Winter tyres vol 2

[RicksAlfas]

obscene said:

Count me as another who think the smaller wheels look really good!

And me. They suit that car.

Off topic now, but the current obsession with massive wheels is a real triumph of marketing over function. You don't see it as much elsewhere. In the US and Europe you see far more SE spec BMWs (for example) than M-Sports, where as here it seems the other way round. Bring back big sidewalls!

[Roaduser]

anarki said:

tobinen said:

I think that's probably the (my) issue in that 235/60 R16 (my size) is or was a common size for an SUV but not a coupe. Anyway, the load rating is 100 which is spot on.

Hi tobinen, I posted a few pages back that I opted for the quatrac 5's on my forester (215/60/16 H 99) and I've put about 600 miles on them so far.

Be mindful with the first 100 miles, I was driving in a remote part of Shropshire on a quick B road (B4363) just after I'd had them fitted, it was absolutely hammering down with rain and they felt quite skittish. After 100 miles they've scrubbed in and feel really good on all surfaces.

I haven't had the chance to drive them in freezing conditions yet but they feel responsive and grippy in the current climate (12'C most days) the coldest being 5'C where they felt fantastic compared to my previous budget tyres - which in the same conditions felt like you were driving on glass.

Hardly any road noise either and no noticeable change in fuel consumption. Would buy again.

- I'll also report back once we've hit sub zero temps and also when we get snow/ice. I'm looking forward to testing them in those conditions.

You will love them quatrac 5s, had them fitted to my dad's ML270 and they stop on the snow and ice on a dime, unlike the general grabber at he had on before.

[Barchettaman]

Mr Tidy said:

I put the 16" winters back on my E91 on Monday.

But I noticed 2 of them are more worn than the other 2. I put the better ones on the back as being RWD I was thinking it'll help to get moving, but now I'm wondering if I should have put the better ones on the front to help it stop!

II would appreciate any thoughts from people who have more experience of them.

My experience (16 years) is that the performance of winter tyres drops off really noticeably in all conditions once they get to 4mm tread depth. The car turns into a wollowy understeering mess.

Although you´ve done the correct thing by putting the better tyres on the back, have a quick look at the tread depth of the front pair and if they´re under 4mm, think about replacement.

Just my 2p.

[DailyHack]

HannsG said:

it could be that they were on the E46 M3 before I purchased the 125i.

Honestly the ride is so confortable compared to the standard 18s.i would happily run 17s all year on this car

I think they are from the E36 (90's M3) so even older - surprised how good they look from such a oldish BM - deffo worth considering these over your big 18" wheels...everyone rides that style nowadays on the 1ers it seems.

I am running 16" Streamline wheels on my E91 Touring...they were never used on the E'series Tourers until the F'series - bloody love em, I do

[RicksAlfas]

DailyHack said:

I am running 16" Streamline wheels on my E91 Touring...they were never used on the E'series Tourers until the F'series - bloody love em, I do

I like them too. Very easy to clean as well.

[obscene]

I figured I'd try out winter tyres this year as I found some cheap. Found some Hankooks on tyre leader for £35 each (14" fiesta wheels help!), went and bought some spare wheels last night for £60 and I'm currently waiting on the tyres to arrive so I can fit them. Can't wait to give them a bash given the good reviews of the tyre. Let's hope it snows! That said, given they are better in under 7 degrees, I'm still keen to try them

[Mr E]

Winters on. Exactly how much use a 265/35R18 is on snow I’m not sure...

[Jamesgt]

Mr E said:

Winters on. Exactly how much use a 265/35R18 is on snow I’m not sure...

Fitted 265/30/19 on my c63 yesterday along with 235/35/19 on the front. I’ve never had winters before on my cars but this car was by far the worst I’ve ever driven in a dusting of snow. I’m looking forward to giving them a go in the snow.

[jon-]

Jamesgt said:

Mr E said:

Winters on. Exactly how much use a 265/35R18 is on snow I’m not sure...

Fitted 265/30/19 on my c63 yesterday along with 235/35/19 on the front. I’ve never had winters before on my cars but this car was by far the worst I’ve ever driven in a dusting of snow. I’m looking forward to giving them a go in the snow.

Wider winter tyres can be really effective especially on hard packed snow as they've more edges than narrower ones.

Either way assuming you both have decent winter tyres, you'll both be fine

[Somebody]

I've booked to put on winter tyres (with storage/warehousing) for mid December. It's the first time I have had winter tyres purely because I'm now driving a rear wheel drive. I never saw the need for winter tyres on a FWD.

[Barchettaman]

Somebody said:

I've booked to put on winter tyres (with storage/warehousing) for mid December. It's the first time I have had winter tyres purely because I'm now driving a rear wheel drive. I never saw the need for winter tyres on a FWD.

When my current winter tyres wear out (should get one more season out of them) I'll be replacing them with all-seasons, they seem a more sensible compromise for a 'normal' winter i.e. lots of wet, cold conditions and occasional snow and slush.

When the summers wear out I'll just leave the all-seasons on AYR.

Having had a good browse of the recent tests it seems all-seasons have got so good that, for a daily driver, swapping sets twice a year is pretty pointless.

[Somebody]

I had to double take on this pic as initial view was that the tyre was fitted on the wrong side of the car.

[Pica-Pica]

Somebody said:

I had to double take on this pic as initial view was that the tyre was fitted on the wrong side of the car.

Given that winter/all-season tyres are direction, why do people have as a spare? I am contemplating all seasons for my wife’s Fabia.

[Munter]

Pica-Pica said:

Given that winter/all-season tyres are direction, why do people have as a spare? I am contemplating all seasons for my wife’s Fabia.

You mean what not why I assume.

Anything black and round as a spare for me.

[chriscoates]

Just fitted these Falkens to my 130i:


Alloys are absolutely mint and plenty of meat on the tyres, but didn't realise until I picked them up that they were runflats so despite being an inch smaller than the M Sport 18s that were on before, they've made the ride worse oh well. The main thing is to make the car vaguely tractable in wintry conditions, things got a bit wild last winter where I work:



Not sure what to expect this time - I can't see them being as good as the ones I had on my old Lupo but I know they will at least stop the car being unusable at the first sign of a dusting

[jon-]

Munter said:

Pica-Pica said:

Given that winter/all-season tyres are direction, why do people have as a spare? I am contemplating all seasons for my wife’s Fabia.

You mean what not why I assume.

Anything black and round as a spare for me.

The really anal people will put a CrossClimate on a full side spare so you have a mix of abilities.

[Pica-Pica]

Munter said:

Pica-Pica said:

Given that winter/all-season tyres are direction, why do people have as a spare? I am contemplating all seasons for my wife’s Fabia.

You mean what not why I assume.

Anything black and round as a spare for me.

Correct, I did mean ‘what do people have as a spare’. I was simply planning on an old summer tyre as a spare, but it will just sit there (hopefully) and become time-expired.

[Pica-Pica]

jon- said:

Munter said:

Pica-Pica said:

Given that winter/all-season tyres are direction, why do people have as a spare? I am contemplating all seasons for my wife’s Fabia.

You mean what not why I assume.

Anything black and round as a spare for me.

The really anal people will put a CrossClimate on a full side spare so you have a mix of abilities.

My first choice was to use all-season, but they are directional too. I have for a full size spare rim.

[Munter]

Pica-Pica said:

My first choice was to use all-season, but they are directional too. I have for a full size spare rim.

I think if you are truly using it as a spare. E.g. to get to some place better than "here", to then resolve your tyre related predicament. Running a directional tyre backwards wouldn't be an issue. Just don't do warp9. I'd treat it the same as a space saver/tyre foam situation.

[Mr Tidy]

Barchettaman said:

Mr Tidy said:

I put the 16" winters back on my E91 on Monday.

But I noticed 2 of them are more worn than the other 2. I put the better ones on the back as being RWD I was thinking it'll help to get moving, but now I'm wondering if I should have put the better ones on the front to help it stop!

II would appreciate any thoughts from people who have more experience of them.

My experience (16 years) is that the performance of winter tyres drops off really noticeably in all conditions once they get to 4mm tread depth. The car turns into a wollowy understeering mess.

Although you´ve done the correct thing by putting the better tyres on the back, have a quick look at the tread depth of the front pair and if they´re under 4mm, think about replacement.

Just my 2p.

Thanks, useful to find out - I've only used them for 3 years, and it never snowed until this March!

I did check tread and they've all still got more than 4mm so all good for now.