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Thread: Winter Tyres

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    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
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    Winter Tyres

    /deep breath

    this has taken a MONTH, of pondering, to decide to write.

    Last month, my Pirelli's were down to 4mm and I decided to try some winter tyres. After fiddling about on line for ages, I decided to try a mid range set of multi season's... something I could justify taking off if they were pants. So budget was set.... £100 ish each plus fitting. I only wanted two.. wanted to feel pull away.. stopping.. etc.

    I eventually decided on Kleber Quadraxer's. I need 225/45 R17 Extra Load jobs.

    they were EXACTLY £100 each, online, and £8 delivery. When they arrived I took the Pirelli's off, gave them to a mate.. and fitted these Quadraxers.

    In the first 10 miles with new tyre's you get to compare DIRECTLY what you've been used too for 6 months. The old tyre's are part of your psychy... you know exactly what to expect. So those first few minutes were key.

    Opening thought: slightly less dry grip, but they let go much more gently. Under heavy acceleration out of roundabouts, in my 150ps TiD Saab 9-3 these let go gently.. no snatch. So suprised by the kindly nature of these tyres was I .. that I texted Lowe.. as he's really NOT into winter tyre's as a principle, pointing out we have a few days of snow and we all queue up on dual carriageways anyway.

    Later that journey I had to stop and text Lowe again... I'd been flying down a nice muddy B road, wondering at the front grip.. and there is was.. the arse end letting go as the rear Nexen's decided not to out-hold the new front Quadraxers. The road was wet clay smeared hell from building trucks.. and that's when Zakky knew the Quadraxers were very good in slippy stuff. I won't go that quickly again in those conditions...not unless I have same front to back tyres. Because it's HARD to unstick a rear 9-3 axles... very hard. But it occurred.

    3 weeks go by. In the dry all is well.... normal.. 90% as good as the Pirelli's from before. then the real rain hits us.

    M25.. Sunday night.. heavy heavy downpour.. and it occurs to your truly that these puddles... this standing rain.. is having zero impact at all on my steering wheel. It's not just a bit better because they're new and have 7 mm tread... the streaming torrent diagonally across the dual carriage way later.. that I know is there.. doesn't even register. I realise then that I must always grit my teeth at that point, expecting the gentle tug.. the slide sideways.. the begining of slippage at the front....... it's always deep in this weather... and yet I don't know where it was. I've gone through it. It's behind me and I didn't feel a thing.

    Lowe got another text that week.

    And today.. it snowed.

    It's not deep.. but the service roads around work are white. and some are slushy icy messes. My colleague has a 9-3 with same engine.. and new front tyres.

    We swap at my insistance and, no motor sport experience.. not even very into cars.. he comes back and laughs... and sits and laughs again.. and says "is that why they change tyres in rallying?"

    Yes bud... cos I couldn't even pull AWAY in the flat carpark in your car.. and you've just braked hard, accelerated quite hard.. and whipped round that roundabout in my car with no hint of slip apart from what you'd expect is wet weather.

    Each block of the tyres is split (as though cut with a razor blade)


    I'll stop going on now. But I will say this... if they last about 9 to 10k miles as my tyres normally do, with heavy country driving (I get rid at 4mm normally), I'll buy them again in summer.. because they're just astonishing value and the wet/snow/slush/muck grip is amazing.

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

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  3. #2
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    As you say, they're not even winter tyres, but all season tyres. We have them on the wife's car all year around (4 corners obviously). Same wear as summer tyres for us - actually better than soft summer tyres. Makes for a great choice for the second car - I've considered them for all year use myself, as mentioned in the last thread someone asked 'which tyres?'

    But do get them on all four corners please.. or you're going to have temperature-variable oversteer/understeer...
    Last edited by kalniel; 05-12-2012 at 05:54 PM.

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    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Quote Originally Posted by kalniel View Post

    But do get them on all four corners please.. or you're going to have temperature-variable oversteer/understeer...
    It's ok.. the balance is perfect now I expect it... I like a lift off moment here and there sharpens every junction

    My previous cars have often had over inflated rears to get the balance I like. This is a different balance.. but it's one I now expect. It won't be temperature biased.. it'll be surface covering. ie slurry and ****

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

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    Almost Ex-HEXUS Staff Jonatron's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    I've noticed a lack of grip in my BMW 323ci just in the mildly moist cold, obviously less with the snow. Just turning right from minor to major roads I have noticed the anti skid system kick in a few of times recently. If I had the money I'd put a pair of winter tyres on the back while the temperatures are getting below 5 or so degrees C.

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    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Quote Originally Posted by Zak33 View Post
    It's ok.. the balance is perfect now I expect it... I like a lift off moment here and there sharpens every junction

    My previous cars have often had over inflated rears to get the balance I like. This is a different balance.. but it's one I now expect. It won't be temperature biased.. it'll be surface covering. ie slurry and ****
    The main difference in grip for all season and winter tyres comes from their difference in working temperatures, not so much the tread. If the temperature is hot the summers will grip better than the all season. If the temperature is cold the all seasons will grip a LOT better than the summer. If you've got the balance right for today, then a change of weather might throw you (don't get me wrong, I know you have skilz so would adapt quickly - but it'd still take a little while to discover something that could be varying quite dramatically day to day).

    As you've got different ones on each axle the balance is going to be temperature variable.

    I really want a set of goodyear vector 4seasons, but they seem infrequently stocked.
    Last edited by kalniel; 05-12-2012 at 06:24 PM.

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    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Quote Originally Posted by Jonatron View Post
    I've noticed a lack of grip in my BMW 323ci just in the mildly moist cold, obviously less with the snow. Just turning right from minor to major roads I have noticed the anti skid system kick in a few of times recently. If I had the money I'd put a pair of winter tyres on the back while the temperatures are getting below 5 or so degrees C.
    mate.. I put these one so I could actually get to work.

    Last year, same car, on Continental Sport Contact 3... even pulling away on a flat car park was nearly impossible.

    then I read this review
    http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article...-Tyre-Test.htm

    where the Conti 3 couldn't even get to the start of the snow handling course, let alone get round it.. and I decided I'd try all season's for a year.

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

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    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Quote Originally Posted by kalniel View Post

    I really want a set of goodyear vector 4seasons, but they seem infrequently stocked.
    I looked for those too.. they're back ordered everywhere so Goodyear prolly just not making them.
    It was while looking for them on LoveTyre that I found the Kleber's, remembered Michelin owned then, found a few reviews, worked out the performance per quid and did it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

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    Administrator Moby-Dick's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    I'm in Norway at the moment - I can see why you have to switch over to winter tyres by law here!
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    I keep thinking of getting a set, but in this country one can't justify it for the couple of days we might have snow, then there is the storage. Id rather not use the car if its that bad. Hmm, maybe easier to get another car. 4WD and snow tyres and have as a spare. Audi Quattro. Sorted. *Goes on Autotrader*

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    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Quote Originally Posted by Stringent View Post
    I keep thinking of getting a set, but in this country one can't justify it for the couple of days we might have snow, then there is the storage. Id rather not use the car if its that bad. Hmm, maybe easier to get another car. 4WD and snow tyres and have as a spare. Audi Quattro. Sorted. *Goes on Autotrader*
    wrong answer

    I was waiting for this reply......it's why I spent a MONTH waiting for full use of them before posting. (I DO think these things out, contrary to Melon's opinion of me smoking weed, which I don't)

    I bought ALL SEASONS Stringent.. not winter tyres. I threaded it Winter Tyres to get your attention......

    read it through again.. it's only snowed today.. but on almost everything else.. they're nearly as good. and often better than normal tyres in the country lanes.

    Put it this way... I bought a 106 Rallye for this winter... and life's got in the way of a full rebuild for the little beauty.. so I got these tyres to allow me to get around England and Wlesh borders in all weather (except deep Landrover snow)

    and I think.. they're bang on.

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Quote Originally Posted by Moby-Dick View Post
    I'm in Norway at the moment - I can see why you have to switch over to winter tyres by law here!
    and as you know I might have daily contact with Swedes.. and they told me it straight..... well... all around the houses, in Swedish style.. but the long and the short is... get proper tyres and stop fannying about.

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Want a really good overall tyre which is decent in the dry excellent in the wet and decent in snow?

    Toyo CF1.

    Brilliant tyre picked up for £60 each fitted on my failthful mazda winter hack. It's not a full on snow tyre - but it has just enough extra grip to see you up hills that other cars can't and yet still be bloody good in the dry and wet. Kinda like a snow tyre but wthout the tradeoff. In the snow last year I overtook a train of 7 cars stuck on the big hill up to my house - the one in the lead floundered and all of them started slowing and getting stuck - I just overtook em all as it was safe, the Toyos just dragged me up there in second gear like it wasn't even a hill.

    BIG thumbs up from the Butuz.

    Butuz

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    Re: Winter Tyres

    The problem is determining what is exactly a good tyre. There's more advice than I can shake a stick at. What would you recommend for a TT all season ? I'd go higher budget if it's worth it.
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    I got a set of full winters on my van when I was on the Island... it doesn't snow often but it does get cold and greasy, and it can be very very wet more often than not. I was surprised by the handling ability in standing water on the road - like you said - no tugging at the wheel and a feeling of surefootedness in everything that didn't come up to the bumper. They were even good in the dry, didn't wear any faster than the OEM tyres (Bridgestones) and significantly increased fuel efficiency for some reason.....

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    Re: Winter Tyres

    Rather late to the party Zakky

    http://forums.hexus.net/automotive/1...ml#post2021906

    But yes they are rather awesome!

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    Va Va Voom Lowe's Avatar
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    Re: Winter Tyres

    If anyone can find 205/40/R17 winter tyres that aren't wingwong pingpong crap, please let me know

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