Not a Winter Tyre Thread-All Season Tyres

[Lady Elanore]

So as usual I have been looking to get my winter tyres about now and while I was trawling about the interweb also looked at All-Season tyres too. I checked the usual places Auto Bild, Auto Express etc and found that All-Season tyres seem to be now taken seriously as a winter alternative. Only the dry braking tests shows them to be lacking, slightly behind Summer tyres and their snow grip seems to be on par with even the best 'Winters'

 

Here is Auto Express's All Weather Test

 

it seems the perfect answer to those of us in the UK, where pure Winter weatheras  can be know on the continent, isn't a regular occurrence. BUT, I see that the magazines don't' seem to include an ICE test in their results. Surely one of the Winter tyres great strengths is it's better braking and grip on Ice, something that I assume the All-Weather tyres with it's slightly harder compound wont match.

 

Anyhoo, it should make for an interesting debate ("I live in the North Pole and I never needed Winter tyres because I know how to drive my RWD BMW properly", "Here in the Salt Plains I find the Winter Tyre is essential because they are the only tyres that understand white stuff properly" etc)

 

 

 

 

........................and at least I got in before the lock.

[dbg400]

I wonder why the Michelin CrossClimate wasn't included in the test, given it's had a lot of publicity this year.

 

Still, it's nice to actually see a review of the Nokian Weatherproofs, and one that gives them good ratings. I took a punt on them based on how good Nokian's full winter tyres have been over the last three years, and hadn't seen any information or reviews on them other than Nokian's news release back in the Spring.

[Lady Elanore]

I wonder why the Michelin CrossClimate wasn't included in the test, given it's had a lot of publicity this year.

 

Still, it's nice to actually see a review of the Nokian Weatherproofs, and one that gives them good ratings. I took a punt on them based on how good Nokian's full winter tyres have been over the last three years, and hadn't seen any information or reviews on them other than Nokian's news release back in the Spring.

 

 

Have you had them on for long? and how do you find them in the summer?

[dbg400]

Only been on a few weeks. Initially noisy, but now quieter. You can feel a little more flex when cornering hard in the dry, but they seem pretty controlled, and they haven't broke traction so far. I wouldn't suggest them for track days, but general driving they seem as good as the Dunlops I had before.

 

Wet braking & handling is improved, with standing water being pushed out to the side, and shallower puddles not even being noticeable. I thought the Nokian WR A3s were good in the wet, but these feel slightly better (A rated wet grip, so I suppose they should be).

[Lady Elanore]

I had looked at the Cross Climates, but I read one review where they didn't fair so well as the Nokians and the Vredesteins. I have run the Vredestein Extremes in the summer on an older 4x4 and they were fine. They didn't wear noticeably quicker in the heat either, but they definitely felt much more vague in general driving. Auto Express seems to intimate that 'All-Season' is were the big development bucks are going these days.

[Gromle]

I have only skimmed through the tyre test in the first post, I couldnt find any real numbers for the result, only %. Not any numbers telling the real stopping distance.

Would be fun to compare with the wintertyres who is common in Scandinavia.

Edited 18 September, 2015 by Gromle

[Lady Elanore]

I have only skimmed through the tyre test in the first post, I couldnt find any real numbers for the result, only %. Not any numbers telling the real stopping distance.

 

 

 

I guess that's because if you fit the tyres to your car and it's not exactly the same one as the testers (plus your tyres may a different size and spec), you will get different distances for the same tests. Giving a percentage figure avoids this.

[Gromle]

But the real stop lenght should still be in there. The test should be done with the same vehicle and same dimentions.

I really dont see the point in giving % numbers who really dont say anything.

[Lady Elanore]

But the real stop lenght should still be in there. The test should be done with the same vehicle and same dimentions.

I really dont see the point in giving % numbers who really dont say anything.

As the tests were done with the same car and size of tyre, then the numbers are to a degree irrelevant. They are an absolute record for the vehicle being tested at that time, but nothing else. They tested a summer tyre of average abilities and you can use that to gauge where the All-seasons tyres lie. if you have exactly the same spec car and tyres size as those tested, then I agree the numbers may be of interest to you. But, do actually know the maximum and minimum speeds and distances for your car and tyres on the surfaces and specific tests they used for this above article though? Hence a % is a much more useful tool to gauge were the tyres stand with respect to each other

[Gromle]

But it would still give an indication and make it easier to compare with other tests.

And a golf is quite average weightwise, so it will to some degree be possible to transfer the results to other vehicles.

And besides, if tyre A is 5% better than tyre B, given that the results doesnt give any real numbers, it really doesnt tell anything. How big a difference is there really? Is 5% difference two meters longer stopping distance or is it ten?

[Lady Elanore]

Well if you take the percentages given for the average summer tyre as typical of the numbers and distances you have in mind, you can then interpolate the measurement you crave

[Lady Elanore]

Is 5% difference two meters longer stopping distance or is it ten?

The answer may well be both depending on the car, tyre size and prevailing conditions both of weather and road parameters

 

Actually I just reread the article and found this

 

Yet the dry results reveal the compromise made in the summer. The BluResponse stopped five metres sooner from 62mph than the best all-season tyre. 

 

So if you insist, you can work out the numbers on the dry tests.

Edited 18 September, 2015 by Lady Elanore

[kipperbailey]

Amanda I've been looking at the cross climates did you say a review wasn't so good?? I've only heard good things.....

KB

[Lady Elanore]

I read a review somewhere (might have been a link on 'Tyre Review' ) and it didn't come out top. Iirc it was considered a good tyre, but not the best. 

 

I should add that I have been impressed with reviews of the Nokian Weatherproof tyres. They are billed to be Winter tyres that work well all year round, rather than summer tyres that are good in the winter. I don't know anyone who has used them yet though :(

Edited 19 September, 2015 by Lady Elanore

[sharkrider]

So as usual I have been looking to get my winter tyres about now and while I was trawling about the interweb also looked at All-Season tyres too. I checked the usual places Auto Bild, Auto Express etc and found that All-Season tyres seem to be now taken seriously as a winter alternative. Only the dry braking tests shows them to be lacking, slightly behind Summer tyres and their snow grip seems to be on par with even the best 'Winters'

 

Here is Auto Express's All Weather Test

 

it seems the perfect answer to those of us in the UK, where pure Winter weatheras  can be know on the continent, isn't a regular occurrence. BUT, I see that the magazines don't' seem to include an ICE test in their results. Surely one of the Winter tyres great strengths is it's better braking and grip on Ice, something that I assume the All-Weather tyres with it's slightly harder compound wont match.

 

Anyhoo, it should make for an interesting debate ("I live in the North Pole and I never needed Winter tyres because I know how to drive my RWD BMW properly", "Here in the Salt Plains I find the Winter Tyre is essential because they are the only tyres that understand white stuff properly" etc)

 

 

 

 

........................and at least I got in before the lock.

thank you SO much for this Amanda..... we are wanting all seasons on Ash's abarth, and the tyre size is almost impossible to buy for , BUT they do do maxxis SP2 s in the right size, but I have never found a review for them.... I have used maxxis Z1's (summer) on my car before, and they were pretty good, nice to see the AP2's get a good score! we will be buying them (at only £65 each for 215/40/17) for the abarth

[The Plumber]

Problem with all season is the lack of choice in some Skoda tyre sizes, such as the 215/40 R17. Had only found one from Kleber (and its expensive) until I read the previous post, however going to continue with separate winters.

 

Things might improve like with 225/50 R17, as fitted to the Yeti and original Octy Scout. Back in 2010 the Vector 4 Season was it, followed by Nokian's eNtyre which flopped due to poor grip. Now there's a good choice and I'm currently debating what to fit to our V40 which also uses this size. The Verd had been top of the list but the wet performance in the AE test has made me rethink.

 

 

TP

[Lady Elanore]

thank you SO much for this Amanda..... we are wanting all seasons on Ash's abarth, and the tyre size is almost impossible to buy for , BUT they do do maxxis SP2 s in the right size, but I have never found a review for them.... I have used maxxis Z1's (summer) on my car before, and they were pretty good, nice to see the AP2's get a good score! we will be buying them (at only £65 each for 215/40/17) for the abarth

 

 

Glad to enable a bit of serendipity I need 215/55/17s, so not too bad, but still not all makes available for it.

[fabiamk2SE]

Ive got All seasons on the Fabia.

Theyre brill.

Only slightly lack in turn in precision over summer tyres.

Amanda, i wouldnt see them as an alternative for a car like the M135i. They work good on normal hatchbacks, but putting 300 odd BHP will really show them lacking in the summer id of thought.

Edited 23 September, 2015 by fabiamk2SE

[Lady Elanore]

Ive got All seasons on the Fabia.

Theyre brill.

Only slightly lack in turn in precision over summer tyres.

Amanda, i wouldnt see them as an alternative for a car like the M135i. They work good on normal hatchbacks, but putting 300 odd BHP will really show them lacking in the summer id of thought.

Thanks As it happens I have a little 4x4 Suzuki that I use when the going gets tough, so it would be for that. The Nokians aren't in my size at the moment, but I gather they may be in the next month or two. I previously had Vredesteins Extremes (winter tyres) on a Grand Vitara and left them on all year round as I didn't use the GV much in the summer (apart from the odd jaunt on the beach) and to be honest they didn't seem to wear any faster anyway. As the GV was a pretty tall, old school 4x4, I took it pretty easy even when the weather was great, so I didn't notice too much drop off in the performance of the winters when it was above the dreaded (allegedly) 7 degrees.

Edited 23 September, 2015 by Lady Elanore

[fabiamk2SE]

Thanks As it happens I have a little 4x4 Suzuki that I use when the going gets tough, so it would be for that. The Nokians aren't in my size at the moment, but I gather they may be in the next month or two. I previously had Vredesteins Extremes (winter tyres) on a Grand Vitara and left them on all year round as I didn't use the GV much in the summer (apart from the odd jaunt on the beach) and to be honest they didn't seem to wear any faster anyway. As the GV was a pretty tall, old school 4x4, I took it pretty easy even when the weather was great, so I didn't notice too much drop off in the performance of the winters when it was above the dreaded (allegedly) 7 degrees.

Its the Goodyear Vector 4 seasons ive got btw.

And yeah. Ive run winters all year round on a Polo before, tyres nearly stretched to a year per front set (bit **** for a 1.2 lol) and i did find em lacking when pushing on. They do make a nice squeal in summer though ahaa.

If its a 4x4 like described though, itd be fine im sure? Haha. Depends how many summer miles you do in it now, but its not many, id stick with winters.. If it is quite a few.. Id get all seasons (:

[Chriswright03]

Well the VRS needed rear tyres and I was going to put all seasons on them but as the car has gone I won't.  The Golf has good tyres all round and I am not going to buy more tyres or a spare set of wheels like I have before.  I still have a set of Volvo wheels with winters on!  Just have to wait for these tyres to wear down and then get all seasons then.

[fabiamk2SE]

Well the VRS needed rear tyres and I was going to put all seasons on them but as the car has gone I won't. The Golf has good tyres all round and I am not going to buy more tyres or a spare set of wheels like I have before. I still have a set of Volvo wheels with winters on! Just have to wait for these tyres to wear down and then get all seasons then.

Its an octy VRS youve got isnt it chris? (I cant see sigs because im on mobile... But i can remember what bike youve got if that helps.. Haha)

If youre a fast driver in summer.. Its borderline if id get all seasons. The flex in the deep tread makes it abit more unresponsive and less sharp handling.

But if youre a progressive but not pushing the boundries.. Leaving the bike for fun.. Like i do, id say go for it. (:

[Chriswright03]

No the Octavia has gone along with the MX5 and replaced by a Golf convertible.  That has almost new tyres on it so I won't be changing them until they need it hence won't be having all years put on this year.

[fabiamk2SE]

No the Octavia has gone along with the MX5 and replaced by a Golf convertible. That has almost new tyres on it so I won't be changing them until they need it hence won't be having all years put on this year.

I read that wrong didnt i

I apoligise. Im knackered haha.

Depends on the power of the golf then i guess, and your driving style. (:

Ill take a video when it snows this year. Showing what the vector 4 seasons can do if you take them up a steep snowy sidestreet and drive to get the most out of them

Edited 24 September, 2015 by fabiamk2SE

[ChrisRs]

I found this and posted it for Wayne:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/372205-waynes-new-car-again/page-2#entry4389209