Michelin Crossclimate tyres

[Clive]

Just as a guide to the price of Crossclimates , I got my 4 (225/50-17) for £539.27 plus a £50 fuel card , which effectively makes them £490.

[logiclee]

For the OP, I have Cross Climates on the Octavia. I find the sidewall rather soft so run them 2psi higher than I would a summer tyre.

 

Lee

[VAGCF]

17 hours ago, Blaven said:

Alloys are Continental Contisport Contact 3 

225/50 R17

 

Steelies are Michelin X Climate 

205/55 R 16

So, if you wanted to you could fit winter tyres to the steel rims then.

 

I think most folks that go for the Cross Climates do so as they can use them all year round and only have to have one set of wheels.

 

It is nice to have a spare set for the winter but I've never bothered and probably won't as I won't be keeping the car that long . I've gone through two winters now and the alloys are fine. Did notice that when washing the car last weekend that the centre caps are starting to be affected by white worm though.

 

On a previous Passat I did have a set of wheels replaced under warranty due to corrosion. VWG may of course be more reluctant to do this nowadays!  

[Blaven]

1 minute ago, VAGCF said:

So, if you wanted to you could fit winter tyres to the steel rims then.

 

I think most folks that go for the Cross Climates do so as they can use them all year round and only have to have one set of wheels.

 

It is nice to have a spare set for the winter but I've never bothered and probably won't as I won't be keeping the car that long . I've gone through two winters now and the alloys are fine. Did notice that when washing the car last weekend that the centre caps are starting to be affected by white worm though.

 

On a previous Passat I did have a set of wheels replaced under warranty due to corrosion. VWG may of course be more reluctant to do this nowadays!  

Yes, being a pensioner I chose my cars carefully and expect to keep them for about 10 years or until they become unreliable. So a set of winter wheels and tyres are a good option for me. I service it as much as I can myself and can still crawl underneath for oil changes, disc and pad replacements etc.

I'm not into pimping it and its as ugly as sin with the black steelies, (now a wee bit rusty) and no hubcaps, but if push comes to shove with the harsh weather we can get here in the Highlands, I'm as confident as one can be that I'll get from A to B. Oil, I change every 10K. regardless.

I'm thinking after reading previous posts I may well bung an extra 2 PSI in all round on the X Climates.

[Expatman]

Not sure why people would add an extra 2+ psi to the manufacturers recommended tyre pressure? The manufacturers have access to every sophisticated testing system there is before publishing recommended pressures, so why do you believe you know better!! Unless, of course, you are experienced tyre technical scientists and have proved by extensive testing that the tyres perform better over inflated - if so I suggest you contact Michelin etc. and ask them to correct their errors.

Edited 11 March, 2017 by Expatman

[skomaz]

5 hours ago, Clive said:

Just as a guide to the price of Crossclimates , I got my 4 (225/50-17) for £539.27 plus a £50 fuel card , which effectively makes them £490.

ouch - i paid £280 for the Octy plus a few quid local fitting...

[Urrell]

1 hour ago, Expatman said:

The manufacturers have access to every sophisticated testing system there is before publishing recommended pressures, so why do you believe you know better!! Unless, of course, you are experienced tyre technical scientists and have proved by extensive testing that the tyres perform better over inflated - if so I suggest you contact Michelin etc. and ask them to correct their errors.

Do Michelin have recommended pressures for tyres on the  Skoda Yeti on their website, I've not looked.
My Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic came with Harley Davidson branded Dunlop tyres, I have changes them to Avon Cobra tyres that have a lot more supple construction and I run them at the Avon recommended pressures that are about 3lb higher than the Harley Davidson pressures.
Could it be that Michelin do the same for the Cross Climates?

[philbes]

On ‎10‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 08:00, Blaven said:

This is the second winter for my Cross Climates now. I still have them on my steel rims and change from the alloys in November and back in April.

I've had no problems on my Scout. They seem to be wearing ok but I'm not obsessive about that. Not had any snow to test them.

You don't need snow to test the Cross Climates.  They are WINTER tyres not SNOW tyres.  At the lower winter temperatures you should notice a difference in grip.  I certainly notice a difference with my winter tyres (Nokian) at low temperatures, particularly when it is also wet.

 

I also, in their 3^rd winter, actually used my winters tyres on snow.  On the afternoon of 27th February when driving from Buxton to Leek in a heavy snowfall on a completely covered road.  I was following a Mondeo, BMW X5 and an Astra with no cars in sight behind me.  My car took it all in its stride unlike the other three cars which were losing their back ends on corners and unable to use their brakes and keep straight.  The X5 driver was rather over-confident and ended up side on at one sharp bend.  I had no drama at all.  My car kept on line with no lose of grip and I deliberately tried firm braking which resulted in a little ABS noise but a straight stop.  The car always felt under control.

[logiclee]

2 hours ago, Expatman said:

Not sure why people would add an extra 2+ psi to the manufacturers recommended tyre pressure? The manufacturers have access to every sophisticated testing system there is before publishing recommended pressures, so why do you believe you know better!! Unless, of course, you are experienced tyre technical scientists and have proved by extensive testing that the tyres perform better over inflated - if so I suggest you contact Michelin etc. and ask them to correct their errors.

 

Skoda give the recommended tyre pressure for unloaded and loaded weights, it's a range of pressures. Skoda don't know whether you will be fitting ultra high performance Michelin Pilot Sports rated for 186mph, or some Eco tyre with low rolling resistance or some full on winter tyres from Nokian with a low speed rating. Or even some dedicated off road tyres.

 

Tyres have different Characteristics, different side wall stiffness, different resistance to roll laterally on the rim. 

 

There's nothing wrong with a slight adjustment to pressure to get the ride and handling characteristics you require and that is especially true with all seasons and winters.

 

If you wanted to be exact with the Skoda's recommendations do you run out and adjust them before you get a couple of passengers in the car or the weekly shop?

 

And of course on many Skoda's you now get two sets of tyre pressures depending whether you want normal or economical settings. Or you can run in between the two Pressures for a balance between economy and ride comfort.

 

Lee

 

 

[Blaven]

4 hours ago, Expatman said:

Not sure why people would add an extra 2+ psi to the manufacturers recommended tyre pressure? The manufacturers have access to every sophisticated testing system there is before publishing recommended pressures, so why do you believe you know better!! Unless, of course, you are experienced tyre technical scientists and have proved by extensive testing that the tyres perform better over inflated - if so I suggest you contact Michelin etc. and ask them to correct their errors.

Your clinical approach to this question implies a touching faith in the accuracy of the pressure gauges that motorists commonly encounter. 

Most reasonably priced pressure gauges will have a degree of inaccuracy so without using an expensive industry standard device how can we say with any degree or certainty what we've got in the tyres?

[Ootohere]

Filling station air you buy for 20 pence or 50 pence now comes out of machines that are calibrated.

There are rather good Tyre Pressure gauges that are available at around £12 that can be checked against the pressures you put in at a filling station 

or check against a Industrial Standard one. (or even a tyre fitting centre one.)

 

Knowing you are running the correct pressures within the range and checking regularly is simple enough and investing in a good pressure gauge which has a release valve means you can inflate tyre for 50 pence and then reduce the pressure to what you run and do it using your own gauge.

Edited 11 March, 2017 by Awayoffski

[Ryeman]

Vehicle manufacturers prioritise impressing the motoring journalists with minimising road noise and suspension harshness.

Tyre manufacturers have their own priorities: emergency manoeuvring, economy and life etc

Apply your own priority 

[Ootohere]

Motoring Journalists turn up at launches without a tyre pressure gauge and drive cars on roads and tracks then comment on the ride.

Not all obviously but plenty that do go to launches and you will not see many asking did the Manufacturer hosting the launch provide a compressor or where is the nearest filling station.

[Upsidedown]

Cross Climates look as though they'd be ideal for New Zealand where there is often a wide fluctuation of temperatures in the winter, either day to day or when travelling from lower areas up into the mountains. However the designated Michelin importers in NZ have, somewhat surprisingly, told me that they have no plans to import Cross Climates.

 

So has any body any brilliant ideas as to how I could get a set (225/50/17) - for example a dealer in the UK who may be willing to arrange for delivery to NZ?

[PirateSyrett]

Upsidedown,

 

Our cross climates (and 170 Yeti) worked really well in the French Alps last month. Excellent progressive grip (fun!)  in the dry on the mountain switchbacks up to 6000' in sub zero temperatures. No issue offroad on farm tracks with mud, ice and snow, but best in rain, sleet and falling snow when the temperature was only just above freezing and the weather couldn't work out what it was going to do. During all of this, about 2,700 miles in all, the tyres felt compliant and really secure.

 

i think they'd work well for you if you can buy a set without needing a mortgage!

 

(Our 225/50/17s cost £560 fully fitted - ouch!)

 

 

[thingy]

Fitted CC's (well the garage did) 29000 miles ago, 15 months use.

Each tyre on 5mm at present. Swap wheels front to back etc, around every 10000 miles.

Run at 34psi in summer and 32psi in winter. Check around every 3-4 weeks.

Use mechanical pressure gauge to check.

Hold the road very good. Not tried in snow yet.

Very good on French Motorways at speed, run straight and smooth.

Other tyre makes are probably as good or better, it all comes down to owners choice/use.

Edited 12 March, 2017 by thingy

[Blaven]

On 11/03/2017 at 08:32, Ryeman said:

Hmm....I don't know if such a discrepancy would be legal out here.  They certainly wouldn't be offered as a dealer option I'm sure.

This from the fuel filler flap

[Ootohere]

People in Australia use over sized tyres as there is the need for many to. Offroaders and others fit bigger tyres.

As it is with tyres smaller,

 people use those as well as the manufacturers will recommend them when Snow Chains might need to be fitted.

[Clive]

Summer wheels with Crossclimates now fitted .

 

 

And I remembered to fit the brake disc screw that fell out last year 

 

[themanwithnoaim]

On Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 14:04, skomaz said:

ouch - i paid £280 for the Octy plus a few quid local fitting...

Hmmm. In the south of England I paid £359.96 for four R17/45/225 at Costco.

 

Can I ask why you guys are running 50 profile ?

 

Its not a common size & hence, will be more expensive than the more common 45 profile. I do quite like these CC, not an outright performance tyre in the dry but, when they do let go, they do ot progressively therefore, controlable.

[Ootohere]

Common size on the car Blaven has if you look at the Filler Flap picture posted just above.

[bigjohn]

I have a set of Continental summer tyres (Original PremiumContact 2E - now about 38k miles ) and Continental tyres (TS 850 now about 6k miles)

 

The summer tyres are about due for replacement (scrubbed inside edge at rear whilst fullly laden - centre still over 5mm.

 

I've heard lots of reports/reviews of the Cross Climates in the winter but what are they like in the summer?

 

[Nathanio]

On 19/04/2017 at 23:12, bigjohn said:

I have a set of Continental summer tyres (Original PremiumContact 2E - now about 38k miles ) and Continental tyres (TS 850 now about 6k miles)

 

The summer tyres are about due for replacement (scrubbed inside edge at rear whilst fullly laden - centre still over 5mm.

 

I've heard lots of reports/reviews of the Cross Climates in the winter but what are they like in the summer?

 

 

I used my dad's Jetta last September with them on. The temperature was in the high 20s. I tried giving them a bit of stick and was impressed. They held on well. They ultimately bleed to a bit more understeer than a dedicated summer tyre but no squealing or complaining. 

 

If i get them fabia sized I'd fit them without hesitation

[Ootohere]

Ones to fit a Fabia should not be an issue with the Cross Climate +

http://michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-crossclimateplus#sl 

 

 

Edited 22 April, 2017 by Awayoffski

[Nathanio]

On 22/04/2017 at 07:08, Awayoffski said:

Ones to fit a Fabia should not be an issue with the Cross Climate +

http://michelin.co.uk/tyres/michelin-crossclimateplus#sl 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately not in 205/45/16 Fabia sized