Winter Tyres

[walibe]

I'm going all season tyres this year. Recent tests show just as good as, if not better winter performance. It's just hard to get used to brand names we don't know that well in the uk but all are well known in Nordic regions.

[Jeeply]

I have set of snow tires for winter season. i have Bridgestone Blizzaks. I don't really rely on all-season tires during the season cos i'm usually driving with my family. The tires give better traction and grip on the road. Whenever my wife and I need to go out, I drop my kids off to my mother's house. Tree

[Zak33]

I'm going all season tyres this year. Recent tests show just as good as, if not better winter performance. It's just hard to get used to brand names we don't know that well in the uk but all are well known in Nordic regions.

Kleber quadraxer or Goodyear Vector4 Seasons

both well known brands and both v good.

[me-yeah]

no tyres work on ice, and driving on snow depends on how fresh the snow is, if its fresh you can just let your tyres down a few PSI

in the long run, you better off just having some chains in the trunk for steep hills

[kalniel]

no tyres work on ice, and driving on snow depends on how fresh the snow is, if its fresh you can just let your tyres down a few PSI

That doesn't really help though - the rubber in summer tyres stiffens below 7C and without sipes/kerfs you're in real trouble on snow or ice as there's nothing to bite in.

in the long run, you better off just having some chains in the trunk for steep hills

Problem in the UK is we don't often get snow thick enough for chains. We tend to get ice and slush, or a thin compacted layer of snow. Winter or all season tyres are ideal.

[Butcher]

Having driven on winters in typical UK weather, they are frankly amazing. So much better than summers, a few PSI down or otherwise.

Also no tyres work on ice? I think you'll find winters do: https://youtu.be/GlYEMH10Z4s?t=181

[Guy]

no tyres work on ice, and driving on snow depends on how fresh the snow is, if its fresh you can just let your tyres down a few PSI

in the long run, you better off just having some chains in the trunk for steep hills

Have you ever used proper winter or all season tyres in the UK?
As unless you're really out in the elements or rural enough to get stuck without proper 4x4 farm equipment help they're more than capable with everything this Country can throw at them.

[Apex]

Full set of Michelin Cross Climate (all season) fitted t'other week and so far i am happy with them (esp with the horrid weather we have had)

[eagle123]

i had the front two tyres changed to goodyear all season gen 2 got a good price form tyre leaders, the previous front were two infinity 09 chinese tyres dangerous in the wet and noisy, changed to the all season rear have two good year eagle f1, the all season grip improved confident in the wet, quiet and a supple ride.

was in two minds with either fitting the cross climate as they were£4 cheaper but decided to go for the goodyear as they are recommended by auto build who rated them as best all season tyres

[kalniel]

changed to the all season rear have two good year eagle f1, the all season grip improved confident in the wet, quiet and a supple ride.

Eagle F1 are NOT all season tyres.

[Butcher]

Not sure if I want winter tyres on mine, or to just find an empty car park and do doughnuts if it snows.

[hb904460]

Can anyone update their experience with their all-season or winter tyres. My GY eagle F1s are coming to the end of their life, the temperature this morning was 4c and i am probably going to drive over to the continent soon, so would like some real world advice. Michelin cross climates seem like a sensible option but if anyone has an alternative...

[Dashers]

I didn't put my winter wheels on last year as it just didn't get cold enough. There were a couple of icy days that I almost regretted that as my car slid down the lanes on my Eagle F1s (which, if you look at the tread, have no hope of stopping you on anything apart from dry/wet roads).

The reason I didn't was because last winter temperatures were generally above 5°C in the morning and often closer to 12°C in the afternoon, and there was a lot of rain. My winters (Nokian WR G2) were outright slippery with temps getting into double figures.

To contrast that, when we had those snowy winters a few years ago they were amazing, trotting around lanes like they were normal roads. There wasn't any road that I got stuck on (still have to drive very carefully on clear ice).

As most of my driving is on untreated roads, I've just taken the plunge again and shelled out an insane amount of money on a new set of rims and tyres for my new car. If I didn't rely so heavily on lanes and not have an impending rush to the hospital in the next town at some point over winter with a pregnant partner, then I probably wouldn't have bothered again until there were signs of going back to harder winters again.

The capital expenditure on cars with big wheels is just too painful. I've got some replica alloys off fleabay in the smallest size I can fit, and finding good deals on winter tyres at this time of year is difficult.

In terms of tyre, I didn't go for the Nokian ones again as I wanted something with better dry weather handling. I seriously considered the cross-climates but decided against them in the end. I can't remember my exact reasoning, but I think it was that they were a medicore winter tyre and if you were going to run a dedicated summer and winter set then you might as well go for something that performed better as a winter tyre. If you don't want out-right performance in the summer then they seem like a safe all-year tyre.

I focused on (price) and prevalent UK winter weather conditions: dry and cold or warm and wet. In the end I landed with Goodyear Ultragrip. There were better performers out there, but these seemed fairly close in terms of performance and slightly cheaper than the competitors I was looking at (at the time).

I've found tyre tests aren't very clear on the temperatures they test at for everything. I think the Cross Climate is probably a step in the right direction, but I think I'd rather something slightly more winter focused but not necessarily suitable for main-land europe winters - I can't see there being a market for that though!

[kalniel]

Can anyone update their experience with their all-season or winter tyres. My GY eagle F1s are coming to the end of their life, the temperature this morning was 4c and i am probably going to drive over to the continent soon, so would like some real world advice. Michelin cross climates seem like a sensible option but if anyone has an alternative...

We have GY Vector Four Seasons on the fiesta, but not had any occasion to try them on snow but they were however absolutely fine in summer temperatures.

[Spreadie]

27 years driving and I've never used winter tyres. Just drive to the conditions.

[GoNz0]

I stuck a pair of cross climate Michelin's on the wife's mini and compared to the energy savers it had on they were the same predictable tyre in the hot weather, now the cooler weather is here (below 7) they are just as good. Wet is good and we will get to try the snow driving in the next couple of months for a guess so I will report back when I have had a play.