Winter Tyres .......
29 December 2014, 09:48 AM
#691
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Not sure if it has been mentioned on this or another winter tyre thread
But isn't the relevance of winter tyres today more so because of the wide low profile tyres that even a modest saloon car has theses days
Maybe back in the day, with generally narrower tyres - which seemed to have way more tread depth anyway than these modern "slick" type tread patterns
(Presumably a side effect of this is that they can sell them more often)
Cars felt more "connected" in these winters conditions (or probably truer the disparity between warm dry weather performance and cold weather performance was no so great)
Ps I do not have winter tyres on any of my cars
But isn't the relevance of winter tyres today more so because of the wide low profile tyres that even a modest saloon car has theses days
Maybe back in the day, with generally narrower tyres - which seemed to have way more tread depth anyway than these modern "slick" type tread patterns
(Presumably a side effect of this is that they can sell them more often)
Cars felt more "connected" in these winters conditions (or probably truer the disparity between warm dry weather performance and cold weather performance was no so great)
Ps I do not have winter tyres on any of my cars
29 December 2014, 10:15 AM
#692
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29 December 2014, 10:43 AM
#693
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Not sure if it has been mentioned on this or another winter tyre thread
But isn't the relevance of winter tyres today more so because of the wide low profile tyres that even a modest saloon car has theses days
Maybe back in the day, with generally narrower tyres - which seemed to have way more tread depth anyway than these modern "slick" type tread patterns
(Presumably a side effect of this is that they can sell them more often)
Cars felt more "connected" in these winters conditions (or probably truer the disparity between warm dry weather performance and cold weather performance was no so great)
Ps I do not have winter tyres on any of my cars
But isn't the relevance of winter tyres today more so because of the wide low profile tyres that even a modest saloon car has theses days
Maybe back in the day, with generally narrower tyres - which seemed to have way more tread depth anyway than these modern "slick" type tread patterns
(Presumably a side effect of this is that they can sell them more often)
Cars felt more "connected" in these winters conditions (or probably truer the disparity between warm dry weather performance and cold weather performance was no so great)
Ps I do not have winter tyres on any of my cars
When even a little diesel saloon comes with 18s/19s and 245++ tyres, you know that fashion has triumphed over function.
29 December 2014, 11:19 AM
#694
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I previously fitted some (Bridgestone A001s, so a quality brand) to my last van and it felt like I was running around on blancmange all the time. I took them off and gave them to a mate who put them on his missus' Civic. No complaints from them about the handling.
Most tests show that a quality Summer tyre (eg Eagle F1 Assymetric 2) outperforms Winter tyres IN THE WET (and certainly in the dry) until temps get close to zero (not the 7 degrees always mentioned, although that is probably relevant if comparing to some crappy Kumho or LingLong whatever).
However, my front tyres are shot, so I have decided to take this opportunity for Winter tyre test no.2 and have ordered some Yokohama V902's. Yokohamas usually have stiffer sidewalls than most, which I hope is the case here. I spend a fair proportion of my driving sliding around corners in all weathers and the tyres coming off are Eagle F1s, so for anyone who cares I'll let you know how the V902's compare. The roads around here have very unpredictable grip this time of year which should accentuate the differences.
29 December 2014, 11:33 AM
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29 December 2014, 11:39 AM
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What some people seem to be forgetting is that winter tyres are most certainly NOT a 'get out of jail free' card.
When you have them fitted you need to drive to the road conditions. If it's quite mild then they won't be as good as top notch summer tyres. They work best when it's cold, wet, icy or snowy. That's what they're designed for.
When you have them fitted you need to drive to the road conditions. If it's quite mild then they won't be as good as top notch summer tyres. They work best when it's cold, wet, icy or snowy. That's what they're designed for.
29 December 2014, 11:42 AM
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The back end was all over the place, traction was lit constantly (it hardly ever lit with normal tyres); however the lowest temp we saw was 3 degrees. We gave them plenty of miles to bed them in.
29 December 2014, 11:47 AM
#700
This is a hugely subjective topic. There's unlikely to be consensus on this. My own experience suggests winter tyres are effective at low/subzero temps.
A few of us had a little run out over the Dales yesterday. Amongst the cars were a couple of BMWs. Quote of the day was from JB in the 1 series 'bloody Scoobies holding me up!'
He was on winter tyres and experienced in driving in icy conditions. Some of the Scoobies struggled at times including me.
A few of us had a little run out over the Dales yesterday. Amongst the cars were a couple of BMWs. Quote of the day was from JB in the 1 series 'bloody Scoobies holding me up!'
He was on winter tyres and experienced in driving in icy conditions. Some of the Scoobies struggled at times including me.
29 December 2014, 11:49 AM
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I'll be putting them on a 1.9CDTi Astra Van that's currently 'claiming' to have 200BHP and 400Ft/Lbs. I've also fitted a Whiteline ARB (adjustable) to the rear. FWD unlike yours, which might make a difference. Tyre size is 215/45/17 so similar to yours.
29 December 2014, 11:54 AM
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The BM was circa 300bhp/430lbs-ft.
29 December 2014, 12:25 PM
#704
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Yet the test done by Auto Express/RAC shows winter tyres braking a fair bit better than standard tyres in the wet at a temperature of 5.9 degrees C, but then again what do they know. A couple of over inflated egos on Scoobynet always know better. 
29 December 2014, 03:00 PM
#707
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He's an idiot, so who cares?
Anyhow, for the Auto Bild Winter tyre test they begin by taking 50 Winter tyres and brake testing them in the wet from 50mph. The top 20 then go on to the full test. An 'unidentified' Summer tyre was put in for comparison, and its stopping distance was equal to the best Winter tyre.
I expect the Summer tyre was something like a Continental Sport Contact 5 or the like rather than a LingLong. And had the test been done at 20 degrees then no doubt the Summer tyre would have won comfortably. In the snow the Summer tyre was predictably a bit rubbish. But what is also worth noting is that the performance of the cheaper Winter tyres in the wet and dry testing was much worse than the Summer tyre irrespective of temperature. They only worked in the snow.
Anyhow, for the Auto Bild Winter tyre test they begin by taking 50 Winter tyres and brake testing them in the wet from 50mph. The top 20 then go on to the full test. An 'unidentified' Summer tyre was put in for comparison, and its stopping distance was equal to the best Winter tyre.
I expect the Summer tyre was something like a Continental Sport Contact 5 or the like rather than a LingLong. And had the test been done at 20 degrees then no doubt the Summer tyre would have won comfortably. In the snow the Summer tyre was predictably a bit rubbish. But what is also worth noting is that the performance of the cheaper Winter tyres in the wet and dry testing was much worse than the Summer tyre irrespective of temperature. They only worked in the snow.
29 December 2014, 04:58 PM
#711
I've been ignoring this thread recently because thus far its been a black/white Winter/Summer argument. I don't see it like that.
You see, I take delivery of tyres via the likes of mytyres for customers to have them fitted to their cars. I have never criticised anyone for fitting winters at this time of year.
However what I see is streams and streams of people buying the cheapest winter tyre they can find online. The problem is they are SHYTE!!!! Maybe they fair better when directly compared to a cheap summer tyre. But this is not always the case - I'm getting people coming in new and newish high value cars still wearing their OEM spec tyres and fitting them with the cheapest nastiest winter tyre the retailers sell online - I don't even have the ability to advise them of the error in judgement for the sakes of a few quid.
Yeah, when it snows they'll probably be ok. But currently, even today, its just cold and damp. And thats the conditions where these cheap winter tyres DO NOT perform!!
Furthermore I'd like to see how summer tyres work in tests when they have been heated through normal driving. I personally note that after less than 15mins of driving at 30mph is enough to raise a summer tyre's temperature by about 15 degrees ABOVE ambient, drive further or faster and tread temperatures get even higher. I'd like to see if grip tests in cold wet condition compare anything to like what I experience.
Last edited by ALi-B; 29 December 2014 at 05:00 PM.
29 December 2014, 05:03 PM
#712
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Says Scoobynet's second biggest homophobic fcukwit!
Why take real world experiences over the machinations of your miniscule intellectual capacity to construct a logical argument over anything eh?
Hope you crash and kill yourself driving like a ******* t1t in the snow.
Why take real world experiences over the machinations of your miniscule intellectual capacity to construct a logical argument over anything eh?
Hope you crash and kill yourself driving like a ******* t1t in the snow.
29 December 2014, 05:10 PM
#713
Bought some winter tyres for my oe 16" rims but the wheels are in my mates body shop for paint. With the Falkens fitted it feels ok with various middle diff but compared to my Navara with Cooper AT's fitted its not as good. Braking on ice and snow in the nav is surefooted but I slide easily in the Impreza.
Ye gods, I'm outa here.
29 December 2014, 05:15 PM
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Is it time for your medication review yet?
29 December 2014, 07:43 PM
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I must admit, I have never factored in the shyte Chinese ditchfinders. Anyone who uses them deserves all they get whether they be summer or winter tyres.
Bloody things should be banned from sale, they take budget tyres to a whole new (miserable) low
Bloody things should be banned from sale, they take budget tyres to a whole new (miserable) low
29 December 2014, 08:24 PM
#720
There are new tire tests every year here in Scandinavia and pretty much all of those Asian tires do pretty poor and some are even rated dangerous. They seem to do OK for one single part of the test, for example snow grip but usually poor in other parts.
As of winter tires beeing more dangerous than summer tires, it's sounds quite ridiculous. Even my studded Nokian tires are rated to 180 km/h. Yes they are bit softer than summer tires but really do you think that you can drive as hard during the winter season?
As of winter tires beeing more dangerous than summer tires, it's sounds quite ridiculous. Even my studded Nokian tires are rated to 180 km/h. Yes they are bit softer than summer tires but really do you think that you can drive as hard during the winter season?
Last edited by Turbovin; 29 December 2014 at 08:29 PM.