I'm intending to run on All Season tyres from say end Nov-end Mar, (will have a set of 6.0J x 15" 'Avantgarda' steels/all-season to swap with the 6.5J x 15" 'Pyxis' alloys/summer), but I'm not sure which would be the best tyre to purchase.

The Hankook OPTIMO 4S H730 205/60 R15 91H 4PR GP1, M+S marking gets good reviews, so too the Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons 205/60 R15 95H XL M+S marking; each £60 and £70 respectively from mytyres.co.uk

Does anyone have any experience of either, or an alternative?

Cheers

Edited 2 June, 201016 yr by Rab-k

Rab, if you're only going to run them in the cold weather months you could be better off going for cold weather tyres rather than all seasons. You might have your reasons for only choosing all seasons though.

If the scale runs something like: Summer -> All season -> Cold Weather -> Snow / Ice, then there's 2 very good tyres i know of that sit on the border of being classed cold weather or all seasons -- they have the mountain and snowflake on the tyre wall for severe conditions, but they will survive summer heat like all seasons will.

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-18

Nokian WR G2

I have more miles on the Nokians and i can't fault them at all. They're perfect for central scotland weather all year round. The Blizzak's went on tail end of last year for the first time, the LM compound is more of an all seasons compound than just a cold weather one. Again perfect for central scottish cold weather months -- temperature always between -10c and +20 degrees C, lots of rain soaked roads, some snow and ice duty.

The Nokian's are quieter, the Blizzak's have better grip in fresh snow. The two are tied for slush and old snow. Both are tied for rain performance (very good).

If you can get them in your size, i definitely say these are a very safe choice and you're very unlikely to be disappointed.

If you're running different wheels and tyres, don't waste your money on all seasons get some winters like Nokian WR-G2 or Vredestein tyres.

_{I used Vredestein Quatrac 2 on my own Passat. Fine all year round and excellent in snow. Ran out of ground clearance before traction.}

_{I used Vredestein Quatrac 2 on my own Passat. Fine all year round and excellent in snow. Ran out of ground clearance before traction.}

So do I on the fronts of mine, put mine on at the end of October last year and they are still on after 36,000 miles with 3.5 mil left

I'm running the Nokian WRs (winter tyres, but also quite suitable for all-season use) all year round and so far have been very happy with them. They seem very well thought of by all who use them too.

Thanks for the replies.

Seems the Nokian is popular and the size I was intending to get (185/65 R15) is available.

I wasn't sure whether Winters were needed, since the Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons has both the M+S and Snowflake symbols I figured they'd probably be OK. I work shifts so this winter past it was noticable being out v.early and back v.late that mine were often the only tyre tracks in the snow to be seen. (and usually in a pattern slewing from one side of the road to the other!).

I was often blazing a trail for the ploughs/gritters, nobody else having chewed up the snow, and swore I'd never spend another winter on summer tyres; albeit this past winter was exceptional and I figured winter tyres would only be worthwhile if every winter was like that, rather than a once in 30 year event.

I also read that it was a bad idea to just put these tyres on the front only, as under braking the rear tyres don't have the equivalent grip and the back end can start to overtake the front.

Thoughts...

Rab, don't you mean 195 65 15s that's the standard size

All season with a snow flake will be ok, it's the all seasons without that snowflake in a mountain symbol are useless.

As above the Quatrac will be fine for the UK although not quite so good on packed snow.

All friction (non-studded) tyres are useless on polished ice, so don't expect miracles what ever you fit.

I appreciate that no matter what the tyre I'm not going to be invincible, but at least things might not be quite so entertaining as they were this past winter.

The all seasons with the snowflake/mountain symbol, (plus M+S marking), seem to be limited to: Pirelli P 6 Four Seasons, Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons, Kumho Solus KH21, Goodyear VECTOR 5+ and Pirelli P 2500 Euro 4S. Most of these can be obtained in the size I was looking to get, which was why I hadn't really investigated the full-blown winter/cold weather alternatives.

Talking about sizes, I'd also read that tyres for winter driving are narrower than those for summer due to their being better at breaking through the layer of snow to reach the road surface; wider summer tyres supposedly just float over the top of snow. Therefore I'd intended going for a narrower tyre than the 205/60 R15 which come with the 6.5J x 15" Pyxis alloys, and instead go for a 185/65 R15 to marry up with the 6.0J x 15" Avantgarda steels. The 185/65 tyres are a fraction smaller in circumference, therefore when the speedo reads 60mph you're in fact only doing 59.5mph, but evidently that's sufficiently close enough not to cause any issues, and they're narrower than the 195/65 R15 which come as standard on the Avantgarda wheel.

Edited 3 June, 201016 yr by Rab-k

just browsing on mytyres website and noticed a new "nokian entyre" is now available. cant find any reviews but it would seem to be more of an all season tyre

than the wrg2's which are geared more for the winter.

It's a USA targeted all seasons tyre.

It's a USA targeted all seasons tyre.

Any idea how it compares to the WR/WRG2s?

Hi, I run the Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons on my Scout. I would say excellent tyre so far (done over 15000 miles since fitted last November). MPG suffers a little compared to previous Dunlop SP01, down about 1 - 1.5 mpg.

In the snow we had this winter it performed brilliantly, not having any trouble at all with everything I drove it through (and I drove it through a LOT of snow). Coupled with Haldex system, it really felt like nothing would stop that car (except when I tried to drive through 3ft of snow but that was more an issue of ground clearance!)

Now that summer is here I can't say that I have noticed any trade off in handling or anything, but then I do not push my car to that extent where I'd expect any issues. I have thrown the car around a roundabout at speed a couple of times (in wet & dry), no grip issues at all.

Marc.

Any idea how it compares to the WR/WRG2s?

Since there is no snowflake... I'd guess crap in the snow compared to the WR range.

Are you still running the WR?

Since there is no snowflake... I'd guess crap in the snow compared to the WR range.

Are you still running the WR?

Yes, and judging by the wear, will be for a long time to come!

They are fine, but I drive with true mechanical sympathy, so I'm probably not best placed to say what their summer performance is like. Any update on your experiences with yours?

Yes, and judging by the wear, will be for a long time to come!

They are fine, but I drive with true mechanical sympathy, so I'm probably not best placed to say what their summer performance is like. Any update on your experiences with yours?

WR are fine, and I've got G2 on the rear and as the spare due to a puncture. I've now gone for a summer/winter tyre mix and will be picking up a set of steels for the winter wheels in the not too distant future.

So summer tyres are Continental PC2 and winter tyres are Nokian WR/WR-G2

I've been very pleased with the nokians performance in the snow.