Not a good combination. Been ultra careful out tonight - With me selling my 17s and not got their replacements yet, I've been out tonight on the semi slicks.... Its been "interesting" Highlight of the night was going up a steep dual carriageway bypass and giving it some stick in 5th gear at 60mph only for the traction control light to start flashing and me losing all traction.... :eek: Suffice to say I just cruised at 60 for the rest of it. Third gear has been spinning up everywhere its been safe enough to give it some stick, and as for cornering.... gently gently.

Its times like this you wish you had some tread.

Give Shifty his credit - I was warned in advance, and I was prepared for it.

Like you say, you were warned young man! :P

And im sure the police will take a dim view to those tyres if you do stuff it.

Shouldn't do, thay are E marked and therefore road legal.

Heavy rain is fine, provided the road is well drained. I've used them loads in the wet, especially on trackdays. No problem on a wet road, only when there is standing water is it an issue and you become a passenger

Shouldn't do' date=' thay are E marked and therefore road legal.

Heavy rain is fine, provided the road is well drained. I've used them loads in the wet, especially on trackdays. No problem on a wet road, only when there is standing water is it an issue and you become a passenger [/quote']

What did your insurance company say about driving on slicks in the wet, when you told them?

Sal

What did your insurance company say about driving on slicks in the wet, when you told them?

Semi-slicks - road legal, and of correct fit to the car.

Therefore you'd have no more obligation to tell your insurance company about using these tyres any more than your would have to tell them if you switched from using Dunlops to Goodyears...

Rob.

Nothing, why should they? They are E marked tyres and therefore approved for road use throughout the EU. Provided they meet the legal requirements of the country you are in (with regard to tread depth and area) you can use them.

Do you tell your insurance company when you run on a different brand of tyre? Do you tell them you are running summer tyres in winter?

Oh and I have driven on full slicks on the road at a trackday at both Goodwood and Donington, needed fuel, couldn't be bothered to change four wheels over so I drove to Sainsburys.

Nice policeman saw me on both ocassions, and did pass comment but didn't do anything about it (or the taped up lights) I did however get told off for the 3VOM plate on the front and the TAXI one on the back (so I gaffer taped the real ones over the top )

What did your insurance company say about driving on slicks in the wet' date=' when you told them?

Sal[/quote']

They probably said, "Stop calling, you don't have insurance with us!!!!!

Semi-slicks - road legal' date=' and of correct fit to the car.

Therefore you'd have no more obligation to tell your insurance company about using these tyres any more than your would have to tell them if you switched from using Dunlops to Goodyears...

Rob.[/quote']

I don't want to start an argument and I have every sympathy with what you are doing, but the fact that something is road legal doesn't mean that it doesn't affect the insurance. They are two separate things. Chipping a car keeps it road legal but affects insurance.

Changing from one make of standard tyres to another make of standard tyres makes no difference. But if you do something to the car that means it is less safe in standing water and "you become a passenger", that is something the insurance company would like to know about. And I would like to know about it too if you are following me at the time.

Sorry to be picky but I happen to think that safety is important.

Sal

A good point, however, they are safer than a road legal car with tyres down to the wear limiters or, if they are German tyres, down to 3mm as they will disperse water better. When the road is wet they offer substantially more grip than even new tyres it is just standing water they have trouble with.

As for the "standard" tyre point, it is, IMHO, spurious. If you compare two standard tyres eg a P Zero Nero or a Goodyear Eagle F DSG-3 and compare that to something like a Nagkang Supagripper or a Champiro they are chalk and cheese - it would be like comparing two standard cars like a Fabia 1.2 6V and a Buggatti Veyron and saying they are similar in performance terms.

I don't want to start an argument and I have every sympathy with what you are doing, but the fact that something is road legal doesn't meanthat it doesn't affect the insurance.

Fair comment. However, it depends what you mean by "standard tyres" because from what I can tell there is no such thing. Different tyres have different tread patterns. All you're doing is changing from a tyre with one tread pattern to one with a different tread pattern.

You could buy budget hard-compound tyres with the same tread pattern as premium soft-compound tyres, and there would be a difference in the way the car gripped in both wet and dry conditions. But would you notify the insurance company of this?

Rob.

So.......

Back on topic.

Interesting isn't it Jason

I was out on Sunday night driving through a slightly unexpected thunderstorm with my Dunlop Super Sport "Race" tyres on the front of my Octavia. I too encountered an uphill motorway river, and it was "entertaining" to say the least.

As Jon says, damp, even wet weather is no problem for these type of tyre, although I have found the Dunlops to perform better in the wet than the Kumho's, but standing water at any speed is bad.

A good point' date=' however, they are safer than a road legal car with tyres down to the wear limiters or, if they are German tyres, down to 3mm as they will disperse water better. When the road is wet they offer substantially more grip than even new tyres it is just standing water they have trouble with.

As for the "standard" tyre point, it is, IMHO, spurious. If you compare two standard tyres eg a P Zero Nero or a Goodyear Eagle F DSG-3 and compare that to something like a Nagkang Supagripper or a Champiro they are chalk and cheese - it would be like comparing two standard cars like a Fabia 1.2 6V and a Buggatti Veyron and saying they are similar in performance terms.[/quote']

Yes, I agree with everything you say, but if you read again the original post it is admitting that safety was compromised:

Not a good combination...

Its been "interesting"...

Third gear has been spinning up everywhere...

and as for cornering....

Its times like this you wish you had some tread

As I said at the start I have every sympathy for the careful way he was driving in such adverse conditions, but would the insurance company?

Sal

Who knows, I doubt they'd be that interesting, provided they are within the law. You mentioned modifying the car (engine, brakes etc), they have a performance implication in that you are going outside manufacturers tollerances and actuarial guidelines for a car. I have, in the past, phoned and asked my insurance company about changing tyre sizes, from 205/50 17 to 225/45 17, keeping the same rolling radius and they wren't interested. It was only if I put bigger wheels on that they had an issue and would raise the premium.

Yes' date=' I agree with everything you say, but if you read again the original post it is admitting that safety was compromised:

Not a good combination...

Its been "interesting"...

Third gear has been spinning up everywhere...

and as for cornering....

Its times like this you wish you had some tread

As I said at the start I have every sympathy for the careful way he was driving in such adverse conditions, but would the insurance company?

Sal[/quote']

Are you a policewoman? Insurance rep?

The tyres Jason is using are fully road legal, and E marked. Again, the insurance company do not need to be notified. As has been stated, and I will repeat - would you notify your insurance if you changed from Pirelli "all season" tyres, to Bridgestone "summer" tyres?

The tyres Jason is using are in effect summer tyres.

As I said at the start I have every sympathy for the careful way he was driving in such adverse conditions, but would the insurance company?

Guess it would come down to the clauses in the policy. If it was worded such that the criteria for the tyres was that they well-maintained and road-legal, then he'd be fine...

Rob.

The tyres Jason is using are in effect summer tyres.

I'd better not use them again until June 21st, eh?

Lend them to me, I'm a rebel I is

Are you a policewoman? Insurance rep?

No. Have you had an insurance problem?

The tyres Jason is using are fully road legal' date=' and E marked. Again, the insurance company do not need to be notified.

[/quote']

Again, road legal isn't the same as insured

would you notify your insurance if you changed from Pirelli "all season" tyres' date=' to Bridgestone "summer" tyres?

[/quote']

No, I wouldn't. But that wasn't the point. I was responding to a post about a car that was driving on tyres clearly unsuited to the road conditions, which weren't "summer".

As I said at the start, I don't want to start an argument and I will leave it there. By all means have the last word if you wish.

Sal

No, I wouldn't. But that wasn't the point. I was responding to a post about a car that was driving on tyres clearly unsuited to the road conditions.

The tyres aren't unsuited to the road conditions though - they will still clear water without aquaplaning. Of course, it might be required to drive slower to allow this to happen, but you're supposed to do that in wet conditions anyway...

Rob.

Sal,

I'm just curious and, as you say, I'm not looking for an argument, about why he would need to tell them. If he 'phoned up and said "I wish to put some different tyres on my car" They would ask if they were the same size as those already on the car (which he has notified them of as they are larger wheels than standard). They may ask what brand they were, but it is unlikely. They would assume (rightly in this case) that they were road legal. That is as far as they would go.

Moving on to your point in the first para:

a car that was driving on tyres clearly unsuited to the road conditions

I take it by inferrence that in winter, when there is snow or ice on the road, or even if the average ambient temp is below 5c you will do one of the following:

a) Don't drive as it would be unsafe to do so as your tyres are patently unsuitable for the condition

You do drive, but notify your insurance company that you will be driving on unsuitable tyres

c) Fit winter tyres to your car as soon as the average ambient temperature drops below 5c as the rubber compound in "standard" road tyres is not suitable below that temperature

As I say, just curious......

Best tyres I've ever used for dealing with standing water were the M/T's I had on my Disco. Was great going through a big puddle at NSL (where safe and appropriate ) and watching the tailgating car behind you try and follow through

Chris

I was responding to a post about a car that was driving on tyres clearly unsuited to the road conditions' date=' which weren't "summer".

[/quote']

The vast majority of drivers use tyres "clearly unsuited to the road conditions" throughout the winter. Do you change to soft compound / winter tyres when the temperature drops below about 5 deg C?

Edit: It seems that Jon beat me to that point by about an hour

Odd that I have seen some tyres that claim to be all season as opposed to summer or winter.

Saying that I am sure they will wear quicker than summer tyres.