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Winter tires or normal?

magnus500

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.

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Anjobe

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.

I think most people would not deny that there is a benefit to winter tyres, but perhaps feel that experience indicates they are not essential. For example, I have driven through more than 20 winters in Ireland and the UK, in weather that has been frequently wet, sometimes cold and occasionally extreme. In that time I haven't so much as clipped a curb because of winter weather, and the number of times I have felt the need to drive with excessive caution (and would have appreciated winter tyres) has been very few.

If you have to drive in all weather conditions for your living etc, or your daily drive involves any steepish hills, or you have a powerful RWD car that becomes unmanageable in slippery conditions then very likely you will find winter tyres to be worth the hassle and expense, but I really don't.

[Deleted User]

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. .

You have proof winter tyres would have made a difference I suppose?

I have premium summer tyres and they grip all day long in the wet and cold even if pushing hard never mind the fact I drive slower and more cautiously when conditions dictate.

Winter tyres are not necessary in this country.

christy c

Nolan Dry Leakage wrote: »

never mind the fact I drive slower and more cautiously when conditions dictate.

Why do you bother fitting premium summers then? Why not just a set of Wanlis and drive slower when the conditions dictate?

You can't tell me that your summers are as good/safe as winters even leaving freak winter weather aside

Tabnabs

ArnieSilvia wrote: »

Seeing how the Uniroyal's perform, I find it hard to justify buying winter tyres but if I had cash I undoubtedly would. Preferably ones designed and made in country where winters are harsh.

http://www.nokiantires.com/ are rated the best winter tyres, pretty much year after year, in Scandinavia.

CJhaughey

I wonder just how many people on here have actually tried good quality winter tyres in winter?
It would seem to me that many claiming summers will work haven't actually tried using proper winter tyres and instead are using their experience of driving in winter on summer tyres with no problems as proof.
All I can say is that the difference is like tiptoeing around vs being able to drive normally albeit with reduced speed and greater stopping distances.
The winter tyres that are designed for use in Continental Europe are designed for conditions very much like what we have here except slightly colder for longer periods of time, I am not talking about Nordic conditions like Norway/Sweden/Canada they are a separate category of winter tyre entirely.

whomitconcerns

i have vredesteins myself can tell you even last year when I was caught in a sudden temp drop and massive hail storm on the M7, my tyre grip was perfect and I felt (note didnt actually do) like I could have continued at 120kph for the rest of my journey.

CJhaughey

Tabnabs wrote: »

http://www.nokiantires.com/ are rated the best winter tyres, pretty much year after year, in Scandinavia.

No Doubt Nokians are good tyres, I have them on our other car, two sets one for Summer and another Winter set on steels.
For me, I only have one set of wheels in so I had to go with one set of tyres, I picked Winters and if I can locate another set of Steelies I will be buying them and swapping over in the summer.

[Deleted User]

christy c wrote: »

Why do you bother fitting premium summers then? Why not just a set of Wanlis and drive slower when the conditions dictate?

You can't tell me that your summers are as good/safe as winters even leaving freak winter weather aside

When I say drive slower I mean I don't push as hard as I would in good conditions, you are a fool if you go out and drive as hard as you would on a dry summers day on a wet cold winters night just because you think winter tyres will save you.

No matter what tyres you have you should adjust your driving to account for weather conditions, there is no comparison at all with cheap tyres. Premium tyres work extremely well in wet and cold conditions saying otherwise is nonsense. Winter tyre use in Ireland is a fad.

whomitconcerns

Nolan Dry Leakage wrote: »

Winter tyre use in Ireland is a fad.

you have a real dislike for winter tyres..dont you..:D

[Deleted User]

whomitconcerns wrote: »

you have a real dislike for winter tyres..dont you..:D

Not really I just think their need is very much exaggerated in Ireland. If we got weather regularly like we did a few winters ago then they would be useful but we don't. A lot of the time the weather is mild and wet, just the type of weather summer tyres are made for.

christy c

Nolan Dry Leakage wrote: »

When I say drive slower I mean I don't push as hard as I would in good conditions, you are a fool if you go out and drive as hard as you would on a dry summers day on a wet cold winters night just because you think winter tyres will save you.

No matter what tyres you have you should adjust your driving to account for weather conditions, there is no comparison at all with cheap tyres. Premium tyres work extremely well in wet and cold conditions saying otherwise is nonsense. Winter tyre use in Ireland is a fad.

How good are your premiums on untreated roads? How quickly will they stop you in cold conditions vs winters? Stopping distance is also the main argument for cheap v expensive tyres

[Deleted User]

christy c wrote: »

How good are your premiums on untreated roads? How quickly will they stop you in cold conditions vs winters? Stopping distance is also the main argument for cheap v expensive tyres

A handful of days per year the winters will be better every other day there will be little or no difference.

Tail Docker

I'd imagine many ranting against winter tyres drive mainly on main-roads/towns. When it is frosty where we are(bogs of kildare) - just making it to a main road is an expedition down 1 track skating rinks. Once on the main road, you can drive on with everyone else.

But to say"well winters aren't needed" is silly - our cars and vans simply wouldn't even get to the main road without them when it is really freezing, which is actually often enough. The rear-wheel drive ones are lethal on summers in frosty conditions, yet with winters they drive fine. I don't need convincing, as I rely on being mobile for my living.

stimpson

Nolan Dry Leakage wrote: »

A handful of days per year the winters will be better every other day there will be little or no difference.

More like 3 or 4 months actually:

ArnieSilvia

Tabnabs wrote: »

http://www.nokiantires.com/ are rated the best winter tyres, pretty much year after year, in Scandinavia.

Kind of proves my point that choice of tyres should be based not only on brand but also on conditions the tyres were developed in, such as where tyre company engineers would use them every rainy day on their company and private cars. In the end , the deciding factor is how tyre feels on the road, how progressive it is etc.

This makes much more sense in context of the likes of vredesteins, uniroyals etc performing very well in Ireland or winter tyres from nordic countries working well in snow. There is vastly more chance to test these tyres (Vreds) properly in conditions similar to Irish. There are exceptions of course, based on know-how (developed or simply stolen/bought by head-hunting of a tyre engineer working for major brand).

GTE

paulmclaughlin wrote: »

Just buy normal tyres, we don't really need winter tyres in Ireland, especially with the paltry amount of snow we usually get.

The text in bold is the misconception that the OP should be wary of.

Winters are not just for snow. They are more for cold roads, whether they be dry, wet or icy.

The OP would do better with a good and reputable* All Season tyre.

*There are good and bad examples of all categories of tyre, so research is key. My All Season recommendations are:
- Hankook Optimo 4S (I have used them for around 5 years)
- Goodyear Vector 4 (Never used them, but consistently top of the tests)

GTE

Anjobe wrote: »

For example, I have driven through more than 20 winters in Ireland and the UK, in weather that has been frequently wet, sometimes cold and occasionally extreme. In that time I haven't so much as clipped a curb because of winter weather, and the number of times I have felt the need to drive with excessive caution (and would have appreciated winter tyres) has been very few.

It is a good point, on the face of it; however, a lot of us can count ourselves fortunate that we have never had to test our cars in emergency conditions that much and certainly, we wouldn't be able to do side by side tests which would measure braking distances, grip levels etc. That is what independent testing does, which shows that they are the conditions where "cold weather" tyres are important.

Another way to look at it and in relation to the point you make in the quoted text, if I ever had a tyre fitted to the car which reached its limit from normal driving, then I would not want to go near it, and I am not talking about ice; just braking on cold roads, whether they are wet or dry.

GTE

CJhaughey wrote: »

All I can say is that the difference is like tiptoeing around vs being able to drive normally albeit with reduced speed and greater stopping distances.

For me, and I am not exaggerating, the difference between using Summers on a heavily iced and snowy road (N51, Slane to Navan) was from not being able to gently accelerate or brake without wheelspin/ABS to not being able to activate ABS in the snow when I got my good and reputable All Seasons fitted, 20 minutes later.

Btw, the difference on cold dry roads between them was that the Summers would wheelspin and lock up where the All Seasons wouldnt, at the same junction and RPM. And yes, I am the sad kind of loser who takes note of these things :pac::pac:

GTE

Supergurrier wrote: »

All season are summer tyres.

Source?

BreadnBuddha

Anyone who says winter tyres are a waste of time and money in Ireland is most likely writing based on pub talk or zero experience of the very real world difference they make, even in Ireland.

Nobody needs a full spec studded Scandinavian/Nordic winter tyre in Ireland but a good, branded winter thread friction tyre will work much better in low temps (below 6 degrees) on all road conditions, on slush and especially on snow.

If you recognise the difference between a ditch finder and a good quality summer tyre, you're just the kind of person who should be able to appreciate the benefit and value of a suitable winter tyre. They're made to perform best in a certain set of conditions and if you think it's just as good to use your premium summer tyre in the winter, you're coddling yourself.

People who drive the length and breadth of the country encountering all sorts of driving conditions during the course of the winter can tell the difference, even in Ireland, but if you've never tried it yourself your opinion doesn't carry weight. Stick to giving advice on summer tyres for the summer and let the people who have really used winter tyres be heard instead of having to argue with your ignorance.

selous

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.

Have a look at
tyrereviews.co.uk/
and
oponeo.ie/

I was looking for normal summer tyres for my Subaru, the the usual good brands, but looked at the tyre review site and peoples, not magazines, reviews of tyres, changed my mind, so I bought 4 Nokian tyres a brand made in Finland, they were a highest scorer by anyone who had bought them on the review site and I bought them off the other website, (cost E50 to get them balanced and fitted here).
I have no complaints from them yet, (2000km) on mud, or frosty weather so far this year, I live in the Midlands, last Sat was minus 3, they were grand.
So food for thought..

CJhaughey

selous wrote: »

Have a look at
tyrereviews.co.uk/
and
oponeo.ie/

I was looking for normal summer tyres for my Subaru, the the usual good brands, but looked at the tyre review site and peoples, not magazines, reviews of tyres, changed my mind, so I bought 4 Nokian tyres a brand made in Finland, they were a highest scorer by anyone who had bought them on the review site and I bought them off the other website, (cost E50 to get them balanced and fitted here).
I have no complaints from them yet, (2000km) on mud, or frosty weather so far this year, I live in the Midlands, last Sat was minus 3, they were grand.
So food for thought..

Which model did you get?
I have been through 2 sets of Allweather + found them very good and long lasting, not quite as surefooted in winter as the current set of Conti Wintercontact TS850 but they lasted all year round even in 40+ temps in France.

selous

CJhaughey wrote: »

Which model did you get?
I have been through 2 sets of Allweather + found them very good and long lasting, not quite as surefooted in winter as the current set of Conti Wintercontact TS850 but they lasted all year round even in 40+ temps in France.

Bought the Nokian Line summer tyre, 215/45/17 for E102 each including shipping, had them in 4 days.

Zubeneschamali

bazz26 wrote: »

The OP is changing tyres, she/he asked about winter tyres instead of "normal" or summer tyres so unless he/she plans to buy a set of winter and summer tyres isn't it fair to assume he/she is going to leave the set that he/she buys on rather than switching?

If you are only going to use one tyre, then using the one that's best in the most dangerous conditions is a no-brainer.

Why do I need maximum grip on a nice warm dry day in August?

I need it on a day in February with light snow over frost.

Winters for me.

GTE

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

If you are only going to use one tyre, then using the one that's best in the most dangerous conditions is a no-brainer.

Why do I need maximum grip on a nice warm dry day in August?

I need it on a day in February with light snow over frost.

Winters for me.

Yes, but then braking distances in hot and dry conditions should be considered, where I have read Winter tyres being horrendous in. Not much is a no-brainer, I have found.

Cuddlesworth

bbk wrote: »

Yes, but then braking distances in hot and dry conditions should be considered, where I have read Winter tyres being horrendous in. Not much is a no-brainer, I have found.

Logic would dictate they would wear quite fast but would offer comparable performance to Summers. Which others have tested and discovered to be true.

Zubeneschamali

bbk wrote: »

Yes, but then braking distances in hot and dry conditions should be considered, where I have read Winter tyres being horrendous in.

The difference between summers and winters in summer is much less than the difference in freezing or snowy conditions. Winters certainly are not "horrendous" in summer.

Anjobe

BreadnBuddha wrote: »

People who drive the length and breadth of the country encountering all sorts of driving conditions during the course of the winter can tell the difference, even in Ireland, but if you've never tried it yourself your opinion doesn't carry weight. Stick to giving advice on summer tyres for the summer and let the people who have really used winter tyres be heard instead of having to argue with your ignorance.

This is missing the point by some distance. The argument for the necessity of winter tyres is surely based on the performance, or lack thereof, of standard tyres in winter conditions, and we all have experience of that. Also, trying winter tyres is not like trying a new brand of deoderant, there is some inconvenience and considerable expense involved. If someone has managed to drive safely through many years of winters on standard tyres why should they go to that inconvenience and expense?

The decision whether or not to use winter tires is for each driver to make for themselves, based on where, what and how they drive

Cartel Mike

Stuff is simple.
OP Buy a good set of All Weathers Hankook, Goodyear ..whatever research online .
In a few months time if you decide you have enough money then buy a set of Summers and if you can get a 4 cheap rims from a scrappy for €80 Euro or less all the better if you can't , it really doesn't matter. That's if you can afford summer tyres if you cant just keep driving the All weathers cause they really are good tyres on all surfaces.

Those who say you don't need Winter tyres in Ireland are theoretically correct- You dont.

You will have great peace of mind in bad weather on good all seasons . Some people will argue that winter tyres will give you 'Extra' peace of mind etc etc in the same way driving with your side lights on on a hot summer day will give you that same 'Extra' peace of mind etc etc It really depends on how much of a health & safety geek you are.

Also if you are keeping a car for 1, 2 years max your simply wasting money on winter tyres if you buy all season that money isn't wasted in that you can simply drive out the remainder of your car's duration on them because their 'All' weather.

The winter tyre lot can be a little irritable if I'm honest because they're posting on/starting threads every winter gloating abot how superior they are/feel and how 'necessary' these tyres are (all incorrect). Thankfully not too much of that the last few winters or the 'bring on the snow'/ 'praying for snow' type comments. like you see lads over in the weather forum making every year. But if there is a single full day of snow this winter you can be guaranteed the wayward, over the top and vomitus inducing gloating will start up all over again on motors.

Zubeneschamali

Anjobe wrote: »

This is missing the point by some distance. The argument for the necessity of winter tyres is surely based on the performance, or lack thereof, of standard tyres in winter conditions, and we all have experience of that.

Well, no, lots of people tootle around Dublin and the suburbs, and seldom see bad winter conditions. They could probably drive their whole lives on Triangular Ling Lang Summers and not know the difference.