THE Winter Tyres Thread

[Moist Von Lipwig]

Thanks.

[MisterGH]

So? Got me tyres......where's the bloody snow!!!

[kenny]

ive got a 2010 2.0tdi vrs that had 18in alloys but now 16in winter wheels and tyres 205/50 r16 what tyre pressures you guys using?

[LucasVRS]

"ive got a 2010 2.0tdi vrs that had 18in alloys but now 16in winter wheels and tyres 205/50 r16 what tyre pressures you guys using?"

Have a look on the inside of your fuel filler cap... should say there... on my Fabia it says 0.2 above the standard pressure.

Edited 6 December, 2011 by LucasVRS

[cbr600]

The handbook says 0.2 above the pressure for normal wheels/tyres.

[Raf_]

Is it me or are there loads of muppets about that try and keep up with you when its slippery? First time it snowed I chose to drive on the outside lane on virgin snow, on a straight stretch may I add instead of following the sheep doing 15mph, took it slowly up to that speed to make sure it was safe. And some muppet in a scooby decides that if I can do it so can he, so he spun luckily missing anything lol. Then yesterday I went round a roundabout and the focus that was following me spun. I'm not doing stupid unsafe speeds just well within my winter tyres limits!

[MisterGH]

right then.....as we finally got some snow...I stuck mine on!

Good God what a difference! After nearly 1000 miles in the snow and ice around both the South east and midlands, I can't rate snow tyres highly enough! well worth the £400 for the set of rims and tyres from MyTyres!

Maybe next year, I'll spray them up silver as well!

[trundlenut]

Even before the snow I had noticed the better handling compared to the normal tyres last year but when the snow came wow. The braking in particular is so much better. Short of driving like a complete arse the car handled almost like there was no snow. I made a point of stopping on slopes and setting off again just because I could.

[summers]

I have only had my Yeti since the beginning of this year.I bought some steel wheels and winter tyres which have been on more or less since I bought the car. Needless to say the weather has been mild, to say the least, since fitting them.

From other peoples experience when do they change back to their 'summer tyres' bearing in mind the vagaries of our weather system?

Peter

[domhnall]

beginning to mid April usually. It was plus 1 again here this morning so still too cold. ANd we do see snow as late as April (or even on one occasion May here but that was unusual)

[bahnstormer vrs]

From other peoples experience when do they change back to their 'summer tyres' bearing in mind the vagaries of our weather system?

Peter

Never before Easter; it always snows @ Easter!

Serouisly; I switched on 4th April last year. Keeping an eye on the weather forecast around the same time this year.

PS> Its been 3.5 - 4degC with sleety snow and lots of rain today; my winters are staying firmly on for now.

[Gizmo]

A new name for suppliers I was recommended is OPONEO, they were (for me) cheaper than mytyres (£6 per tyre) so I ordered on Monday afternoon and they were delivered Wednesday lunchtime!!

HTH

[sharkrider]

someone mentioned they dont have a secure server when paying, I don't know if this is true... just be careful it shows encription... (I've been on the site, the prices are good!)

[The Plumber]

Bought some tyres from them last year; not complaints with their service considering they ship from Poland. Oh the Goodyear's I bought were actually of Polish manufacture.

TP

[dbg400]

Used Oponeo for my winter tyres last month - no issues with payment and fast delivery. I'd been waiting until the price stabilised (had dropped around £6/tyre since first pricing them) but of course they are now even cheaper, though so far by only £2/tyre so I don't feel too bad! The order tracking on mine had them coming from a depot in Germany, but I'd read they had bought out quite a few other distributors, so they might just use the closest stockist.

[Yearofthegoat]

Could you do me (us?) a big favour and post the date of production on your oponeo tyres? Should be fairly recent. Cheers.

[dbg400]

Will do but it'll need to wait until Sunday - the wheels are in storage at the in-laws.

[Gizmo]

Could you do me (us?) a big favour and post the date of production on your oponeo tyres? Should be fairly recent. Cheers.

Week 18 2012 (1812)

(Week 18 is the beginning of May)

[Yearofthegoat]

Thanks both - was just wondering how old their shipping stock is before I order some Nokians from them. Looks like it's recent stuff so no worries there.

Have been talking to Mark at Skodaparts (which is Bickerton Skoda in Sheffield) - very helpful bloke - and I'm going to order the OE steel wheels.

BTW if you like Kumho KW27s they're doing 4 steel wheels complete with these on for £600 at the moment. I wanted 5 with Nokians on so am putting the wheels together myself as it's a bit cheaper overall.

Edited 17 August, 2012 by Yearofthegoat

[Yearofthegoat]

All ordered. Nokians from Oponeo and OE steels/caps/jack set from Skodaparts. Overall, £150ish per complete wheel. Just got to order a tyre tree or some such, otherwise it's a dusty patch of garage floor for them until November.

[dbg400]

My Nokian WR A3s are dated week 16 2012, bought from Oponeo a month ago.

[Yearofthegoat]

Thanks, I think that and Giz's show they're using fairly recent stock. My order is in, just got to clear a spot in the garage. Cheers

[The Plumber]

My current winters for the Yeti came from Camskill and they were just over a year old in terms of date of manufacture :| but they were a very good price (and proving to be a very good winter tyre).

Also bought tyres from both oponeo and mytyres and they have been only been a month or two from manufacture

Currently looking for more winters now my lad has changed cars. Considering Nokian's but prices have jumped up in the required size since I first had a look round a couple of weeks ago; wish I'd got on with it then and knowing my luck if I buy now prices will drop back again :S Although there are less capable brands that are just if not more expensive.

Avon's would save me a few bob and their summer tyres from experience are decent but the reviews for the winter pattern are fairly mediocre, mind these are subjective. For example Bridgestone Blizzak LM 30's have a good review but after running them for a couple of years in 195/55 R15 size on our lightweight Fabia 1.2TSI, then in snow anyway, they are not one I would recommend, although in the wet and dry then their pretty good; mind all I could get for our first Fabia II in 2010, other than the odd real budget brand.

TP

[Gizmo]

For example Bridgestone Blizzak LM 30's have a good review but after running them for a couple of years in 195/55 R15 size on our lightweight Fabia 1.2TSI, then in snow anyway, they are not one I would recommend, although in the wet and dry then their pretty good;

I bought my current winter wheels (Audi 'Abitos' made by BBS) fitted with new Blizzak's (not sure if they are LM 30's without looking) and they are perfectly capable .... but certainly not as good as the Nokian WR G2's I ran the previous year. Not sure if this has anything to do with the fact they were 'new old stock' as they were IIRC 3 years 'old' when I bought them, most tyre manufacturers say all tyres are good for 6ish years, which by then they will be down to around 5mm and I will be looking to change them anyway.

[The Plumber]

Well ended up ordering Avon's from mytyres, for our other recently acquired Fabia II, after the Nokian's went up again on oponeo. Managed to get an extra set of nearly new VAG steel rims of ebay for just over £24 each and as an added bonus the seller was a local garage, so a saving on the extra cost of postage

Oh and the daft thing about the tyre order, is these British manufactured winters are being shipped back home from Germany

TP