Celly Smunt wrote: » A good set of normal tyres,perhaps look into which manufacturers use softer rubber and don't over inflate the tyres. (by not over inflating I don't mean do what the rest of Ireland does and drive on near flats,just bring the pressure down 1 or 2 bar PSI if you're normally around 35-37)
Supergurrier wrote: » Regular tyres and drive sensibly
bazz26 wrote: » Ok so you buy winter tyres. What about the other 10 months of the year or so when we have higher temperatures? Winter tyres become ill effective at temperatures of about 8 degrees or above. I hope you are not thinking of keeping them on all year round.
Tail Docker wrote: » The last frosty morning I passed 4 cars wrapped around ditches, one was a 131 and one a 141, the other two were older. All were wrecked to one degree or the other. I think the winter tyres I fitted are cheap compared to a trip to the ditch. We grit industrial estates and car parks, so are always out driving when conditions are dire. I just smile resignedly when I hear lads saying winter tyres are a waste of time/ the AA don't reccomend them/they're a luxury.
stimpson wrote: » Winter tyres are for winter. Summer tyres are for summer. If you're finding it difficult to remember you could write it down somewhere.
Supergurrier wrote: » No tyre is just made for summer.
Sheldons Brain wrote: » But some tyres are optimised for warmer drier conditions than are common on this island. Fine if you live in Malaga, less so for Wicklow.
magnus500 wrote: » Hi all I need four new tires on my Octavia 1.6 petrol and just wondering if I should get winter tires or if new normal tires would have good enough tread? Are there in between tires that would do both? I'm living near Blessington and commute to bray each day so a mix of back roads, a bit of up the hills and then m50. Thanks for any input.
Supergurrier wrote: » But they are a waste of money in out temperate climate, the temperatures in which winter tyres are optimal last maybe 3 weeks in the year. People wrap cars all the time, most people drive at speeds that don't suit the conditions in winter. Driver education is the problem not the optimal temperature of afew inches of rubber.
Kevin McCloud wrote: » Its suppose to get very mild now next few days and will be 8 degree plus, what should one do for safety change back to summer tyres? Serious question.
Supergurrier wrote: » Some tyres. Most mainstream tyres are optimised for wet conditions and manufacturers go to great pains to run tests on wet handling performance and thread patterns for optimal water dispersal.
stimpson wrote: » The maximum temp will be 8 degrees plus. The average will be much lower than that. Most people will be driving at rush hour when temps will be lower. I have winters on the family car about 3 weeks now. Wet grip is much better than my daily drive which has brand new summer Goodyears.
whomitconcerns wrote: » It does always shock me on boards that most people will say dont get winter tyres..yet every year we see multiple posts about peoples cars slipping and being written off in some cases on ice and frost, etc.
Tail Docker wrote: » The last frosty morning I passed 4 cars wrapped around ditches, one was a 131 and one a 141, the other two were older. All were wrecked to one degree or the other. I think the winter tyres I fitted are cheap compared to a trip to the ditch. We grit industrial estates and car parks, so are always out driving when conditions are dire.
Sheldons Brain wrote: » Well if you are suggesting that someone checkout these things before choosing a tyre, then fair enough. As said in other threads here, tyres are a balance of characteristics, the trick is to choose something whose balance suits your driving in Ireland and isn't too focussed on saving a couple of Euro at the expense of grip.
whomitconcerns wrote: » It does always shock me on boards that most people will say dont get winter tyres..yet every year we see multiple posts about peoples cars slipping and being written off in some cases on ice and frost, etc. Winter tyres do work in Ireland..and if they save me once from a skid they are paid for. I pay 50€ a time to get the 4 swapped over, takes 40mins so not too bad.
CJhaughey wrote: » I sound like a stuck record on this topic. I too never believed that winter tyres were necessary in this country, until the winters of 09/10 showed me the difference between being just in control on Summer tyres where any slight error could result in a major accident. OR driving carefully on Winter tyres where you have much more control. They don't melt and turn into black puddles at temperatures over 8deg or even at over 15 degrees they just perform as normal tyres. Where they do excel is on cold,greasy, wet and generally traction poor surfaces. Replacing a door or bumper in a panel shop will cost you far in excess of a set of winter tyres, add to that the inconvenience and possible insurance ramifications and it becomes a no brainer to me. I won't even mention the possible injuries etc etc.My set cost me less than 300 fitted, to me thats very cheap for the benefit that they give. I would ask any on here that are advocating using summer tyres to people living in rural areas and outside main roads to think very carefully, during periods of cold snowy weather its imperative to be able to drive, and not all roads get gritted. Without good winter tyres you are really at the mercy of the weather on these roads.
cerastes wrote: » But who is to say the tyres were the cause, maybe it was the driver not driving to the conditions? people will drive off the road in winter tyres too. Thats going to happen regardless of winter tyres or not.
cerastes wrote: » Those winters were exceptional in the extreme, I drove in that weather with no problems and I knew others that did too, plenty didnt have any accidents at all either. Take it handy, drive to the conditions. If the weather was that bad again, I have chains to put on and Id rather that than winter tyres I dont need for the rest of the year, deteriorating with age as they go unused, costing money sitting there, eventually requiring to be replaced because of age. Unless you do a lot of mileage and you have 300 to spare and the car is worth it, sure, go for it,but its not the only option.
CJhaughey wrote: » Yes those were exceptional for sure but even this year you can see that cold conditions have contributed to accidents, thats not saying that winters would have saved the situation but they very well may have been the difference between crashing and not crashing. You say that plenty of people didn't have any accidents either but the ones that did would have I bet been glad of winters. Yes, you can drive to the conditions and I have done so on summers BUT having had both and doing on average 25k miles a year in a 15 year old car I would much rather pay the 300 and arrive safely then have to drive like a granny and possibly still pay a price. I'll wear a set of tyres out in a year easily and if I had two sets of rims like my wifes car then I'd swap them over for summers in a year. I have had two sets for the other car since 09 and the winters will have worn out at the end of this winter. 5 years of safe winter driving spread out over 300 euro is 60 per year. Is that too much to ask? If it was a thread about people driving on bald tyres there wouldn't be any argument but having a set of winters seems to provoke an almost irrational streak in many people.
