Somebody obviously had a cheap umbrella up in the wind this weekend and decided to leave it or bits of it in the road.

Result = 1 tyre, with the umbrella frame through the tread and close enough to the edge to be non-repairable.

I've just paid for the cambelt, so this was the last thing I needed. :(

The tyres are nokian WR winter tyres, which are now very difficult to get hold of.

So do I:

- Get a pair of WR-G2 and put them on the front, keeping the good tyre on the spare, which currently has a summer tyre on it.

- Get all 4, because the WR and WR-G2 will be different and so the car will handle oddly in snow/the wet/etc.

I'm thinking that the same logic applies as with normal tyres, which is keep the same type on an axle if you want to have a predictable car in poor conditions, but I shouldn't need to get rid of the rears.

Annoyingly all the tyres have 6mm on them, so it's another perfectly good tyre to the bin due to random road debris.

Nothing from any of our European members?

I've ordered a pair of WR-G2 so will have WR on the rear and a WR on the spare.

At the moment it's far from ideal with 1 summer and 3 winter tyres on, so I probably need to get these fitted sooner rather than later.

Can anyone familiar with winter tyres advise if it will be ok with one axle on WR and the other on WR-G2?

I'd have thought you'd be fine with an axle set. I prefer all 4 tyres to be the same but the Leon currently has Contis on the front and some pikey sh!te on the back, and it's not thowing itslef off the road.

Not sure your locality, but TBH I wouldnt bother with winter tyres in the majority of the UK.

Doesnt get cold enough, or severe enough 99% of the time to warrant them.

Not sure your locality, but TBH I wouldnt bother with winter tyres in the majority of the UK.

Doesnt get cold enough, or severe enough 99% of the time to warrant them.

I've already stated my disagreement with you on that point in the other thread where you said the same.

I'm choosing to run with them rather than without after sliding last year and having zero grip partly due to summer tyres being hard in the cold.

It might be a waste of money to you, and you're entitled to that opinion.

I look at it that the cost of tyres and steel wheels is less then the excess on most policies. Add to that the reduced wear on your summer tyres and IMHO it makes sense.

As it is, I've been running WR (noted as winter in Europe but all season in the US) on my normal wheels since last year and if I was to go for summer tyres, then I'd be throwing away 3 perfectly good winter tyres and having to buy 4 summer tyres jsut at the start of winter.

All this rubbish about summer and winter tyres is born from EU nations that experience proper winters where the temp stays below zero for almost all of winter. What tyres do you consider to be summer only?

So long as your not using stupidly soft (ZR) rated tyres, then most will cope with all extremes the UK offers.

Never had any issues with any michelin tyre I've ever used. Even in the heavy snow I was able to move around quite happily - and we got hit VERY hard!

All this rubbish about summer and winter tyres is born from EU nations that experience proper winters where the temp stays below zero for almost all of winter. What tyres do you consider to be summer only?

So long as your not using stupidly soft (ZR) rated tyres, then most will cope with all extremes the UK offers.

Never had any issues with any michelin tyre I've ever used. Even in the heavy snow I was able to move around quite happily - and we got hit VERY hard!

Falken 452 - Great in the dry/wet, useless on damp, snow and the cold.

Michelin Pilot primacy - Very slippery in combined cold + damp conditions

Michelin Energy - Poor in damp or cold

The ZR tyres are actually harder than the same tyre in a H rating, because they have to be able to deal with all the extra heat generated at higher speeds and not have problems.

The Octavia II can do 140mph, which means you have to use V rated or above tyres as that was what was specified.

The other factor I have is that I do drive in Europe and Germany on a more than occasional basis during the winter months. It's a requirement there for me to have them anyway, so why not have the same advantage over here.

Michelin Pilot primacy - Very slippery in combined cold + damp conditions

Experience or a mag test?

My experience of them has been great in all conditions. Plus they will last a respective mileage between changes (25-30+k from experience)

Experience or a mag test?

My experience of them has been great in all conditions. Plus they will last a respective mileage between changes (25-30+k from experience)

Experience. They were the primacy, not the primacy HP.

While I do drive a lot on the m/ways, I also drive a lot through unsalted forest roads and ice isn't uncommon here. When the roads are cold, in the shade and damp (as opposed to properly wet) the harder summer compounds really do lose grip IMHO.

As I said, if you don't want to use winter tyres, then that's up to you, but I'd rather spend the money.

Once the winter is over I'll be looking to get 5 steel wheels or cheap alloys so I can put the winter tyres on them and get some inexpensive summer tyres on for the warmer months.

Bear in mind a set of winter tyres will typically last 3 or so winters when used in that way, so the cost per winter is low and as I said above you're not wearing out your summer tyres in that time too.

FWIW, Michelin offer summer (Pilot HP), All Season (Pilot HP A/S), and winter (Pilot Alpen) tyre ranges.

Edited 4 November, 200916 yr by cheezemonkhai

I'm thinking that the same logic applies as with normal tyres, which is keep the same type on an axle if you want to have a predictable car in poor conditions, but I shouldn't need to get rid of the rears.

Put the 'grippiest' set on the rear. I drove for a while with crossply fronts and radial rears as per 'the law'. It handled like a boat but was technically 'safe'.

My experience is Winter tyres are called such as they work in the Winter. End of, as far as I am concerned. They work very well in the cold wet winter nights as well as being much better on ice, slush and snow. The only down side apart from the extra cost, is the slightly vague feeling they give the steering, but that was also discussed in the ‘other’ thread.

Sorry to hear of your puncture. I would keep all the tyres you replace in your garage, as you never know when you might need spare temporary tyres due to umbrellarage.

Falken 452 - Great in the dry/wet, useless on damp, snow and the cold.

Charming, just put these on 3 weeks ago........!

Edited 5 November, 200916 yr by Tom_vRS
fixed quote

Nothing from any of our European members?

I've ordered a pair of WR-G2 so will have WR on the rear and a WR on the spare.

At the moment it's far from ideal with 1 summer and 3 winter tyres on, so I probably need to get these fitted sooner rather than later.

Can anyone familiar with winter tyres advise if it will be ok with one axle on WR and the other on WR-G2?

Wouldn't count on the European members! Newspapers state that winter tyres are impossible to find these days: all stocks are sold out, certainly for very common cars 'as the VW Golf' (=O2). You should be waiting at least 4 weeks for your tyres to be delivered, as the countries of the Alps get first deliveries.

wrt to speed ratings there is no law to replace with like for like, and gaving queried insurance comapnies in the past thye are not bothered. In Germnay in particular where speeds can be pushed they simply drive slower in winter in the acknowldegment they have winter tyres on.

+2 the other night and a slight drizzle. Guess who got rear ended by a guy who got rear ended by a guy?

Well, I managed to drive away with just the need for a bumper respray, not hitting the person in front.

The Golf behind me needs a new front bumper and rear bumper and panel work, and the Clio behind it needs a whole new nose, radiators and headlights etc.

If only those two jackasses had proper tires on or driving skills of any kind... AAAAaa!!!11

ive not had problems in the snow with falken 452's, in fact i was one of the only cars to get up the hill off the estate at the start of the year when we had the freak snow.

Just out of interest how does one get themself into so many problems, wouldnt forward planning be better?

Falken 452 - Great in the dry/wet, useless on damp, snow and the cold.

Charming, just put these on 3 weeks ago........!

They go rock hard and as they have lots of rubber and not much space, don't really do a lot with the compacted snow and slush we get around my way.

When it's cold and damp but not wet they are slippery, not enough to make the traction control come on all the time, but enough to make things harder.

When it's heavy rain and you go through puddles the TC lights come, with the associated effects. This doesn't happen with the Michelin tyres to the same extent and has not happened once when running the Nokian WR tyres.

Edited 5 November, 200916 yr by Bigw2069
fixed quotes

The Octavia II can do 140mph, which means you have to use V rated or above tyres as that was what was specified.

That's not true at all.

As long as the tyres are suitable for the vehicle there is no problem with using lower speed rating ones.

BUT, in some countries (Germany for sure) if the tire's speed rating is less than the car's Vmax this must be clearly advertised in the driver's eyesight.

That's why you see pictures of dashes with the 3 digit figure sticker on:

That's not true at all.

As long as the tyres are suitable for the vehicle there is no problem with using lower speed rating ones.

My insurance company wasn't happy at all with it and while it's not illegal over here, in some countries you have to notify or limit the vehicle. (I've already been beaten to it by the above pic though)

Just been reading AutoMotorundSport online, and here's what came out:

a minimum of 4mm is adviced

when speed limit is under that one of your car, a sticker should be placed on your dashboard

never older than 10 years

in trafic, not having the M+S tyres, you can be fined with €20, because one should be prepared for all weather conditions. When you're having problems (accident, got stuck), you'll pay €40.

For a test, see Winterreifentest 2009 : Zehn Reifen der Größe 205/55 R16 H - auto motor und sport