All season tyres...where's the downside (for daily use)?

[Monkeylegend]

A premium set of winters will perform better in summer than a premium set of summers will perform in winter, so if you only want one set, winters are the ones to go for.

Cross climates seem to be a jack of all trades tyre as the saying goes, an all year round compromise.

You pays your money.........

This is a subject that polarises opinions, there is no right or wrong answer, it depends on what suits us as individuals best, and for me it just happens to be winters all year round.

[kambites]

Monkeylegend said:

A premium set of winters will perform better in summer than a premium set of summers will perform in winter, so if you only want one set, winters are the ones to go for.

The winters will be an order of magnitude better on snow and/or ice, but looking at braking distances on cold wet vs hot wet roads the difference is pretty symmetrical, if that makes sense.

[kambites]

RobM77 said:

Gosh, you're quite right, I just googled and it's 8k. However, that's a mean average includes old people who never drive, who are an increasing population. For the PH demographic of 20-50 year old people in full time employment I'm sure it'll be a lot higher. Couple that with the 20-30k suggested above and you get a different figure. Each person will be different I guess, but my original point is something to be aware of.

Maybe, but that will be countered to an extent by the sales reps doing 40k+ miles a year pushing the average up. The median mileage will be well below the mean.

[Kawasicki]

for me the compromise is as follows, this is my plan for next year.

winter - Michelin cross climate due to good steering, good grip on cold roads, will also keep me moving on level or near level roads if it snow. I will also throw a set of chains in the boot for when I can't get up steeper inclines.

summer - Michelin Pilot Sport, for grip and better steering accuracy.

[Freds]

Consider the potential consequences of having an accident during the summer months when the temperature is say 20 degrees and you're on specific winter tyres. The stopping distances increase by quite some margin. We run two sets of tyres.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dk1oaTTX8Y

[otolith]

I had Vredestein Quatrac 3 all seasons on the Impreza I used to have. Those were a pretty good compromise, but it wasn't by any means a performance car.

[Prof Prolapse]

I have Falken AS200s on the GS300, and the C-Max. They're a good intermediate choice, frankly if one car wasn't due for the scrapyard, and the other to be sold, I'd have fitted Michelin Cross Climates however.

There's no significant compromise I have noted after a good few years with all seasons. The advantages are quite notable against summer tyres though. As the temperature drops below 7 degrees, they really are much more confidence inspiring, and we get regular snow here and no gritters, so it can mean the difference between getting to work or not.

Depends on the car and your requirements, but I'd not have anything else anymore.

[crosseyedlion]

Freds said:

Consider the potential consequences of having an accident during the summer months when the temperature is say 20 degrees and you're on specific winter tyres. The stopping distances increase by quite some margin. We run two sets of tyres.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dk1oaTTX8Y

Absolutely hence me considering all seasons as an alternative.

Winters would still be Ott for me and as you mention, too compromised in the summer

[Prof Prolapse]

Ozzie Osmond said:

This stuff is all a lot of internet tarting about.

Unless you live on the North face of the Eiger just go out and buy some decent tyres.

Yes because the whole of the UK has the same roads and weather as the South of England.

Pious tosser.

[Ozzie Osmond]

IMO for the majority of people living in UK there's little to be gained by having multiple sets of wheels/tyres. The climate here is, for the most part, not extreme in either the hot or cold/snowy direction and the arrival of the few weeks of extreme heat or extreme cold is very unpredictable.

Personally I'd avoid "summer" tyres - I like my wet grip when it's cold and raining at the end of June. "Winters" are all very well for those living off the beaten track but I certainly wouldn't want them on all year round.

"Wet grip" is my key requirement for tyres, without faffing around with multiple sets of wheels, tyre pressure sensors etc.

[Evanivitch]

Monkeylegend said:

Coss climates seem to be a jack of all trades tyre as the saying goes, an all year round compromise.

You pays your money.........

This is a subject that polarises opinions, there is no right or wrong answer, it depends on what suits us as individuals best, and for me it just happens to be winters all year round.

Except you are wrong.

The data from the Tyre Review test shows that in dry and wet conditions the CrossClimate is as good as a Summer performance tyre, and that includes winter it is capable but not as effective as a full winter tyre.

The only way to beat the CrossClimate would be to swap to your snow tyres only when it's actually snowing. And that's impractical.

And winters all year round makes you a liability to other road users.

[nickfrog]

crosseyedlion said:

Hi all
I need 4 tyres on my old merc soon, not due to wear, but that the Michelin's are perishing!

I've always ruled out winter tyres due to the compromise in the summer. But what are tyres like Michelin's wintrac like used all year. Crap mpg, noisy? Rubbish dry/warm weather grip?

I'd just get good summers on again but I do a lot of driving before 6am now from Sheffield, the extra security around 0 and in the wet would be appreciated. 220 HP, rwd, no traction control, skinny 205 width tyres.

I wouldn't want to take a hit on mpg though, are they much worse?

I would consider Nokian Weatherproof - they came second in a winter tyre test recently http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/930... - ahead of the Nokian full winter and matched it for snow performance. Cheap too.
I have fitted them to the 1.0 Yaris - £240 fitted for 4 in 15'. At that money, I am not too bothered about slightly increased mpg. No particularly noisy either.
Not sure if your car might exhibit more compromise in the summer though compared to our paltry 68hp...

I find an alternative set of alloys invaluable though including in the South. Not much faffing either, 45mn twice a year.

[Dog Star]

Evanivitch said:

I will definitely be moving onto CrossClimates as the EnergySaver+ will soon be reaching the end of their life.

The CC performance is just so much better in the wet and dry braking, and barely worse then the summer. And yet it's not a winter tyre but still has the capability to allow you to go-slow and safe.
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Is-there-a-tr...

Er.... I think you underestimate them. Their winter/snow performance is rather a lot better than "allow you to go-slow and safe" - they aren't some "get you home" compromise. They wouldn't be marked mountain and snowflake otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwIbJKqM4Cs

From my own experience with them I'd say that for the UK climate and the winters we have here (and the summers to be fair) these "all season" tyres are actually the tyres we need. I'd have them on everything I owned if they did them in the right sizes.

[RobM77]

Prof Prolapse said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

This stuff is all a lot of internet tarting about.

Unless you live on the North face of the Eiger just go out and buy some decent tyres.

Yes because the whole of the UK has the same roads and weather as the South of England.

Pious tosser.

I live in the south (rural west berkshire) and change from from my factory fit Continentals to my Dunlop winter tyres when the temperature for most of the day is below 7 degrees (typically about xmas to March), and the difference in grip is quite noticeable.

If it actually snows, and I'm faced with several miles of virgin snow on the lanes in the mornings to get to the A34, winter tyres for me make the difference between driving to work without an issue and having a lot of problems, perhaps even staying at home.

Edited by RobM77 on Monday 24th October 13:43

[Monkeylegend]

Evanivitch said:

And winters all year round makes you a liability to other road users.

Oh, I had better be careful then

[Prof Prolapse]

RobM77 said:

I live in the south (rural west berkshire) and change from from my factory fit Continentals to my Dunlop winter tyres when the temperature for most of the day is below 7 degrees (typically about xmas to March), and the difference in grip is quite noticeable.

If it actually snows, and I'm faced with several miles of virgin snow on the lanes in the mornings to get to the A34, winter tyres for me make the difference between driving to work without an issue and having a lot of problems, perhaps even staying at home.

I think there's a case for them everywhere to be honest, as you say below 7 degrees I totally agree, night and day difference.

If you live on the main roads up here you can often get away with just summer tyres, as big snowfall is an annual occurrence we always have stock of rock salt, and the ploughs are owned by the council so the main roads are well looked after. But if you don't have a route that's adopted, then you're similarly on your own getting to one, and that doesn't matter where in the UK you are.

Great things though. I just think it's a shame they're often stifled by fantasists, or armchair experts.

[nickfrog]

I agree - I personally think the threshold is closer to 3deg than 7deg but still.

[anonymous-user]

I know michelin CC get a lot of press, but in a few tests Nokian Weatherproof performed better so worth a shout/look.

[Freds]

The Spruce goose said:

I know michelin CC get a lot of press, but in a few tests Nokian Weatherproof performed better so worth a shout/look.

I know a few who swear by Nokian, I'm in the back of beyond in the Yorkshire Dales where most people run on winter tyres. Just a word of warning to anybody contemplating buying Nokians, I'm led to believe they manufacture in both Finland and Russia and it's been known for the quality to vary, the Subaru dealer here has had more than one case of tread separation on recently fitted nokian tyres.

[Evanivitch]

Dog Star said:

Evanivitch said:

I will definitely be moving onto CrossClimates as the EnergySaver+ will soon be reaching the end of their life.

The CC performance is just so much better in the wet and dry braking, and barely worse then the summer. And yet it's not a winter tyre but still has the capability to allow you to go-slow and safe.
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Is-there-a-tr...

Er.... I think you underestimate them. Their winter/snow performance is rather a lot better than "allow you to go-slow and safe" - they aren't some "get you home" compromise. They wouldn't be marked mountain and snowflake otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwIbJKqM4Cs

From my own experience with them I'd say that for the UK climate and the winters we have here (and the summers to be fair) these "all season" tyres are actually the tyres we need. I'd have them on everything I owned if they did them in the right sizes.

Id rather quote an independent source like Tyre Reviews than Michelins publicity.

TyreReviews said:

At lower speeds, the gap between the CrossClimate, all season and winter tyres was negligible, and while we're certain the Goodyear all season would outperform the CrossClimate in snow and ice handling, and the Continental would easily outperform both of them, for the few days of light snow ad slush we see in the UK, we're happy the CrossClimate will get you safely up and down those ungritted hills many of us live on, and to the main road where you can continue your journey.