Winter Tyres

Author
Discussion

Pugsey

Original Poster:

5,813 posts

213 months

Monday 27th October 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

Just bought an '05 Impreza WRX,PPP Wagon as a winter hack. Has anyone got experience of winter tyres on one of these? And if so which ones worked best. Doesn't need to be a discussion about the in's and out's of using winter tyres - I've done that for a few years now and am a convert.

Great to be back in an Impreza too. Had one years ago. Feels like a a hell of a lot more than £4.5k of car, rock solid and decently quick. Great fun. And it'll do the tip run etc., too!

Cheers all.

SpydieNut

5,794 posts

222 months

Monday 27th October 2014
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will be watching this with interest - I'm looking into getting one of these (my first) for just the same reasons, and about the same budget.

HonestIago

1,719 posts

185 months

Monday 27th October 2014
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I've got a set of Kumho KW17 winters for my Classic PPP wagon. I didn't research much before buying them (never used winter tyres prior) but I have been very impressed by them in snow/slush and even just on cold/damp roads. They're size 205/50/R16 and were around £75/corner delivered IIRC. I've had two winters out of them and they're barely worn.

Two years ago was a pretty bad winter in NE Scotland with lots of snow and my scoob was very sure-footed on its winters. I only struggled a bit trying to reverse it back into my drive when the snow was very deep and clearance became an issue.

miket74

5 posts

119 months

Monday 27th October 2014
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I run my 2008 WRX STI hatch on 17in winter wheels with Dunlop winter sport 3D's. The car is transformed on these winters and only ground clearance in deep snow will stop the car. Fantastic handling in snow and ice and I now look for alternative routes in snow to avoid traffic. Best investment I've made for the car. I also run winters on our Audi A1 and with its FWD its better in the snow than the STI was on summer tred (living in North Scotland I reckon it's worth the investment).

Ennoch

371 posts

137 months

Monday 27th October 2014
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Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 are awesome and the PA5 are allegedly an improvement again. Definitely take my vote although Continental TS850's are supposedly better than the TS830 I've used in the past, another tyre I rate highly. If you actually want to enjoy the car in the winter go for the best tyres you can afford and stay away from the cheap stuff. My experience is that the better manufacturers have an even bigger advantage in winter tyres than they do in summer tyres.

sisley

157 posts

155 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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On our GB270 Wagon, off come the 18 inch gloss black Prodrive alloys and 225/40ZR18 Pirelli P Zeros and on go 17 inch gloss black WRX Alloys and 215/45R17 Hankook Winter Icept Evos - can't fault these at all, this will be the third winter we've had this set up and they are still like new!

loskie

5,144 posts

119 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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Depending on where you are in the UK Vredestein Quatrac all seasons well worth a look. I can confirm as far better than Avon Ice Touring full winters. Or the Nokian WR range

Pugsey

Original Poster:

5,813 posts

213 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Input appreciated guys.

Going for Mich. Alpins - on 17" wheels. I used them on other cars and been impressed.

Just got to find them at a good price - recently moved to Yorkshire so my old supplier/fitters in the South West not a lot of use!

Mr Taxpayer

438 posts

119 months

Tuesday 4th November 2014
quotequote all
05 WRX wagon. I put the winter tyre-shod wheels on on Sunday. Nanking NS2 IIRC. Got them from www.mytyres.co.uk and had them fitted at a local fitters. Had no problems with them last year. Probably not the best out and out winter tyre going but how much do you want to test limits of grip in the winter anyway? I've got Debica Frigos on my Panda and used to have Avon winter-somethings on my Skoda.

Russ T Bolt

1,686 posts

282 months

Friday 7th November 2014
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Pugsey said:
Input appreciated guys.

Going for Mich. Alpins - on 17" wheels. I used them on other cars and been impressed.

Just got to find them at a good price - recently moved to Yorkshire so my old supplier/fitters in the South West not a lot of use!
Costco prices were very good for these tyres last year, but by the time I ordered them they were out of stock across Europe.

wack

2,103 posts

205 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
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I've been looking for winter tyres for my van for a while, cheapest I found was oponeo from Poland £92 a corner for agilis alpines 195/60/16 97/99T but you've got to get them fitted

For the next couple of weeks costco have £50+ vat = £60 off 4 michelin tyres

With the discount they came to £396, fitted , balanced and filled with nitrogen which is over £100 less than other high St retailers

If you have a card or know somebody with one it might be worth a call to costco

wack

2,103 posts

205 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
I've been looking for winter tyres for my van for a while, cheapest I found was oponeo from Poland £92 a corner for agilis alpines 195/60/16 97/99T but you've got to get them fitted

For the next couple of weeks costco have £50+ vat = £60 off 4 michelin tyres

With the discount they came to £396, fitted , balanced and filled with nitrogen which is over £100 less than other high St retailers

If you have a card or know somebody with one it might be worth a call to costco

loskie

5,144 posts

119 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Wack
Try these guys.I haven't used them but prices seem very good.
Let us know how you get on.

http://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-195-60-16/?s...

wack

2,103 posts

205 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
They're the same price as oponeo , I was quoted £16 a corner for fitting so for the next couple of weeks they're still cheaper at costco plus their warranty is second to none so if there is a problem no paying to get it removed, post to send it back.

Unlikely I know.

As far as snow goes I've never found the need on the impreza, recently put 4 new pilot sport 3s on it so combined with the 4wd I'm hoping that's enough

wack

2,103 posts

205 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
They're the same price as oponeo , I was quoted £16 a corner for fitting so for the next couple of weeks they're still cheaper at costco plus their warranty is second to none so if there is a problem no paying to get it removed, post to send it back.

Unlikely I know.

As far as snow goes I've never found the need on the impreza, recently put 4 new pilot sport 3s on it so combined with the 4wd I'm hoping that's enough

adingley84

337 posts

161 months

Monday 10th November 2014
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I hardly live in the wilderness but never had any issues on standard rubeer in my Forester 2.5XT.

Will go sideways if provoked but peerless if driven according to conditions.

I guses winters will get rid of any understeer coming In early

chandrew

979 posts

208 months

Monday 17th November 2014
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adingley84 said:
I hardly live in the wilderness but never had any issues on standard rubeer in my Forester 2.5XT.

Will go sideways if provoked but peerless if driven according to conditions.

I guses winters will get rid of any understeer coming In early
The Forester on winters in unstoppable. On fresh snow the added height over the Impezza prevents snow building up in front of the car, but even in less deep snow or ice it's possible to drive at close to the national speed limit (80kmh here in Switzerland). You just need to plan ahead.

Driving on snow on winters is about the same as driving on non-tarmacced roads.

To the original question, we're on Michelin Alpin's and they are the best I've used.

ohtari

805 posts

143 months

Monday 17th November 2014
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A set of Nokian WR A3s arrived last week, and I've been refurbing a set of dirt cheap WRX alloys to mount them on.

I can't wait for some proper snow! driving