Winter tyres

Atomic Pineapple

I need new tires for the ST, but not sure if I want to go for winter tires just to have to change them again when this cold snap disappears. I only drive at the weekends and don't drive for a living or anything so I'm not sure if getting winter tires is essential?

I presume that all season tires have their drawbacks too when it comes to dry roads? They wont be as good as summer sports tires when its dry?

Is there anything out there that will be effective during the snow/ice but still allow me to put down the power in the dry and rain when the cold snap disappears?

Or is forking out on winter tires for the next 2 - 3 months and then changing to something more sport orientated for spring, summer, autumn my best option?

Spook_ie

MarkoC wrote: »

And your story with the eggs is just funny, they dont work on black ice, trust me

Curiosity has gotten the better of me, given that putting egg shells on the pedals was an analogy ( i sincirly hope people realise it was an analogy ), just what type of braking on black ice are you doing that it wouldn't work?

Matt Simis

draffodx wrote: »

Is there anything out there that will be effective during the snow/ice but still allow me to put down the power in the dry and rain when the cold snap disappears?

If you get a cold weather focused All Season you should cover all those basis as a year round tyre:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=UHPAS

Note some AS are woeful in the Snow and Ice, some arent.

Bigus

Spook_ie wrote: »

Curiosity has gotten the better of me, given that putting egg shells on the pedals was an analogy ( i sincirly hope people realise it was an analogy ), just what type of braking on black ice are you doing that it wouldn't work?

If you're try to stop short you're going to have to push the pedal hard enough to break the egg shells.

Please don't slag winter tyres until you've tried them. They really are that good.

Tea drinker

Where to get winter tyres in Mullingar?

Stevie Dakota

Well I have only 2 winters on the way for the front driven wheels. I intend to test out this issue regarding potential traction imbalance in a suitable place and time. If it proves unstable then I guess I'll have to bite the bullet. Watch this space.

MarkoC

Spook_ie wrote: »

just what type of braking on black ice are you doing that it wouldn't work?

I wouldnt brake at all, i would accelerate depends of the situation
But to brake hard on blake ice is a common mistake people are making.

Spook_ie

MarkoC wrote: »

I wouldnt brake at all, i would accelerate depends of the situation
But to brake hard on blake ice is a common mistake people are making.

Which is where an analogy of having eggshells on the pedal and a featherlight touch works

Do-more

I was driving in Malmö city centre yesterday, all Swedish registered cars are required by law to have winter tyres fitted between December and March but foreign registered cars are exempt.

The road conditions were quite bad with snow and slush, the snowploughs were apparently having a day off.

Generally the traffic was moving fine with no troubles but I saw one foreign registered large fwd Hyundai saloon which I would guess was on summer tyres, I had to keep well away from him as he was all over the place and was having lots of wheel spin away from the lights etc. Best ad for winter tyres I've ever seen.

Piri

I was working in Switzerland couple aof years ago
All the cars had wintertyres from october to march
Some was studded as well
Winter traffic was just little bit slower than summer traffic.
Without proper wintertyres is absolutely lethal to drive in winter time WITHOUT
snow as well!
Very very huge difference
Spend less at the pub and go for wintertyres:D

MarkoC

Piri wrote: »

Spend less at the pub and go for wintertyres:D

I like a lot that thinkimg:D

Biglad

Phoned about 17 tyre suppliers in the North this morning. Only 1 told me that they would probably have a set of Hankook Icebear Winters available suitable for my SAAB on Thursday at 90 pounds per corner fitted...

Don't think these Ice Bear tyres a rated very well, comments welcome...

Stevie Dakota

Biglad wrote: »

Phoned about 17 tyre suppliers in the North this morning. Only 1 told me that they would probably have a set of Hankook Icebear Winters available suitable for my SAAB on Thursday at 90 pounds per corner fitted...

Don't think these Ice Bear tyres a rated very well, comments welcome...

Have you tried Eiretyres? I ordered some on Thursday and they should be here tomorrow.

GTE

Biglad wrote: »

Phoned about 17 tyre suppliers in the North this morning. Only 1 told me that they would probably have a set of Hankook Icebear Winters available suitable for my SAAB on Thursday at 90 pounds per corner fitted...

Don't think these Ice Bear tyres a rated very well, comments welcome...

I was being recommended those as no one could get the All Season Hankooks.
Where are you looking to get them fitted? I was quoted 60 pound from two places for the W300 Ice Bears.
EDIT:
Sorry, the tyre size could be different. My bad. My price was for 195 65 15.

Biglad

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Have you tried Eiretyres? I ordered some on Thursday and they should be here tomorrow.

bbk wrote: »

I was being recommended those as no one could get the All Season Hankooks.
Where are you looking to get them fitted? I was quoted 60 pound from two places for the W300 Ice Bears.
EDIT:
Sorry, the tyre size could be different. My bad. My price was for 195 65 15.

Don't be laughing but if I tell you here where in the North they might be gone before I get there lol

I don't know if they are the W300 or the 310 or 440, no idea yet.

I had a look at Eiretyres website but they are looking crazy money, and although I am spending company money, I still want value for money. The cheaper tyres they do are still 150 Euro a pop in my size category unless I'm looking in the wrong place maybe?

Buying up North in this case means no VAT as well I suppose and at 75 pounds ex VAT a corner it's quite good.

Again, I am looking for something to do my SAAB which currently has 225/45/70's on which are uuuuusssssseeeeellllllllleeeeeeeesssssssssss.

kennyb3

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Have you tried Eiretyres? I ordered some on Thursday and they should be here tomorrow.

Did they send you an e mail to confirm shipment or what have you heard from them. I ordered friday before the prices went up and just trying to guestimate when i ll have them.

PS anyone know where their irish warehouse is?

MarkoC

kennyb3 wrote: »

PS anyone know where their irish warehouse is?

They dont have it here, they coming straight from Germany to your door.

Stevie Dakota

kennyb3 wrote: »

Did they send you an e mail to confirm shipment or what have you heard from them. I ordered friday before the prices went up and just trying to guestimate when i ll have them.

PS anyone know where their irish warehouse is?

Yes, email confirmation and DPD tracking number.

Biglad

Any opinions on the Kleber Quadraxer All Season jobbies? In stock with Eiretyres and OK cost wise...

I realize it's not the full on winter job but seem to get a decent write up from ze Germans.

4 out of 5 starts for all seasons;

* tyre sizes tested: 195/65R15 T
* Mark: gut
* Remarks:
gute Traktion und kurze Bremswege im Schnee, sichere Handlingeigenschaften auf nasser und trockener Fahrbahn, verbrauchssenkender Rollwiderstand, eingeschränkte Seitenführung auf Schnee, verlängerte Trockenbremswege

kennyb3

MarkoC wrote: »

They dont have it here, they coming straight from Germany to your door.

Thought so, they are basically the irish distributor for reifen.com yeah?

kennyb3

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Yes, email confirmation and DPD tracking number.

I ve got an invoice so far since friday, but no shipping details, looks like it might be early next week if they dont ship today so

Biglad

Biglad wrote: »

Phoned about 17 tyre suppliers in the North this morning. Only 1 told me that they would probably have a set of Hankook Icebear Winters available suitable for my SAAB on Thursday at 90 pounds per corner fitted...

Don't think these Ice Bear tyres a rated very well, comments welcome...

The above option is no longer an option as I've just spoken to the guy and there will be nothing new till next week sometime...balls

Casati

Any views on the Kumho Solas M+S marked tyres- they are branded all weather so could be useful year round alternative? Good pricing on Eiretyres too?

Biglad

Casati wrote: »

Any views on the Kumho Solas M+S marked tyres- they are branded all weather so could be useful year round alternative? Good pricing on Eiretyres too?

Looking at that tyre as we speak, M+S marking as well, hmmmmm, tempting, probably between the Kleber (my old man used to swear by Kleber back in Holland) or the Kumho.

Piri

kennyb3 wrote: »

Thought so, they are basically the irish distributor for reifen.com yeah?

Nope
They are Delticom AG much bigger company than reifen.com
Main warehouse in Hannover , sending all the tyres with DPD = 4-5 working days

Piri

Hankook Ice Bear is excellent anyway
Made in Hungary

MarkoC

All season tyres are NOT suitable for ice and snow !
So think twice before you purchase them only to replace your summer tyres because of the winter.

Videos posted here many times already where these tyres are compared to each other. The best all season tyres are better than worse second hand winter tyres (talking here about minimum 4mm thread and cheap chinese winter tyres) but only on coldish (C+) tarmac, not on ice or snow, FACT !

Piri

MarkoC wrote: »

All season tyres are NOT suitable for ice and snow !
So think twice before you purchase them only to replace your summer tyres because of the winter.

Videos posted here many times already where these tyres are compared to each other. The best all season tyres are better than worse second hand winter tyres but only on cold tarmac, not on ice or snow, FACT !

Absolutely true
Do not buy all season tyres in any case
Buy proper wintertyres

Matt Simis

MarkoC wrote: »

All season tyres are NOT suitable for ice and snow !
So think twice before you purchase them only to replace your summer tyres because of the winter.

Videos posted here many times already where these tyres are compared to each other. The best all season tyres are better than worse second hand winter tyres (talking here about minimum 4mm thread and cheap chinese winter tyres) but only on coldish (C+) tarmac, not on ice or snow, FACT !

Now I was generally on this same page, but I somewhat changed my mind as Ive seen some reports on some All Seasons that put them very close to good Winters in Ice and Snow, Eg:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=UHPAS
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/total_tyre_guide/259435/winter_tyre_test.html
Infact some AS tyres have the Mountain Snowflake symbol too.

MarkoC

Matt Simis wrote: »

Now I was generally on this same page, but I somewhat changed my mind as Ive seen some reports on some All Seasons that put them very close to good Winters in Ice and Snow, Eg:
Infact some AS tyres have the Mountain Snowflake symbol too.

These tyres are compared to each other not to winter tyres.