Winter tyres for all year use?
Winter tyres for all year use?
Author
Discussion

TheFungle

Original Poster:

4,253 posts

235 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
It's dropped a degree or two outside; must be time for a winter tyre thread!

My wife's company car is on the verge of needing replacement tyres, she pays for them herself and claims the money back so the choice is completely down to her.

She is doing approx. 30k pa and so far the Conti Sport tyres she has on have managed 36k, her mileage is mostly M-Way and she doesn't drive especially hard.

With living in N.Yorks I'd much prefer her to have winter tyres for the winter months. She will not entertain having a set of summer/winter tyres so it has to be the one set only.

Is it sensible to consider winter tyres for that level of mileage? By my reckoning if she fitted them now she would get this winter and through to next October on them so pretty good timings wise.

Are there any major drawbacks with increased fuel consumption and noise?

Car is a 1.6 A3 TDi and tyres are 215/45/18

GreigM

6,740 posts

278 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
You can get all-season tyres which are M&S rated - I had a set of Nokian WRG3 (I think) which I would rate highly.

You may get poorer economy.
You will get less miles between changes.
The handling will suffer but few people are genuinely capable of noticing.

Bill

58,652 posts

284 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Have a look here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

My missus does 6k a year on rural roads on Kleber Quadraxers and not had any issues other than a bit more road noise. I've used them in all conditions from snow and ice to fast ish use on A roads when it's hot and never found them wanting. And the reviews don't particularly rate them, so you should be fine.

InitialDave

15,104 posts

148 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
I've run winter tyres during warm, dry weather, and they were functionally ok, maybe a little noisier, but very noticeably easier to lock up under braking.

Definitely recommend them for winter, but I say have a second set on cheap wheels rather than running them year round.

I don't view it as an extra expense, as such, because when you're running one set, you're not running the other, so they last longer, and there seems to be a ready market for selling winter tyre/wheel set on if you change cars.

V88Dicky

7,368 posts

212 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Another vote for Kleber Quadraxers here.

They are quite highly thought of on the continent, and they're absolutely fine on my X-Type.

Zyp

16,088 posts

218 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
We've got Toyo winters on the old Forester.
Had them on for 2 years all year round with no problems.

Thus far, contrary to popular belief, I haven't yet been killed to death because of them.

TheEnd

15,370 posts

217 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Me too, I've had a pair of winter tyres on my front wheels for about 18 months now.
They might be a bit more screechy around dry smooth roundabouts, but that's about it.

ging84

9,548 posts

175 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
TheEnd said:
Me too, I've had a pair of winter tyres on my front wheels for about 18 months now.
They might be a bit more screechy around dry smooth roundabouts, but that's about it.
Winters on the front but not on the back? I'm suprised your not dead (via a PH lynch mob not via an accident which was in any way influenced by your tyres)

Cliftonite

8,742 posts

167 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
TheEnd said:
Me too, I've had a pair of winter tyres on my front wheels for about 18 months now.
They might be a bit more screechy around dry smooth roundabouts, but that's about it.
Winters on the front and summers on the rear!
yikes
How many times have you died ???


TheEnd

15,370 posts

217 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
You know what's worse?


They were part worns too....

I'm a marked man...

Gtom

1,892 posts

161 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
My car, the other half car, my mums car and dad's tip run van are all running winters. All drive perfectly fine, no issues with normal driving. May be different at 9/10ths but we don't drive like that!

lbc

3,332 posts

246 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Conti TS850's on my Volvo all year round every year.

Car runs quieter on winters also. smile

Cliftonite

8,742 posts

167 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
TheEnd said:
You know what's worse?


They were part worns too....

I'm a marked man...
Dead man walking, more like!

Come to think of it, walking would be safer, man!




Patrick Bateman

13,172 posts

203 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
I've found them crap when it gets warm. If it was to be on a car vaguely performance related I wouldn't.

Motorrad

6,811 posts

216 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Running full on winters on my E39 even now. My advice don't expect them to grip like st hot premium 'summer' tyres. Other than that if you don't take the piss they're fine. You can't say the same about summer tyres in snow.

harry kular

2,785 posts

255 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
lbc said:
Conti TS850's on my Volvo all year round every year.

Car runs quieter on winters also. smile
Been running these on our e46 for two years, excellent tyre, so good that there is very little trade off in warmer weather.

Budget winters may have a more marked difference though

optimal909

198 posts

173 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Anyone with a bit of feel for driving notice that there is a significant difference between winter and summer tyres - day and night difference I mean.

In an age when you can get budget summer tyres for peanuts, it is frankly irresponsible to have winter tyres only.

Patrick Bateman

13,172 posts

203 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
optimal909 said:
Anyone with a bit of feel for driving notice that there is a significant difference between winter and summer tyres - day and night difference I mean.

In an age when you can get budget summer tyres for peanuts, it is frankly irresponsible to have winter tyres only.
I agree with the first comment but not to the extent of the second comment. Just a bit OTT.

Zyp

16,088 posts

218 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
I'd rather have top quality winters on all year round than low quality summers in the summer.

threadlock

3,210 posts

283 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
quotequote all
Another person here running all-season tyres all year round (Falkens) on my every day family barge. They've been fine. It wheelspins quite easily on warm days when enthusiastically pulling out of junctions, but for every day driving I've had no problems at all.

Maybe my stopping distances are increased. I've no idea. I drive carefully and haven't needed to test that statistic yet.