Winter tyres vol 2
Discussion
_Rich_ said:
Steel wheels with full winters went on today. Had a bit of snow yesterday and although the car was fine on it's normal tyres, i've got a lot of driving up and down the country over the next few weeks so better to be safe than sorry stuck
Looks brilliant! Big fan of naked steels, had them on my 3er touring (black also) I liked the look, run winters all year now so have them on my alloys...looks purposeful on the steelies
I found an ulmost unused set of Porsche N rated winters on mint alloys on eBay, really impressed with them on the Macan.
There a slight loss of precisioan and a slight feeling of extra squidgyness but well worth it.
Added bonus is the improvement in ride comfort, and I rather like it on black alloys...
There a slight loss of precisioan and a slight feeling of extra squidgyness but well worth it.
Added bonus is the improvement in ride comfort, and I rather like it on black alloys...
RammyMP said:
Had a check of my Nokians at the weekend, both fronts are getting shredded around the inside edges. I’m getting the wheel alignment checked at the weekend, I’ll see if that’s out.
They’ve done about 15k miles.
I had a set of WR D4s that did the same, so if it's not a wheel alignment issue it might be worth contacting Nokian. They contributed to the cost of replacements for me under warranty.They’ve done about 15k miles.
We've had a fair old dump today (A671 Rossendale) and Mrs DS had to get back from Harrogate on her new skinny (205/55/16 on diddy alloys - brand new Contis and genuine Merc wheels - £400 ebay). She was just weaving in and out of all the stopped/abandoned/struggling stuff on the hills. I'm impressed that she made it home.
Got a set of winter tyres and wheels fitted to the UP! Gti. I purchased a set of 15” Corrado G60 steel wheels, as other smaller alloys had trouble fitting over the brake callipers apparently. It’s running on Avon WV7’s. Just need to see what happens tomorrow!! If anything, it certainly now much better than with the standard 17” wheels.
Dog Star said:
Funny - after reading this thread for several years I have NEVER seen anyone say that the ride quality has got worse.
For 99% of driving these higher profiles (generally, not just for winters) are just so much better.
I took the winters off my MB, they made the handling awful. Squirmy and inaccurate. I know others who've done the same.On the average car I doubt you'd notice the difference to be fair though.For 99% of driving these higher profiles (generally, not just for winters) are just so much better.
popeyewhite said:
I took the winters off my MB, they made the handling awful. Squirmy and inaccurate. I know others who've done the same.On the average car I doubt you'd notice the difference to be fair though.
Is it some V12 beast?I've had winters on everything SLKs (R171 and R172), my 2016 E coupe on 19s and found them preferable to summers in every case.
Not got them on my new E class (a lowly 220d) as the 275 runflats are just too expensive to justify; I'll use Mrs DSs car.
Update on the Vredestein Quatrac 5's I'm using on my Forester - still really happy with them.
-2'C for most of my journey this morning, with heavy frost and patches of ice on some of the roads I was driving along. No issues whatsoever, then again neither did any of the cars around me.
I'm still waiting for the opportunity to try them in snow - were due some tomorrow afternoon.
-2'C for most of my journey this morning, with heavy frost and patches of ice on some of the roads I was driving along. No issues whatsoever, then again neither did any of the cars around me.
I'm still waiting for the opportunity to try them in snow - were due some tomorrow afternoon.
Dog Star said:
Is it some V12 beast?
I've had winters on everything SLKs (R171 and R172), my 2016 E coupe on 19s and found them preferable to summers in every case.
Not got them on my new E class (a lowly 220d) as the 275 runflats are just too expensive to justify; I'll use Mrs DSs car.
It was an E63 S. Previously I owned a 911 and had to take them off that as well. Inbetween those two I owned an Audi S8, and that was absolutely fine with winters on. Not a particularly 'precise' car though! I've had winters on everything SLKs (R171 and R172), my 2016 E coupe on 19s and found them preferable to summers in every case.
Not got them on my new E class (a lowly 220d) as the 275 runflats are just too expensive to justify; I'll use Mrs DSs car.
I hear what you're saying about ride comfort though.Dog Star said:
Funny - after reading this thread for several years I have NEVER seen anyone say that the ride quality has got worse.
For 99% of driving these higher profiles (generally, not just for winters) are just so much better.
Yes, my personal experience is that ride quality gets better (could be due to 17" Winter wheels vs 18" regular wheels though) and the Wintersport 5 tyres are also quieter and more economical then my regular PS4 tyres.For 99% of driving these higher profiles (generally, not just for winters) are just so much better.
However, handling gets noticeably worse in the dry, especially when it's 'warm' (>5C). Then, they really squirm on the corners and just don't inspire confidence. Likewise, >5C and wet also not as good as the PS4 rubber. As temps drop below 5C they start to feel progressively better though. Obviously, no comparison when it comes to snow/ice.
My next 'Winter' tyres will likely be Crossclimate+ or one of the other new generation of all-season type tyres that are now coming out. They seem to be a better compromise for typical Winter weather here.
You can't have everything from a tyre. Sipes are key for snow performance, but give you a load of block movement, especially in heavy powerful cars.
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, Continental WinterContact TS860 S and Vredestein Wintrac Pro are the latest winter tyres on market and mitigate this issue a little. They'll never feel like a summer tyre though.
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, Continental WinterContact TS860 S and Vredestein Wintrac Pro are the latest winter tyres on market and mitigate this issue a little. They'll never feel like a summer tyre though.
Just bought an XC70 and it needs tyres, given I'm oop norf (-5degree as I type) so all seasons or similar suited to a nigh on 2 ton, fake 4x4 in 235/50/18... which are proving rather eye wateringly dear (£740 for Cross Climates) and the choice is limited. Wet / cold performance is preferential over full blown snow tyres.
Any suggestions...
Any suggestions...
Gassing Station | Suspension, Brakes & Tyres | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff