Best value winter tyres

[RandomTask]

I live in Scotland, and the only way out of our estate is up a steep hill. We really struggled to commute the last two winters and trips skiing in Scotland were sometimes difficult.

Rather than buy 18" tyres and have to get someone to swap them, I'm looking to purchase a new set of alloys for my Insignia (I know not the most PH of cars) with winter tyres included.

MyTyres seem to offer reasonable deals - but would any winter tyres users recommend a certain brand? I'm currently running Continental Sport Contacts 3 all round.

Current offers from Mytyres per corner including 16" alloy.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-30 (M+S marking)
215/55 R16 97 H
only 201.50 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 191.43 £

Dunlop SP WINTER SPORT 3D (M+S marking)
215/55 R16 97 H
only 193.80 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 184.11 £


Effiplus EPLUTO I
215/55 R16 97 H
only 126.00 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 119.70 £


Goodride SW601
215/55 R16 97 H
only 118.10 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 112.20 £


Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance 2 (M+S marking)
215/55 R16 97 H
only 200.50 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 190.47 £


Marangoni Meteo HP
215/55 R16 97 H
only 152.60 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 144.97 £


Michelin ALPIN A4 (GRNX)
215/55 R16 93 H
only 204.30 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 194.09 £


Nankang Snow SV-2
215/55 R16 97 V
only 136.40 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 129.58 £


Star Performer SPTS AS
215/55 R16 97 V
only 131.70 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 125.11 £


Sunny SN3860 (studdable)
215/55 R16 97 H
only 125.70 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 119.42 £


Vredestein Wintrac xtreme (with rim protection ridge, M+S marking)
215/55 R16 97 H
only 184.50 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 175.28 £

[jon-]

Don't use a cheap winter tyre, it might work well in snow but the wet performance will likely be poor.

I'm finding the A001's very popular at the moment, they're an "all season" tyre but have a very wintery block pattern / sipe layout so should work extremely well through our variable winters.

[cpl_payne]

I would stay away from budget brands as their ability to test winter tyres may be limited. Any tyre that's done well in ADAC tests is a safe bet and it also seems to not recommend some cheaper tyres:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2009-ADAC-Win...

[shoestring7]

The manufacturer's suggested winter tyre wheel and tyre sizes will be in your handbook. Eg. My Golf Gti uses a skinny 16" steel wheel for winter tyres vs std 17" or 18" summer alloys. They were £50/rim new from a VW dealer.

After two bad winters UK drivers' attitides to winter tyres are changing, so you'll probably find the tyre dealer willing to store the summer set.

I bought a set of Conti Winter Contacts from Kwikfit. Around £80/tyre but worth every penny in the snow, ice and cold.

SS7

Edited 'cos I didn't read the OP

Edited by shoestring7 on Wednesday 29th June 10:25

[oldcynic]

You do realise it's only June?!

I took the seemingly popular approach of buying secondhand alloys off ebay which cost about £50 each shipped, then choosing the best option for winter tyres based on the German ADAC reviews set against price & availability. Experience last year suggests you need to be sourcing the wheels over the next few weeks then buying tyres in August / September.

It's also worth noting I have a set of 15" alloys in my back garden as testament to the fact that dropping the wheel size too far may cause problems fitting the wheels over the brake calipers. I bought Alhambra wheels for an Alhambra and they don't fit! Fortunately that only cost me £65 shipped for 4 so more irritating than devastating.

Mytyres have varying customer service reviews here - some people seem to get what they ordered with no hassle, others spend weeks trying to get it sorted.

ETA: I have all my wheels in sets of 5 - have you ever tried buying a winter tyre in January when you've just hit a pothole? Prices will be up about 50% and availability low to non-existent!

Edited by oldcynic on Wednesday 29th June 09:52

[RandomTask]

June is the perfect time to buy winter tyres - loads of choice! Buying 5 is maybe a good shout though.

With the configurator on mytyres you put in your make/model, and it comes up with alloys and tyres that are the correct size for your car. The prices quoted are including the alloys and tyres fitted - they're not very much more than getting them fitted to a set of steel wheels.

Of the choices listed I was thinking of the Dunlop 3D Winter, or the Vredestein Wintrac xtreme, any thoughts?

[oldcynic]

You'll get less grief with insurance if you follow the manufacturer's recommendation on winter wheels - I was being quoted a £30 extra premium until I explained that I was complying with the instructions in the user manual. Cue 10 minutes on hold, followed by 'thanks for letting us know - we'll update our records'.

Start with the Vauxhall dealer for size & price. Or risk a pile of wheels that won't fit over your brakes. Allow about £10 per corner for fitting & balancing if you buy wheels & tyres seperately.

[jon-]

RandomTask said:

Of the choices listed I was thinking of the Dunlop 3D Winter, or the Vredestein Wintrac xtreme, any thoughts?

The 3D won more group tests last year, though it has since been replaced by the 4D.

[HellDiver]

Any Vauxhall 5 stud alloy will fit an Insignia, so check EBay - you'll get old 16" Vectra/Astra alloys for next to nothing.

Personally, I've got a set of Dunlop Graspic DS3 winters, but they're really a snow tyre rather than a performance winter. They are really very good in the ice and snow, but not so good in the warmer wet part of the winter.

When I had the Lancer, I had the Wintrac Extreme in 225-45-18, and they were excellent in the snow, and were actually better in the summer than the pure pants summer tyres I had (Toyo T1R).

[RandomTask]

HellDiver said:

Any Vauxhall 5 stud alloy will fit an Insignia, so check EBay - you'll get old 16" Vectra/Astra alloys for next to nothing.

Thanks, I wasn't sure about that. So I'll get Ebay/Gumtree hunting for an old set of alloys.

[RicksAlfas]

Hmmmm. I was chatting to my tyre man yesterday and he did not recommend buying winter tyres now as they will all be last seasons stock. He said the main deliveries start early October - they are not supplied throughout the year. I have no reason to doubt him as I was quite happy to buy them now. As it is he will contact me in September.

As an aside I used Avon Ice Touring ST last year on my wife's Alfa 147 and they were brilliant without being too expensive.
About £80 a corner from memory for 205/55/16s.

[Bonefish Blues]

RicksAlfas said:

Hmmmm. I was chatting to my tyre man yesterday and he did not recommend buying winter tyres now as they will all be last seasons stock. He said the main deliveries start early October - they are not supplied throughout the year. I have no reason to doubt him as I was quite happy to buy them now. As it is he will contact me in September.

As an aside I used Avon Ice Touring ST last year on my wife's Alfa 147 and they were brilliant without being too expensive.
About £80 a corner from memory for 205/55/16s.

If I recall correctly, Tyremen ran out of just about everything last year, as did nearly everyone else, so there's precious little old stock to be found!

re the choice of tyre, suggest have a chat to Tyremen - I've spoken to them a couple of times and found them really helpful. FWIW I have the Hankook Evos and they are great, but you'd have to have a 60 profile which might not suit you.

[anonymous-user]

RicksAlfas said:

Hmmmm. I was chatting to my tyre man yesterday and he did not recommend buying winter tyres now as they will all be last seasons stock. He said the main deliveries start early October - they are not supplied throughout the year. I have no reason to doubt him as I was quite happy to buy them now. As it is he will contact me in September.

As an aside I used Avon Ice Touring ST last year on my wife's Alfa 147 and they were brilliant without being too expensive.
About £80 a corner from memory for 205/55/16s.

Is being last year's stock an issue? I have been thinking about doing something similar, through Event Tyres - I can get a set of Rainexperts for about £270 (205/55/R16), with the thought that they will last me through whatever crap comes our way this winter. Do they not like sitting on shelves/in warehouses?

[oldcynic]

Opulent said:

Is being last year's stock an issue? I have been thinking about doing something similar, through Event Tyres - I can get a set of Rainexperts for about £270 (205/55/R16), with the thought that they will last me through whatever crap comes our way this winter. Do they not like sitting on shelves/in warehouses?

The issue is that tyres have a nominal 5 year lifespan, and that winter tyres will often last through several winters before wearing out (depending on how long you make your 'winter' season).

My personal feeling is that prices and choice are optimal around September / October when the likes of QuickFit and the car manufacturers start with their offers, and the tyre manufacturers have completed this year's production. Mytyres will be clearing old stock ready for this year's deliveries.

[Fume troll]

RandomTask said:

Vredestein Wintrac xtreme (with rim protection ridge, M+S marking)
215/55 R16 97 H
only 184.50 £
less 5% "Summer holiday discount": 175.28 £

These are excellent, I've used them on various cars (AWD and RWD) for over five years now. Seem to be not too badly priced in your list either.

Saying that, it's more than I've been paying. My more recent orders:


20/09/10
Item No.: R-123102
Order No.: 9427530
Item: Vredestein Wintrac xtreme 215/55 R17 98V XL with rim protection ridge, M+S marking BSW
Amount: 4
Price: £ 107.10
less 5 % discount for Saveaholics: £ 101.74

10/01/08
Item No.: R-119180
Item: Vredestein Wintrac xtreme 225/45 R17 94V XL with rim protection ridge (Wi)
Quantity: 4
unit price net: 91.74 GBP (107.80 GBP brutto)

08/01/08
Item No.: R-112394
Order No.: 936594
Item: Vredestein Wintrac xtreme 225/45 R17 94V XL with rim protection ridge
Amount: 4
Price: 107.80 £

Is it because you've specified the higher speed rating?

Cheers,

FT.

Edited by Fume troll on Wednesday 29th June 11:49

[RandomTask]

Fume troll said:

These are excellent, I've used them on various cars (AWD and RWD) for over five years now. Seem to be not too badly priced in your list either.

Saying that, it's more than I've been paying. My more recent orders:


20/09/10
Item No.: R-123102
Order No.: 9427530
Item: Vredestein Wintrac xtreme 215/55 R17 98V XL with rim protection ridge, M+S marking BSW
Amount: 4
Price: £ 107.10
less 5 % discount for Saveaholics: £ 101.74

Is it because you've specified the higher speed rating?

Cheers,

FT.

Edited by Fume troll on Wednesday 29th June 11:49

There were other load/speed ratings available but to cut down the size of the initial post I edited out the lower load ratings.

Were your orders from mytyres? As I said, the price includes an alloy, so may explain some of the price difference.

I've also spotted a classified add very near me on PH for 4x 17" Insignia structure wheels with Avon Ice Tours that have only done 4k for £500 all in that might be an option if he were to move on the price a little.

[RicksAlfas]

oldcynic said:

Opulent said:

Is being last year's stock an issue? I have been thinking about doing something similar, through Event Tyres - I can get a set of Rainexperts for about £270 (205/55/R16), with the thought that they will last me through whatever crap comes our way this winter. Do they not like sitting on shelves/in warehouses?

The issue is that tyres have a nominal 5 year lifespan, and that winter tyres will often last through several winters before wearing out (depending on how long you make your 'winter' season).

My personal feeling is that prices and choice are optimal around September / October when the likes of QuickFit and the car manufacturers start with their offers, and the tyre manufacturers have completed this year's production. Mytyres will be clearing old stock ready for this year's deliveries.

This is essentially what I was told too.

[Fume troll]

RandomTask said:

the price includes an alloy, so may explain some of the price difference.

Ah, I missed that! Carry on!

Cheers,

FT.

[Frances The Mute]

RicksAlfas said:

Hmmmm. I was chatting to my tyre man yesterday and he did not recommend buying winter tyres now as they will all be last seasons stock. He said the main deliveries start early October - they are not supplied throughout the year. I have no reason to doubt him as I was quite happy to buy them now. As it is he will contact me in September.

Last seasons stock dried up by mid January for manufacturers outside of the nasty Chinese import market when all insundry lost the plot and realised winter tyres do make a difference.

Typically, production starts in July for the industry so you're either looking at placing an advanced order. Most dealers won't hold stock of these as it takes up room for those still buying summer tyres. It will be a very different story come the last quarter - given the last two winters.

[HellDiver]

RandomTask said:

I've also spotted a classified add very near me on PH for 4x 17" Insignia structure wheels with Avon Ice Tours that have only done 4k for £500 all in that might be an option if he were to move on the price a little.

I'd jump on that, to be honest.