Needing some new rubber for the front of the Octy.

Was wondering if what with winter just round the corner if it's work getting winter tyres for the car and just leaving them on.

Any massive problems with winter tyres in the summer?

I'm not looking for ultimate performance, car will be getting goodish budget tyres anyway (i.e. Falkens or others in that price range) rather than anything fancy.

As a rule of thumb - you'll trash your winter tyres in the summer, making them poor in the winter, but all depend on the type of rubber used in the tyre, and on what summer temps get to.

My car's winter tyres, Vredestein wintrac xtreme, are a high-silicone compound, and whilst give better summer grip than Vredestein Sessantas, would get trashed by temps over 18 degrees (ish).

The tyres on my van however, Vredestein comtrac winter, have a lower silicon compound, and I leave them on all year. I use my van on mud and farm tracks, and the tyres seem to view mud as "warm snow"

Wear on them has been excellent.

My parents car, a Subaru Forester, which lives in Switerland, has to contend with low winter temps and high summer temps.

The high summer temps killed the winter tyres in < 2 years of very low mileage driving - as a result the car ended up in a snow bank in the winter !

If you're still going for a single year-round tyre, look at snow/mud tyres like Vredestien Snowtrac 1's, or maybe their all-seaon tyres

Edited 13 September, 201015 yr by snow_muncher

Both rubber mixture and thread pattern on winter tyres are designed for winter (cold, mud, snow) so your grip will be worse in summer. Also, since winter tyres are softer, they will wear out quicker and you'll probably get less MPG. So I would never recommend it. "All-season" tyres: a compromise, and as all compromises you lose something - they will be worse than proper M+S tyres in winter, and worse than ordinary summer tyres in summer, but if most of your driving is city traffic and you're a bit careful e.g. during heavy rain they'll probably work OK

Edited 13 September, 201015 yr by swedishskoda

I suspected as much. Thought it was worth asking.

Depends on the tyres to be honest.

Something like quatrac you will be ok.

Something like blizaks not a hope and not only will you trash them, but it's quite dangerous braking from speed in high temperatures.

Quatracs tend to be labelled as an all season tyre along with the Hankook Optimo 4S and the Goodyear Vectors.

Here are some links to a recent test of the All season tyres and they have thrown in a reference summer and winter tyre so you can see how they compare. It is in German but if you look at the separate sections you can see how the different tyre types compare:

http://www.hankooktire-eu.com/fileadmin/hankook/images/tires/Test_PDFs/AutoBild09-38Test.pdf In German

http://global.hankooktire.com/Tech/h730_test_8.pdf Different test in English

Edited 13 September, 201015 yr by Bogwoppit

Quatracs tend to be labelled as an all season tyre along with the Hankook Optimo 4S and the Goodyear Vectors.

Here are some links to a recent test of the All season tyres and they have thrown in a reference summer and winter tyre so you can see how they compare. It is in German but if you look at the separate sections you can see how the different tyre types compare:

http://www.hankooktire-eu.com/fileadmin/hankook/images/tires/Test_PDFs/AutoBild09-38Test.pdf In German

http://global.hankooktire.com/Tech/h730_test_8.pdf Different test in English

In 2009 AMS weren't very complementary about all season tyres - kinda jack of all trades master of none! Full breaddown of the results (in english!) can be found here: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2009-AMS-summer-and-winter-tyre-test-part2.htm

FWIW, some people are running the more "dry bias" winter tyres (like the Nokian WRG2) year round without problem. They're reporting slightly increased wear during the summer but nothing too shocking.

Totally agree, I have bought a second set of wheels/winter tyres for my car this winter. The four season tyres are still a compromise, compared to summer tyres and winter tyres.

Here is a link to ADAC's most recent winter tyre test if it helps anyone: http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/reifen/winterreifen/2009_Winterreifen_Test_205_55_R16.aspx?ComponentId=29880&SourcePageId=31821

Edited 14 September, 201015 yr by Bogwoppit

I'd like to get the full set of steel wheels plus winter tyres from mytyres but don't have the money.

TBH it'll be enough of a struggle to buy 2 normal tyres. New babies are expensive.

I'd like to get the full set of steel wheels plus winter tyres from mytyres but don't have the money.

TBH it'll be enough of a struggle to buy 2 normal tyres. New babies are expensive.

I think if you want to do it then as i said some of the guys north of the border run these all year around.

As said not the best winter tyres, not the best summer tyres, but they do seem to keep people going when it gets a bit inclement.

http://www.tyretest.com/ganzjahresreifen/vredestein/quatrac_3/index.html