Winter tyres?

yelsnil

hi, we have used michelin alpin a3 m+s tyres on a 54 reg yaris for 2 years. originally bought them (costco -25%) for a winter trip to the alps. They have stayed on all year and the wear has been minimal - no more so than summer tyres. They are a little noisier on the motorway but otherwise i cant notice any disadvantages, not in mpg or wear. The advantage is a noticible increase in traction in snow, slush with shorter stopping distances and quicker recovery in a loss of traction than normal tyres. I am used to driving on snow/ice and the little yaris will keep going on most stuff with these tyres and the correct technique.
Please note that these tyres will slide like anything else on ice, only studded tyres will grip properly. So if you lose grip on ice a vehicle will slide like an ice puck!
Dont forget winter tyres work because the rubber stays soft/grippy in low temps whereas summer tyres harden below 6 or 7 degrees.
Well worth the money.
I hope this little review has helped

adon30

kevanf1 wrote: »

Hi tenuissent

I'm not doubting the effectiveness of the tyres but I do feel that we are being pushed into buying them over here by the likes of Pirelli (who I have heard are lobbying government to have them made compulsory) and Goodyear. Our snow falls tend to last a few days after which we get either ice over the top or layers of partially thawed and refrozen snow (ice again). Snow tyres are only really good in snow where they do excel. If we had blanket covering of snow that lasted for 4 weeks+ then snow tyres would make more sense. We just do not get snow in the same manner as other European countries, ask any skier. We are a much damper country and this promotes the changing of snow into ice much quicker than the places where snow remains snow in the powdery soft substance that we all love

I think a lot of the problems we have in this country in the winter is more down to the low profile, sports style tyres that more and more cars have fitted as standard. That coupled with ever increasingly poorer driving standards. That last is not aimed at readers here by the way.

If the use of such tyres was made compulsory then the tyre manufacturers would really need to make a tyre that was suitable for UK conditions. As you say cold, wet and icy are more the norm than snow covered roads. Unfortunately the only equivalent tyres that have a high usage are European spec winter tyres. This leaves us with little option in the UK to use these as an equivalent and then just get one that works best in the wet. I wish there was some sort of happy medium we could use in the UK but the market would just be two much of a niche.


The lower profile tyres and alloy wheels are definitely the norm. Other than those that have more basic cars, not that I’m saying basic cars are worse.
My car has 225/45R17 as standard and the more modern equivalent has 18” wheels. Most family cars now days have 16’s or 17’s so it is something the modern car owner is going to have to deal with.

yelsnil wrote: »

hi, we have used michelin alpin a3 m+s tyres on a 54 reg yaris for 2 years.

I think the Michelins will last you a lifetime on the little Yaris. Here's to many more years use.

tenuissent

On the other hand, I have driven hundreds of miles on snow packed roads in Scotland over the years, long before I had heard of snow tyres, mostly on quiet roads in the West in an ordinary car. We didn't think much of it, just took things slowly and calmly and got there.

kevanf1

tenuissent wrote: »

On the other hand, I have driven hundreds of miles on snow packed roads in Scotland over the years, long before I had heard of snow tyres, mostly on quiet roads in the West in an ordinary car. We didn't think much of it, just took things slowly and calmly and got there.

Very much my experience. Though this is on Staffordshire roads but does include some on the Staffordshire Moorlands which can get just a little windswept in the winter

I actually live at the bottom of a hill which is an active one way system. I have no choice but to go uphill and it is often badly iced over. Once I get to the top I then have to continue downwards on another very nasty and narrow icy road (in our present weather conditions). In nearly 30 years of driving I can honestly say that I have only ever once started to slide on these roads. The reason for that was my tyres quite simply needed changing even though they were still technically legal. The first thing I did after that fright was to go and buy a new set of tyres

All I can say is that I practise very careful driving in these conditions and try to imagine that I have an egg between my foot and the pedal. I also use engine braking rather than the actual brakes where I can. I am not the world's best driver by any means and I do make mistakes but I just try to be careful.

yelsnil

hi again, you are of course totally correct in saying that driver technique is paramount. However, in reality this is never going to be a priority for many folk. So thats why passive design features like seatbelts, airbags, abs and esp etc are so helpful. Yes, a citroen 2cv on skinny tyres was great in the snow but the trend being towards fat low profile tyres doesnt look like reversing. So, the extra help that m+s tyres give in the cold weather seems like a worthwhile investment to keep you moving and to protect your family. Your tyres are the only thing between your car and the road surface, why wear a slippy pair of shoes when for a few quid you can have grippy ones?

maxheadroom

You can be as careful as you like but there is always the unexpected (like the HGV sheadding part of its load as i overtook it on motorway)

I know i would rather have better grip which may make the difference between hitting something and missing it or simply reducing impact speed.

I have fitted winter tyre for the past couple of years and the improved grip even in the wet is astounding. Swapping in November from premium contis to winter dunlops and spare wheels and back again in march.

Its a bit like wearing a seatbelt i dont go out intending to make it work for its money but its nice knowing its there if i needed it.

I don't go out to drive at the limits of grip but its nice to know its there should the proverbial hit the fan. In the same way i only fit decent brake pads.


If you insist on using the they dont work on ice argument (these are all studless)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlYEMH10Z4s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPu9lR0Egeg

Lum

mikey72 wrote: »

I bought the Nokians based on their performance in slush.
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-Auto-Express-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

I've just bought some of these, initial thoughts here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/39194504#Comment_39194504

adon30

Lum wrote: »

I've just bought some of these, initial thoughts here.

Can not get to your link for some reason

only_mee

adon30 wrote: »

Can not get to your link for some reason

Link takes you to the above post.

Lum

Fixed now

Correct link: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/39194504#Comment_39194504