snow tyres

wing52

Are they any easier to damage than summer tyres?

ie against kerbs/potholes ect?

Also, any harm/point puttiing them on the original alloys?

They're not perfect,a few scuffs and dings but nothing awful.

Would removal of the summer tyres stretch them?

Plus, they were made in late 2008 does the 6 year lifespan apply?

Replies appreciated:)

jujamax

Snow tyres are typically made of a softer compound to that of summer tyres. The snow tyre can be used all year long on Irish roads. They operate better (than a summer tyre) on temperatures below 7 degrees. They wear out slightly faster than a normal, summer tyre. Kerbing is not beneficial to any tyre side wall.
Yes, they can be fitted to alloys.

Matt Simis

No to all questions.

dev100

Is it legal to have snow tires fitted to your car?

CiniO

wing52 wrote: »

Are they any easier to damage than summer tyres?

ie against kerbs/potholes ect?

No. The same as summer tyres.

Also, any harm/point puttiing them on the original alloys?

They're not perfect,a few scuffs and dings but nothing awful.

No harm putting them on alloys.

Would removal of the summer tyres stretch them?

No.

Plus, they were made in late 2008 does the 6 year lifespan apply?

Replies appreciated:)

Winter tyres would be more sensitive to lifespan. Usually 5 year old winter tyre has very noticable worse traction on snow than new.
I wouldn't buy 3 year old winter tyres with plan to use them for next few seasons.

CiniO

dev100 wrote: »

Is it legal to have snow tires fitted to your car?

Yes, but having them on the car during the summer is stupid.

CiniO

jujamax wrote: »

The snow tyre can be used all year long on Irish roads. They operate better (than a summer tyre) on temperatures below 7 degrees. They wear out slightly faster than a normal, summer tyre.

I'd say they wear much faster than summer tyres if driven in warm weather.
As well at todays temperatures (15 - 20 degrees) they provide way worse traction than summer tyres.

Even cheap Chinese tyres will be better for summer than the best winter tyres.

jujamax

CiniO wrote: »

Yes, but having them on the car during the summer is stupid.

Depends on driving style, if driven easily there would be little wear. Depends how good the summer is!

rcdk1

dev100 wrote: »

Is it legal to have snow tires fitted to your car?

I would imagine the OP is referring to Winter tyres rather than studded snow tyres.

OP, how were the tyres stored? Long term exposure to sitting water or direct sunlight could degrade the rubber.

Fishtits

With the bloody weather we're having of late they'll soon be standard fitment on all new cars...:rolleyes:

tossy

OP you don't need winter tyres the are a farce/scam/conspiracy/cult/rip off/marketing ploy/the devil in rubber form/Anti catholic church/children killers.

This winter i will be mostly driving around on steel wheels with no tyres!

Please can we not have another thread about winter tyres,those who do - do it well and those that don't do it well also until it snows and then they don't.

Matt Simis

CiniO wrote: »

Even cheap Chinese tyres will be better for summer than the best winter tyres.

Having tested that first hand, thats definitely not true. Brand new "Triangle" summer tyres vs Dayton Winter tyres, the Winters were quieter and gripped better.

Also those Dayton Winter tyres on our Alfa (when in winter mode) are 6 years old and grip excellent. The Age doesnt have any noticeable effect IMO, why would it (age within reason, tyre condition dependant of course) when its thread and compound that make the grip.

Mena

Matt Simis wrote: »

Having tested that first hand, thats definitely not true. Brand new "Triangle" summer tyres vs Dayton Winter tyres, the Winters were quieter and gripped better.

Also those Dayton Winter tyres on our Alfa (when in winter mode) are 6 years old and grip excellent. The Age doesnt have any noticeable effect IMO, why would it (age within reason, tyre condition dependant of course) when its thread and compound that make the grip.

I suppose it depends on the tyre. I have Cooper Weathermaster Snow tyres on my 5 series. I've not removed them as I hardly use the car at the moment (traveling for work every week).

During last winter, I was able to drive as if it was a clear summer day in snow and ice 5-10cm thick, it was brilliant. However, now during summer, even a light sprinkling of rain and they get dangerous (read: fun). They slide all over the place. The ride is pretty crap as well.

GTE

CiniO wrote: »

Even cheap Chinese tyres will be better for summer than the best winter tyres.

That should be taken with a pinch of salt indeed.


Anyway,

Continental have been consistent in the last year at least about their view that if your are a British or Irish driver and you are not willing to switch tyres for the less than 7 degrees C temperature months then you should just use full Winter tyres all year around. This has popped up on their site recently.

I would add to that you could use All Season tyres but I harp on about that so much that I wont say anything till asked haha

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/uk/en/continental/automobile/themes/4x4-tyres/winter-tyres/why_winter/4x4_why_winter_en.html

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/uk/en/continental/tyres_for_life/themes/tyre-information/winter-tyres-misconception-en.html

GTE

Mena wrote: »

I suppose it depends on the tyre. I have Cooper Weathermaster Snow tyres.

Very true. I used Cooper Summer tyres and found them to be nice but their Winter tyres do not seem to rate highly compared to the bigger names. So, I think Matt is right when he defends that the better or best Winter tyres are better then cheapo budget tyres in the Summer as your example of the Cooper Winter tyre is by no means the best.

fletch

bbk wrote: »

I would add to that you could use All Season tyres but I harp on about that so much that I wont say anything till asked haha

My experience of All Season tyres (Falken ZE-912) the last two Winters was that they were no better than Summer tyres. To be honest, I found them poor in the dry, shocking in the wet and rubbish in the snow. Perhaps they were just a bad All-Season tyre.

GTE

fletch wrote: »

My experience of All Season tyres (Falken ZE-912) the last two Winters was that they were no better than Summer tyres. To be honest, I found them poor in the dry, shocking in the wet and rubbish in the snow. Perhaps they were just a bad All-Season tyre.

I think so. Apparently the tyre technology has advanced a lot recently and only a couple of brands actually have an All Season tyre that meets the requirement for the snowflake and mountain symbol.

Basically that mark is a "certificate of competence" for a lack of a better way to put it, in the tyres ability in cold temps, snow and ice. This separates what I think was a marketing ploy of "All Season, All Weather, Alpine Proven" and actually showing you that a tyre is capable, whatever its classed as. A consequence of that is now the term All Season tyre in my opinion is beginning to mean something, as in they actually are credible. Having said that I am sure those Falkens could still be bought so the bad tyres need to be weeded out. Or do they? I would be happy relying on the snowflake mark alone.

The two tyres that I know for sure are the great All Season tyres are:

Hankook Optimo 4S
Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons.

Goodyear have a couple of others and I believe another brand that makes something called the Quadrac have recently been added to that list but I know and can vouch for the two I mentioned.

I use the Optimo 4S personally and the same reviews/research that I did have the Vector 4 Seasons coming in a close second.

Matt Simis

fletch wrote: »

My experience of All Season tyres (Falken ZE-912) the last two Winters was that they were no better than Summer tyres. To be honest, I found them poor in the dry, shocking in the wet and rubbish in the snow. Perhaps they were just a bad All-Season tyre.

I had them too and yes, they arent great at all in the Snow!

tossy

CiniO wrote: »

Even cheap Chinese tyres will be better for summer than the best winter tyres.

I can first hand that is complete and utter nonsense - i ran my winter tyres up until June this year including driving on the few 20-25 degree days we had,the weren't as good as my current goodyear F1s but the were miles better than the federal tyres that were on it when i bought it last summer and the are far from a cheap Chinese Tyre.Wear rate wasn't even that excessive either.Funnily enough when i found them at there worst during the summer months was when it rained heavily on a mild day.

TestTransmission

I know its a bit early in the year but any good recommendations?may start some research and get them cheap.I'm dreading the winter due to rwd

Zubeneschamali

I'm hoping my current summers make it to October, then I'll get 4 winter tyres.

But if they have to be replaced in September, i'm still going for winters.

wing52

I didn't think i''d kick off this much discussion:)

Another question, I have petlas w6510's bought (at a good price;))

I dont think they'd be a good summer tyre.given what i paid.

Anyone got experiences on them?

Just didnt put them on yet.got them after the snow (I know-duuuuh)

GTE

wing52 wrote: »

I didn't think i''d kick off this much discussion:)

Another question, I have petlas w6510's bought (at a good price;))

I dont think they'd be a good summer tyre.given what i paid.

Anyone got experiences on them?

Just didnt put them on yet.got them after the snow (I know-duuuuh)

Along with 1 year NCT's, foglights, roundabouts and fuel prices, winter tyres are a hot topic on these there boards!

GTE

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

But if they have to be replaced in September, i'm still going for winters.

September was roughly when I started noticing when my Cooper Zeon Summer tyres were beginning to lose grip. Nothing major but it was down hill from there.