Winter tyres. Discuss.

[Mr Momo]

I've got to get Lindsay a pair of front tyres for her civic. 205 x 55 x 16.

Anyone recomend a decent tyre thats not going to brake my bank?

cheers

Scotty

Camskill : Avons @ £73 / GY Ultragrips @ £85 (each)

[Mike Scib]

Winters fitted to the BM the other week.....hoping they are just needing run in as traction control flicking at 70mph in 5th

Try dropping the pressure a couple of PSI Mike.

The percieved wisdom seems to be to raise the pressures a bit over the recommended levels when it's just cold and dry, but on the BMW I've found the opposite helps with traction. Maybe it's because the recommended pressures are so high (42PSI on the rear if I remember correctly!)

Yeah pretty sure it is around that figure anyway. Will give that a go tomorrow

[douglasgdmw]

Found that the Clio 200RS is a nightmare to get Winter Tyres for due to the size of the wheel (215/45/17).

Spoken to Extreme Motorsport and getting a set of Nexen Winter Tyres for the end of next week at £96/corner.

Will post up a review once I get them fitted but suspect they will be better than the current Continental Sport Contact 3's we have on as they are just scrabbling for grip due to the cold weather/lower tread.

George

[JohnStewart]

I was in at Costco last night getting my wife's winter tyres re-fitted (their 4th winter). I noticed that they had huge stocks of 205/55x16 Bridgestone Blizzaks in stock at £99 each fitted. The tyre fitter said that Michelin couldn't supply enough in that size to meet demand, and Bridgestone were happy to supply. I also noticed that they had some Michelin Pilot winter tyres in stock for higher performance vehicles. Tread pattern and construction is very similar to that of the Pilot Sport summer tyre, just made with a different compound and lots of sipes. I'd guess they wouldn't be quite as good under severe conditions, but then again wouldn't feel as woolly on normal roads. Price was about £250 each for some 245/50x18s though!

[Stevoraith]

Got the winters on the Octavia yesterday so that's the fleet ready for the cold snap.

I know it's a totally different car but the Dunlop winter Sports on the Octavia seem to have a bit more traction in the damp than the Kumhos on my BMW.

[Doc883]

Found that the Clio 200RS is a nightmare to get Winter Tyres for due to the size of the wheel (215/45/17). George

You could go up to 225/45/17 which is uber common with much better availability and choice.

[rossybee]

Found that the Clio 200RS is a nightmare to get Winter Tyres for due to the size of the wheel (215/45/17). George

You could go up to 225/45/17 which is uber common with much better availability and choice.

Likewise, I went from 215/45 R18 to 225/40 R18 - no issues

Just waiting for this thread to explode with smugosity from all us who have "committed" to the change, at the first sign of any snowfall

[JohnStewart]

Well I fitted my Michelin Alpins to my car this afternoon, just as the sleet/snow started though thankfully it didn't last long. This will be the 7th winter I've had out of this set of tyres and there's about 4mm left on them. I reckon this will be their last winter though as they become far less effective when worn down than when new. I reckon I've done about 25k miles on them so far over the years, so the best value for money I've ever had with a set of tyres!

[KevD]

Stuck the winter tyres on the mini last weekend, unfortunately the fitters were a bit jack and didn't even have the pressures matched but much better now.
Turbo bus that work gave me has summer tyres, couple of fun moments on the muirkirk road from strathaven on Thursday as soon as there was a bit of sleet

[Stephen]

With winter tyres you are advised to go narrower, not wider.

Have a look at the tyre sticker on the car or the handbook which should confirm the winter fitment. If you can you should fit smaller wheels with a larger sidewall and narrower tyres.
on the Audis I have gone from 235/45/17 on one and 235/40/18 on the other to 205/55/16 on both. (same rolling radius)

S

[rossybee]

Yes I know but it was never my intention to have winter tyres fitted to different wheels

[Stephen]

Ah!

[rossybee]

Ah!

...and for the very good reason that my wife drives our family barge more than me these days (as I'm away a lot) and doesn't want/need the hassle of getting someone change wheels in my absence

[Corranga]

If you can you should fit smaller wheels with a larger sidewall and narrower tyres.

Much more cost effective too. There seems to be a proper price hike with every extra inch..

Unfortunatly to clear the calipers of our Leon, we need 16s, so I couldn't do that. Glad I had them on today, was pulling away from junctions no problem in the around 0 temperatures in Dundee, on damp roads where I know the summer Kumhos would be spinning up.

Our car looks proper pikey with VW centre caps too

Chris

[j2 lot]

Just waiting for this thread to explode with smugosity from all us who have "committed" to the change, at the first sign of any snowfall

Can I start cos I'm off to sunnier climes tomorrow for a week so don't want to miss out
First snow today and Europa was fantastic on Yoko W- drive. There wasn't enough snow that would have got the car stuck even with the normal tyres on but it would have been sliding all over the shop. However appropriately shod there were no traction issues at all and most noticeably the stopping distance was 'normal' - no ABS interference, pulled up without drama.
A good buy!