Do you bother with winter tyres?

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Winter is coming.

I urgently need to replace my two rear tyres, and was thinking of maybe just getting winters now and waiting till 2016 to buy new summer tyres.

If it gets cold enough for snow and ice in Ireland, it doesn't tend to last long, but apparently, summer tyres don't perform as well as they should when the road temperature approaches around 7c or less, which is normally the case for the whole winter. In addition I've read that using summer tyres on cold roads increases wear drastically.

After a bit of searching here, it seems to be a common opinion that there's no real need for winter tyres in Ireland, as long as you get summer tyres that perform well in wet conditions. I'm wondering how common that opinion really is?

sunnysoutheast

Veda Zealous Write-off wrote: »

Winter is coming.

I urgently need to replace my two rear tyres, and was thinking of maybe just getting winters now and waiting till 2016 to buy new summer tyres.

If it gets cold enough for snow and ice in Ireland, it doesn't tend to last long, but apparently, summer tyres don't perform as well as they should when the road temperature approaches around 7c or less, which is normally the case for the whole winter. In addition I've read that using summer tyres on cold roads increases wear drastically.

After a bit of searching here, it seems to be a common opinion that there's no real need for winter tyres in Ireland, as long as you get summer tyres that perform well in wet conditions. I'm wondering how common that opinion really is?

Might be worth looking for decent all-seasons - Michelin Cross Climate or Nokian Weatherproof.

We have Falkens on our F30 and, good as they are in the summer, they weren't great last winter when temps dropped.

Our A5 quattro will be getting proper winter tyres.

AMGer

In a country where summer and winter are pretty much the same thing and it's nearly always wet I don't think it matters. If you live some place where it's 35-40°C and sunny in the Summer and sub-Zero with ice/snow all winter then it's probably worth the effort of thinking about

Outkast_IRE

No i dont bother with specific winter tyres but i think i will ensure that the next set i get are the new Michelin Cross Climate tyres i think they are the first "summer" tyres to get a winter certification on snow.

Reviews on them are excellent across the board.

sunnysoutheast

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

No i dont bother with specific winter tyres but i think i will ensure that the next set i get are the new Michelin Cross Climate tyres i think they are the first "summer" tyres to get a winter certification on snow.

Reviews on them are excellent across the board.

The Nokians get good reviews and have the snowflake too.

Supergurrier

Oh no minus 1...

Were all doomed !

This is a very mild country, just drive to suit the conditions and you won't need the crutch that is a winter tyre (we really don't need them)

whupdedo

What a load of nonsense , why would you bother buying tyres you don't need , it's raining all summer , it will rain for most of the winter , with probably a ten to 15 degree difference between seasons .

Change your driving style to suit conditions , not your tyres

obezyana

Christ this debate again. I never buy tyres based on the seasons we get in Ireland I just get tyres and off I go, I haven't spun out or crashed yet.

Sh1tbag OToole

Most important thing here is something with good wet grip. My octavia had winter tyres on it when I got it but there's only couple mm left on them so they'll be going soon

RandomAccess

If you live in Donegal or a mountainous area then you might have a use for winters, otherwise I would say not.
Tyres with a good wet weather rating would be worth looking out for though.
Some of the all season tyres excel in this regard.

CiniO

Veda Zealous Write-off wrote: »

Winter is coming.

Looking at weather over last few days, it more looks like summer is just trying to start for this season. Pity that it's so last

I urgently need to replace my two rear tyres, and was thinking of maybe just getting winters now and waiting till 2016 to buy new summer tyres.

Not a good idea mixing sets of summer and winter tyres on different axles. Fit 4 of the same type.

If it gets cold enough for snow and ice in Ireland, it doesn't tend to last long, but apparently, summer tyres don't perform as well as they should when the road temperature approaches around 7c or less, which is normally the case for the whole winter.

That's marketing talk - this 7 degrees barrier.
In my experience, barrier is more around 0 degrees, under which indeed winter tyres start performing better even on dry roads.
They have to tell us that it's 7 degrees though, as otherwise lots of people wouldn't bother with winter tyres.

Also looking at last winter, over January, February and March I think I've driven more at temperatures around 8-10 degrees as that what we got during the days with sun shining. When sun is out road surface gets even warmer.

In addition I've read that using summer tyres on cold roads increases wear drastically.

It doens't.
Rather opposite - using winter tyres in warm weather increases wear drastically.

After a bit of searching here, it seems to be a common opinion that there's no real need for winter tyres in Ireland, as long as you get summer tyres that perform well in wet conditions. I'm wondering how common that opinion really is?

I would agree. During winter in Ireland you will drive much more on wet road in temperature range 3-8 degrees than on snow and ice and frosts.
In such conditions good summer tyres will perform much better than winter tyres.
Unless you live in colder region of the country or drive regularly during the night when it's colder and road freezes down, I honstly don't see a point in winter tyres in Ireland.

PS - in your survey there's no option for midrange tyres (just premium or budget). I have 2 sets (summer + winter - both midrange) - indicated both as budget on survey as they are closer to budget than premium.
Only reason I have and use winter tyres is that I travel to Continent every winter. Once I'm back in Ireland I take them off as summers are more suitable.

CiniO

Supergurrier wrote: »

Oh no minus 1...

Were all doomed !

This is a very mild country, just drive to suit the conditions and you won't need the crutch that is a winter tyre (we really don't need them)

When there is snow on the road driving on summer tyres is a hell of an exercise. Winter tyres makes horrendous difference in such conditions, and saying - "drive to suit the conditions" on summer tyres is bit overdemanding, as sometimes you just can't make it on summer tyres in hilly areas, or need to drive at 10km/h while on winter tyres you could easily do 60 - 80km/h.

But indeed - such conditions here IMO are so extremely rare, that it hardly justifies buying a set of nice winter tyres.

CJhaughey

This is my experience with true winters.
I put a set on an Avensis Estate last October I had 290k miles on the car then I now have 319k miles on the clock I checked them this week and the rears are now 1.6mm and the fronts are 3mm so they will be replaced ASAP.
These have been driven all Winter and Summer pretty hard and have lasted for 29k miles.
The new Winter tyres have good wear properties in my view and looking at the tyre test websites they all say the Conti WinterContact TS850 wear very well.
I ran Nokian Allweather + before these and I can say that these have been as good if not better in the wet and cold.
Looking at the Nokian Weatherproof but they are more expensive than the Conti TS850 and if these lasted me another 28k miles then they are well worth it.
YMMV.

Sh1tbag OToole

CiniO wrote: »

When there is snow on the road driving on summer tyres is a hell of an exercise. Winter tyres makes horrendous difference in such conditions, and saying - "drive to suit the conditions" on summer tyres is bit overdemanding, as sometimes you just can't make it on summer tyres in hilly areas, or need to drive at 10km/h while on winter tyres you could easily do 60 - 80km/h.

But indeed - such conditions here IMO are so extremely rare, that it hardly justifies buying a set of nice winter tyres.

Tis madness buying a full set of tyres for 2 days of snow a year (if you're lucky). Maybe if we were guaranteed a good dose of snow that will last a few weeks every year it will be worth it for some people but unfortunately we don't get real winters here.

Oafley Jones

These tyre threads are a mystery to me. There's the inevitable a) we don't get real winters here and b) drive the conditions. As if the whole country has the same fecking climate. If you're stuck up a mountain you're not seeing the same conditions as someone in D4. Which brings me to the next point. Do people think that you're not going to Drive the conditions if you've got winter tyres? And all of this is of course ignoring the fact that you're saving wear and tear on your summer tyres as well. Absolutely bizarre.

Mycroft H

Going to try all seasons when I replace the tyres on the C5.

kay 9

Bf goodrich all terrains. Good summer, winter, snow, mud and sand and everything in between

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

I just walk or take a bus in very wintry weather.

316

Is it Munster Ireland or Germany you are living op?

Voodoomelon

We should all do what some folks were doing during "The Big Freeze 2010" and go out and actually buy a 4x4. Mental stuff altogether. Winter tyres in Ireland me eye!

jimgoose

Not necessary in Cork anyway - four Semperit SpeedLifes, ABS/traction control, and the hoof of a true Artisan on the throttle!

Sh1tbag OToole

Voodoomelon wrote: »

We should all do what some folks were doing during "The Big Freeze 2010" and go out and actually buy a 4x4. Mental stuff altogether. Winter tyres in Ireland me eye!

Some people think they're so important that they absolutely can't be snowed in for even 1 day, tis amazing some dont buy a snowmobile just in case

ldxo15wus6fpgm

316 wrote: »

Is it Munster Ireland or Germany you are living op?

Ireland. In the sticks. I drive a 3 series which is notoriously bad in snow and ice. I've been caught out before in summer tyres and snow in other cars, it's a pain in the sack. Hopefully it won't snow this winter

micks_address

Its an endless debate,

I picked up a set of Michelin Primacy Alpine tyres last year. I'll put them on end of November and take off in march.

Couple of things people dont seem to get about winter tyres

1) They are not just for snow/ice - they perform in the wet and cold significantly better. Once you go below about 8 degrees they work a lot better than 'summer' tyres.

2) If you look at the average temperatures in Ireland from say October to March and if you travel at say 6.30am most mornings you will be below 6 degrees, and depending on what time your commute is in the evening it maybe be a similar range

3) You don't swap on/off tyres for snow.. i put mine on end of November off in March

4) Your summer set get less use so last longer.. so the price isn't double the price of one set... of course if you want them on a set of rims so you don't need to change tyres from rims to rims that's more money.. .

I'd say if you are around a larger city/town then you can get away more without them. The one time I found them good was last January we drove to Manchester and there was a fair bit of snow.. felt very confident on the winter tyres.. Wasn't driving crazy just knew I had that bit of extra safety...

There is of course a new tyre from Michellin that offers the best of both worlds...

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/2015-02/michelin-crossclimate-tyres/

I may look at this when my summer set are gone... cause switching is having to switch after all

Winter Tyres tested in the wet above 7 degrees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi-o_njQW34




Cheers,
Mick