range of similar vehicles (based on year and style) as a comparison.

Example: AutoCheck Score 52. Comparison Vehicle Score 38 – 50.

The comparison score is useful, because age is the most important determinant in vehicle score. This means that the used car you’re looking at might have a seemingly low score because of it’s age, but may score better than vehicles of roughly the same age and model. In fact, the comparison represents the scoring range of the middle 50% of all similar cars, so beating the comparison score puts your vehicle into the top quarter of vehicles in the AutoCheck formula.

Reading the Full Vehicle History

The full vehicle history is the section that lists all recorded events with the car in chronological order. From being titled at the dealer lot to yearly tab renewals, every major event will (hopefully) be found in the history section.

Because there are so many different types of events, we will list both the most common events along with those that you should keep an eye out for:

Regular Events

• Vehicle Manufactured and Shipped to Dealer: Indicates when a vehicle is essentially delivered to a dealer. If a vehicle does not have this event, then the vehicle may have been imported from outside the US or be a rebuilt vehicle.
• Title: Represents a change in vehicle ownership.
• Title (Loan/lien reported): Car was purchased with a loan.
• Title (Leased vehicle): Car was leased from the dealership.
• Title (Corrected Title): Generally indicates a paperwork error on owner of the car with the DMV.
• Registration Event/Renewal: Annual tab renewal. Be careful if you don’t see a renewal each year, as that indicates the car was likely broken, was in an unreported accident or had some unknown reason for not getting renewed. Note that older cars sometimes have missing data from earlier years, so make sure a vehicle has been renewed lately.
• Odometer reading from DMV: These events indicates the last official odometer reading from the DMV. Different state DMVs have different requirements on when odometer readings are mandatory, but most will report odometers during a title transfer. Note that cars older than 10 years are not required to disclose odometer readings.
• Passed Emission Inspection: You want to see these events, as that means the car passed mandatory emissions inspections.

Cautionary Events

• Reported at Auto Auction: Many cars go to auction for legitimate reasons: expired leases, unsold cars and fleet vehicles. That said, there area cars sold at auction include are in need of fixes or repairs. These vehicles are usually fixed by the time they go onto a dealer lot, but if you find that one of the last entry of the vehicle history report lists a car going to auction, you will definitely want to have the car inspected if considering a purchase (that said, our recommendation is you always get an inspection.)
• Fleet / Rental Fleet: Fleet and rental vehicles tend to get a bad reputation because there are many stories of people renting cars and abusing them. Certain companies also have horrendous maintenance policies and essentially do minimal work on a car before taking them out of the fleet. The other way to look at it is that most rental drivers are adults that have no interest in abusing the vehicle, while the good rental companies use a scheduled maintenance for their vehicles. To each their own on these type of vehicles.
• Repossessed: Indicates a car that was taken back from the owner for failure to pay. While a repossessed car in and itself is not a bad indicator (unless you’re superstitious), but what it can imply is that if the owner could not afford car payments, then there is a good chance they could not afford maintenance on the vehicle.

Red Flag Events

• Insurance Loss An insurance loss is a nice way of saying the car has been “totaled”. This can be caused by a stolen car that was recovered too late or a vehicle that had been in a major accident. Stolen cars often suffer significant abuse and are even used in crimes, which may not be the history you wish to associate with your vehicle. Accident vehicles that are totaled are extremely dangerous and probably are followed up with a salvage or rebuilt title if still on the road.
• Collision with Another Vehicle: Even though practically every driver eventually gets into an accident according to road statistics, you still want to avoid vehicles that have been in accidents. While most accident vehicles are fixed up and run fine, there may be unseen damage in the frame or other parts of the car that are a ticking time bomb. Just remember you have many vehicles to choose from while looking for a car, so don’t ever feel committed to one vehicle.
• Salvage / Rebuilt / Rebuildable: A huge red flag. These events are caused when a car has been totaled or rebuilt from a totaled vehicle. These type of cars are often sold for cheap, but it’s definitely a buyer beware situation. You’ve been warned.
• Failed Emission Inspection: Another major warning sign, especially if recently added to the vehicle history. Vehicles that do not pass emission are not legally allowed on the road and can take thousands of dollars to fix up. If a car failed emissions then passed later, it is generally a safer bet.
• Water Damage / Storm Registration: These are specific insurance loss related events that deal with water damage to the car. This is an important distinction because water damage is a ticking time bomb, as it wreaks havoc on electrical systems.

Where Does the Information Come From

Throughout the life of a vehicle, it can pass through multiple organizations that create a paper trail. These include the DMV, auto auctions, dealers, salvage auctions, junk yards, insurance companies, towing companies, police and other independent sources. By law, these organizations are all required to supply the vehicle information when a major event happens with the vehicle. AutoCheck also claims to have access to exclusive auction information that CARFAX does not, which is one reason why car auctions may prefer AutoCheck’s services.

Sometimes, fresh information won’t show up on a vehicle history report either because it hasn’t been reported to the proper agency yet or updated in the history report. According to Edie, AutoCheck updates their databases every 48 hours with information they receive from the various state agencies and sources, so you will usually see recent information that has been reported.

Examples of Real Vehicle History Reports

Now that you’ve read this article, you should have an adequate understanding of what goes into a vehicle history report. For the truly serious buyer or the curious, we will follow-up by showing some actual vehicle reports from AutoCheck that we obtained during our How to Buy a Used Car for Under $1,000 project. In those reports, we’ll show you how to read each specific report and even read between the lines to understand a vehicle history report completely.

We would like to thank Edie Hirtenstein at AutoCheck / Experian Automotive for her help while researching this article!

You’ve seen them in parking lots of your local PCC, packed with two car seats on the east side, or in traffic around Safeco field after a Mariners game…the Subaru nation of Seattle.

The versatile AWD vehicle captures the essence of the northwest driver. Versatility, handling, and capacity are just some of the words that appeal to local drivers about Subaru.

“We have the perfect go anywhere vehicle,“ claims Jim Pernas, Subaru’s regional VP. “People can drive from downtown to the passes for skiing and not have to worry about it. We fit into their active lifestyles. People who buy Subaru engage in life.”

According to Pernas, Seattle is the number five Subaru market in the entire country, with three of the top 20 Subaru dealers in the nation as well (Carters, Chaplins, and Eastside).

“It’s been a top Subaru market since the mid 1990’s” he says.

But the real question is why? There are certainly more Civics and Camry’s on the road, other vehicles get better gas mileage, and the other larger automakers have a bigger selection, so why is a smaller car maker like Subaru taking such a large bite out of the Seattle pie? It could come down to individuality.

“The people in Seattle and the Northwest as a whole don’t follow the masses,” explains Pernas, who’s based in Portland. “We’re more rugged individuals, and our cars make a statement about our lives. It fits our lifestyle.”

But with a half dozen of these multi faceted vehicles to choose from, which one fits the Seattle driver best?

“The Outback is a mainstay in Seattle,” claims Jim Pernas, Subaru’s regional VP of sales and marketing. “Since the mid 1990’s the Outback just took off. From the first generation Outback till now it’s always been a mainstay in Seattle. Although the Forester is starting to outpace it.”
 
In fact, the sales of Forester’s in the US helped Subaru become the only major automaker to make a slight profit in 2008. While the big boys like Ford, Chevy, GM, and even Toyota have been losing billions per quarter, Subaru saw a 115% increase in Forester sales in the first month of 2009 alone. With sales numbers to prove it, maybe Seattle drivers have figured out what the rest of the country is still wondering about.

“Loyal Subaru owners feel they have the best kept secret in the car industry,” claims Pernas.

Maybe the only left to decide, is which one to buy.  Outback or Forester?

Forester 2.5X Specs

• 4-cylinder, horizontally opposed (Boxer); aluminum cylinder block and heads with forged steel cylinder liners
• 170 hp@ 6,000 rpm
• Automatic- Active All-Wheel Drive with electronically managed continuously variable
  hydraulic transfer clutch
• Brakes-Power-assisted 5-wheel disc with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and 4-channel / 4-sensor ABS and Brake Assist
• Cargo Capacity- Rear seatbacks down: 68.3 cu. ft.
• Fuel Economy-Automatic-2.5X models: 20/26HWY

Outback 2.5i Specs

• 170hp @ 6,000 rpm (PZEV: same)
• Drive Train- Automatic- Electronically managed continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch
• Brakes- Power-assisted 4-wheel discs with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and
  4-channel / 4-sensor ABS
• Cargo Capacity- Rear seats down: 65.4 cu. ft.
• Fuel Economy-AWD-Automatic  2.5i 20/26 HWY

See the full specs and other models at Subaru.com

Outback vs Forester video feature coming soon.

Tire Chains – Cheap, Effective but Annoying

Of the most popular items for Seattle drivers are tire chains. Chains can be purchased at just about any auto store like Les Schwab, Sears or Joes and come in almost every fit and size possible. Generic brand tire chains are usually run anywhere from $40 to $60 when not in high demand (like during the middle of a snowstorm). During the peak of December’s winter mess, we reported on price gouging that had retailers selling chains up to $100 for a basic set. Be warned that many of these generic chains come with no warranty and leave consumers stranded financially and literally if they suddenly fail. Tire chains from a brand name like Thule provide a 1-year warranty, however.

Tire chains are the most popular option because they’re the most affordable and also a non-permanent solution: you put it on when it snows and take it off when you’re done. That is easier said than done, as just about everybody hates putting on tire chains, especially out in the snow. Chains also provide the best performance in deep snow and ice conditions.

There are two main types of chains: the classic type you drive onto and the modern type that you can “wrap” around your tire. The classic type provides is often more durable and cheaper, but requires substantial effort to put on and is almost impossible to install once your car is in the now. We don’t recommend this type because in reality, most drivers only put on snow chains as a last resort. Almost all tire cables fall into this category, as they require the vehicle to drive onto the cables before installation, which is why we’re not the biggest fan of cables.

This modern brand of snow chains is usually referred to as the diamond, express or quick chain, which uses a hoop-style system that loops around the tire. This can still be a pain to install, but can be put on while in snow – enabling drivers to store and use in emergency situations.

Important Tip: Do not ignore the manufacturer recommendations of going over 30mph while you have chains on. We cannot stress this enough. Year after year, we see dozens of chains littering the freeways after a snowstorm, because motorists didn’t know or just didn’t care. Not only is it blowing away $60, but when your chains come off, they don’t just break – they whiplash around your wheelwell in a fantastic fashion – destroying anything it comes in contact with. I’ve personally destroyed my ABS sensor because of this, so learn from my mistakes and countless others. Don’t think it can’t happen to you, because countless autobody shops around King county are weeks deep in appointments because of wheelwheel damage from busted chains. Again, do not go over 30mph – otherwise take local roads or take off your chains if conditions dictate.

Also, it’s important to practice putting on your chains before you actually have to. That way, you can understand your chains in a warm and preferably dry environment before attempting it in the wet and freezing outdoors. Even in an ideal environment, chains can be a miserable process. For this reason alone, many drivers have opted for options besides chains, which lead us to our next topic.

Studded Tires – Best for Ice, Poor on Everything Else

Studded tires use tiny metal points in the tread that act as small picks to dig into the road surface. A set of studded tires isn’t cheap and will run about the same as a normal set of tires: anywhere from $300 to $400. The other cost is that you will need to put on and remove your tires each season, as studded tires are by law, only allowed between November 1st and March 31st in Washington State. The reason for the limited duration is that the tiny metal studs while great for ice, also tear up road surfaces, making for expensive road repairs by the state. Washington also only allows “lightweight” studs, which do less damage to roads but are supposedly as effective.

We aren’t fans of studded tires because while the studs work well to dig into ice, research shows that the studded tips are not very effective in snow. In Seattle and the Northwest, it’s far more common to have snow than ice, due to our moderate temperatures and high precipitation. Even though our recent bout with snow had icy streets all over Seattle, the city – after much protesting from citizens – announced that they would indeed use salt in future snow conditions, removing most situations of pure ice conditions.

In addition, due to the infrequency of snow in Seattle, it’s impractical to have studded tires on all the time because it will be overkill for not only the roads, but your own peace of mind. Anyone who has driven with studs on bare asphault can tell you that it creates an headache inducing hum and vibration. Not only that, studs actually perform worse on concrete than normal tires, due to the reduction in contact surface between the rubber and the road.

The benefit to studded tires are that they require little work other than forking over your credit card and won’t lead to harrowing chain ordeals on the side of the road. Less stress and less performance is what you get with studs.

Traction and Snow Tires – Same Stud Benefits, Less Drawbacks

If studded tires are classic technology, then traction tires are the wave of the future. Traction (sometimes referred to as “snow tires”) use specialized compounds and treads to provide better grip in snow. Different tire manufacturers have experimented with various technologies, with big names such as Bridgestone and Goodyear using specialized traction rubber while Toyo uses crushed walnut. While consumers might think that these provide less traction than studs, studies have shown that some studless tires actually perform better than their counterparts on ice.

Like studded tires however, traction tires will suffer in deep snow, as they simply do not have enough grip to pull the vehicle around. As such, owners of studs or traction tires will find driving best after other drivers have compacted deep snow. The benefits of studded tires are a bit better however, as traction tires can be installed anytime and don’t damage the road or cause excessive vibration or noise. Drivers will find that traction tires wear out considerably quicker than normal tires due to the softer rubber compounds so it’s still advisable to use them only when necessary to preserve the lifespan of the tires.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has more information on studded tire alternatives.

Summary

Each item has it’s various pros and cons, so it’s really up to each driver to decide what is best for them. For most occasional drivers who are willing to get a bit dirty, chains are the practical use snow traction device. For drivers who would like to save some headache at the cost of extra dollars, traction tires are a fairly good alternative.

Stay turned for SeattleAuto.net’s feature on snow alternatives that you probably haven’t heard of, such as the SnoBootz and Autosock!

Tire Chains

Pros
• Cheap, usually $50 to $60
• Best snow performance, including deep snow
• Can take on and off anytime

Cons
• Annoying to put on and take off
• Limited to 30mph
• Some types cannot be put on in snow

Studded Tires

Pros
• Professional installation
• Good on ice and packed snow
• Can travel at higher speeds than chains

Cons
• High price and yearly installation/removal cost
• Mediocre deep snow performance
• Mediocre dry road performance
• Road damage, interior noise and vibration

Traction Tires

Pros
• Professional installation
• Good on ice and packed snow
• Highest travel speed, can be used anytime

Cons
• High price and faster wear if used on dry pavement
• Mediocre deep snow performance

Here is a link to a WSDOT video on how to install classic style tire cables.

All of the major US and Japanese auto makers finished the year with a thud, a very quite thud. The only company to offer a little sunshine was Subaru. The Japanese based company was the only one to see a positive increase in December sales.

According to an Associated Press article Chrysler sold 30 percent fewer cars in 2008. Ford sales numbers were down 21 percent than the previous year. While Toyota dropped 16 percent and Honda was also down at 8 percent in overall 2008 sales. The only major automaker who saw positive gains in 2008 was Japanese company Subaru.  Subaru sales went up 0.3 percent, not a lot of gain, but an improvement non the less. Buyers flocked to top selling models like the Forester and Impreza.

What’s all those sales numbers mean for Seattle drivers? Maybe more deals to be had, and maybe more Foresters and Imprezas on the road. Subaru could end up being the unofficial car of Seattle – just don’t forget the canopy.