Mega Winter Tyres thread, all questions here!!

_Kaiser_ · 06-10-2011 5:54pm

TestTransmission wrote: »

Way too early,what were the 2 new tyres you bought?

Chinese-made "Event" (driving on them in the wet is an "event" alright

) in 215/55/R16 XL for the Passat.. I was stuck on the day and these were suggested .. not exactly cheap @ €85 a corner either.

I'm also wary of the snow/ice setting in as if last year is anything to go by, half the driving lane of the M3 will be gritted and... that's about it!

Unfortunately I'm not making so much that I can afford maybe double that per corner so I'm trying to find a reasonable compromise (pereferably bricks n mortor and fitted) but even getting tyres in that size seems to be a challenge - I would've thought with so many B6 Passat's on Irish roads there'd be loads lying around but apparently not

TestTransmission · 06-10-2011 6:01pm

challengemaster wrote: »

apparently not, was snowing lastnight in places :eek:

Up on some hills or something, it's gonna be in the high teens this weekend.End of the month would possibly be a good bet.

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Chinese-made "Event" (driving on them in the wet is an "event" alright ) in 215/55/R16 XL for the Passat.. I was stuck on the day and these were suggested .. not exactly cheap @ €85 a corner either.

t

Seems very expensive for some chinese crap

_Kaiser_ · 06-10-2011 6:03pm

TestTransmission wrote: »

Seems very expensive for some chinese crap

I'd tend to agree but that's why I want rid of them as soon as.. I'm gonna try Tyreland nect week as even part-worn branded tyres will surely be better than these.

INEEDANID · 07-10-2011 8:08am

Need to get some winter tyres

size needed = 235 45 17 front and 255 40 17 Rear.

Was looking at the Falken HS-439 on Eirtyres

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=60620033.124.17221&typ=D-110840&ranzahl=4&Breite=235&Quer=45&Felge=17&Speed=T&weiter=0&Ang_pro_Seite=20&sort_by=brand&Transport=P&dsco=124&sowigan=Wi&station_search=1&Monart=#station_search[/URL]

Are they any good or what would you all recommend?

Zubeneschamali · 07-10-2011 8:49am

INEEDANID wrote: »

Was looking at the Falken HS-439 on Eirtyres

I just put 4 of these (215/60 R16s) on my S-Max. No ice or snow to report results on, but they grip in the wet a lot better than the worn Vredestein summers I had on (which were still legal), and they are a whole lot quieter, which I wasn't expecting.

fletch · 07-10-2011 8:50am

It was 7 degrees yesterday morning in Dublin...9 degrees this morning so it's nearly cold enough

INEEDANID · 07-10-2011 9:21am

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I just put 4 of these (215/60 R16s) on my S-Max. No ice or snow to report results on, but they grip in the wet a lot better than the worn Vredestein summers I had on (which were still legal), and they are a whole lot quieter, which I wasn't expecting.

I have read a few reviews and they seem to be quite good. Just want to make sure I get the right ones as it will be nearly €600 in total.

Zubeneschamali · 07-10-2011 9:55am

INEEDANID wrote: »

I have read a few reviews and they seem to be quite good.

Not the absolute best, I would think the Continentals seem better, for example, but Falken seem to be just behind the best and a bit cheaper, without being cheap (and crap).

PAULWATSON · 07-10-2011 9:59am

fletch wrote: »

It was 7 degrees yesterday morning in Dublin...9 degrees this morning so it's nearly cold enough

:D Can't wait.

Just a question, is the weather not crap all year around in paddy land?

opinion guy · 07-10-2011 10:01am

fletch wrote: »

It was 7 degrees yesterday morning in Dublin...9 degrees this morning so it's nearly cold enough

Wow. Hottest day of the year was about a week ago:eek:

Casati · 07-10-2011 10:23am

Are people buying all season tires? I bought two last year for a Megane (only put them on the front). They are marked with the Snow flake but can be used year round.

I put up over 20km on them and think there is still 6mm left- overall they have been a good compromise- they were very useful in snow for sure, but obviously not as good a winters. General performance through the summer was good, but they are not as good as previous summers

Fuel economy is affected- by about 3mpg I recon, but the cost is much lower as I dont need second set of rims/ place to store them etc

Anybody else in the same boat?

INEEDANID · 07-10-2011 10:30am

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Not the absolute best, I would think the Continentals seem better, for example, but Falken seem to be just behind the best and a bit cheaper, without being cheap (and crap).

What price are they for my car?

INEEDANID · 07-10-2011 10:30am

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Not the absolute best, I would think the Continentals seem better, for example, but Falken seem to be just behind the best and a bit cheaper, without being cheap (and crap).

What price are the continentals for my car and are Eirtyre the cheapest?

Zubeneschamali · 07-10-2011 11:12am

INEEDANID wrote: »

What price are the continentals for my car and are Eirtyre the cheapest?

I think Eiretyres were showing Continentals at 140 when Falkens were 100, for mine. Dunno about right now,.

Eiretyres or camskill.co.uk seem to be the ones most people here use.

Don't forget to price in someone fitting the tyres and taking the old ones off you, too.

INEEDANID · 07-10-2011 11:14am

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I think Eiretyres were showing Continentals at 140 when Falkens were 100, for mine. Dunno about right now,.

Eiretyres or camskill.co.uk seem to be the ones most people here use.

Don't forget to price in someone fitting the tyres and taking the old ones off you, too.

The Falkens are €139 for mine for each tyre which is expensive enough I think. I have wide 17's on the BMW.

Need to get around in the snow and ice though.

PaddyTheNth · 07-10-2011 11:25am

Tyres ordered from Eiretyres arrived 2 days ago, had them fitted yesterday.

2 days for bank transfer to go through (they wouldn't accept credit card payment from me as they couldn't verify my address:rolleyes:), 1 day later they issued invoice and shipped. It then took 6 days for the tyres to get to the garage in Dublin.

I bought Goodyear Ultragrip 8s (15 inch). It is a bit early to have them fitted but as my current Michelin Energy Savers were almost down to the limit I decided to put them on now.

Initial impressions are that they are more comfortable (to be expected I suppose having moved from a 16" 205/55 to a 15" 195/65) and quieter! They do seem a bit less direct and and a bit 'floaty'. Not that they don't respond instantly to input, just the feedback/feel doesn't seem quite as good. In comparison to the worn Michelins they actually seemed to have better grip last night on the wet road, 10-11 degrees as I was driving out of Dublin. I normally drive economically but I like to know roughly where the limits of grip are, and as I pushed it around a badly cambered roundabout i got less understeer (and later) than with the Michelins a few days previously. Coming back in this morning in the dry I noticed the same thing - where previously I had got a little understeer in the dry I now got none. Not scientific testing I know!

I got the tyres delivered to and fitted by Chris (or at least that is how he has anglicized his name!) at Car Clinic in Inchicore http://g.co/maps/vcuxb. Sound guy and fairly copped on - I wanted a spare (part worn) winter and without me asking he got me a a symmetrical one rather than the directional Ultragrips so it can be used on either side of the car without hassle. Charged €10 for fitting and balancing the new tyres which seems reasonable and gave me a good price on the part worn winter on a steel wheel. He's also got a selection of used alloys.

I'll try to remember to post back in the thread with my experiences if we actually get any snow! Now to see about doing some DIY refurb work over the winter on the wheels I took off...

polod · 07-10-2011 11:39am

If you buy tyres on on-line from camskill etc. who does fit the tyres for you would an independant place not be as keen on fitting them for you when you didn't buy them for there place ? or would the likes of advanced pitstop be the best places to bring them to, to get them fitted ?

TestTransmission · 07-10-2011 11:40am

polod wrote: »

If you buy tyres on on-line from camskill etc. who does fit the tyres for you would an independant place not be as keen on fitting them for you when you didn't buy them for there place ? or would the likes of advanced pitstop be the best places to bring them to, to get them fitted ?

Totally depends on the place to be honest and if they want the business.Advance won't fit them, if they did I'm sure they'd charge something ridiculous anyway.

PaddyTheNth · 07-10-2011 11:50am

polod wrote: »

If you buy tyres on on-line from camskill etc. who does fit the tyres for you would an independant place not be as keen on fitting them for you when you didn't buy them for there place ? or would the likes of advanced pitstop be the best places to bring them to, to get them fitted ?

Eiretyres have a selection of fitters who agree to fit them, and most of them will take delivery directly also - http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/stationssuche.pl?dsco=124. I'd be surprised if any these wouldn't sort you out if you bought from camskill!

polod · 07-10-2011 11:53am

cheers paddy that should get me sorted now

Vudgie · 07-10-2011 12:04pm

Does anyone have a view on the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-30 winter tyres?

Many thanks.

Anan1 · 07-10-2011 2:32pm

Vudgie wrote: »

Does anyone have a view on the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-30 winter tyres?

Many thanks.

From what i've read they're better than most on snow/ice, but somewhat at the expense of dry-road performance.

Tea 1000 · 07-10-2011 3:06pm

Can't seem to find it in this now very large thread, but what's the difference in the snowflake symbol and the M+S marking on the tyre (as in Mud+Snow)?
Also, what effect can using a wheel with the incorrect offset for your car have? If I check that there is no contact between the car and the tyre at full lock both ways, surely it won't be too bad?

JJJJNR · 07-10-2011 3:16pm

Blizzak I used them last year with my continental 790s in front, I found them to be very good, excellent even in cold conditions, I had these at the rear of my car, but I found them to be a little squirrely when temps rose, this would be down to the sidewalls which on bridgestones are very flexible, so this year I have the Blizzaks on the front and the continental on the rear and even with the high temps last week its the perfect setup for my car, they are an excellent tire..

Tea 1000 · 07-10-2011 3:22pm

JJJJNR wrote: »

Blizzak I used them last year with my continental 790s in front, I found them to be very good, excellent even in cold conditions, I had these at the rear of my car, but I found them to be a little squirrely when temps rose, this would be down to the sidewalls which on bridgestones are very flexible, so this year I have the Blizzaks on the front and the continental on the rear and even with the high temps last week its the perfect setup for my car, they are an excellent tire..

Which Blizzak's have you had? I'm looking at LM20's but the previous poster had LM30's.
Balls... so many options!

No1J · 07-10-2011 4:16pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Can't seem to find it in this now very large thread, but what's the difference in the snowflake symbol and the M+S marking on the tyre (as in Mud+Snow)?
Also, what effect can using a wheel with the incorrect offset for your car have? If I check that there is no contact between the car and the tyre at full lock both ways, surely it won't be too bad?

The snow flake means Winter tyre and the M+S is more All season I think

seen it on an American tyre test on You tube a while back.

JJJJNR · 07-10-2011 9:27pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Which Blizzak's have you had? I'm looking at LM20's but the previous poster had LM30's.
Balls... so many options!

LM30's IIRC to lazy to go out an look, 99% sure.

08-10-2011 12:40pm

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Can't seem to find it in this now very large thread, but what's the difference in the snowflake symbol and the M+S marking on the tyre (as in Mud+Snow)?
Also, what effect can using a wheel with the incorrect offset for your car have? If I check that there is no contact between the car and the tyre at full lock both ways, surely it won't be too bad?

a winter tyre must have the mountain and snowflake.
a winter tyre may have the M&S but does not mean it is a true winter tyre on its own

hellboy99 · 08-10-2011 1:09pm

Are winter tyres classed by insurance companies as a modification?

carz · 09-10-2011 1:22pm

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Chinese-made "Event" (driving on them in the wet is an "event" alright ) in 215/55/R16 XL for the Passat.. I was stuck on the day and these were suggested .. not exactly cheap @ €85 a corner either.

I'm also wary of the snow/ice setting in as if last year is anything to go by, half the driving lane of the M3 will be gritted and... that's about it!

Unfortunately I'm not making so much that I can afford maybe double that per corner so I'm trying to find a reasonable compromise (pereferably bricks n mortor and fitted) but even getting tyres in that size seems to be a challenge - I would've thought with so many B6 Passat's on Irish roads there'd be loads lying around but apparently not

You should try Falken ZE912, great tyre and great value, but they are a summer tyre! They also do a winter tyre, gets good re views but I haven't tried them myself.:)

Mega Winter Tyres thread, all questions here!!

Comments