Winter tyres vol 2
Discussion
Dog Star said:
Funnily enough I did take them off on the 10th May (found a fantastic little back street garage, looks really scruffy, but they've all the best gear and the best wheel balancer I've ever seen - it's like Star Trek - changed for £5 a corner).
I fear I may have left them a bit too long - the rears are right on the winter tread markers and on the edges there's small chunks of sipe-age missing. They'll do me - just - for another winter. Wish I'd don't them a couple of months ago though.
Do you mean the sipe-age is sort of 'torn up' a bit. That's what's happening to mine in the 20 degree heat. That and the squealing.I fear I may have left them a bit too long - the rears are right on the winter tread markers and on the edges there's small chunks of sipe-age missing. They'll do me - just - for another winter. Wish I'd don't them a couple of months ago though.
I'm thinking that even on the winter wear bar, they'll still be knocking spots of UHP tyres. On the other hand, the 4 replacements I have are getting in the way.
Bit of a bump, apologies for inevitably waking the trolls up from their slumber.
I'm going to have to make the jump from winters to all seasons as I can't stretch to £400 for alloys and another £400 for tyres this year, and my winters - whilst performing well - melt in warm temps.
But I want a snow focused all season. I don't drive the car hard enough in summer conditions for dry performance to be a major factor, but when snow arrives I'll need all the help I can get. I'd happily run winters year round if I wasn't going through a set of rears a year.
First thoughts were the Vector 4Seasons - I've had them on a previous FWD car and loved them, but since my bias is towards snow performance the Uniroyal AllSeason Experts also caught my eye. And I gather there a few new tyres out from Nokian/Pirelli and others, but can't see many peer reviews of them.
Anyone got any opinions on the above?
I'm going to have to make the jump from winters to all seasons as I can't stretch to £400 for alloys and another £400 for tyres this year, and my winters - whilst performing well - melt in warm temps.
But I want a snow focused all season. I don't drive the car hard enough in summer conditions for dry performance to be a major factor, but when snow arrives I'll need all the help I can get. I'd happily run winters year round if I wasn't going through a set of rears a year.
First thoughts were the Vector 4Seasons - I've had them on a previous FWD car and loved them, but since my bias is towards snow performance the Uniroyal AllSeason Experts also caught my eye. And I gather there a few new tyres out from Nokian/Pirelli and others, but can't see many peer reviews of them.
Anyone got any opinions on the above?
tenohfive said:
Bit of a bump, apologies for inevitably waking the trolls up from their slumber.
I'm going to have to make the jump from winters to all seasons as I can't stretch to £400 for alloys and another £400 for tyres this year, and my winters - whilst performing well - melt in warm temps.
But I want a snow focused all season. I don't drive the car hard enough in summer conditions for dry performance to be a major factor, but when snow arrives I'll need all the help I can get. I'd happily run winters year round if I wasn't going through a set of rears a year.
First thoughts were the Vector 4Seasons - I've had them on a previous FWD car and loved them, but since my bias is towards snow performance the Uniroyal AllSeason Experts also caught my eye. And I gather there a few new tyres out from Nokian/Pirelli and others, but can't see many peer reviews of them.
Anyone got any opinions on the above?
Seen these?I'm going to have to make the jump from winters to all seasons as I can't stretch to £400 for alloys and another £400 for tyres this year, and my winters - whilst performing well - melt in warm temps.
But I want a snow focused all season. I don't drive the car hard enough in summer conditions for dry performance to be a major factor, but when snow arrives I'll need all the help I can get. I'd happily run winters year round if I wasn't going through a set of rears a year.
First thoughts were the Vector 4Seasons - I've had them on a previous FWD car and loved them, but since my bias is towards snow performance the Uniroyal AllSeason Experts also caught my eye. And I gather there a few new tyres out from Nokian/Pirelli and others, but can't see many peer reviews of them.
Anyone got any opinions on the above?
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/201...
SS7
shoestring7 said:
I have, and to quote Jon's site:tyrereviews said:
There is a compromise, and the compromise is is weaker snow and ice handling but this is fine for the the UK climate.
If the CrossClimate stacks up as well as the hype suggests then they sound like the ultimate all season and a potential game changer for UK use. We'll see. But they aren't what I'm looking for; I don't want to compromise on snow performance.CoolHands said:
I am. They behave and last exactly the same as 'normal' tyres. I also have them on 250cc scooter. They are a bit weird on that though - they are a different profile. Got used to them though.
I asked as I didn't bother taking the avon ice touring winters off my car. Not had any issues with grip but I did just get a b
king from a copper 10 mins ago. She claimed I was speeding as she heard my tyres screeching. I was doing bang on 30 on a 30 limit road on an uphill section. She didn't buy my claim that my winter tyres are noisier in summer temps. Wound me right up. I run my van on Vredestein Quatrac3 (All Season) tyres throughout the year. They're good enough to get me to & from work in the Scottish Highlands right through the winter and just coped with this:
(Photos taken from the van on the A86 in late Jan last winter):
Bad enough for the snow plough to slither off the same road a little later:-
Yes, the van did make it through but traction/grip were right on the limit!
The Vreds are not quite as sure footed as an out and out winter tyre but as you can see more than adequate. They're a bit noisier than a regular summer tyre but I can live with that.
Have no problem recommending the Vreds as a pretty good jack of all trades.
(Photos taken from the van on the A86 in late Jan last winter):
Bad enough for the snow plough to slither off the same road a little later:-
Yes, the van did make it through but traction/grip were right on the limit!
The Vreds are not quite as sure footed as an out and out winter tyre but as you can see more than adequate. They're a bit noisier than a regular summer tyre but I can live with that.
Have no problem recommending the Vreds as a pretty good jack of all trades.
giblet said:
Is anyone still running winters in this weather?
Yes, I decided not to change my Conti winter sports this year and have been running them with no issues at all. Contrary to popular opinion they didn't melt when it was 35C, and they have done just over 40k miles and will still be ok for this winter now my mileage has drastically reduced.I kept them on to wear them out, rather than have a second set of half worn winters in the garage, but they have proved surprisingly hard wearing.
giblet said:
Is anyone still running winters in this weather?
Yes - on my wife's SLK. She's had the car since 2003 and its major fault to my mind is its slippery road behaviour. Last autumn the tyres needed replacing and, having two sets of wheels, I was able to have the wheels refurbished and winter tyres fitted for the first time. They made a profound difference to the car but are noticeably costlier on fuel. Unfortunately, a dip in earnings meant I haven't been able to swap her tyres back to summers. They're okay; they're noisy and they don't look right in good weather to my eye but no one is pointing and laughing so they will stay on until next spring. Would they MoT? Don't know, is the answer. The next MoT is in September when folk will be thinking about fitting winters anyway.The car does modest mileage but the noise alone would put me off having them on a commuting car in warmer weather. My A4 commuting car soldiered on with regular tyres and is as fine as it always is.
The point being that the Audi was okay in slippery conditions as it was and the Mercedes wasn't.
Several years ago I asked my insurance broker about fitting them and they said most companies are fine with it as long as you tell them. It is worth checking. There are still some insurance companies apparently who insist on original spec tyres to meet their requirements. Dinosaurs.
Yes Nokian WRG2 SUV, 38,000 miles in and still working fine. There are odd occasions when on a particularly wet and muddy farm / forest track that I'd feel more comfortable with proper st shovellers but they deal with it. The rears will easily do another winter , the fronts are more worn but will probably do one more. They will be replaced with Nokian for sure WR SUV 3.
t shovellers but they deal with it. The rears will easily do another winter , the fronts are more worn but will probably do one more. They will be replaced with Nokian for sure WR SUV 3.I have stopped bothering to change my winter tyres. Volvo v50 2.0d fine all year round. I will go to all seasons though. Have had Quatrac 3's before which were better than Avon Ice Tourings in winter and snow, have had Vredestein Snowtrac which coincided with a mild winter so not really proven or not with me.
Currently have Bridgestone A001 all weathers on the rear and kleber winters on the front, they do just fine.
Currently have Bridgestone A001 all weathers on the rear and kleber winters on the front, they do just fine.
Like another poster I didn't have the money spare to buy summer tyres when the time came (had already swapped to winters slightly early in the previous autumn as the summer tyres were well past their best).
My wife's V70 has been on Michelin PA4's for the last 3 years, my XC90 was swapped to winters (Nokian SUV 3's) last November and they seem to be coping fine with the sunshine.
I've previously tried running Avon Ice Touring ST's through the summer on the V70 before my wife took possesion of it, and they were properly compromised when the air temperature hit 25c, and the tarmac was probably somewhat hotter. They managed a disappointing 12,000 miles but their fastest wear was definitely in the warm weather.
My wife's V70 has been on Michelin PA4's for the last 3 years, my XC90 was swapped to winters (Nokian SUV 3's) last November and they seem to be coping fine with the sunshine.
I've previously tried running Avon Ice Touring ST's through the summer on the V70 before my wife took possesion of it, and they were properly compromised when the air temperature hit 25c, and the tarmac was probably somewhat hotter. They managed a disappointing 12,000 miles but their fastest wear was definitely in the warm weather.
tenohfive said:
shoestring7 said:
I have, and to quote Jon's site:tyrereviews said:
There is a compromise, and the compromise is is weaker snow and ice handling but this is fine for the the UK climate.
If the CrossClimate stacks up as well as the hype suggests then they sound like the ultimate all season and a potential game changer for UK use. We'll see. But they aren't what I'm looking for; I don't want to compromise on snow performance.I still have a feeling the CrossClimate will be the one to be on in the UK. Remember it has the same snow traction and braking as the Alpin 5, but with none of the drawbacks (even the Vector 4Season is only about 90% of a summer tyre in the dry/wet.)
With any luck, I'll be doing a mini group test late September
My mx5 is coming off the road end of October as some stupid bint decided to reverse into my passenger wing so while its having a new wing will have a full respray, clutch, timing belt, frame rails added etc. So the winters wont be used for this winter.
I will however be using my tow truck (Nissan navara) to tow my kit car around various events and considering it wont be used much over the winter and the tax/insurance runs out on the mx5 end of October its a sensible choice. Will be getting 2 new front tyres as the ones on there are getting low. Don't think I will bother with winter tyres tbh with it however if I was running the mx5 I would be swapping over to the winters.
I will however be using my tow truck (Nissan navara) to tow my kit car around various events and considering it wont be used much over the winter and the tax/insurance runs out on the mx5 end of October its a sensible choice. Will be getting 2 new front tyres as the ones on there are getting low. Don't think I will bother with winter tyres tbh with it however if I was running the mx5 I would be swapping over to the winters.
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