corrected
Spec me Winter Tyres
- Thread starter Skynet-T800
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Soldato
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A lot of it depends on the car too. My old 156 v6 had superb traction with all the weight up front as does my old mini with a heavy cast iron lump in a subframe both were fine on summer tyres. You do see a lot of big fwd saloons now with lightweight alloy engines and wide tyres so I could see how they would be awful in the snow.
My MGB is my first RWD car so I wanted to give myself a half decent chance, nearly all of my commute is on country roads including step banks. I think I got all 5 ice tourings for around £230.
My MGB is my first RWD car so I wanted to give myself a half decent chance, nearly all of my commute is on country roads including step banks. I think I got all 5 ice tourings for around £230.
corrected
I did almost put (I), but there is no a shortage of 'winter tyre' threads on this forum and I'm definitely not the only one that's had a pop at people who exaggerate the amount of snow we get
But as I've said, if someone can justify the cost (rural roads, hills) then I don't have a problem with it. I've even considered them myself over the last few winters. It's just that for the vast majority of the year they offer no real benefit over summer tyres.
Who knows, maybe this winter I'll even justify them to myself
I did almost put (I), but there is no a shortage of 'winter tyre' threads on this forum and I'm definitely not the only one that's had a pop at people who exaggerate the amount of snow we get
But as I've said, if someone can justify the cost (rural roads, hills) then I don't have a problem with it. I've even considered them myself over the last few winters. It's just that for the vast majority of the year they offer no real benefit over summer tyres.
Who knows, maybe this winter I'll even justify them to myself
I'll see if I can find some photos of the weather, I'm sure there will be the odd snapshot so you can marvel at it
- plus, as I say, the temperatures go sub-zero out here (a lot of dips and valleys) and any extra traction adds to my fun drive to work (the last 5 miles are single-track roads with most of the people not understanding passing places) 
I work just down the road from where you live Skynet - my daily commute consists of driving from my home in Dalton through to Troutbeck Bridge - roughly a 45 mile round trip. As you know the lake road in particular is quite uneven and pot holed and arguably grim to drive in almost anything other than good weather.
I invested in a set of Goodyear Ultragrip 8's (195-60-R15) around 2 years ago @ about £70 a corner. Yeah they're epic in ice and snow but as many others have repeatedly said those conditions aren't around all that often - so why recommend them?...
Well I've actually found them to be nothing short of astonishing in standard wet conditions and standing water conditions. Something that does indeed occur more often than not along that stretch of road. Traction in what would normally be miserable slippery conditions is almost as good as dry traction and when the tyres hit standing water (not super deep, just the type that would normally cause a car to aquaplane) the tyres stay in contact with the tarmac and control remains.
I run them all year and have found wear and control to be good. Certainly far far better than I had initially worried they might be! Summer running on particularly hot days (20c+ degrees) does have an additional spongy feeling but besides that they seem to track well, don't create any more road noise, wear well and seem pretty economical. For example I've run Dunlop economy tyres in the past and got an average 43-44mpg return. The Goodyears return essentially the same results and generate the same level of road noise. Also, as I said, I've been running these for 2 years now and done probably 30k miles on them. Tread is probably at around 4-5mm on the fronts with a little more on the back (will probably swap them front to back as we arrive at Winter proper). Besides my daily commute I also use the car for trips out so a good deal of that mileage also includes UK wide travel to a variety of locations from the East coast, to Wales, London and down Dorset/Devon way.
Ultimately it's up to you. I understand what you mean about peace of mind in inclement weather and for me it was certainly worth it.
I invested in a set of Goodyear Ultragrip 8's (195-60-R15) around 2 years ago @ about £70 a corner. Yeah they're epic in ice and snow but as many others have repeatedly said those conditions aren't around all that often - so why recommend them?...
Well I've actually found them to be nothing short of astonishing in standard wet conditions and standing water conditions. Something that does indeed occur more often than not along that stretch of road. Traction in what would normally be miserable slippery conditions is almost as good as dry traction and when the tyres hit standing water (not super deep, just the type that would normally cause a car to aquaplane) the tyres stay in contact with the tarmac and control remains.
I run them all year and have found wear and control to be good. Certainly far far better than I had initially worried they might be! Summer running on particularly hot days (20c+ degrees) does have an additional spongy feeling but besides that they seem to track well, don't create any more road noise, wear well and seem pretty economical. For example I've run Dunlop economy tyres in the past and got an average 43-44mpg return. The Goodyears return essentially the same results and generate the same level of road noise. Also, as I said, I've been running these for 2 years now and done probably 30k miles on them. Tread is probably at around 4-5mm on the fronts with a little more on the back (will probably swap them front to back as we arrive at Winter proper). Besides my daily commute I also use the car for trips out so a good deal of that mileage also includes UK wide travel to a variety of locations from the East coast, to Wales, London and down Dorset/Devon way.
Ultimately it's up to you. I understand what you mean about peace of mind in inclement weather and for me it was certainly worth it.
I've lived (and worked) in north Yorkshire for the last 12 years, except last winter, the Midlands (where i was working last year) suffered pretty much the brunt of the snow last winter, as i was flitting between North Yorkshire and the midlands every 2 weeks, i saw what both parts of the country had suffered, and i'm afraid north Yorkshire had nothing in comparison. and as such, what we had in the Midlands was the worst i have experienced in the last 12 years as a driver. I still got around fine in my saab 9-3 convertible on cheap summer tyres lol.
I also drove early in the morning / late at night being a chef, and i used to drive from Middlesbrough to Solberge Hall in Northallerton (25 miles), in the snow, at 5AM. (Breakfast shift). Yes, it was quite scary, but i just took my time and got there with no issues.
I've got an Audi a6 quattro now though so i have to admit i'm looking forward to trying that in the snow, it'll still have summer tyres on it though
Soldato
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Never bothered in 15 years of driving and never will
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
This is simply not true but you cannot be blamed for thinking it is given how often this useless and meaningless stat is repeated by advertising material and promotional material. It makes absolutely no sense that there would be an exact temperature at which every single tyre of a certain type irrespective of performance, quality, brand or construction would suddenly become worse than every other tyre of a certain other type irrespective of performance, quality, brand or construction. Until white stuff contacts the ground, I still genuinelly beleive the best tyre to have fitted to your car in the UK is some sort of UHP premium brand tyre with a focus on wet weather performance.
Once there is actually stuff on the ground it changes completely and said tyres become useless and winter tyres make a mockery of them. The choice is therefore simple - if you fear being stranded by snow, fit winter tyres and remove the fear. If you don't, then don't. The 7c thing is an irritating sideshow, IMHO.
I do not at all fear being stuck by snow and beleive the performance of the tyres I use - Eagle F1 Assymetric 2 - is such that it is absolutely the best performing choice for my car over a winter. I will therefore not be fitting winter tyres. My girlfriend, however, does fear being stuck by snow and gets concerned when the snow arrives therefore I'll be fitting some Conti WinterContact's to her MINI for her peace of mind.
Soldato
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I fit kumho ecsta le sport ku39
For peace of mind
For peace of mind
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My part worn winter tyres. ......
Run
What width is the tyre?
If it anything around 175 I don't think I would bother on a super mini.
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[TW]Fox;25001430 said:
Trying them out to get a view of them, 4mm is only a reccomendation for when the performance starts dropping off in the snow, the legal limit is still the same as normal tyres and the properties out of the snow will be the same as a 5/6mm tyre.
Your thinking of snow tyres, winter tyres are not for driving in "proper" snow, they are for driving on light snow, gritted roads in the slush, etc. You would still want snow tyres or chains for proper snow (or preferably a 4x4).
[TW]Fox;25000880 said:
+1
[TW]Fox;25000880 said:
Sorry - I missed "in my experience" out
It can vary, but personally for my driving style, I find the extra grip etc. provided by Winter tyres on my particular car, to become significant around the 7C outside temperature (generally the ground is considerably colder due to lack of sunlight on the roads I drive on)
I agree with you Fox - get the best tyre you can afford for the situation you find yourself in.
I think we have all blathered on enough now
Back to the OP's question- I still stick with my original suggestions
- two of the best Winter tyres you can buy for my size wheel/tyre which focus on both Wet and Cold performance.
all this from a question about winter tyres - why do we bother...we should all drive round on Summer LingLongs - just more carefully
It would save so much money for everyone and there would be fewer accidents
IIRC Continental say if you only run one set of tyres then use winters all year (prob cos they know they will wear out quicker and you will have to buy more lol).
Soldato
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The first question should be "What winter tyres are made in my size?", and then compare the reviews etc. Fortunately buying now you should be able to get stock of whatever you chose!
We fitted Winter Tyres to one of the family cars last winter - there were eight tyres made in the correct size for the car we were putting them on, and only one that we could find stock of in November. In the end we just rung the dealer, and had them fit whatever their approved winter tyre was, as the summer tyres on the car were also just whatever it came with from the factory. Yokohama W.drive (V902A) it was as Lexus UK had put in a massive order with Yokohama for each dealer to have stock of them in the correct size for every wheel size that Lexus's can come with.
For dry/wet/cold roads they were fine - and actually felt better than the summer tyres that were on it IMHO (Dunlop something). When it was warmer (10C) I was expecting the Yokohama winters to be rubbish, but they were fine.
As for how did the winter tyres perform in the snow last winter... they were great
. It may well have been the AWD + Snow Mode that got the thing moving rather than the tyres ... but jump on the brakes and you definitely knew you had winter tyres on it! There's a hill round here that in the snow the only other vehicle to come up it was an Audi A6 with Quattro... but coming down it he was just a locked-up as everyone else on Summer tyres.
Took the winter tyres off when the weather finally warmed up - the tread on them had hardly worn down at all and they'll be good for another few seasons yet. Would highly recommend them... as-long as cost isn't an issue for you.
We fitted Winter Tyres to one of the family cars last winter - there were eight tyres made in the correct size for the car we were putting them on, and only one that we could find stock of in November. In the end we just rung the dealer, and had them fit whatever their approved winter tyre was, as the summer tyres on the car were also just whatever it came with from the factory. Yokohama W.drive (V902A) it was as Lexus UK had put in a massive order with Yokohama for each dealer to have stock of them in the correct size for every wheel size that Lexus's can come with.
For dry/wet/cold roads they were fine - and actually felt better than the summer tyres that were on it IMHO (Dunlop something). When it was warmer (10C) I was expecting the Yokohama winters to be rubbish, but they were fine.
As for how did the winter tyres perform in the snow last winter... they were great
. It may well have been the AWD + Snow Mode that got the thing moving rather than the tyres ... but jump on the brakes and you definitely knew you had winter tyres on it! There's a hill round here that in the snow the only other vehicle to come up it was an Audi A6 with Quattro... but coming down it he was just a locked-up as everyone else on Summer tyres.Took the winter tyres off when the weather finally warmed up - the tread on them had hardly worn down at all and they'll be good for another few seasons yet. Would highly recommend them... as-long as cost isn't an issue for you
.ie, you might as well just have a UHP tyre fitted. Total waste of time buying a 4mm part worn winter tyre.
Associate
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Im going for winter tyres this year, certainly on the 350z as I couldn't physically get it home from the garage last year in the snow, and no im not rubbish - small incline narrow, I had a go and I was lucky not to ruin the thing. This year the Mrs has to get to work so its getting some on.
Also tbh theres very little added cost long term - you wear your summer tyres slower and wear the winters instead, its just like buying two sets one after the other, sure theyre probably a little more expensive than summers and you have to get them fitted, but for the added safety IMO its going to be worth it, esp in a rear wheel drive car.
Just my 2c (oh and I think ill be getting Michelin Pilot Alpine PA4s)
Hawker
Also tbh theres very little added cost long term - you wear your summer tyres slower and wear the winters instead, its just like buying two sets one after the other, sure theyre probably a little more expensive than summers and you have to get them fitted, but for the added safety IMO its going to be worth it, esp in a rear wheel drive car.
Just my 2c (oh and I think ill be getting Michelin Pilot Alpine PA4s)
Hawker