Tyres

alleycat`

Since and old tyre thread got dug up from years ago it has set me up with a question(or two).

There are a lot of 4x4 v's tyre type arguments that come up on here regularly due to adverse weather.

So my question(s) are:

Do "all season" tyres give you enough extra benefit for the bad slushy/snowy/wet weather we get in the middle of the UK to be enough of a compromise over having to have / store "winter" tyres.

Then following that logic (assuming they do) do they last long enough to offset in wear and cost terms over having to switch between "winter" and "summer" tyres.

I appreciate there will be some variation in brand but i was after a more general feel of how "all weathers" sit in the grand scheme of things and if they are a "master of none" awful compromise.

Indout96

I have just changed all 4 tyres on our Saab 93 which was totally cr*p in the snow last year, I asked the (independent) tyre place that we always use about "All season" tyres and they said save your money and just turn the traction control off, that they would give very slightly more grip but the wear rate would be much higher. I have always taken their advise on all our cars before and they have never let me down.

Strider590

Indout96 wrote: »

the wear rate would be much higher.

It's correct, all season tyre's are softer.... Winter tyre's are softer still.

They wear faster but cost less, here in the UK we just buy the cheapest rubbish that'll last as long as possible (obviously not ALL of us).

Winter tyre's make a massive difference when temperatures start to get.... Well.... like they are now.

somech

i think the clue is in the name ALL SEASON yes they are prob slightly softer and will prob grip less in the summer but are we really going to get enough snow to warrant them?

alleycat`

somech wrote: »

i think the clue is in the name ALL SEASON yes they are prob slightly softer and will prob grip less in the summer but are we really going to get enough snow to warrant them?

I kind of got the all season bit.

What i was driving at was do they perform better in our winter (enough) to make them a more suitable alternative to having an extra set of winters on spare wheels.

Also does this extra "sure footedness" offset the wear rate that you'd suffer in summer months.

Or are they really a waste of time as they sit in no camps.

Also why would they grip "less" in summer if they are a softer compound?
Is it purely a function of tread patterns and tyre contact surface? If so would they perform no worse than a low rolling resistance tyre (due to the harder nature of the compound)?

Btw:- i'm not saying anyone is right or wrong i was just after some thoughts.
I have no general feeling / knowledge either way.

Shimrod

Strider590 wrote: »

It's correct, all season tyre's are softer.... Winter tyre's are softer still.

They wear faster but cost less, here in the UK we just buy the cheapest rubbish that'll last as long as possible (obviously not ALL of us).

Winter tyre's make a massive difference when temperatures start to get.... Well.... like they are now.

According to BMW, winter tyres will last between 20-40% longer than summer tyres when the temperature is below 7%

http://www.bmw.co.uk/files/bmwuk/owner/magazine/BMWUK_coldweather_v3.pdf

So buying winter tyres can be moneysaving if you keep the car long enough!

somech

alleycat` wrote: »

I kind of got the all season bit.

What i was driving at was do they perform better in our winter (enough) to make them a more suitable alternative to having an extra set of winters on spare wheels.

Also does this extra "sure footedness" offset the wear rate that you'd suffer in summer months.

Or are they really a waste of time as they sit in no camps.

Also why would they grip "less" in summer if they are a softer compound?
Is it purely a function of tread patterns and tyre contact surface? If so would they perform no worse than a low rolling resistance tyre (due to the harder nature of the compound)?

Btw:- i'm not saying anyone is right or wrong i was just after some thoughts.
I have no general feeling / knowledge either way.

softer compound maybe but the larger tread blocks move which causes heat build up allied to the fact the tyres are not designed for hot/fast road use as opposed to summer tyres that are designed for wear and grip:)

the biggest difference you can make in winter is to your driving style

Strider590

For all in one tyre's, my money would go on "Nokian Entyre", a winter tyre designed to use all year round.... As opposed to a summer tyre's designed to be a bit better in snow.

Inactive

somech wrote: »

the biggest difference you can make in winter is to your driving style

Spot on...many seem to forget that part of the equation.;)

alleycat`

Inactive wrote: »

Spot on...many seem to forget that part of the equation.;)

Whilst i agree that is true you wouldn't wear your speedos in the middle on antarctic winter.

flyingscotno1

Strider590 wrote: »

For all in one tyre's, my money would go on "Nokian Entyre", a winter tyre designed to use all year round.... As opposed to a summer tyre's designed to be a bit better in snow.

Exactly the tyre I was considering.

I know some people criticise All seasons as a 'Jack of all trades- master of none' but that is a little simplistic. An all season tyre will always be better than a comparative summer tyre in the cold conditions and do better than a winter tyre for summer conditions. That is something that appeals to those without space or wanting to store 2 different sets of tyres about.