Summer's nearly over...time to consider tyres again.

[oldstan]

I have a set of Dunlop winter tyres.  Since I bought them there's been not a flake of snow nor a hint of ice down here in the West Country.  I've treated them with kid gloves and stored them in blankets on a rack in the garage...they're taking up space and as I get more feeble and decrepit it hurts my back to swap them over and meticulously wash and polish them twice a year. The bonus is, I get to apply some Copper Grease on the faces to alleviate seizure...but that's about it.

 

(I'd be grateful if an independent member ...that is to say someone who wouldn't want  them at a ridiculously low figure, could suggest a realistic selling price for four Skoda steel wheels and Dunlop Winter Sport tyres with approx 7mm of tread on them).

 

In short, whilst I'm toying with the idea of selling them at some future point (presumably on Briskoda, having applied for the appropriate Freedom membership) I'm content to regard that as a job for another time.

 

In the meantime I've started to wonder what I might replace the original Dunlops with.  They've done 24,500 miles and still have an average 5 to 6mm on them. I swap them front to back and vice versa annually).

 

Would someone cleverer than I please explain the abbreviations associated with the tyres  for sale on various websites such as MyTyres or Oponeo.  Specifically I refer to All-Season tyres such as the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons or the Michelin CrossClimates.

 

I understand the 225/50/17 bit....I can even stretch to the 94V or 98H ( But someone remind me what my Yeti's minimum spec on that score when buying replacements is please)  

 

However it's other abbreviations that have got me.... i.e. XL, FP, AO, G2, MFS.   I suspect XL is a heavier duty load but don't know why I would choose XL over a non XL if I'm not using the car to transport  building materials or a full complement of overweight passengers (me included).

 

There's only a few pounds separating the various choices, so how do I know what's what?

 

An option is simply keep on swapping the tyres until I die..... (or get a garage to do it for me, which is what I did at the last service).

 

Or put the winter tyres on permanently (summer and winter) when the existing stock tyres are no longer usable. Honest John has, in the past, suggested running winter tyres all year round and sacrifice a small amount of additional extra summer wear and a small amount of dry weather performance.  (I can imagine this is a debatable topic so I'll duck to avoid incoming flack on this point)

 

It's not a life changing situation but I would like to know what all those letters stand for......

Edited 24 September, 2016 by oldstan

[Urrell]

It looks like your present tyres have about 25,000 miles left in them so should last a while.
If worried about a cold snap Michelin Cross Climates would seem to be an excellent choice for you.

This will help with tyre markings: http://www.blackcircles.com/general/speedrating

[ernieb]

I'm in a similar position as I have Dunlop winters on Spectrum alloys which to be honest I'd be happy to give away to a Skoda owner who is going to use them rather than just put them on eBay. I would want them to be collected of course.

Although my car is new it's my intention,later in the year, to change over to CrossClimate tyres. We do quite a few miles from the Home Counties to Derbyshire even in the winter months and have seen some pretty poor weather conditions, not just snow but low temperatures, rain etc.

[oldstan]

Ta. (quick too    )

 

The site shows my car as requiring V 94 as a minimum.  That's half my question sorted. Can't see any references to the other letters though... i.e. XL, FP, AO, G2, MFS

[Urrell]

XL stands for Extra Load – or is sometimes referred to as Reinforced.
MFS stands for Maximum Flange Shield. It is an alloy rim protection technology

For the others try Google, but I'd have thought not of any consequence for you choosing tyres.

[@Lee]

We had Good Year Vector 4 Seasons on our old Golf MkV and found them perfectly capable in the wet, dry and the odd times we had snow and frost here. SWMBO used the car in Hamburg with proper snow and they didn't fail her.

[oldstan]

Spotted this on another site....  Car manufacturers have lots of different idents for OEM tyres, AO is Audi Option, MO Mercedes Option, a Star on the side wall is BMW, N0 N1 and N2 is Porsche.

The tyres are the same the only difference is molds they come from though have the OEM designation, i.e. the SC3 with AO, MO or the star will all be built with the same construction and rubber just the mold has the emblem on it.

 

Haven't found what G2 means though.  Maybe best not to lose any sleep over it.

[oldstan]

We had Good Year Vector 4 Seasons on our old Golf MkV and found them perfectly capable in the wet, dry and the odd times we had snow and frost here. SWMBO used the car in Hamburg with proper snow and they didn't fail her.

 

 

Indeed so. I have them on my little i10 ...had them fitted from new to replace the Kumhos or Hankooks (one or the other). Hence my interest now.

[DaveLees]

Will your Skoda dealer not swop them over for you to save your back?

Silbury Skoda always swop mine, free of charge twice a year.

[Falmouthboy]

Everything I've read would suggest the Michelin Cross Climates are a fantastic choice, particularly down in the West Country where snow is rare. They cope well with rain (which we see in abundance) but will get you home in light snow and perform well in summer (when it can also be rather wet). Tyre tech these days has made 'compromise' tyres far less of a - well - compromise.

I just think it a pity that a cross climate tyre isn't standard fit on a UK spec 'crossover' these days (like it is in a Peugeot 2008).

By the way, XL doesn't necessarily mean you carry bricks, it just means the car is quite heavy for the given tyre size.

Edited 25 September, 2016 by Falmouthboy

[oldstan]

Thanks for replies and suggestions.

 

As mentioned, the servicing dealer swaps them during the annual service in the Spring now. To be honest, I hadn't asked considered asking them to swap them in Autumn for free.  Not sure I have the front to ask :-)  I'd expect to pay them  (It's the sort of thing my mother wouldn't have thought twice about.  Trouble is she died about 17 yrs ago) .  ... and paying them isn't the end of the world - but I'm just thinking it's becoming a bit of a a faff.

 

 

 

Re. XL ... you get the choice to have XL or not XL so who decides if the car is heavy enough to warrant XL ?  Certainly not a point to worry about either way as it's just a few pounds either way - I simply wondered which of the versions I would ask for....obviously not the Audi Only (AO) if that's what it (apparently) stands for...but the reinforcing band to protect the wheel rim sounds handy.

 

Indeed it would be nice to see something like the Michelin CC fitted to the slightly ruffty-tuffty type of car...as is rightly said, the 2008.  But, I suppose there would be those who object to the idea - so can't please everyone etc.

[Zib]

IIRC, XL tyres have stiffer sidewalls so may make the ride less compliant if the weight of the car does not require them.

[oldstan]

IIRC, XL tyres have stiffer sidewalls so may make the ride less compliant if the weight of the car does not require them.

 

Ah! Now that's something I wouldn't have known....ta.

[Ryeman]

Do the stiffer sidewalls meet the speed rating also?.

[jst_at_home]

IIRC, XL tyres have stiffer sidewalls so may make the ride less compliant if the weight of the car does not require them.

Some years ago I had a VW Passat 170 Tdi as a company car.  It started off with XL spec tyres but on a tyre change ended up with non-XL, albeit the same speed and weight rating.  I could definitely tell the difference with the tail of the car feeling very "loose".

[CFB]

Thanks for replies and suggestions.

 

As mentioned, the servicing dealer swaps them during the annual service in the Spring now. To be honest, I hadn't asked considered asking them to swap them in Autumn for free.  Not sure I have the front to ask :-)  I'd expect to pay them  (It's the sort of thing my mother wouldn't have thought twice about.  Trouble is she died about 17 yrs ago) .  ... and paying them isn't the end of the world - but I'm just thinking it's becoming a bit of a a faff.

 

I'm the same, but pay our local tyre fitter a tenner to change from one set to the other.