All season tyres

[magicpants]

After sliding on most corners on the way home tonight I'm in need of some new tyres. I have some Michelin Premacy HP's, which are great when dry, but pretty pants in the snow/ice.

Can anyone recommend a decent all weather 225/45/17 tyre (preferably cheapish ones) or a decent summer tyre that performs ok in snow?

Thanks

Edited 22 December, 2010 by magicpants

[pueseso]

After sliding on most corners on the way home tonight I'm in need of some new tyres. I have some Michelin Premacy HP's, which are great when dry, but pretty pants in the snow/ice.

Can anyone recommend a decent all weather 225/45/17 tyre (preferably cheapish ones) or a decent summer tyre that performs ok in snow?

Thanks

Im afraid there is nothing like this. Buy a decent set of winter tyres. you will safe money (no crashes) and a lot of scary drifts.

[loskie]

Im afraid there is nothing like this. Buy a decent set of winter tyres. you will safe money (no crashes) and a lot of scary drifts.

Vredestein Quatrac 3 are pretty good. I had them for the past 2 winters could not get them this year. Not cheap but you could happily run them all year round with no worries. You may struggle to get them though just now. I think one of the secrets with all season tyres will be to try to time it so you are fitting a new fully treaded set around November time so you get the full benifit during the winter.

[magicpants]

Im afraid there is nothing like this. Buy a decent set of winter tyres. you will safe money (no crashes) and a lot of scary drifts.

Is it ok to run a set of winer tyres on the front and keep the summer ones on the back, or is it best to get all 4 sorted (winter ones aren't cheap especially in R17)?

Cheers

[pueseso]

Is it ok to run a set of winer tyres on the front and keep the summer ones on the back, or is it best to get all 4 sorted (winter ones aren't cheap especially in R17)?

Cheers

At least in Spain you have to use all 4 of the same type by law (u can use different brands though).

I guess it is one european law applicable to all EU countries

[v0n]

Vredestein Quatrac 3 or Goodyear Eagle Vector EV-2 +, both outstanding examples of all year rubber with very good test results around Europe. Quatrac 3 will be next to impossible to find in UK in this size, Camskill claim to import them but, as they don't have it in stock for better part of the year now, they probably just list them on their page to keyword spam search engines.

[L&Ken]

Is it ok to run a set of winer tyres on the front and keep the summer ones on the back, or is it best to get all 4 sorted (winter ones aren't cheap especially in R17)?

Cheers

No, 2 winters is arguably more dangerous because any time you try to turn, or brake sharply you'll lose lateral grip in the rears first and destabilse the back end of the car, meaning you'll end up spinning the car.

buy some 16" steel rims and get some 205/55 R16 winter tyres. the 16" rims and tyres should work out cheaper than 17" winter tyres; and with a set of rims, you'll save yourself the cost of having tyres swapped on and off the rims twice a year, roughly £10 per tyre is £80.

[Browny_37]

Is it ok to run a set of winer tyres on the front and keep the summer ones on the back, or is it best to get all 4 sorted (winter ones aren't cheap especially in R17)?

Cheers

Not unless you like facing the wrong way/crashing when you put the brakes on or go around a corner.

It would be like putting grooved tyres on the front of a car and slicks on the rear, when its lashing it down with rain.

[Rab-k]

I'd suggest that for All Season you look for those with M+S (Mud and Snow) markings and the Snowflake symbol (qualifies for winter use in continental countries where such tyres are legally required).

The Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons is one example of such a tyre; but you'll have to hunt around for your particular size.

Edited 23 December, 2010 by Rab-k

[jon-]

I'd suggest that for All Season you look for those with M+S (Mud and Snow) markings and the Snowflake symbol (qualifies for winter use in continental countries where such tyres are legally required).

The Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons is one example of such a tyre; but you'll have to hunt around for your particular size.

I'll agree with this, the 4Seasons is probably what you're looking for.

It even beat some winter tyres in a snow bias winter tyre test: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-European-Winter-Tyre-Test_2.htm

[oktc]

Goodyear 4Seasons are really good. Im really impressed with them on my Scout. It has pulled me through all the snow we have had and sticks to the road very well in all conditions!

[nick74]

Goodyear 4Seasons are really good. Im really impressed with them on my Scout. It has pulled me through all the snow we have had and sticks to the road very well in all conditions!

I've got Goodyear 4Seasons on my front wheel drive Octavia and am also very impressed with them. We had well over a foot of snow here in early December and on my road there was only me with my Octavia and a neighbour with a 4x4 pickup who could get out through it. Neighbours with variously a new shape Fiesta, Passat estate and Seat Alhambra with summer tyres all got stuck, needed carpet under the wheels and several people to push them out. Even a lady round the corner with a Freelander & summer tyres got stuck backing off her drive!

My Octy with the Goodyear 4Seasons on just ploughed through it. Very slight front wheel spin when pulling away, but not even enough to bring the ASR light on.

Edited 23 December, 2010 by nick74

[toonfan66]

Vredestein Quatrac 3 are pretty good. I had them for the past 2 winters could not get them this year. Not cheap but you could happily run them all year round with no worries. You may struggle to get them though just now. I think one of the secrets with all season tyres will be to try to time it so you are fitting a new fully treaded set around November time so you get the full benifit during the winter.

+1 for the Vredestein Quatrac 3s. I've had them fitted for the past 2 yrs (full time, all through summer too) and have been to the Alps twice mid-winter (Feb half-term skiing trips) and they performed really well. Its amazing what slopes I managed to negotiate without drama as well as fresh snow in this country and 300 miles of blizzard conditions on the way back to Calais in Feb this year. I've not noticed any adverse handling or wear through the summer despite doing approx 20k per year. Would I buy them again as an alternative to two sets of tryes and wheels and rotating them twice a year if money and storage was an issue? Definately. Have they been a good buy? Oh yes.

[riph72]

Nokian WR-G2 or WR - I've tried both and they are great, they also have the "snowflake in mountain" symbol, which if my memory serves me right, is a far more meaningful standard than the M+S rating, which isn't meant to mean very much...

[magicpants]

So, something like this would be ok?

[jon-]

Nokian WR-G2 or WR - I've tried both and they are great, they also have the "snowflake in mountain" symbol, which if my memory serves me right, is a far more meaningful standard than the M+S rating, which isn't meant to mean very much...

Correct. M+S means something like 10% more grooves than a benchmark tyre which is worthless. Snowflake and mountain symbol indicates at least 10% more traction than a benchmark tyre, so means something.

[stuartm]

+1 for quatracs

[Dallan]

I've got Goodyear 4Seasons on my front wheel drive Octavia and am also very impressed with them. We had well over a foot of snow here in early December and on my road there was only me with my Octavia and a neighbour with a 4x4 pickup who could get out through it. Neighbours with variously a new shape Fiesta, Passat estate and Seat Alhambra with summer tyres all got stuck, needed carpet under the wheels and several people to push them out. Even a lady round the corner with a Freelander & summer tyres got stuck backing off her drive!

My Octy with the Goodyear 4Seasons on just ploughed through it. Very slight front wheel spin when pulling away, but not even enough to bring the ASR light on.

+1 on the goodyear vector 4 seasons, got them for SWMBO's renault megane and they have been good in the snow, and i didnt want the hastle of having to change them when the warm weather comes, i got a set of michelin a4's for my octy on a set of 16" steels so will be swapping back to summer tyres in march

[skippy41]

Vredestein Quatrac 3 are pretty good. I had them for the past 2 winters could not get them this year. Not cheap but you could happily run them all year round with no worries. You may struggle to get them though just now. I think one of the secrets with all season tyres will be to try to time it so you are fitting a new fully treaded set around November time so you get the full benifit during the winter.

I have Vredestein Quatrac 3 15s fitted to the front only on mine, last night I had a fare to a place up in the hills, all singe track with walls either side I had to go up and down a 1 in 4 half mile hill, thats bad even in the dry but I am well pleased as I made it up and down in 3 inches of snow with no wheel-spin

Used 1st all the way down without brakes, and second all the way up

Edited 27 December, 2010 by skippy41

[Browny_37]

I've a spare set of 17" alloys with 215/45/R17's i know there not the correct size. They came fitted with Nankang NS-1 (M+S) tyres.

I put them on the octy last year and noticed no difference in the performance of how well the car coped on snow/ice. I was still getting stuck, the problem I find is that the snow bunches up around the rear wheels and brings you to a stop eventually.

Although this year i found if enough morementum was kept, I could keep the car moving on flat ground.

As soon as i stopped you felt the car sink slightly leaving me to dig myself out.

[AnotherGareth]

Camskill claim to import them but, as they don't have it in stock for better part of the year now, [...]

Bought 5 Quatrac 3 tyres from Camskill at the end of August.