Winter Tires 2011/2012

[narf]

Oh and Narf, you also need low temperatures as indicated by your graphs.

Yup. I said you need wet weather, addressing LeVeL. His temps already are low, even lower than the 5?C in my graph. My guess is the effect will grow the colder it gets.

On October, I always put them on some time in October. Morning temperatures when setting off for work have been as low as 3?C with fog, hence moisture on the road. Additionally, I pass over the bridge over Kiel Canal, with lack of anything surrounding it its road surface gets much colder during clear nights than anything else.
Earliest serious snow I can remember was around 20th of November... this was last year. Gulf stream FTMildFWinter.

 

[LeVeL]

well yeah... hence my bitching :lol: It was right around freezing here this morning and it's been raining the last few days. My summer tires are grumpy, not grippy

 

[narf]

Something in my head is screaming "CHANGE TYRES"... freezing + rain + summer tyres = - :lol:

 

[IceBone]

My car came with extra Michelin Alpin A3's, which are apparently up to 3 years old now. Put them on last week.

http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/test...75_65_R14_details.aspx?testId=18&recordId=235

 

[AiR]

Autoexpress.co.uk winter tyre test 2011
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/total_tyre_guide/259435/winter_tyre_test.html

I'm trying to make sense of that test, why don't they provide data? "100%" isn't data, how many meters it takes to brake from 80km to standstill on tire X in condition Y is data. That test does not satisfy my germanic heritage which craves data and graphs made to illustrate the data!

Test with data, in Bork.
http://www.vibilagare.se/sites/default/files/vibilagare/documents/dacktest_dubbdack_2011.pdf

 

[devil500]

Here's a question for you all:

My MKV comes with 205/55/16's, but I'm curious if I go for a winter set should I get 15's instead?

 

[narf]

Here's a question for you all:

My MKV comes with 205/55/16's, but I'm curious if I go for a winter set should I get 15's instead?

If you're going for steelies then 15" is what every Golf uses. If you're going for alloys 15" might look weird.

 

[LeVeL]

Here's a question for you all:

My MKV comes with 205/55/16's, but I'm curious if I go for a winter set should I get 15's instead?

As long as the 15s clear the brakes, go for it. Smaller wheels are usually cheaper and you can fit skinnier tires. Hell, go for 14s if you can

 

[devil500]

As long as the 15s clear the brakes, go for it. Smaller wheels are usually cheaper and you can fit skinnier tires. Hell, go for 14s if you can

Not by much really I think it's about $5-10 a tire.

 

[narf]

It's not just the tyre, the wheels should be cheaper as well.

 

[jack_christie]

I'm trying to make sense of that test, why don't they provide data? "100%" isn't data, how many meters it takes to brake from 80km to standstill on tire X in condition Y is data. That test does not satisfy my germanic heritage which craves data and graphs made to illustrate the data!

Test with data, in Bork.
http://www.vibilagare.se/sites/default/files/vibilagare/documents/dacktest_dubbdack_2011.pdf

I think they give 100% to the best in each test and:

Conti had the edge over winter rivals apart from on the handling circuit, where it could not quite achieve the Michelin?s times. It finished a metre ahead of its winter rivals for wet braking, with only the all-season Hankook getting closer.

So you sort of work backwards in some of the data to get the differences if you really want.

 

[Hatmouse]

Used the Michelin X-Ice last winter. Seemed to work quite well.

 

[idk]

I mounted Continental ContiWinterContact TS800 a few weeks ago. Grip is very good imo. At least in the wet, there wasn't any snow yet to test it. But in corners you can clearly feel that they are more wobbly than the summer tires.

 

[thevictor390]

Yokohama IceGuards have served me well for two seasons so far, let's see if I can go for a third...

 

[devil500]

Well I've purchased General Altimax Artic's for my VW

 

[jack_christie]

Autocar tested michelin summer versus winter tyres in the rain at MIRA. Mixed results
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/winter-tyres-tested-in-the-wet-video-review/

 

[narf]

Autocar tested michelin summer versus winter tyres in the rain at MIRA. Mixed results
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/winter-tyres-tested-in-the-wet-video-review/

I'm confused, did they test summers or all-seasons? Their graphics say summer, their girl says all-season :?

 

[jack_christie]

I'm confused, did they test summers or all-seasons? Their graphics say summer, their girl says all-season :?

Video graphic said the tyres they used were MICHELIN Primacy HP (summer) versus MICHELIN Alpin A4 (winter). Poor effort compared to the auto express test
http://img820.imageshack.**/img820/7388/autocartyretest.jpg