Using summer tyres all year round
- Thread starter Ricochet J
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Man of Honour
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I always had Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance on my Astra and never had any problems in the snow (we get quite a bit in NE Scotland). I have never bought winter tyres and have never had any problems in snow. All you need to do is drive according to the conditions and not drive around like a idiot.
The B-Max I have now came with Vredestein all climate tyres fitted but we didn't have that much snow last year to test them out. They seem to be alright in heavy rain though which is the most common wether up here.
The B-Max I have now came with Vredestein all climate tyres fitted but we didn't have that much snow last year to test them out. They seem to be alright in heavy rain though which is the most common wether up here.
Until that isn't good enough. I've seen cars on all kinds of summer tyres struggle on my old road in not especially bad conditions when it has got a little icy regardless of how they were driven. Conversely a few years back my brother did around 100 miles in pretty bad snow conditions in a Golf on stock tyres, where even 4x4s were being abandoned, largely due to just driving appropriately for the conditions and a degree of driver skill - ESP off and getting approach speed right.
I've run summer touring tyres year round the last few years, done OK even when temperatures got down to -7C, but there have been times when they would not have been good enough but fortunately I didn't have to go anywhere those 1-2 days. Not going to chance it this winter though and have some all-season/all-terrain tyres going on next week.
Soldato
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True, you'd get better grip for accelerationBraking distances are better as well. What about little Johnny running into the road between parked cars at Tesco?
. I do remember my dad having a 3 series as a company car when I was a kid maybe 25 years ago. Slight hill and he couldn't get up it, his mate went up in a vw camper van and found it hilarious. I'd expect audio to be better, especially if they're quattro, even if on summer tyres.
Underboss
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Basingstoke Winter 2019 winter tyres vs all other cars summer tyres
Mind you stick the right tyres on a T4 or 5 they'll go places a lot of other vehicles won't. Seen videos of people doing Hardknott, etc. in ridiculous weather in them.
Soldato
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You must be down south, I've seem 0 degrees recently and that in East Yorkshire (or humberside if you want to go old school
).
Don
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Cost/Benefit/Hassle analysis never really works out in the UK, in most places.
You have to store a set of wheels, or get your tyres swapped over/stored twice a year.
You have to buy either or both of a set of spare alloys and tyres
There are never enough really cold/snowy days to warrant it.
Snow chains are a thing, and much easier to put on (and store!) in a sudden heavy snow event.
I have been driving for nearly 20 years, and have had 1 situation where snow/ice stopped me driving on my summer tyres, so I put on chains...
I was driving about Basingstoke/Reading absolutely fine in a 5 litre v8 RWD during that snow in the video above, whilst my Mrs was also fine in her turbo estate. I actually ended up taking the back roads, as it was clearer due to people not adapting to the conditions, which is the real problem here, not tyres
You have to store a set of wheels, or get your tyres swapped over/stored twice a year.
You have to buy either or both of a set of spare alloys and tyres
There are never enough really cold/snowy days to warrant it.
Snow chains are a thing, and much easier to put on (and store!) in a sudden heavy snow event.
I have been driving for nearly 20 years, and have had 1 situation where snow/ice stopped me driving on my summer tyres, so I put on chains...
I was driving about Basingstoke/Reading absolutely fine in a 5 litre v8 RWD during that snow in the video above, whilst my Mrs was also fine in her turbo estate. I actually ended up taking the back roads, as it was clearer due to people not adapting to the conditions, which is the real problem here, not tyres
to be fair, before decent winter tyre came only, I used to use shown chains/socks where I lived in Co Durham most winters.
In your youth cars had skinny tyres that cut through snow and they weighed less.
One positive of my EV is the traction control is superb but as a compromise my next tyres are a set of Michelin Cross Climates.
Last couple of posts remind me I have some snow socks tucked away.
We were also rock too and knew how to control our epic 40bhp monsters!
(I have a full set of winters in the garage, just working out when I can get them put on)
Like I said,all depends where you live. That map i posted up earlier of rainfall, snowfall and temps showed that for vast areas down south, you might only need winter/all seasons for the odd day or two each winter. If I lived down there then I probably wouldnt bother myself.
Honestly where I live, its just plain scary trying to drive on un gritted/un snow ploughed roads in winter with compacted snow on the road as no matter how slowly your drive on summer tyres, just turning the steering wheel loses any traction you have. As soon as you come to the slightest incline you are stuck.
Its easy to spot the people who havent swapped as you drive past 10 of them all stuck on small slopes.
ANd yes you need somewhere to store the other tyres and and with some cars a second set of wheels which is why I can see some people don't bother. But honestly they should just stay at home and not try to go out anywhere on those kind of days.
Was a very hard frost this morning, all glass on the car iced up and I see on YR.no next week we have 3 days of negative temps overnight with some days where it wont get above freezing and its going to be -8C on xmas day
Used to snow in November where I lived on the Pennines and often cut off the village, usually it presented no problem the next day, guess we were tougher in Yorkshire.
There is a hill near where I live, close to the school where I once worked. It snowed one morning and everyone was trying to get up this hill, called Castle Hill by the way, and no-one could, my partner even got her low powered Fiesta stuck. I went up it just fine in my A4 2.0ltfsi front wheel drive Audi, in fact I drove past those walking who'd got their cars stuck. Parked up and went and drove the Fiesta back up also. The teachers all used to ask me to drive their cars up to the top of the hill where the school was when it snowed. Perhaps there is a art, I dunno, perhaps if you grow up without any aids then you just get used to it and get on.
Having driven cars with broken power steering, no brakes, clutch as my time as a mechanic makes you more intuitive.
These day it seem the winter tyre zealots are out to get you.
There is a hill near where I live, close to the school where I once worked. It snowed one morning and everyone was trying to get up this hill, called Castle Hill by the way, and no-one could, my partner even got her low powered Fiesta stuck. I went up it just fine in my A4 2.0ltfsi front wheel drive Audi, in fact I drove past those walking who'd got their cars stuck. Parked up and went and drove the Fiesta back up also. The teachers all used to ask me to drive their cars up to the top of the hill where the school was when it snowed. Perhaps there is a art, I dunno, perhaps if you grow up without any aids then you just get used to it and get on.
Having driven cars with broken power steering, no brakes, clutch as my time as a mechanic makes you more intuitive.
These day it seem the winter tyre zealots are out to get you.
ok so the f1as5's are about same price as efficient grip in the sizes they are done in
https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/goodyear/efficientgrip-performance/205-45-r17-88v-1052173
cross-climate2 's in OP sizes
https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-205-60-16/?m[4]=on&m[18]=on
are closely priced to efficient grips, if I had to replace all 4, I'd be interested ... wait for winter tyre deals too.
edit: I was forgetting one reason I might change
https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/goodyear/efficientgrip-performance/205-45-r17-88v-1052173
cross-climate2 's in OP sizes
https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-205-60-16/?m[4]=on&m[18]=on
are closely priced to efficient grips, if I had to replace all 4, I'd be interested ... wait for winter tyre deals too.
edit: I was forgetting one reason I might change
Interesting comment from mechanic who just did my MOT - advisory(expected)
many so called premium tyres are showing cracking in the tread channels , after a few years, to wit, my goodyear efficient grip's about 3 years 25K old,
for that reason, he was more hot on the chinese options ? he said there is little mileage in trying to exploit guarantee/warranty.
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