Winter tyres. Discuss.

[vet111s]

We're on our 3rd winter on the nankangs on the BMW and they've been great. On steel rims from mytyres. Advantage is being cheap to replace when you get a nail in the shoulder like we did!

[Dark]

Thinking about this seriously this year owing to spare set of rims for the MINI, cluttering our garden room right now...

205 45 r17

Nankang pikeys for £66
Falkens for £85
Togo Snowprox for £90 (obviously my personal favourite)

Views?

Have the Nankang's in 205/50/17 on Alison's Impreza and they have been fine, plenty of grip in the cold & wet, amazing in the snow!
Now entering their 4th winter season and still have 4-5mm of tread after ~12k miles.

[JohnStewart]

If you want the cheapest winter tyres, then Knockhill sell part worn ones that have come off cars in Europe. Most have about 4mm of tread remaining which will be fine for a winter or two in the UK or if you only want to try them to see what sort of difference they make over summer tyres in poor conditions. I got a set of 16 inch ones for the Legacy, and they were only £25 each including fitting.

[campbell]

An interesting sideline for them, John! Got a link or contact at all?

[Dark]

http://www.knockhill.com/wordpress/2012 ... -knockhill

[j2 lot]

[ed]

Just fitted some Yokohama Winter Drive 225/60R18 sourced from Ronnie at wheelsaround to my spare rims for our CRV. Bet it doesn't snow!

[j2 lot]

Thinking about this seriously this year owing to spare set of rims for the MINI, cluttering our garden room right now...

205 45 r17

Nankang pikeys for £66
Falkens for £85
Togo Snowprox for £90 (obviously my personal favourite)

Views?

There is a thread running on SELOC just now asking for thoughts on Nankang - very mixed responses

[vet111s]

Think often depends what you're looking for. If its something to keep you mobile in the ice and snow then I'd say most will do the trick. If you're looking for something allowing semi spirited driving in winter conditions and for tyres that are progressive and forgiving at the limits of lateral traction then its probably worth looking elsewhere than budget brands.

[fd]

I've been running Kumho KW ??'s on the Audis for the last 3 years, simply don't bother with changing tyres, just run them all year round, the cost of tyre swapping, never mind extra rims, just doesn't make financial sense as the winter tyres last almost as long as summers, certainly within the cost of a single swap . . . and bluntly unless you are racing the car on the road like a c0ck you will not know the difference in a tedious every day car even in the summer . . . except when it comes to an emergency stop in the wet . . . 90 quid a boot for 245/45/17's, just ordered a pair the other day from germany (can't remember the last time I bought a tyre from a UK company - apart from slicks) . . . winter tyres are not just about snow, they are much more about everything else - that they work in snow is a bonus . . .

[Doc883]

Same rules as applies to your 'Summer' tyre choice. You definitely get what you pay for which is why I wouldn't fit the likes of Nankang on my car, Summer or Winter variety. I have Yokohama W Drive for the S3 (previously on our S-Max) and I can't fault them

[ClarkyBoy]

I've been running Kumho KW ??'s on the Audis for the last 3 years, simply don't bother with changing tyres, just run them all year round, the cost of tyre swapping, never mind extra rims, just doesn't make financial sense as the winter tyres last almost as long as summers, certainly within the cost of a single swap . . . and bluntly unless you are racing the car on the road like a c0ck you will not know the difference in a tedious every day car even in the summer . . . except when it comes to an emergency stop in the wet . . . 90 quid a boot for 245/45/17's, just ordered a pair the other day from germany (can't remember the last time I bought a tyre from a UK company - apart from slicks) . . . winter tyres are not just about snow, they are much more about everything else - that they work in snow is a bonus . . .

I would tend to disagree on this one a little bit,

The E92 M3 hated the winters once it got a little warmer, traction would flash and cut in under acceleration (not particularly harsh either) and under braking the abs would kick in, I put it down to the tread blocks on the wintrac extreme's moving a lot more once their was some heat in them, it made the car a bit un-predictable, like the tyres were soft, but they were just going off so easily, quite possibly to do with the aggressive car set up though.

[Corranga]

Same rules as applies to your 'Summer' tyre choice. You definitely get what you pay for which is why I wouldn't fit the likes of Nankang on my car, Summer or Winter variety. I have Yokohama W Drive for the S3 (previously on our S-Max) and I can't fault them

For me, the rules change quite a bit, i'd never consider the same summer tyre for an S-Max and an S3 either tbh..

Tyres are a huge confusion factor for me, I don't subscribe to the theory that buy a brand = the best option, for example, I'm willing to bet that a cheapo Nankany summer tyre can easily offer better performance than a leading brand low rolling resistance job.
2 years back, I run my Leon Cupra on Kumho's in the summer and Nankangs in the winter. The usage of the car changed from daily runner with some spirited driving, to get places safely. My driving style changed to suit, and the Nankangs were excellent.

My 159 that replaced it is sitting on 4 Goodyear all-season tyres, which I'd also bet don't offer as good performance as a Nankang summer could, nor a Nankang winter for that matter...

I would tend to disagree on this one a little bit,

The E92 M3 hated the winters once it got a little warmer, traction would flash and cut in under acceleration (not particularly harsh either) and under braking the abs would kick in, I put it down to the tread blocks on the wintrac extreme's moving a lot more once their was some heat in them, it made the car a bit un-predictable, like the tyres were soft, but they were just going off so easily, quite possibly to do with the aggressive car set up though.

I agree, though I think it goes beyond the aggressive set up on a high power rwd car. The winter Nankangs on the Cupra with only 180hp gave poor traction in the warm, leading to slippage / wheel spin / traction control moments, and ABS moments when slowing. Even when they were cold the block movement made the car feel wrong at regular road speeds!

The all seasons are a better compromise in my experience, though I'm not sure if that's because they aren't full winters, or because of the Goodyear vs. Nankang debate, and I still wouldn't want them on a car that is likely to be driven enthusiastically shall we say...

Chris

[fd]

Funny .. My A6 easily breaks traction in the wet in 1,2 and even 3rd gears on summer tyres .. It only breaks traction in the snow on winters .. experience of about 80k miles, towing, driving in the Alps, etc .. ABS never cuts in unless it's an emergency stop .. must be something wrong with you cars .. or something ..

[ClarkyBoy]

Funny .. My A6 easily breaks traction in the wet in 1,2 and even 3rd gears on summer tyres .. It only breaks traction in the snow on winters .. experience of about 80k miles, towing, driving in the Alps, etc .. ABS never cuts in unless it's an emergency stop .. must be something wrong with you cars .. or something ..

Sorry, I am obviously not a driving god like you.

Good job I sold the car by the sounds of it.

In my opinion, running winters all year is not a good idea, nor is it something I would do.

each to their own though, I just like knowing that the only thing connecting the car to the road is the right thing for the right job.