Winter Tires - Suitable All Year Round?

[Huskoda]

I, like many people, managed for years without crashing into anything. Years ago, I was speaking to some people from Finland and I asked them how they coped with all the ice and snow there and that's where I heard about winter tyres. I tried them and would never be without them now. I felt like I had been hammering in screws all my life because I didn't know the screwdriver existed.

 

Your Yeti will almost certainly be on regular summer tyres. You can tell because winter tyres have a symbol on them of a mountain with a snowflake in it. It is not to be confused with the M+S text marking, which has very little to do with winter traction even though its often called 'Mud & Snow'.

[domhnall]

M&S is short for Matsch und Schnee and it is a requirement for winter tyres to have this marking. It means "mud and snow". It has everythign to do with winter traction. 

[Huskoda]

Hmm, I had read that it was just to do with the openness of the tread pattern, not the compound. I have seen many M+S tyres with no sipes whatsoever, which are a large part of how mountain and snowflake marked tyres work.

 

Edit:

 

Taking information from http://www.continental-tires.com/www/tires_de_en/themes/van-tires/winter-tires/markings/markings_en.html

 

M+S marked tyres are designed to work in snow.

 

Mountain and snowflake tyres are tested and certified to do so.

 

So we are both right

 

All winter tyres should have M+S but not all M+S tyres will be mountain and snowflake certified. I have only ever bought ones with the symbol.

[domhnall]

the compound is the main thing, they are made of a softer compound which does not harden below 7 degrees. Sipes play a part of course but the compound is the main factor as I understand it.

 

As you say though, they make a huge difference. I keep mine on from the start of October to start of May. And no it's not a yeti thing, I did the same on my octavia.

[JCP]

Winter tyres have been well known for years in Northern Europe-Nokian which I have and like come from the same place as and are historically related to Nokia. They have much more recently been targeted at the UK market and have begun to be better known here once I tried a set of Contis on my last Yeti I was utterly won over. In the UK your car will be delivered on normal tyres and you will only get winters as an aftermarket option. 

[manxskoda]

Nokia is a Finnish Tyre company, that markets their tyres as Nokian. It is majority owned by Bridgestone. Nokia was the City in Finland where they where originally produced.

Tony

[900000]

Some cars now come standard with M+S tyres, like the new Range Rover Sport and the Fiat Panda 4x4.  In the case of the former I think too many owners were miffed that their can-go-anywhere 4x4 beasts were useless in the snow on summer tyres and were overtaken up hills by little Corsas (on winter tyres).  

[Huskoda]

It won't really help them if they keep them on 255 wide tyres My parents have a CRV with M+S tyres. They couldn't get it up their driveway in the snow so that is partly why I don't trust non mountain and snowflake marked ones.

[FlintstoneR1]

Some cars now come standard with M+S tyres, like the new Range Rover Sport and the Fiat Panda 4x4.  In the case of the former I think too many owners were miffed that their can-go-anywhere 4x4 beasts were useless in the snow on summer tyres and were overtaken up hills by little Corsas (on winter tyres).  

    +1  Got some really strange looks from a couple of floundering Range Rover Sport drivers last winter - when I overtook them uphill on snow - in my rear wheel drive BMW!!      

 

The summer tyres on the Beemer are 255 width, so would be "go nowhere" tyres on snow or even just frosty roads. Slapped on some narrower 17" alloy wheels from a slightly lower spec BMW in early November, fitted with Yokohama W-Drive tyres from Ears in Macclesfield. Carefully sized to give exactly the same rolling circumference as the summers.  A few cm narrower, on 1" less diameter wheels but taller sidewalls.

 

The Yokohamas are brilliant in snow and slush, surprisingly good in the bone dry, but truly AWESOME in the much more common cool, wet or just damp conditions of a typical British winter. Sooooo sure footed in the wet and damp. :love:

 

Those who decide winter tyres are not for them - that's fine, and their choice. I too had driven 40 years without ever using specific winter tyres, with only the odd minor ditch sojourn or slide into a kerb during snow.   Mileage to be covered, essentialness (if that is a word?) of journeys, and type of roads to be driven will all have an influence.  But having sampled the W-Drives now, I wouldn't be without them.  Wear was under 1mm (rear), 0.5mm (front) over 5500 miles of mixed winter driving. So they'll be good for a few winters yet.  Currently carefully wrapped and stored in my garage, ready to re-fit when the conditions dictate.

 

Haven't had the Yeti over a winter yet(i?). But am seriously considering getting it a set of 16" steels ready for the day when I decide it needs some winters. (Note to self: start looking out on Ebay now....).  With reference to the OP question - I'll be getting it some Yokohama W-Drives based on last year's experience with the BMW.  Not so easy to find as some of the Contis, Dunlops or Good Years though. I considered some cheaper unheard of brand and some Minervas prior to getting the Yokohamas, but after reading of the cheap brands performance in anything other than snow - I'm glad I splashed out (deliberate pun reference to their performance in wet!) the £500 for the 17" Yokohamas on the Beemer.  16" dia. would be a lot more common, and therefore less expensive.

 

For all year round use, then based on their performance on cool dry tarmac, I would be happy to continue using them all year round during a typical British summer.  But would be not so comfortable using them for a summer trip to the south of France (say), or during the tarmac temperatures we had here in North Yorkshire during July 2013.  

 

The economics are as Johan states so well.  Add to that staying out of the ditch and the occasions when being able to travel safely when others can't.

 

It's a big ask to expect one set of tyres to excel in all conditions, hence why "all-season" users themselves describe them as "Jack of All Trades, master of none".  Fair compromise for a low annual mileage perhaps?

 

In rallying, we think it normal to take at least 3 or 4 sets of tyres to even an all-tarmac event, and swap them over according to the surface conditions, perhaps 3 or 4 times per day in changeable weather. (In the Isle of Man - for Tony's sake - we would prefer to swap a couple of times per stage typically - if that were possible.  It's even been known on God's Wonderful Island to see me at the side of road between stages, putting some extra sipes into the tread blocks of intermediate tyres. Much to the horror and disbelief of other road users to see us carving at the treads with a Stanley knife, while the tyres are still on the car!)  It seems reasonable (to me) therefore, to apply the same logic to a twice per year swap Winter vs. Summer for road car tyres.   

Edited 22 August, 2013 by FlintstoneR1

[Huskoda]

But am seriously considering getting it a set of 16" steels ready for the day when I decide it needs some winters. (Note to self: start looking out on Ebay now....).

 

There are a number of members who upgraded their MKII VRS Octavias for MKIIIs and they look like they need to sell their 16s, so you may be able to get a set here.

 

But yes, the look of evil you get from Range Rover drivers as you pass them in a normal car is priceless. Last winter my lass' boss couldn't get up the entrance to works carpark in his RR, so she had to go around him in her Polo (on winters).

[900000]

There are a number of members who upgraded their MKII VRS Octavias for MKIIIs and they look like they need to sell their 16s, so you may be able to get a set here.

 

But yes, the look of evil you get from Range Rover drivers as you pass them in a normal car is priceless. Last winter my lass' boss couldn't get up the entrance to works carpark in his RR, so she had to go around him in her Polo (on winters).

 

Oh the smugness she must have felt about that!!!  Love that.

 

OT I know but why don't the 16" wheels fit on the Octy 3?

[Huskoda]

Oh the smugness she must have felt about that!!!  Love that.

 

OT I know but why don't the 16" wheels fit on the Octy 3?

 

She was very smug But the boss was pleased regardless as nearly noone else turned up.

 

The front brakes on the Octy III VRS are bigger so need 17s.

[900000]

She was very smug But the boss was pleased regardless as nearly noone else turned up.

 

The front brakes on the Octy III VRS are bigger so need 17s.

 

Ah...  that will make for VERY expensive and limited range of tyres for the Octy III vRS owners then.  Ouch.

[FlintstoneR1]

P.S. As an aside and Off Topic - but don't you just find car tyre and wheel sizes a wonderfully brain-addling mix of both Imperial and Metric units. Diameters in Inches. Widths in Metric. Sidewall heights as a % of width.  And I'm a reasonably numerate Data Analyst in my day job!     Nearly as crazy as buying fuel in litres but measuring its consumption in Miles per Gallon (whatever one of those is/was, depending on whether you're British, Canadian, or American?). Perhaps this is a topic for the Roadside Hotel bar??  

Or has that been done to death already?

[Huskoda]

If the new Octavia Scout will come with the 185hp diesel engine, which the rumours say it will, I wonder if that will also have the bigger brakes. If so and I get one, I may just run it on winters all year around.

[Frenchtone]

Use the appropriate sized 16" rims tyres Goodride SW601's, cheapo Chinese lot, brilliant in the Scandinavian styled March here in Finistere, andother conditions, sure footed, in the dry obviously down on the SP01's but well pleased, as i was a little sceptical of winter tyres, no a convert even with the above tyres!

[bilun777]

P.S. As an aside and Off Topic - but don't you just find car tyre and wheel sizes a wonderfully brain-addling mix of both Imperial and Metric units. Diameters in Inches. Widths in Metric. Sidewall heights as a % of width.  And I'm a reasonably numerate Data Analyst in my day job!     Nearly as crazy as buying fuel in litres but measuring its consumption in Miles per Gallon (whatever one of those is/was, depending on whether you're British, Canadian, or American?). Perhaps this is a topic for the Roadside Hotel bar??  

Or has that been done to death already?

YES....You'll be talking about winter tyres next....DOH!!!

[FlintstoneR1]

Ah...  that will make for VERY expensive and limited range of 17" tyres for the Octy III vRS owners then.  Ouch.

True!  I had the same dilemma for the Beemer (Summers on 18", Winters on 17").  The 17" Yokohamas as mentioned earlier, where actually £100/corner (plus VAT) from Ears now when I check, plus a nominal fitting and balancing charge. They did me a deal on the latter, as I was fitting to supplied bare rims with no old tyre to remove or dispose of, and no fitting to the car (that was even at home at the time).  But that was last year.  Could be different this autumn?  The Yoko W-Drives are VR speed rated and 94 Load Index.  So should be OK (for winters) on a vRS Octy I would have thought? 225/45 VR17 94  to be precise. 

[MarieK]

I've ordered a set of Nokian WR D3 winter tyres from Oponeo. They should arrive next week sometime. 

Will likely need them fitted by end of next month the way the weather is going up here.

[oldstan]

I've ordered a set of Nokian WR D3 winter tyres from Oponeo. They should arrive next week sometime. 

Will likely need them fitted by end of next month the way the weather is going up here.

 

My first reference to Oponeo, here, was a couple of years ago and see that they have been used increasingly by bods here.  I found them to be every bit as helpful and efficient as any UK company I've used....and much more so in some instances!

 

My own order from them ( 4x Goodyear Vector All Season tyres for my i10) arrived in 'two consignments of two' due to the weight of 4 tyres being too much to handle.  It was delivered without drama and I subsequently paid £40 locally to have existing tyres removed and new ones fitted (inc. balancing).  Hope all goes well yourself.

[dbg400]

I've ordered a set of Nokian WR D3 winter tyres from Oponeo. They should arrive next week sometime. 

Will likely need them fitted by end of next month the way the weather is going up here.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with them. I have the A3s on my winter wheels which are only available (for Yeti sizes) in 205/55/16 rather than the 215/60/16 winter tyres size that the D3 comes in. Or are you putting them onto your existing alloys?

 

My winters will be going on next month too. I couldn't tell any noticeable difference in their performance even in temps of 18C or so, as we had a very warm week just after I put them on last year.

[Kenny R]

I've ordered a set of Nokian WR D3 winter tyres from Oponeo. They should arrive next week sometime.

Will likely need them fitted by end of next month the way the weather is going up here.

Same tyres I bought 2 years ago from My Tyres. Com,(215 60 16's )complete with steel rims. Never had winter tyres before fitting to the Yeti, but really impressed, especially in snow.

[MarieK]

Mine will be going on my existing 17" alloys.

I'd like to get a set of matterhorn alloys but can't really justify the £800 cost.

[dbg400]

It's a shame Matterhorns are so pricey, as they'd look particularly good on your Candy White. I have 16" Spitzberg lookalike (if you squint) winter alloys and had change from £700 buying new + the Nokians + local fitting.

[RageoftheYeti]

I am using the Hankook optimo 4s and so far summer handling is great.

I bought it because on German magazines it was the tire of choice when compared to other 4s tires.

Sent from my GT-S7562 using Tapatalk 4