Winter Tyres

[Gordon]

Has anyone contemplated using them? If so, what brand and size? Also would they actually provide better grip than the PE2's in winter?

I was looking at UK mean maximum temperatures from October to April, and between at least November to March temperatures should be highly suitable for winter tyres. Temperatures would certainly not be much over the maximum optimal operating temperature of 7C between those months. The temperatures are average maximums as well, so early mornings or late evening drives to and from work, the temperature could be a lot lower. Averages were taken over a 30 year period.

November 9.5C mean max
December 7.4C mean max
January 6.6C mean max
February 6.9C mean max
March 9.3C mean max

I was looking at the ContiWinterContact TS 830P or the ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport. Unfortunately the app on the Conti website that suggests the correct tyres, for required dimensions typed in, doesn't seem to include their winter range in the suggestions offered. I even tried putting ramdom sizes in and still couldn't get a winter tyre suggested.

The TS 830P is listed as being avalable across these parameters below. But maybe not necessarily in the correct combination for the Trophy.

Speed rating: H/V/W
Wheel diameter: 16" – 18"
Tyre width: 205 – 245
Series 40 – 60

I know this link will be marketing orientated to sell tyres by praying on fear, but might be of interest to some.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/w ... tyres.html

Fitting winter tyres may also mean some want to buy another set of wheels. Maybe not more Turini's, but a cheap steel set. Keeping salt of Turini's and easier to swap yourself once winter tyres fitted.

I'd rather avoid having to take the route that Swiss Luca did and buy a set of 15" as you then need to ensure the absolutely correct tyre profile so as to not change the rolling radius; which if changed alters the gearing, speedo and mileage covered.

Interested in anyones views and/or experiences of winter tyres.

 

[spank-it]

I have never had winter tyres on my own car but I have driven cars with winter tyres on and they are much better than PE2 during the winter months.

I drove a BMW 320 Touring on winter tyres ( i think they were conti's) and they had more grip in lower temperatures and they cleared water better as well. Another car ive driven on winter tyres was a Vauxhall people carrier thing in the french alps. I was snowing at the time and the grip was better and so was the traction. It was quite interesting to see that most of the car stuck at the bottem on the moutain were on 'summer tyre' where as simlar cars with winter tyres had made it up on the compact snow.

I think I will be buying a second set of wheels sortly to put some winter tyres on and than track tyres on in the summer.

 

[Luke335]

I've used winter tyres on 15" steels loads on my T. That's all I could get at the time in Germany. They are something like 185 55 15's so obviously not ideal for general uk winter weather as the grip available is not as good and they are very soft. In the snow though they are night and day better than PE2's. It's incredible how much grip is available in the snow. Last year I was driving around faster than most people do on a sunny day and stopping distances must be about a quarter of the michelins in snow! I would highly reccomend winter tyres if you are considering them but try and get some in a decent size.

 

[vamos]

I am a big fan of winter tyres, after years of using them in Central Europe. I live in the South West now, and would use them if they were more easily available, with cheap storage offered by tyre suppliers, like it is on the continent. As it stands, every winter I spend all the time thinking I wish I had a winter tyres on. Stopping distances are much improved against PE2 or any other summer tyre, even on a dry road at temperatures below 7 degrees, and this alone makes it a worthwhile thing to do, and of course if there's snow, you become king of the road - laughing at 4WD on summer tyres.

It's not even more expensive than having one set of tyres, as you save wear and tear on your summer set, but the storage is a pain.

There is a calculator somewhere on the internet that tells you how much your speedo and odometer's are affected by different size wheels and tyres - it's not as much as you'd think. Generally speaking narrower tyres perform better on snow, so 185s on 15 inch wheels, are not that bad a choice TBH.

*edited - to correct shocking spelling.

 

[Cue]

what about these? http://www.autosock.co.uk/

 

[Luke335]

The problem with my 185 55's is that they are too compromised for everyday winter driving when it's dry and sunny. The sidewalls are really soft and you might as well be driving any old Clio.

 

[vamos]

The problem with my 185 55's is that they are too compromised for everyday winter driving when it's dry and sunny. The sidewalls are really soft and you might as well be driving any old Clio.

That's the downside of all winter tyres TBH, the compound is much softer and on warm winter days, with spirited driving, its easy to get them overheating.

 

[Gordon]

Vamos, Luke, Spank-it, thanks for your views. It seems unanimous across the only respondents that winter tyres are a good idea. I was hoping that all the marketing hype was going to have some level of truth, and you guys seems to provide some weight to the winter tyre proposition.

Finding the right dimension tyre might be the tricky part. Since the original post I've also discovered Michelin have a range that could come in the correct dimensions; the Alpin range. Although the tread pattern doesn't look as performance based as the Conti's.

Overall it seems that should you fit winter tyres, hoping for a good cold UK winter will be key, otherwise you could burn through a set fast. I'd hope that if a Conti or Michelin is available in the OEM dimensions there wouldn't be too bad a change in the handling. If the sidewalls are considerably softer, as soft rubber equals soft sidewall I expect, there might not be much you can do. Although no one will want the car to be like riding a wet bar of soap on a 'warm' sunny winter day.

The other challenge could be finding a set of steel, or cheap and cheerful alloy wheels in the correct size and off-set to fit the winter tyres to. I think I'd prefer shopping trolley steel to cheap alloys TBH. I do have a spare Turini already and I've seen a few scrappers about on the cheap, but that's an expensive route.

Cue, thanks for the link to the tyre nappies Good for an emergency in the mountains, but I'll pass otherwise.

 

[Gordon]

The Pirelli website lists their winter Sottozero being available in 205/45 R16. The speed rating is 'only' H though, but that's 130mph (210kph) and few people will be going that speed in winter. Pretty unlikely in summer too. The T would be close to the redline and rattling like marble in a can : )

http://www.pirelli.co.uk/web/catalog/ca ... AR-SUV-VAN