Need to get some winter tyres soon, a new experience for me now I've moved to Finland. Don't think the F1s will be much use over here in the winter

Can anyone recommend a decent type/size of winter tyre? Car is a UK my00 turbo (GT) on the standard 16" wheels. Was thinking of getting a set of wheels also to keep the alloys nice for when the sun comes back again. Seems like that's what most folks do from what I remember of last winter. Should I go for a studded tyre or not? Cheers!

 

Just a quick bump back to page 1 I guess nobody drives in serious snow around here?

 

The Continental WinterContact 790V's work well on our Forester. OK down the(dry)motorway at a constant 100+ and don't get too warm. Handle heavy rain and surface water well. Good on snow but no better than anything else on slush. Good positive turns on the red piste but oooohhh the disapproving looks!

 

People in the UK don't use winter tyres in general. Ask someone in Finland for recommendations!

 

Hello, my first post here

So, being a finn, and in the same situation as you (bought MY99
GT Turbo this summer), I might offer some advice. First, you need to decide whether you want studs or not. Personally, I have good experiences with studdless tires, and will choose either Nokian Q or Michelin Maxi-ice, in size 205/50/16. If you want studs (noisy, better on the very icy days, but on snow the studless are equal, and on dry tarman superior), the best tires in tests have usually been Nokian, Viking or Goodyear. A word of warning: do not get the so-called performance winter tyres (with HR or VR speed ratings), they are not good in Finnish conditions.

You might also want to wait until the 2 finnish car magazines (Tekniikan Maailma and Tuulilasi) make their annual winter tyre tests.

Seppo

 

Hi Seppo

Thanks for the advice. Seems like non-studded is the way to go then, especially in what folks tell me are "mild Helsinki winters". They're still way colder and snowier than I'm used to!

Whereabouts are you? The car is due a service soon (30 month) so I'm looking for garage recommendations...

 

Hi

The "mild Helsinki winters" mean actually that the road surface is mostly either icy or wet, while northern/eastern Finland has more snowcovered roads. The studdless tyres work well on most days, but when wet roads freezes into "black ice", you need to take extra care, as the grip is virtually zero. These days would suit the studded tyres better.

As for service, I have heard good things about garage called Rantakare, which is an official Subaru garage in Kerava, some 15 km north of Helsinki. The Autotalo Laakkonen in Helsinki is an other possibility, but I and some of my friends have some less satisfying experiences about their service.

Seppo