Tyres for the wife's car?

[ouch]

Getting down to 3mm on the front of the wifes Ibiza (185/60r14) and I want to get some fresh rubber on there for the inclement weather we're expecting.

She doesn't do many miles, mostly local roads, and has taken to driving like miss daisy whilst the baby is on-board. The Ibiza is a stock 1.4 so isn't likely to light up the tarmac anyway. I'm not going to swap these tyres out over winter, so they'll have to last in all seasons, my biggest concern is they'll likely to get old before being worn out.

Currently got Falken something-or-another that was fitted by a Ford dealer (long story), not that impressed being honest (and they're the wrong size!).. Any suggestions?

[jon-]

If you're not going to swap tyres round but still want good all season performance, it has to be Goodyear Vector 4Seasons or Bridgestone A001

Here's why: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2013-Auto-Bil...

Here's where: http://lovetyres.com/search/tyres/185-60-14/season...

[dave_s13]

I had these on a 2.0 Focus last winter



Kleber Quadraxer

http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?s_p=Kleb...

They are brilliant. Got me through some proper snow with no bother at all and absolutely fine in in the hot, dry weather too.

If the car I just bought (Ford Galaxy) didn't have 4 new tyres on I'd get these again without question.

[otolith]

I would put one of the partially siped all-seasons on any "ordinary" car these days.

[acf8181]

Uniroyal Rainsport

[shiftydave]

otolith said:

I would put one of the partially siped all-seasons on any "ordinary" car these days.

Yep, same. I put the Kumho all-seasons (can't remember exact model details) on the wife's 206 1.4D a few weeks ago and they're fine. Noticed a little bit less grip in the dry than the previous Goodyear something-or-others, but in the wet I've found performance is about the same. Should hopefully feel a little bit more confident as the weather turns colder now.

[Gtom]

I'm tempted to do the same with my other halfs car. She doesn't do many miles either so winters all year round should be fine.

For reference my dads run around (vauxhall combo van) and my mums car (corsa d) have both run winter tyres all this year. They haven't done loads of miles (sub 4k) but they haven't been chewed up and they will be fine for this winter and well into next year. They were bought part warn too.

[Krikkit]

Holywow said:

With very low yearly mileage 4,000 or less I'm still considering just running winter tyres all year round.

They will probably still end up being replaced before they wear out ie from side wall perishing.

Are they a problem in the summer other than wearing faster?

If she drives like Miss Daisy, no. The effect in warmer temperatures is an overheated compound with a reasonable grip reduction. She won't get anywhere near the maximum grip, so don't fret about it.

[McWigglebum4th]

We run winter tyres all round on the forester and i ran them all year round on my Focus

No issues

[ouch]

Thanks for the feedback so far! Not too sure about winter tyres due to the comparable cost and less than spectacular warm weather performance, though I can see the justification, also if I were going down this path I'd be wanting to replace all 4, which I can't really justify right now.

The reviews of 'all season' tyres are not exactly filling me with confidence in that direction much either, though it would make sense if they were any good:
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/All-Season-Ty...

Ringing a few dealers, I've been offered Uniroyal RainExperts, Falken 914s and some sort of Kuhmo for about the same price (£50 each, fitted).

I've had the 912's on other another car (E30 BMW) and found them quite average, are the 914s any better?

I've got Kuhmo KU39s on my A6 and rate them quite well for motorway driving, but it's a totally different scenario given it's twice the weight and does 4x the mileage on different size and profiles.

What sort of Kuhmos would I have been offered - the 39's or something a bit more pedestrian like the KH17?

[Gandahar]

For safety you are better running summer or rain tyres all year round than winters or all season in the UK. The summer tyres will give you much better braking in the summer, spring and autumn compared to winters, the rain tyres will give you even better in spring and autumm but worse in summer.

They are both better 3 seasons out of 4, so I am surprised people think biasing it to winter or all seasons for one Winter season.

I'm talking about safety here rather than get you home traction.

Uniroyal Rainsport 3 might be a good choice.

[McWigglebum4th]

ouch said:

Thanks for the feedback so far! Not too sure about winter tyres due to the comparable cost and less than spectacular warm weather performance, though I can see the justification, also if I were going down this path I'd be wanting to replace all 4, which I can't really justify right now.?

Ran them for 3 years all year round

Still not dead

Never been stuck due to too much sun

[RicksAlfas]

If you don't want winters or 4 Seasons, try Uniroyal RainExperts. They've got a very aggressive tread and work well in snow. We had two identical Golfs at work, one with these on, one with Bridgestones. The Uniroyal one got to work, the Bridgestone one was left at the bottom of the hill.

[monthefish]

Gandahar said:

For safety you are better running summer or rain tyres all year round than winters or all season in the UK.

Rubbish.

Driving in a normal (not 'spirited') manner, you are far more likely to have a major 'off' running summer tyres in winter than vice versa.

[conkerman]

Is she insured?

Fancy a windfall.

If so, Ditchfinder supremes are the tyre for you

+1 for a decent branded 4 season tyre.

[sjj84]

If you've already got and rate the ku39's why not just get a set of those? Must be cheap as chips in that size, they're only about £60 in the 17" size on the other half's fiesta. Alternately if you are considering all seasons, take a look at vredestein, got a set on my banger, seem to be wearing well.

[Bonefish Blues]

In your position I would fit these: http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?s_p=Hank...

[anonymous-user]

Another vote for the Uniroyals here. We put a full set on my wife's Leon Cupra last year which at the time was our sons main conveyance (so no chance of fitting ditch finders). So sure-footed and confidence inspiring in the wet, good in the dry and very reasonably priced.

Wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

[AnotherGareth]

ouch said:

The reviews of 'all season' tyres are not exactly filling me with confidence in that direction much either, though it would make sense if they were any good

If I cared about someone I'd make sure they had tyres appropriate for the worst conditions they're likely to meet. Still, it's your call.

[jon-]

AnotherGareth said:

ouch said:

The reviews of 'all season' tyres are not exactly filling me with confidence in that direction much either, though it would make sense if they were any good

If I cared about someone I'd make sure they had tyres appropriate for the worst conditions they're likely to meet. Still, it's your call.

It's not really that black and white, as tyres are a balance of performance you could quite easily kit your cared on out with budget winter tyres which are excellent in the snow, only to have them sail of the road at the first sign of wet warm running.

I'm slowly coming round to the latest generation of all seasons as a good compromise for those who do limited miles, want to stay mobile in snow and don't want to / can't change tyres twice a year.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2013-Winter-T...