benefits to running all season vs. winter tyres?

[p1tse]

I've been running winter tyres with smaller wheels and have been happy with it, but having sold the car I'm now considering a winter setup for the next car for numerous reasons.
However, I appreciate that we've not had really bad weather so was thinking what are the benefits to all seasons vs. winter tyres as a winter setup if any?

[MGJohn]

Depends on where you live and what climate. Summer, winter or rain tyres. In the south of the UK, most of the 365 days one tyre fits all. I have a spare set of Uniroyal Rainsport wheels for my car but, most of the time they remain in store.

[p1tse]

I don't live in the hills or up in Scotland, but in a smaller village where the back roads don't get gritted if it snows

having had winter tyres before I've learnt to like them for several reasons:
- rotating wheels with smaller winter set up saves the summer rubber tread (where summers being bigger are more expensive) and alloys looking nicer, so apart from initial cost it's cost neutral in away with the benefits of them in adverse conditions
- i found the winters better in the wet and rain

So i know there are many arguments that we in UK don't need winter setups, but having had them I see there merits and of the above points.

[Dog Star]

Proper all-season with snowflake and mountain symbol are all you'll need. We've had them (either Goodyear Vectors or Kleber Quadraxers) on a RWD auto Merc coupe, a C1, a 2.4 auto V70 (fwd) and now on a 2.5T AWD V70.

Six inch deep snow won't stop you - they're brilliant. Good in rain too.

[p1tse]

nokian, vredestien get mentioned with good ratings and are decently priced on 17's compared to summer 19/20" setup

[V88Dicky]

Dog Star said:

Proper all-season with snowflake and mountain symbol are all you'll need. We've had them (either Goodyear Vectors or Kleber Quadraxers) on a RWD auto Merc coupe, a C1, a 2.4 auto V70 (fwd) and now on a 2.5T AWD V70.

Six inch deep snow won't stop you - they're brilliant. Good in rain too.

This^^^

I run Quadraxers on my (albeit AWD) Jag and they've been excellent for the last year. Only a couple of days of snow here last winter, but they performed excellently. They don't appear to have worn much neither during the 7000 miles they've been on.

[MGJohn]

Plus, I always keep in mind there's no such thing as "Ditchfinder" tyres, only ditchfinder car users. If you buy economy priced tyres and expect them to perform like the equivalent sized Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli and other top brand tyres costing three times or more, then that mindset is almost certain to find a ditch at some stage.

Also, if I overdrive something with top brand tyres, in certain circumstances I can soon find a ditch.

[pilchardthecat]

Dog Star said:

Proper all-season with snowflake and mountain symbol are all you'll need. We've had them (either Goodyear Vectors or Kleber Quadraxers) on a RWD auto Merc coupe, a C1, a 2.4 auto V70 (fwd) and now on a 2.5T AWD V70.

Six inch deep snow won't stop you - they're brilliant. Good in rain too.

I run the Klebers all year round on the family bus, they are as good as the premium winters in the snow, and on a normal family runaround car i cant tell the difference in the summer versus mid-range summer tyres

[p1tse]

this was an interesting read with some easy to read graphical charts to show breaking on winter, summer, all season in wet, dry and snow:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/All-Season-Ty...

it concludes
"The evidence suggests that the technology to create a true all season tyre doesn't yet exist, and looking at the balance of qualities, the best winter tyre on sale in the UK is actually a better year round tyre than the leading all season contender"

if running specific winter wheel setup, i think maybe better go the whole hog on full winters

[Russ T Bolt]

I have run winter tyres all year round on my cars for about 7 years now. My preferred tyre is the Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme.

Although I have Conti's of some description on the iQ, which seem to work very well, but that is just used for pottering around locally.

[jshell]

My Cayenne is on year-round Winters. See no need for summers now.

[nickofh]

Been pleased with the Nexen Npriz 4S on our dog / caravan car. Not had the chance to try in the snow , bud done well on muddy fields and better than I thought in normal use. I thought being a different compound that they would not last as long , but they are wearing well. Almost as well as the Nexen N8000 (summer) & better than the Hankook Kinergy eco I had previously.

[Glade]

I had an old Passat daily. When the tyres needed changing I bought the 4x £60 Nangkang all seasons.

They were better than the Pirelli eco tyres that were on it, were fine through the summer, and were definitely better over that bad winter we had a few years back.

I didn't see a downside.

On a performance car that actually has some steering feel - perhaps not.

[oldcynic]

Running Michelin Pilot Alpin 4's all year round on my V70 - mainly because spring came round and I was broke, so had no spare cash for a set of summer tyres last year. They are still fitted now.

I've had winter tyres which seemed to start meting in mid-summer (Avon Ice Touring ST's) but no such problem this time round. I've also found the Michelins to be better than the Kleber Quadraxers (albeit on a V70 vs a Mondeo), so these winters seem to make a better all-season tyre.