[Closed] Have we had a car winter tyres thread yet this year?

Just thinking about fitting mine. Grim on top of the hills this afternoon. Last week I was getting sunburnt on early evening walks.

It's turned colder up here the last week definitely.

How bizarre! I've just got mine out of the shed to put on the car tomorrow. I don't normally go this early but my summer tyres are on there last legs. I've even bought my winters for my VW T6 I have on order. How organised am I?

Now lets sit back and wait for the nay sayers, who are such good drivers, they don't need winter tyres. I wish I knew how to post the video of my RWD Vito going up a snow and ice covered slope in the Alps a few years ago. Cheap winter tyres on, and it just flew up. It was great watching all the other residents of our apartment stopping at the bottom to put their chains and socks on.

Going on both the wife's 325 and my 435 next week. Summer cars been put in hibernation, tyre's down handbrake off. Autumn here 🙂

We did, a bit http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/snow-socks

After starting that thread I'm still not sure to buy any for my 120d, what with living in he mild south east, able to work from home and having and alternate part time 4x4 for emergencies....

Will put mine on in november, its not cool enough here in the SE yet.
Just need to source some for my Wife's new car

What did you decide Kryton? I have a set of them that are unused and in their packaging, and highly unlikely ever to be used by me, if you're interested?

I hadn't decided yet thegreatape. Do yo have wheels and tyres? I need run flats...

Here's a nay sayer. Youre going no where when the bloke in the m3 in front of you gets it sideways and blocks the road. Only time I've ever been stuck in the snow or ice is down to the roads being blocked by other vehicles.

Well despite calling them snake oil for years (I still do) my car needs 4 tyres in the next couple of weeks so I might get some.

Wife wrote her car off on black ice in feb, when I went to pick her up and get the stuff sorted out, my car didn't slide at all.
Winter tyres on mine, summers on hers.
There were 3 cars in ditches within 200m of where she crashed. Still damn glad the tree got in the way otherwise she would have gone in the river.
Not a direct comparison but I know I had substantially more grip in my car due to the tyres

I've got some steel wheels with Pirelli snow tyres that are for sale as I no longer have the car they fitted on. That was a Fiesta so doubt they'll be any good for anything bigger - R14 I think. I have another set of steel wheels with the same tyres for my Zafira which I still have, and I'll be putting the Nokians on the alloys of my new car, and then leaving them in all year round. We've a work car that has winters on all year round and don't seem to wear any worse, and friends have found the same. As scotroutes will at some point testify, every month up here sees a temperature as low as 7 at some point, so for me it's probably no problem leaving them on.

The Autosocks are size 620, whatever that means.

I'll fit mine later this month (I'm away for most of this month). It's not just for snow but the winter tyres do better in rain/cold/frosts too. I.e British winters.

The other thing is tyre wear and running the right tyres are the right time if the year, my summer tyres are still going strong with 37K on my car and the winters look almost new.

Ran winter tyres on the old car and they were great. New car now and I was thinking of getting some all season tyres when the existing tyres die. Seem to be a good compromise for the UK. Especially as I won't be hooning around in a people carrier. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/92863/all-season-tyres-test-2015-top-all-weather-tyres-tested

I'm really not sure mine would be justified given the conditions above, although having written off one car this year and bought a shiny new 185bhp RWD hatch I am feeling a bit paranoid

I run them all year round, mainly due to the mileage meaning by Spring they're not worth saving for another winter and with most mileage being central to NW Scotland, they're worth having.

Fronts are just about done, so replacements are imminent. Yokohama W drives all round. Generally get about 36k out of a full set.

A bit early yet, while we are Scotland I'm in the south.

End of the month should be fine, and if it snows before - only takes an hour or so to get them on (handy having a compressor and decent jack).

I finally took the rears off mine and put the summer tyres on last month.

Not entirely sure the current set are good for the winter though, might need a new pair. Haven't decided. Is it just me, or is it finally catching on? I've been half looking for used sets again but there's loads more people selling new sets, at better prices, than previous years I think

Have Goodyear four seasons on my yeti, just coming up to 11k miles, no excessive wear, other than the shoulders on the front, but that says more about my driving style than the tires!

Would recommend them as a year round option, quite good in mud in fields as well!

Here's a nay sayer. Youre going no where when the bloke in the m3 in front of you gets it sideways and blocks the road. Only time I've ever been stuck in the snow or ice is down to the roads being blocked by other vehicles.

You're missing the point of winter tyres. The grip on cold wet roads is night and day compared to your average summer tyre in my experience. Which is why they're a legal requirement in some countries, and a vast improvement in performance for a good 6 months of the year (if you live up north!). It could well be the difference between sitting and enjoying a nice coffee, and lying dead in a field somewhere.

And if the bloke in the M3 has winter tyres on, he won't be stuck and blocking the road...

As scotroutes will at some point testify, every month up here sees a temperature as low as 7 at some point,

My car's booked in for a week on Monday.

Here's this year's winter tyre test from TCS (the Swiss equivalent of the AA)
They tested two sizes; 165/70 R14 81T and 205/55 R16 91H

Looks like Goodyear Ultragrip 9 are a good bet...

[url= https://www.tcs.ch/fr/test-securite/tests/pneus/hiver.php ]TCS tyre test[/url]

Here's a nay sayer. Youre going no where when the bloke in the m3 in front of you gets it sideways and blocks the road. Only time I've ever been stuck in the snow or ice is down to the roads being blocked by other vehicles.

Fair point about being stuck, but the compound and pattern on winter tyres make a difference in cold weather, to both grip and stoppinng distances. Apparently they improve mpg too but I've never experienced this.

fettlin - Member

Would recommend them as a year round option, quite good in mud in fields as well!

This year, I never actually took the fronts off, because of reasons. But every other bloody year, I take the winter tyres off and then forget, and park in a ditch or a swamp like normal, then can't get back out 😆 Or I borrow my dad's car and get it stuck. You just kind of forget, "normal people cars can't do this"

Well, it's £521 for a set of steels AND the top (in various tests) Conti TS850's on them. I need someone from where I live to post up about the necessity first. Although I don't do many miles, I do have to travel around sometimes to be where I need to be. It'd be just my luck to be in Kent when snow starts causing issues on the M20/M25. But they could be £521- for a once in a winter experience. I'm just not convinced I [i]need[/i] them in my locality.

I have a set of Michelin Alpin 5's for my Audi A2 ready for the end of this month. Winter tyres make a huge difference.

Kryton, as many are saying, it's not just snow where they're better.

Yes but the long term forecast I just looked at had it at less than 7 degrees for one week in Feb.

Kenya?

Kryton57 - Member

Yes but the long term forecast I just looked at had it at less than 7 degrees for one week in Feb.

Is that peak? Average? Day or night? Ground or air temps?

I think the really important thing, is that winter tyres are better than allrounder tyres in the worst conditions. And not just in terms of snow/cold/ice or even water (*) but also they tend to come at times of least visibility- more rain, more road dirt, more darkness. Allrounder tyres are better than winter tyres in the best conditions, when it counts least.

(* my winter tyres have always performed better in standing water than equivalent allrounder tyres; I don't think this is a given though.)

Well, it's £521 for a set of steels AND the top (in various tests) Conti TS850's on them. I need someone from where I live to post up about the necessity first. Although I don't do many miles, I do have to travel around sometimes to be where I need to be. It'd be just my luck to be in Kent when snow starts causing issues on the M20/M25. But they could be £521- for a once in a winter experience. I'm just not convinced I need them in my locality.

They aren't snow tyres. They are for cold weather.

Bought my (2WD) Yeti a set of steels and Conti 850s for £400 a few months back (205/55 R16, I think). Figure I'll stick them on at the end of the month - still quite warm round here south of Oxford.

A note on cost - using winters means your summers last longer before they need to be replaced, kind of paying up front for your next set of tires.

Oh, and if anyone has a Peugeot *06 then I've got a set of Conti 830s on steels to go!

I have found that the times I am driving (7:30am and 4-5pm) during the winter the air temps are normally 7 degrees or below from Nov through to March even in the SE

They aren't snow tyres. They are for cold weather

Thy tested best for cold & wet which is more akin to the SE than full on snow?

They aren't snow tyres. They are for cold weather
Thy tested best for cold & wet which is more akin to the SE than full on snow?

Eh? Just get some bought and fitted.

I thought you we telling me not to get those tyres...?

If I lived north of Glasgow/Edinburgh, then yes, I would fit winter tyres, if I could afford the additional cost. As I live in East Anglia, and therefore south of Newcastle, I don't. I'm sorry to say that it's one more consumerist thing that is, by and large, in this country, completely unnecessary.

Never had any issues when living in SE BC, which was much more snowy and colder.

But at least your disposable incomes keep the wheels of industry and capitalism turning, so well done everyone.

<ACAS>

I think what he meant was, don't think of them as "snow tyres", think of them as "cold weather tyres" because they're not just good at snow. But it could be misinterpreted as "they're just cold weather tyres, not for snow".

</ACAS>

That TCS tyre test is on lovely dry alpine snow, graded to break up the ice. You do not get that in Glasgow.

My wee car came with new winter tyres. They were hard, noisy, scrabbly, nervous and aqauplaney in the wet and no discernable difference in snow. (2 or 3 days)
I have since put on new toyo proxies with massive deep V treads (much deeper than brand new winter tyres) and grip is significantly better in already wet winter conditions. (Scotland 365 days year)

On compressed icy snow, performance will only be improved with chains or studs or off road tyres. This is the only situation I have seen people get stuck or crash. A shovel is more useful at this time to get going, then its a case of not stopping, tactical waiting and letting the accidents happen in front of you. I also can't afford to store or buy them.

Make of that what you will. Can't say I didn't try them.

As an aside, the four seasons for the yeti worked out 6 quid a corner cheaper than the P6000s they replaced. Pretty mush fit and forget at the price.

It was the latter I assumed Northwind, probably incorrectly.

Will be purchasing some of these (sans white writing) within the next month or so...

[img] [/img]

Winter tyres have been on my cars for the last 7 winters. Bradford/Leeds & surrounding areas are gridlocked when it snows. I just use all the hilly routes to easily & safely get to work or back home.

Any thoughts on this: I have 4 winter wheels/tyres without tyre pressure sensors. However, I just bought a car with TPMS & it appears I should fit sensors to the winters which will need calibration. All this means several hundred quid.

Would the dashboard warning light become irritating if I don't bother?

cbike - Member

On compressed icy snow, performance will only be improved with chains or studs or off road tyres

This is completely untrue tbh

I'm needing front tyres and was thinking of thinking about trying Michelin Cross Climates [url= http://www.evo.co.uk/features/15600/michelin-cross-climate-vs-winter-and-all-season-tyres ]http://www.evo.co.uk/features/15600/michelin-cross-climate-vs-winter-and-all-season-tyres[/url]

Any thoughts on this: I have 4 winter wheels/tyres without tyre pressure sensors. However, I just bought a car with TPMS & it appears I should fit sensors to the winters which will need calibration. All this means several hundred quid.

Would the dashboard warning light become irritating if I don't bother?

Yes, your warning light will probably come on each time you start. My Mini Cooper does when I put the steel rims with Nokian WR D3's on; one audible alarm 'bong' and then an amber warning light. TPMS Sensors were nigh on £300 IIRC so I can live with that!

Waste.of.money.

Are those Winter specific, STR. All-terrains are lousy on ice if they aren't.

Michelin Alpin are excellent on compressed icy snow. Chains improve things most in deep soft snow and studs on ice.

Edukator - yes, apparently the new design has been given snowflake status

Snow socks here for the 2 days a year it snows in Yorkshire. If I lived in the frozen north I might consider winter tyres

househusband how do you find those Nokians? Mike bought D4s which appear to be an updated D3.

[i]Well, it's £521 for a set of steels AND the top (in various tests) Conti TS850's on them.[/i]

Yes, but only the 'steels' cost is extra as you are 'saving' your summer tyres while using the winter ones.

But tbh I never bothered when down south and only bought them last year as I got a new job which means a 10 mile commute down untreated country roads plus a long single-track climb.

b r - Member

Yes, but only the 'steels' cost is extra as you are 'saving' your summer tyres while using the winter ones.

And even then, it's not money down the drain as the wheels retain value (I'm the other end of that value train, I bought my winter wheels and tyres used, from someone who'd sold the same car with its original wheels and summer tyres)

People always see the tyres as an extra expense, but that's only the case if you usually drive around on the rims. Or, if you do so few miles that you'll never need to replace tyres.

househusband how do you find those Nokians? Mike bought D4s which appear to be an updated D3.

There wasn't any proper snow over last winter, not this end of Fife anyways, but there was some ice if I recall. Guess I'd have to do a back-to-back test to be able to do a fair comparison between them and the tyres that came on the car but they just got on with it! We're pretty rural so the roads do get flooded, quite muddy and 'greasy'; I've always found winter tyres better able to cope with that as much as they do ice and snow. Had winter tyres on previous car for three years, commuting 90miles/day, and had no idea how much difference they made so didn't hesitate in getting them for my new Mini last year.

I've had Pielli Snow Controls until now, but got Nokians off the back of reviews and a price of £60 a corner, so interested to see how they go.

Edukator - yes, apparently the new design has been given snowflake status

Snowflake and Mountain logo or just a snowflake?

FWIW , I've had winter tyres, Michelin Alpin and Vredesteins fitted to my Subarus every winter for the last 7 or 8 years. Here in deepest Surrey we had 5 severe winters (snow on the ground for 1 month plus) on the trot. I was caught out once by snow in early November and though I could get where I wanted to be driving was more [i]interesting[/i] than it needed to be. The winters were fitted the next day.
As far as I'm concerned, it's a no brainer; fit the winters and carry oin as normal, whatever the weather does. They work equally well on muddy roads but aren't that great in offroad mud. But then offroad tyres are pretty shit on compacted snow. Horses for courses...

Waste.of.money.

No.They.Are.Not

As has been stated before, effectively they are cost neutral if the vehicle is kept for a few years. You are balancing the cost of tyres winter/summer over a longer period, and the second set of wheels have a value.
And as the winter tyres cost less than summers on my car, by £45 per tyre, even the depreciation on the steel wheels is balance out.

The only problem is stumping up the cost in the first place.

There's also storage, and the requirement for a decent jack - the one supplied with the car is usually a PITA to use, and if it's a heavy car, may not survive frequent use.
Having said that, I'm currently shopping for a set, plus trolley jack having just sold the Discovery.

£30 to have mine changed over at the local tyre place.

There's also storage, and the requirement for a decent jack - the one supplied with the car is usually a PITA to use, and if it's a heavy car, may not survive frequent use.

Unless you own a high performance car, and drive it like such. There's no real reason not to use winter tyres all year round. At least 2 major motoring organisations have recommended doing so. Little bit of a trade off in summer performance....but let's be honest, that's when you least need it.

I've ordered 4 Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons, Generation 2 for my Octavia. I was looking for either those or Michelin Cross Climates. The garage doing my MOT could get the Goodyears at more or less matching online prices - £73 each. So I'll get the MOT and tyres done in one go.

Summer tyres are usable most of the time but I had a very close call coming out from a bothy on a single track road on fresh snow last winter. Even braking from 10mph the car was skidding for yards at a time.

the first and second placed all season tyres actually beating the Continental winter tyre in snow braking, traction and handling! Furthermore, at the tested temperature (7c) the Goodyear all season tyre beat both the summer and winter tyre in wet handling and braking.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2015-Auto-Express-All-Season-Tyre-Test.htm

I'm looking on Black Circles, all the winter tyres seem to have appalling ratings for Noise, Fuel and wet weather grip?

Anyone recomend some?

Snowflake and Mountain logo or just a snowflake?

[b]Aggressive All-Terrain Traction: Exceeding RMA Severe Snow Traction performance requirements.3to confidently get where you want to go.
Side Biter Lugs: Protruding sidewall rubber blocks that provide increased mud, snow & rock traction, especially in aired-down driving situations. Mud-Phobic Bars: Raised bars in the shoulder tread area that helps to release compacted mud for enhanced traction in muddy and soft soil conditions. Serrated Shoulder Design: Staggered shoulder blocks that provide greater maneuverability in soft soil and deep snow conditions. Locking 3-D Sipes: 3-D active sipe technology, that provides more biting edges for significantly increased snow traction. 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake: Exceeds Rubber Manufacturer Association (RMA) Severe Snow Traction requirements.[/b]

If you try mytyres.co.uk, once you've specificied your size and winter tyres, you can sort the results by noise, grip, etc.

Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons Gen 2 in 195/65 R15 are 68Db B for wet grip, and C economy.

Believe Mchelin Cross Climate are low noise and good ratings as well.

Alpins versus Conti Eco tyres:

Noise: not noticed any difference (edit: but pedestrians might)
Comfort: the Alpins are more supple over poor surfaces
Fuel: 3% worse on the instant readout on the same road at the same speed.
Wet weather grip: Alpins good whatever the temperature, Contis no better even in Summer and awful near zero celcius.
Dry grip on warm roads: The Alpins slide very progressively, the Contis offer slightly more grip but let go. Braking with the Alpins at 30°C+ the ABS is felt slightly earlier so I assume less grip.
Feel: the Alpins have a slightly heavier and more reassuring feel through the steering wheel.

I take the Alpins off in Summer but reluctantly. I'll probably buy the new Michelin Winter tyres that can be used all year next time.

Considering putting Michelin Cross Climates on the wife's car, she will need new tyres soon and there not much more than normal Michelin and she's out in all weathers and a decent commute.

And the other thing. Winter and pot holes I prefer driving on my cheaper and taller (45 section) winter wheels rather than the 30/35 section tyres my car came with!

Ran some Hankook iCept Evos for a season and then the full year as I forgot to take them off. Honestly? No better than the MAXXIS MA-P1's I had as summer tyres, in fact the wet performance was even worse. Dunno if that's just Hankook though as the eco pish I have now can't take corners either (comical screeching at sensible speeds in the dry leading to sliding when it gets wet).

I just bought a car with TPMS & it appears I should fit sensors to the winters which will need calibration. All this means several hundred quid.

Calibration usually just involves pressing a button in the car when you put them on, to tell the car 'the tyres are correct just now, let me know if they change'. It's not something you do to the tyre or sensor.

Another year, another winter tyre thread, another assembly of the Flat Earth Society.

Ran some Hankook iCept Evos for a season and then the full year as I forgot to take them off. Honestly? No better than the MAXXIS MA-P1's I had as summer tyres,

The Hankook iCept managed to come last in 7 of the 12 categories and last overall in the Autoexpress test. Maybe it's Hankooks that are crap and not the winter or all season tyre concept?

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/89339/hankook-winter-icept-rs-tyre-review

I had the old icebears, they were decent enough, drove much like any other £60 tyre but with extra cold-driveyness. The V12 Evos I have for "summer" came well recommended too, haven't got much to compare them with mind but they do a good job. So I don't think it's hankook in general but obviously some tyres are good and some less good.

So, steel or alloy then? And if alloy, silver or black? 😀

Being a complete tyre nerd, I actually love the winter tyre debate, so I will weigh in now. 😀

To those of you who say that winter tyres are a waste of money, I say you are just. dead. wrong.

Winter tyres have as much to do with temperature as they do with what lies on the road surface, and will make a performance difference from about +5 on down.

The rubber compound changes according to the tyre's designation, and so your ability to stay stuck to the road will improve radically with the right tyre for the weather.

This test is a good one, because rather than being performed on snow (which so many of you English seem to think never falls south of Newcastle), it is performed on ice, which, we will all acknowledge, can develop anywhere. Take a look:

I need run flats..

Kryton, I'm not convinced you do.

Honestly i'd rather fit some all season tyres, rather than just summer treads, but i can only get them for the front wheels of my car - nobody makes them in the breadth needed for the rears. I don't commute by car so its a weekend wagon only and going full winters is probably only preferable in the SE for 3-4 weekends tops!