Hi, have you already purchased winter tyres for your Superbs? I’m wondering what to choose for my Superb III 150 TDI. I decided to choose winter tyres of same size as summer –235/45 R18 and to use same rims.

Autobild last year did 225/40 R18 (this size is closest to mine) winter tyre test - http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2015-Auto-Bild-Performance-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm. The winner is Dunlop Winter Sport 5; second is Continental WinterContact TS 850 P; third Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3.

What is your thoughts about winter tyres for this season? 

If you can see, Autobild tests at 3 weather conditions: dry and wet tarmac and snow. Which is pretty Central European weather.

Finnish Tekniikan Maailma tests tyres at 4 conditions: also ice besides the three mentioned ones. I believe the weather in Lithuania is more close to Nordic rather than European.

Finnish tests for winter tyres are revealed usually in October`s edition:

http://tekniikanmaailma.fi/

 

Finnish test is done in cooperation with several car magazines, I believe one of them is russian Autoreview:

https://autoreview.ru/

So, if finnish is too hard to understand, some russian would be understandable.

 

Last year`s results for non - studded tyres:

1 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 7,7 ** 2 Good Year UltraGrip Ice 2 7,6 ** 2 Michelin XI3 7,6 ** 2 Pirelli IceZero R 7,6 ** 5 Continental ContiVikingContact 6 7,5 ** 6 Nordman RS 7,0 * 7 Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 6,9 * 8 Nankang IceActiva Ice-1 6,7

-

 

 

As you can see none of the Autobild`s tyres took part in Nordic tests.

 

P.S. In my opinion, good winter tyre looks like this:

https://www.nokianrenkaat.fi/talvirenkaat/nokian-hakkapeliitta-8/

 

Using them for last few years, absolute grip on ice.

Edited 3 October, 20169 yr by linni

Have a look at Nokian A4, B,B 70db , on paper it looks quite fine when compared to top tier, more expensive ts850p.

Have a look at Nokian A4, B,B 70db , on paper it looks quite fine when compared to top tier, more expensive ts850p.

 

Again, Nokian A4 is meant for Central European conditions.

I have a set of Nokian D4 tyres which I use on my European trips (studded tyres not allowed starting from Poland). Great for Central Europe, pretty useless for hard compressed snow, not to mention about ice.

Currently looking at winter tyres myself.

• Continental TS850P
• Michelin Alpin 4

Price difference is about £3 a tyre, have a relative who works for a tyre importer and retailer so can access a discount.  It is a family business and they swear by the Continental's on all their cars which are very high spec and they are not the lightest of right foot drivers.

 

Anyone have experience with the above that they could share?

Edited 3 October, 20169 yr by pentaxian

If you can see, Autobild tests at 3 weather conditions: dry and wet tarmac and snow. Which is pretty Central European weather.

Finnish Tekniikan Maailma tests tyres at 4 conditions: also ice besides the three mentioned ones. I believe the weather in Lithuania is more close to Nordic rather than European.

Finnish tests for winter tyres are revealed usually in October`s edition:

http://tekniikanmaailma.fi/

 

Finnish test is done in cooperation with several car magazines, I believe one of them is russian Autoreview:

https://autoreview.ru/

So, if finnish is too hard to understand, some russian would be understandable.

 

Last year`s results for non - studded tyres:

1 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 7,7 ** 2 Good Year UltraGrip Ice 2 7,6 ** 2 Michelin XI3 7,6 ** 2 Pirelli IceZero R 7,6 ** 5 Continental ContiVikingContact 6 7,5 ** 6 Nordman RS 7,0 * 7 Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 6,9 * 8 Nankang IceActiva Ice-1 6,7

-

 

 

As you can see none of the Autobild`s tyres took part in Nordic tests.

 

P.S. In my opinion, good winter tyre looks like this:

https://www.nokianrenkaat.fi/talvirenkaat/nokian-hakkapeliitta-8/

 

Using them for last few years, absolute grip on ice.

 

Very interesting point about driving on ice - thank you for your insight.

I bought complete steel wheels and winter tyres from www.mytyres.co.uk . The complete set was less than tyres only locally. I did not wish road salt to corrode the alloys.

Tekniikan Maailma winter tyres test 2017 revealed in printed magazine. Not available online yet.

 

Best studded tyres:

1. Continental IceContact 2

2. Nokian Hakkapeliita 8

3.Bridgestone Noranza 001

4. Pirelli Ice Zero

5. Hankook Winter I Pike RS+

 

Best non - studded tyres:

1. Continental ContiVikingContact 6

2. Nokian Hakkapleiita R2

3. Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice 2

4. Michelin X-Ice XI3

5. Bridgestone Blizzak WS80

 

Now, the most interesting part was including Central European winter tyre Continental TS 850 in the test.

Results, 

best studded/best non studded/Central European.

 

Braking on ice 50 - 0 km/h

46m / 63m / 78m

 

Braking on snow, 80 - 0 km/h

52m / 53m / 60m

Hi, have you already purchased winter tyres for your Superbs? I decided to choose winter tyres of same size as summer –235/45 R18 and to use same rims.

What is your thoughts about winter tyres for this season?

Good sir, a word of advice ref swapping tyres on rims. Once is ok, but more than once (especially with larger rim sizes R17+) you seriously risk damaging both the tyre beading and your rims (rims by inconsiderate tyre fitters).

As a tyre fitter and engineer, I would recommend you buy a 2nd set of wheels for your tyres. Expensive maybe, but a **** load cheaper than having to pay for the aftermath of a tyre failure at 60mph due to damaged beading! It's not pretty.

Also, if you do buy a second set of wheels, it is very wise to have them rebalanced each year (likewise summers) as they will go out of balance when stacked or hung on hooks. I didn't believe it myself, but my good friend who has a garage (& stores/rebalances & fits) my wheels every year for last 6 has proven this to me every time he goes to fit them. It saves on suspension wear and tare, and makes for a vibration free steering wheel as well. I get it for free so it's not an issue, but would still pay for it if I had to.

Do not swap tyres yearly, tyres are designed to be fitted once or twice only. Smaller rims are is less of a problem as the tyre does not have to stretch so much, but larger tyres are terrible for it.

Edited 7 October, 20169 yr by blahde2