I'm the owner of a 2015 2L smoky DSG L&K. Previously had a 1.2 TSi DSG, but the ex got that as part of the separation - good riddance...her, not the car!

Looking at prematurely replacing my tyres (225/50R17 94W). There's tread left on the Michelin Primacy 3s, but the cracking on the shoulders has become too alarming too ignore. They were on the car when bought second hand so doubt I'd get much out of complaining to Michelin now.

I am looking at all season tyres. I do generally quite low mileage in the weekend car (say3-5k pa) and I live in London so most of the time will be on good roads and motorways. So, why the all seasons? I see the Yeti as a long term keep and we're looking to do more staycations and more travelling down to the in-laws on the south coast. I've invested in a towbar and electrics, roof rack and box and the car will be loaded up at times for trips. The new set of tyres will probably perish before the tread goes, so I'd rather have something that will cover me for all conditions over the coming say 5-7 years, than wish I had gone for all seasons instead of summer tyres, particularly where there is little difference in price.

Anything wrong with my logic so far? I understand that all seasons aren't quite as good as either summer or winter tyres in their perfect environments, but it's a good compromise, and with little now to actually compromise on.

After reading around, I've narrowed the selection down to Hankook Kinergy 4S2 and Vredestein Quadtrac Pro. Anyone have any experience with these? I looked at the leaders - the Michelin Crossclimate+ (too expensive for my usage and won't use Michelin again after the Primacy 3) and Goodyear Vector 4Seasons 3 (too expensive). The Hankooks and Vredesteins also outperformed the leaders in some of the tests I've seen on Autoexpress and Autobild.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

I have the ones that you don't want on my remapped 150 TDI 4x4.  I fitted them about 18 month ago to replace the worn out Pilot Primacy 3 when I bought the car at 4 years old with 32k miles on it. 

 

I love the CrossClimate +.  They're great on warm summer roads, brilliant in standing water and pretty good on snow and ice, although not up to a full winter tyre like the Dunlop Winter Sport D5 that we use on our Karoq.

 

However, the stand-out thing for me is the way they've transformed the steering feel which makes the Yeti a joy to drive on my local backroads.  

Edited 4 August, 20214 yr by Schtum

9 minutes ago, Schtum said:

I love the CrossClimate +

How are they holding up in terms of perishing? That was one of the main reasons I shied away from them, plus the high cost vs my low mileage meaning it would make more sense to get a slightly cheaper set and replace them sooner.

Have a look on Asda Tyres site.

All in prices, you pay no more than stated.

Low price 225/50 R17 tyres | Asda Tyres

 

asdatyres.co.uk

55 minutes ago, MrPut said:

After reading around, I've narrowed the selection down to Hankook Kinergy 4S2 and Vredestein Quadtrac Pro. Anyone have any experience with these? 

.

 

I don't know how much help this is likely to be, but here goes anyway.

 

I fitted a set of 225/45 R17 Quatrac Pros to my previous car (a 2016 Audi A3 2.0TFSI 190) about 30 months after getting it. Sod's law that in the subsequent eighteen months the weather never turned completely pants so I can't report on what they were like in snow or on ice.

 

In most normal driving, I reckon you'd be hard pressed to notice any appreciable difference between the Quatracs and the Bridgestone summers that the car came with. There are a couple of exceptions, though I wouldn't pretend to know whether they'd be enough to colour your choice.

 

The dry weather braking was noticeably poorer than the summers, though I think you might expect that. The braking distances were appreciably longer, and I didn't much care for the squirminess that came with it.

 

I guess you'd get used to that, but I was left with a lingering feeling that in proper emergency braking (like nose on the steering wheel ABS-hammering type braking) that you might end up clobbering whatever it was you were trying to avoid.

 

I didn't get the same feeling in the wet, FWIW, and they did feel more secure in extreme wet weather on the motorway than the Bridgestone summers ever did.

 

Would I get them again? I dunno. If we lived somewhere that was more prone to properly poor weather and if we depended on the car to get to work - which we don't - then I would.

 

Otherwise a bit of a curate's egg. Good in parts, not so good in others. If the price differential was greater still it'd be harder to justify.

 

Told you it might not be much use...

 

.

 

 

27 minutes ago, MrPut said:

How are they holding up in terms of perishing? That was one of the main reasons I shied away from them, plus the high cost vs my low mileage meaning it would make more sense to get a slightly cheaper set and replace them sooner.

 

18 months and 12,000 miles, most of them driven pretty hard.  A fair bit of wear, particularly on the outer shoulder.  No sign of cracking or perishing.  

 

 

Edited 4 August, 20214 yr by Schtum

4 minutes ago, Carlodiesel said:

Have a look on Asda Tyres site

 

I looked at Asda, mytyres, blackcircles, oponeo, and kwik-fit (just browsing, never seriously). I went with blackcircles in the end, because they offer quick delivery and decent fitter options. Asda had a decent selection at good prices, but fitting was likely to be at a Halfords (no, just no!) and mailing costs for me to then have them fitted by my local outstanding independent tyre fitter would have cost as much as the fitting. Mytyres were cheaper but c. 10 days delivery from Germany and I need them this week as we've got a lot of driving coming up over the next couple of weeks and I don't trust my cracked Michelins!

@Schtum - I know I'm shallow but the tread pattern of the crossclimates do look nicer than the competition!

@Phutters That is useful, in terms of the summer vs all season tradeoff. That is where the all seasons struggle - dry braking. But the Yeti is no A3, and about as aerodynamic as me approaching my 50s, so I won't be driving fast. The Yeti is the first car that I've actually enjoyed driving sedately, simply because it doesn't like speed (I used to be an Alfa fan, so definitely moved on from speed and looks now). I take your point though. I might take another look at the dry braking differences between the summer an all seasons...

Blackcircle or ATS Euromaster can often supply Michelins quicker than others because Michelin own both of those retailers.

4 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

Blackcircle or ATS Euromaster can often supply Michelins quicker than others because Michelin own both of those retailers

 

I never knew that. But BC also have good availability and fitting slots for the Hankooks and Vredesteins too. I got my last set of tyres there too. They're my go to tyre supplier and fitter now. The independent tyre fitter is good for repairs and perhaps one day for when I decide to buy tyres in less of a panic.

9 minutes ago, MrPut said:

@Phutters That is useful, in terms of the summer vs all season tradeoff. That is where the all seasons struggle - dry braking. But the Yeti is no A3, and about as aerodynamic as me approaching my 50s, so I won't be driving fast. The Yeti is the first car that I've actually enjoyed driving sedately, simply because it doesn't like speed (I used to be an Alfa fan, so definitely moved on from speed and looks now). I take your point though. I might take another look at the dry braking differences between the summer an all seasons...

 

There's a reason I had mine mapped to c. 185 bhp.....   I've also fitted 312 mm front, slotted and drilled discs with EBC Greenstuff pads.   I don't think the ABS has activated once in 12k miles. 

1 hour ago, MrPut said:

Michelin Crossclimate+ (too expensive for my usage and won't use Michelin again after the Primacy 3) and Goodyear Vector 4Seasons 3 (too expensive). The Hankooks and Vredesteins also outperformed the leaders in some of the tests I've seen on Autoexpress and Autobild.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

 

I ran the older version of the CrossClimates on our Mk2 Octavia 4x4 from when they first came out until we got rid a few months ago.  They were excellent tyres regardless of weather and far superior to the OE Dunlops and other Goodyear tyres I've had previously.  In terms of wear they lasted as well as I expected and we never had an issue with cracking, unlike some of the Bridgestones I've had before and the OE Dunlops that had cracked in the sipes down to the threads after a few thousand miles.

@skomaz I think the crossclimate+ are good tyres, but given my low mileage and conditions I'm likely to use them in (southeast, urban roads and motorways), it's hard to justify their additional cost.

 

I also read reviews like this that suggest that in many areas, cheaper alternatives like the Hankook or Vredestein are at least as good 

 

https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2020-Tyre-Reviews-All-Season-Tyre-Test.htm

58 minutes ago, MrPut said:

@skomaz I think the crossclimate+ are good tyres, but given my low mileage and conditions I'm likely to use them in (southeast, urban roads and motorways), it's hard to justify their additional cost.

 

I also read reviews like this that suggest that in many areas, cheaper alternatives like the Hankook or Vredestein are at least as good 

 

https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2020-Tyre-Reviews-All-Season-Tyre-Test.htm

 

Yep i can understand that and its a slighly different need to mine on the edge of the Pennines.  The Vredensteins will be going on my Swift as and when it needs new tyres.  Partly because they are available in the size I need whereas others aren't but also because ive run vredesteins sportracs before and i really rated them and I'd expect the quatracs to be equally good.

Probably not going to be that much difference between the Vredestein and Hankook all seasons in everyday driving (as opposed to very spirited driving)

 

Yes the summer tyres will be slightly better at dry braking in the warmer months, but this is more than offset by their poorer braking in colder wet weather.

 

I used to live on edge of London and had to commute using narrow winding A245 (Cobham-Fetcham), which used to suffer muddy field run off and frost hollows, and the summer tyres were dangerous on dark damp winter mornings.  The field run off used to wash away any salt.  It converted me from summer tyres to all seasons as a minimum.  I went further our main car now uses summer or winter tyres, and second car (which only does about 5000 miles per year) has all seasons.   

@skomaz If you're on the edge of the Pennines you're probably on the wrong thread. You want to be on "all season versus having both summer and winter tyres"! :-D

 

@SurreyJohn It's essentially your second car use I'm thinking of - 5k a year and the ability to keep me moving if the weather and roads demand it. That's the problem with low mileage - you need a crystal ball to see what driving you may be doing in 5 years time. I guess it's easier if you fit Michelin Primacy 3 though - they'll split before you wear them out anyway!