2017 Winter Tyres thread

[fka]

No real tyre noise at all, I think they are quieter than the falkens I had on before the cross climates. You could just keep the pilots for now and replace them next autumn?

Good to hear there's no extra road noise..
With no other long journeys planned this winter, I'm not doing anything this season. I was tempted to wait to see what pops up on the forums and fleebay once the winter's over. If I can pick up a half decent set of rims with a good set of winter tyres I can live with running two sets of wheels until the summer tyres need replacing. I'd say I've got another 2 or 3 years worth of tread left on the pilots, longer if they're only on the car for half the year..

[sgould]

The Nokian A3/A4 winter tyres are very quiet.  Much quieter than the normal summer tyres I've been running.

[Max Headroom]

HaPpY NeW yEaR to all of you!

Sorry for my delay in replying to all your comments - work; illness; (some evil cough I just cant shake off) and other distractions.

Interesting comments there about winter tyres not being "Winter tyres"  if tread depth < 4mm. My tyres are certainly worn and are probably about 3.5mm at the moment, nevertheless I have found out that while I was able to get out the car park at work on that snowy night, others had failed dismally to even do that!
I also see the logic/theory behind choosing a winter tyre with a higher speed-rating, and assume that would be the same for 'all season tyres' too?

We have had a bit more snow since my last post on this thread, and I can report that another trip back from work, (this time after the snow had partially thawed and then refrozen really hard) was also reasonably uneventful; I got home safely, up all the hills and even with frozen and hard-packed ice on my local untreated streets made it to my house.
The only bit I couldn't quite manage was reverse up all the way my driveway with its frustratingly smooth block paving, but I did get the car off the road and off the pavement. Had I been bothered to try turning the car around rather than reversing it, I may well have got it all the way up.
The crunching sound of the ice under the wheels as I carefully drove down my road was amazingly loud!

FKA aren't you better off considering an 'All season' tyre if you are doing a 'minimal mileage'; surely this would avoid the expense of another set of wheels which also takes up considerable space in ones shed!
Its because of the low annual mileage that I'm now doing, that I'm considering losing a set of wheels in favour of a set of all-season tyres on the car, which is why all this info interests me.
Notwithstanding, my garage is now rammed with two classic cars since getting my old MG Midget back, plus I still need space to work on and around the vintage car, so any space gained through doing this can only be a plus for me!

[sgould]

One further comment.  The Nokian winter tyres are also labelled "All weather plus"

[fka]

FKA aren't you better off considering an 'All season' tyre if you are doing a 'minimal mileage'; surely this would avoid the expense of another set of wheels which also takes up considerable space in ones shed!
Its because of the low annual mileage that I'm now doing, that I'm considering losing a set of wheels in favour of a set of all-season tyres on the car, which is why all this info interests me.
Notwithstanding, my garage is now rammed with two classic cars since getting my old MG Midget back, plus I still need space to work on and around the vintage car, so any space gained through doing this can only be a plus for me!

Happy New Year to you all!

You're right and the Mrs has already pointed out that I currently have the shed full of 9-3 spares that nobody seems to want and I can't bring myself to take to the dump... However I can't get past the fact that I have a good set of Michelin Pilots on the car, that would get little return if I sold them..
I've had a look around the classifieds and fleebay today and there are a few sets of wheels + winter tyres for around £300. Some are down to 5mm so not worth the bother but there's one nice looking set of 17"rims with a fairly new set of tyres.. I'm still chewing it over for now 

[Norfolk Jim]

My Nokian WRD4's have been excellent in all weathers. Mine are 18" wheels so have 225/45 x 18 on them and worked out quite well for cost. As Will says' they are very quiet on all roads and handle very well in the dry as well.

Had to take my son to Stansted airport on Thursday last week for an 8.00 am flight to Galway. It's about hour and 15 mins from us up the A11 so suggested we leave at 5.30.............. no problem normally as Stansted is quick check in etc. We'd had snow that morning but not much so thought nothing of it; however watching late local news Stansted had been shut due to snow and flights cancelled - bu99er; how early do you need to leave for local airport.................... walked out to car at 5.15 in morning to find it solid with ice and clear starlit sky. After breaking in using warm water and clearing screen we did set off at 5.25 on icy roads (temp showed as -4). All well down A11 till past Thetford and then noticed little piles of snow on edge of road? Further we went the bigger these got and now fast lane was glistening with ice. Get to Newmarket and fast lane was snow covered but car was handling like a dry road. Obviously I wasn't travelling at normal speeds as there were some cars around and deer. Get onto M11 and time was ebbing away so spent quite a while in the fast lane (which evening before was blocked by lorry jackknifing) on snow and all I can say was brilliant. Pulled off M11 onto road leading to terminal and stopped in long queue - it was 6.45 so thought plenty of time still but we just sat there; saw blue lights so thought accident but when we finally got to the terminal found it was simply huge amount of traffic. It was now 7.18 so son ran into terminal and missed bag check-in by 1 minute so shot outside to stuff as much as he could into his rucsac and ran in. Boarding gate closes 20 mins before flight due and he boarded at 7.39!! - I drive off and due to the shear number of cars at the express drop off the airport only charged £3.80 (which is for 10 mins) to get cars through; it should have been £25 for the time I sat there. I was home by 9.30 but his plane sat there with electrical fault till 10.35!!!............................if I had normal summer tyres he'd have missed flight!!!
 

[Geoff1951]

I bet these "all weather" tyres would struggle against Storm Eleanor today...


All the best for 2018 everyone!

[collywobble]

Do you have to replace all four tyres at once if you are going to change to all weather tyres?

[Audax]

Do you have to replace all four tyres at once if you are going to change to all weather tyres?

I would strongly suggest that if you are fitting tyres to your car that are winter rated and using it in snow and ice that you would want all 4 to be winter rated. If you're just using up some winter tyres in the summer I would say that mixing them up wouldn't be any different to having 2 different brands or performing tyres across both axles, not ideal but not a problem either.

[Norfolk Jim]

Well after 2 days or terrible conditions with nigh on 12" snow yesterday and roads blocked this morning all round Norfolk by snow drifts I can give an update on my Nokain WRD4 winter tyres.

My wife is a nurse and really needed to go out yesterday to administer insulin injections so rather than let her go on her own in her Golf with Cross Climates on I took her. All I can say is wow!!!! No matter how much snow on the road (which varied from 3 - 9 inches) it was still like driving on tarmac; up or down dips into villages. Twice I helped pull people out of the gutter using my tow rope. Fantastic tyres.

Today though not going out due to some huge snow drifts blocking even the major routes near us. Can't compete against those with the howling wind we have today with still more snow showers but one of the farmers we know well has picked her up in his Discovery and taken her out. He's got his winter wheels on and said it will go anywhere..........................

[ScarbSaab]

Seconded on the WRD4s. Today, the girl next door was struggling to get her new Astra going on the hill this morning, and I see she eventually gave up. (I did offer her a lift to work, but she decided to keep trying.) I cleared the windscreen, pulled out and drove off up the hill. On the tight, adverse camber bend the TCS did briefly engage, but other than that have had plenty of grip. Even on the steep descent to the main road. If anyone is considering winter tyres, definitely go for it. This week I've seen people being sensible but struggling with roads I'm going up and down without any drama.

[Norfolk Jim]

It really is night and day between these and normal tyres. They don't seem to be showing any signs of wear either!