Snows for 2000 Cougar
 

I have a 2000 Cougar that my daughter is taking to College is Mass.

I wanted to get snow tires but Tire Rack site says that I will also have to buy new 15 inch rims.

The car has 215/50/16, do I need to buy new 15 inch rims or do they make snow tires to fit the existing rims?

Did you look on their site for that size of snow tires?

Just got off the phone and they said that 205/55/16 will fit.

Which one should I get :

205/55QR16 Bridgestone Blizzak REVO 1 Blackwall

205/55HR16 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 Blackwall

or another brand?

Does any member know about snow tires?

Blue, no Xpert, but here's my opin after noodling around on
T Rack site:
-why would you get, or let them sell you, a 50 series snow
tire for you D's Cougar? Even if her car currently has 50
series tires, (which I sorta doubt), I would not get that
low of an aspect ratio tire for "snows".
-the Blizzak Revo comes in 55, 60 and 65 series...I'd get
a pair of the 60 or 65 series, not the freakin 50s.
-The LM-25 is really more tire than that car requires or
any college kid driving around MA in the snow, needs, imo.
Plus, it's a foo-foo higher performance tire and doesn't seem
to come in anything higher aspect ratio than a 55. Plus, they
cost considerably more than the Revos.
-Tire Rack and Bridgestone will push hard to sell you a set of 4, I'm sure:
I'd take a Pasadena on that too, as your D's Cougar is rear drive, if
I remember and I don't see any huge need for snows at all four
wheels of that rear drive car. She's gonna be in MA, not Maine or
Minn. Make sure her front tires are in exc shape and see what size
those front tires are: match them as close as possible.

My 2 cts...GL, mD

I agree with MD, 50 is waay to low of a profile to go with for a snow tire.

Its a 2000 front wheel drive.

Not sure that bigger than 55 will fit with 16 inch rims?

Well, well, front wheel drive... (I can't keep track of stuff, these days.)

If you really want to "snow tire" the car, I think 4 tires all around
is the only way to go, with FWD vs RWD.

You don't want "bigger", as in lower aspect ratio/wider, you want
taller and more narrow, as in 60 or even, 65 series.

What size tire, exactly, are on your D's car now? That would be
a good clue.

Edit: I just re-read your first post with tire size on car: I would still
go for that size but in a 60 series tire. They should fit fine and be
real snow biters, vs the 50 series. The speedo may be off a touch,
but no biggie. GL, mD

Will the 55's snow work, the size will result in almost no false reading in the speedo.


If I go with 55's the price difference between performance snow and normal snow is less that ten dollars per tire does that mean I should go performance?

A 60 series would be 4 mph ~ "under" at 60 mph...
which is less than our Xs.

A 55 series would be 2 mph ~ " " "

I still vote for the 60 series snows over a 50 or 55 series, and I
vote for the Revos from Bridgestone vs the LM version or
any "performance snow". Your Daughter is driving to the U and
driving around campus, and coming home for money.

She is not rallying in the Adirondacks...

But, it's your dough and your daughter and your decision.
This is as far as I can take this homework assignment: I've
done all I can do for you on this issue.
GL,mD