Winter/Cold weather tyre - What do people recommend?
- Thread starter Gibbo
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), the TS830P max size is 245/40-18 with a W rating as well.
Soldato
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Anyone know how long winter tyres will last (so they still work on snow) if fit them say 1st November? Obviously they won't last so long in warmer temps hence why I say November. Earlier in the year there was a shortage of winter tyres (for obvious reasons) and I don't want to buy some and put them on early in November if they're likely to be worn too much by the time we have any snow (usuall early Jan to late Feb). At the moment I'm doing 120miles a day which will mean I will do at least 4800 miles on them by Christmas which is hardly into the main window for snow.
Knowing my luck I'll fit them in November, by Christmas they'll be worn down to the point where they are no good in snow, then it'll snow and I won't be able to get any replacements (due to another shortage!).
So temped to buy a runabout for the winter months, ars*ing around with snow/summer tyres with one car seems a pain
Knowing my luck I'll fit them in November, by Christmas they'll be worn down to the point where they are no good in snow, then it'll snow and I won't be able to get any replacements (due to another shortage!).
So temped to buy a runabout for the winter months, ars*ing around with snow/summer tyres with one car seems a pain
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As long as you don't run them in temps over 15 deg C they should last just as long as summer tyres! It's a myth that they fall apart as soon as you drive on dry roads. They just aren't like that!
EDIT> If you're so concerned, why not just buy the tyres now and fit them later??? But seriously - if you rotate the tyres you should get 20k out of a set of 4 with no worries.
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Soldato
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That would be ideal, but current tyres are only going to last a few more weeks so want to go straight to winters rather than fit new summers for a few weeks until the winters need fitting. Also, storage of 4 tyres and getting them to the fitters would be a PITA (small boot/ big tyres). Can't rotate them I'm afraid, wider rears than the fronts but if I can get say 12k+ out of the rears (RWD) that should be fine. I just had this image of them wearing much quicker due to softer rubber.
To the OP, have a look at the Dunlop Winter 3D's.
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They will actually wear more slowly in the winter than summer tyres because they are designed for winter use, and the rubber doesn't harden and become brittle like summer tyres. 12k should be easy! I did 6k on my Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D and as I said, they still had 8mm tread on!!
Soldato
I didn't know about that until I read it in the current issue of BMW Magazine, but now thinking about it yeah it makes sense
.EDIT: http://www.bmw.co.uk/files/bmwuk/owner/magazine/BMWUK_coldweather_v3.pdf is the online version of the article. Though I can't help but wonder what the £600 for a complete set of four wheels and winter tyres would be.... steelies with chinese remolds? The stock wheels on our E61 would be about £1300 IIRC.
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
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I've got a set of those which I slotted onto my M3 CSL earlier in the year when things were bad. They did allow me to get around in the snow, which wasn't possible with the PS2 fitted, but in anything other than snow (non-snow <7c) they were MUCH worse than the PS2. Very little grip which surprised me as I expected them to be really good based on internet comments.
I still have them and suppose I'll have to try them on my E92 M3 in a month or so when the snow returns.
So my thoughts on this are not quite as stupid as they seem to everyone else then..
Good winter tyres (like the Contis and Dunlops being discussed in this thread) offer excellent grip <7C.
The fact that the PS2s were better than the Vreds shows that the Vreds are pap.
Much like with summer tyres, premium winter tyres > average winter tyres.
You're probably right that premium summer tyres > average winter tyres at ~7C
However, premium winter tyres > all.
The fact that the PS2s were better than the Vreds shows that the Vreds are pap.
Much like with summer tyres, premium winter tyres > average winter tyres.
You're probably right that premium summer tyres > average winter tyres at ~7C
However, premium winter tyres > all.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of my DSC light this winter then. Because obviously that will happen, right, as my ContiSports will turn to rubbish when its 2c outside, yea? Which will mean I'll experience less grip.
I promise to report back.
Of course they'll offer less grip than ContiWinterContacts 
You drive like an old fart anyway so I doubt you ever see it regardless
What I don't understand is why you keep bleating on about this issue.
I'm surprised you have started shouting at Gibbo for being an idiot for even contemplating winter tyres in the UK, seeing as they're totally pointless and anyone even mentioning them should be shot.
You drive like an old fart anyway so I doubt you ever see it regardless
What I don't understand is why you keep bleating on about this issue.
I'm surprised you have started shouting at Gibbo for being an idiot for even contemplating winter tyres in the UK, seeing as they're totally pointless and anyone even mentioning them should be shot.
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[TW]Fox;17592967 said:
Well the thing is that on a dry road, you will have 'more grip'. You might get to 60 in 5 hundredths of a second less than those of us with winter tyres. For me dry grip is very rarely an issue - I have to be hooning it to really notice much loss of traction! However - there's a very real chance we'll get some snow. Give a 10% incline and you simply won't be able to go anywhere. With winter tyres we'll be laughing. For me - I'd rather have some tyres that I know will get me through the winter and be 'good' in all conditions. Yours will be super in the dry, slightly worse than ours in the wet and just shocking in the snow!
Soldato
[TW]Fox;17593161 said:
Does it rain a lot in plymouth or something?
Surely it makes more sense to take into account both wet and dry performance and bias your decision towards dry, as here more days are dry than wet.
[TW]Fox;17592650 said:
This is why I am been very careful with my choice. I've narrowed it down to three and the Vredsteins are definetely more of a full blown winter tyre rather than a cold weather tyre.
I've been reading over on the US forums a lot, they seem to know a lot more about winter tyres and that some states just need a cold weather tyre wheras in other states you need a full blown snow tyre.
What I've found out if the following:-
Extreme Winter as in lots of snow/ice = Bridgestone Blizzaks / Nokian Tyres which is a tyre we most definetely don't need in the UK. These tyres simply don't work in the dry at any temperature that well, let alone warm temperatures.
Then your typical UK Winter tyre = Vredstein Wintrac Xtreme, they market this is a performance winter tyre, though from people who have actually put them on anything remotely powerful they are not, its more a very cold temperature tyre and one for snow. In the dry and warmer temps it just turns to mush. Pirelli Sottozero and Goodyear ultragrip also seem to fit into this category.
Performance Winter/Cold weather tyres = This is a tyre more designed for UK climate and high performance vehicles. One of the most important factors here is that you get a V or faster rated tyre, so 149mph or faster, this is important for dry tarmec performance it would seem. The two absolute best seem to be the Continental TS810s and Michelin PA3 which both are designed for 150mph or faster, both for high performance cars and both designed with exceptional dry/wet handling in cold temperatures, with the added factor of been able to drive on snow/ice too within reason. I am leaning towards the Michelin as it seems the one most focused for dry/wet handling in colder temperatures rather than snow, which suites both our winters great, plus my car too, second favourite is the Continental TS810s though there is far less feedback on these in the US, wheras there is a lot of feedback of the Michelin PA3 from EVO X owners, some claiming that its dry tarmec abilities are practically as good as their summer tyres. The Michelin also has the best rating on tirerack too.
Another tyre that also seems an exceptional performer all round is the Dunlop 3D, its snow performance is supposed to be right up their with extreme winter tyres but its also fine on dryer warmer days too though not quite as good as the Michelin or Conti but the Dunlop is far superior in snow/ice.
If I was running on F1's or anothe Summer tyre then yes I'd just leave those on and take my time, but Im not the tyres I've got on are gonne be like bar of soap in the shower and as such I might as well get a tyre that outperforms anything else on those cold wet mornings which a winter performance tyre like the Conti or Michelin will do.