All season tyres.

[Audax]

Does anyone know of a good source for fully fitted 225/45 R17 94 W rated all season tyres for my 9-3 Aero auto sportwagon, I'm looking at Michelin crossclimates, Nokian weatherproof and Vredstein Quatrac but other suggestions welcome.

I don't really need to replace but one of my rear tyres is down to 3mm, the other side is at 4mm and the 2 fronts are at 4.5mm each. I was going to get a full set of the crossclimates from blackcircles the other week when they were £92 each but now they have gone up to £110 each. Only reason I didn't buy then was that I'd checked the tread depth in a rush when cleaning the car so wasn't sure if I should chose to replace, but of course now I made my mind up to replace a bit early I don't want to pay £440 for the set.

[collywobble]

Interesting Winter Tyre Test in the 12th October to 8th November issue of AutoExpress.

Continental WinterContact TS860 came first but they also tested the Nokian Weatherproof which they reckon would have come 2nd if it had been called a winter tyre. They reckon a 205/55/16 can be bought for £74.40 but don't say where from.

have you tried MyTyres website?

[sgould]

www.mytyres are doing Nokian A3 listed as winter tyres for £97 each, fully fitted at the local fitter from the list..  We have run them all summer on the 9-3 Vector and the Carlsson with no ill effect.  They are very quiet tyres.  They have "All weather Plus" written on the side.

Now superseded by the A4 and the Weatherproof, but some A3 are still around. 

[Audax]

I could go for the Nokian A3 the WR G2 lasted a long time on the 9-5... However they are coming up at £112 each for me and a lower speed rating than the Micheline Cross climates.

[sgould]

The £97 ones are H rated, which is still 130 mph.  We had H rated XL Nokian A3s on the 9-3 Vector.  Fine for UK use. I went for the H in the hope that they would be a bit softer and grippier than the V & W rated ones.

On the 9-5 I have the 18 inch wheels, and run V rated ones for the continental trips and the Carlsson ones are even bigger at 235/45 18.  Price is a bit of a fright!!

[Audax]

Aaah, I see, I want to keep a W rating on these tyres as they will be on all year round especially as it's an Aero which I was thinking of having the Hirsch remap done on it (although, see my new thread about that)

[phoenix]

I came across these by accident and ordered them:

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/michelin/crossclimate/225/45/R17/W/94/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f%26width%3d225%26profile%3d45%26rim%3d17%26speed%3dAny%26wintertyre%3d1%26minpricerange%3d0%26maxpricerange%3d0%26loadratings%3d94%26displayall%3d6&tyre=33706486

When they arrived I thought they didn't look anything like a winter tyre so queried it but they do have an M&S and Ice marking on them. Reviews are very favourable too.

I haven't had a chance yet to fit them

[sgould]

I have also run the Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme in 18 inch size all through the year and they were W and XL rated.  225/40 18 92W XL.   It was these tyres  that were on the car when I went out in the snow and went up the steep hill behind the house and passed a BMW X5 that was stuck with all four wheels spinning.

They were fine on the German autobahn in warm weather on the way to the Alps in late spring for some pass bagging.

[phoenix]

I've run the Wintracs in to summer too and found they they wore much quicker than summer tyres.

[Norfolk Jim]

I fitted cross climates to my wifes 2010 Golf TDi in May 2015 and they have now done some 25k and still in good condition with about 4.5mm all round.

I have found them excellent when driving in torrential rain, slush and in snow. The car handled superbly. There is also no loss of grip in summer. When the time comes I shall replace them like for like again - 215/50 x 16. IIRC they were about £89 each corner which I thought was good considering they'd only been out about a month.

Wish they did them on my 9-3 Aero Sportwagon TTiD but mine is shod with 225/45 x 18 GY F1 Eagle's and all loads of tread left. Was considering perhaps getting some 17's for winter tyres but they need to be 235/45 to keep speedo correct........urgh

Anyway I'd definitely say number 1 Cross Climates

[wrighar]

Being a bit tight, I've bought my last 2 sets from 'tyreleader'

You get the choice of tyre ages as well as make and type....

I bought 2 sets of 4 year old tyres for about 35% of the full cost new.

usual rules are tyres have to be sold within 5 years of manufacture and fitted withing 10 years.

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres-235-45-17/?s=W&m%5B20%5D=on&t=T

 

[TomPaine]

Re the fitting, after repeat recommendations from HonestJohn (in the Telegraph) I've always used Event Tyres, who come out to you, and thoroughly recommend the service. Not having to sit for an hour on a filthy seat in a tyre depot, marvellous.

[Audax]

Well, a bit of a search led me to something, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142141382606 which means I'm getting 4 crossclimates fitted for £93.28 each, this is more like what I wanted to pay. I think they priced them wrong for these listing as this is the price unfitted on the other listings but similar to the prices the other week!

[Audax]

New Michelin Crossclimates are on and wow, they are far better than the Falken ZIEX-914 summer tyres they have replaced. I've only driven about 30 miles but they are far quieter and have softened the ride up properly, before I thought that the suspension was just plain worn out and was budgeting to replace springs and dampers however now I think it may just be down to the tyre choice.

Where the old tyres were tram lining (and did it from new) the Crossclimates are not doing so over a few familiar stretches of road. I will sort the tyre pressures out properly on Saturday from cold as they all seem to be slightly different to each other right now, I'll also clean the wheels up properly and use some Autoglym sealant on them. The Michelin Crossclimates have started life with 7mm of tread and the car has done 91000 miles so I'm going to keep a record of the wear rate too.

[Norfolk Jim]

I just looked through my owners handbook at tyre sizes and it shows various for my model including 2 for 18" wheels.

The first size says 225/45 x 18 95W and afterwards in bold RF/XL
The second size says 235/45 x 18 94Y with no other words.

Does the first refer to RunFlat and Extra Loading...................................I ask as Michelin don't do 225/45 in 18's as these normally appear to be 225/40 x 18 however they have brought out a new size showing on their website now of 235/45 x 18 98Y.

So the big question is what's the difference and could I actually use the new size albeit a stiffer sidewall???