Winter tyres. Discuss.

[Stevoraith]

Bit of a thread resurrection.....

Anyone really struggling on their winter tyres this year?

It’s been unusually mild this winter I think and both my cars feel vague and horrible and inspire no confidence on roundabouts never mind anything more spirited.

The wife came home tonight complaining that her Octavia felt nervous and like it was sitting on top of the road rather than gripping it.

Tyre pressures are all ok, tread is getting low at around 5mm but still another mm or so before they need replacement I believe.

Is it just that 9C is too warm!? Surely can’t be coincidence that both my cars feel the same?

[j2 lot]

We have 2 cars on winters and they both feel ok as long as temps are in single figures, anything above that and they feel like the pressures are out. Having said that both cars also need new summer tyres for next year so maybe the difference is less noticeable than switching from fresh summers.

[Dark]

After many years running full winters we have been trying the Michelin Cross Climates on the wife's Toyota.

In normal driving they feel similar to a summer tyre and on the few cold & icy mornings we've had they have coped well with the frozen lane from our house. They are M&S rated but not tested that yet!

[graeme]

I love CCs. They're made for Scotland, where snow isn't that common, but temps are low and roads are damp for 8 months of the year!

They're fine in full snow too.

[Stevoraith]

Thanks gents, I just can’t remember the winters feeling this horrible even in spring when the temps are getting regularly up to 10C which is when I normally change them back.

Agree with the chat regarding all-seasons though. When the winters need replaced I think I’ll get some all-seasons and run a summer/all-season combo.
As Graeme said, sounds like they are made for Scotland from about October to April!

I found this video which agrees with that opinion and I found very interesting
https://youtu.be/bKtnczk8Mxk

The biggest surprise I got from that was that the summers are much better than the winters at 0C when it is dry.
I didn’t make a distinction between wet and dry performance, just assumed if it was cold winters were better.

[jj]

Noticed this too, my van (119 vito) is an absolute drift machine the last few days on the winters with warmer greasy roads.

[DJ]

They are M&S rated but not tested that yet!

You bought those based on the marketing didn’t you:

“these aren’t just tyres, these are succulent, slick, noir, wet-look M&S tyres”

[campbell]

Another vote for Cross Climates here.

Credit: Graeme L Fraser Esq

9 degs is a touch warm for full winters I think.

But don’t change em yet...some low temps may yet arrive

[Stevoraith]

Good to know I’m not the only one JJ.

Agreed Campbell, it’d be typical to change then and have a dump of snow the following week

[Stevoraith]

Campbell, are you using the cross-climates as winters or all year round? Which car are they on?

[campbell]

Yes. All seasons. Clue’s in the name of the tyre.

They are on the Octy

Acid test = a local uphill junction where fast exit needed due to nearby blind bend. On the OEM tyre (Pilot Sport I think) it’s wheelspin all the way . Even for Lisa. On the CCs - they just grip.

Too early to assess wear rate but at £100 a corner I’m not really worried.

[Stevoraith]

All right smarty pants

I think I might give cross-climates (or similar) a shot as my winter tyres and keep more summer biased ones for the warmer months, as suggested by the video I posted above.

Seems like that could be the optimum set up for our climate.
If I didn’t have the winter wheels I think I’d do what you’ve done and fit the cross-climates for all year round as I doubt you’d miss that little bit of handling precision in a diesel hatchback!

[rawsco]

I’m driving my M4 around on CUP2’s which is a tremendous advert for winter tyres. Literally can’t pull away when they are cold without making a scene if it’s cold and wet

[campbell]

All right smarty pants

LOL. High five for you

I thought it must be too good to be true to find a genuine ALL season tyre.

Clearly they must be a compromise - but for the family barge, we don’t need cutting edge performance. We need safety and dependability etc.

Add to this that I couldn’t get the business case for winter past Misdion Control, and it’s a winner.

Very, very impressed. They are also very quiet. Bonus.

[douglasgdmw]

Yep, also noticing the car is not as compliant on the winter tyres. We bought some Goodyear Ultragrip Perfomance + this year as they came out top in some of the reviews.

However in these temperatures a little bit squidgy on initial turn in until the tread settles.

Did contemplate cross climates as they get excellent reviews but due to living 800ft up a hill, went for the ultimate winter spec in the hope that they pay dividends the days we need them to.

Ideally what I need is 3 cars to use in winter, 1 on summers, another on cross climates and a Panda 4x4 on winters.

George

George

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