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All season tyres

Snufkin

pfm Member
Having spent the last five years swapping my wheels around in the Autumn and the Spring, switching between Summer and Winter tyres, do any Fishies have thoughts/views/recommendations on all season tyres.
 
I've never believed it worth swapping tyres like that - any decent tyre I feel should be able to cope with both summer and winter.
Winter/summer tyres are, I think, a recent fad, to be viewed with scepticism as it's probably the tyre makers who stand to gain most from them.

HOWEVER, it should be said that I drive a 4x4 and you'd expect that not to need winter tyres.
 
Thanks for the reply. I was thinking of the Michelin's but now Continental have a new offering to confuse things further.
 
I am on to my second set of Bridgestone A001 and am very happy with them. I have done around 65,000mi on them in total, the first set lasted about 40,000mi; I am in the habit of rotating regularly and changing at 3mm. They have done everything I have asked of them, from snow and muddy fields (where my FWD A3 has been fine whilst AWDs with rubber bands have been getting stuck,) to longish highish speed Autobahn jaunts. I only have two possible criticisms I could make of them, and both are slight. Firstly, handling feel is slightly compromised compared to a good sports tyre. I would be clear that under typical UK driving conditions they actually have more grip, so unless you take your road car to a track on the hottest driest day of the year it is purely a feel thing. Second they can be a bit noisy on some road surfaces.
 
I've never believed it worth swapping tyres like that - any decent tyre I feel should be able to cope with both summer and winter.
Winter/summer tyres are, I think, a recent fad, to be viewed with scepticism as it's probably the tyre makers who stand to gain most from them.

HOWEVER, it should be said that I drive a 4x4 and you'd expect that not to need winter tyres.

Not my experience so we will have to differ on that. Good winter tyres make driving at lower temperatures a more pleasurable experience simply because they work better. The trade off is a decrease in performance as temperatures rise, hence my question about all season tyres.
 
I think the last 5 years has seen a real improvement in all seasons...from the simple compound hardness changes and tread deepening, things have really evolved, and serious improvements in braking distance in the wet, snow traction and handling are available now from the best makers. I'd certainly use them IF I lived where conditions suggested that climate extremes were likely, and/or, I drove something RWD (actually, in that case, I'd certainly do at least that or winter tyres). Michelin crossclimate's get great reviews. If you KNOW you're going to drive in ice and snow for a few months, then I still think proper winter tyres are the best bet tho.
 
I am on to my second set of Bridgestone A001 and am very happy with them. I have done around 65,000mi on them in total, the first set lasted about 40,000mi; I am in the habit of rotating regularly and changing at 3mm. They have done everything I have asked of them, from snow and muddy fields (where my FWD A3 has been fine whilst AWDs with rubber bands have been getting stuck,) to longish highish speed Autobahn jaunts. I only have two possible criticisms I could make of them, and both are slight. Firstly, handling feel is slightly compromised compared to a good sports tyre. I would be clear that under typical UK driving conditions they actually have more grip, so unless you take your road car to a track on the hottest driest day of the year it is purely a feel thing. Second they can be a bit noisy on some road surfaces.

Thanks, I will check them out.
 
Those who say winter tyres are a waste might not have driven a car with loads of torque, half-worn tyres, and rear wheel drive. Our Merc simply doesn't move if conditions are bad. With winter tyres I've passed stricken 4wd vehicles a few times. Ha ha.

All Season? As long as you don't want the ultimate in summer grip etc they'll be absolutely fine for the job. Winter tyres are close to being useable all year now, and two workmates have all seasons fitted and swear by them, so I'm guessing they're the ideal tyre for many.
 
In the UK the seasons are not so extreme as to require 2 sets of tyres unless you drive like a lunatic in the summer and do not modify your "style" when the weather turns a bit wet and cold...
 
HOWEVER, it should be said that I drive a 4x4 and you'd expect that not to need winter tyres.

Worth noting that most sensible-compromise 4x4 tyres, (i.e. not specialised for one particular terrain nor sports tyres for ones that never leave the road) are designed as all-terrain, all-season...
 
Thanks Tony. My car's not a torque monster but it does respond very differently to different tyres. Its original fitment Michelin Energy were excellent for economy but never had good feel and didn't inspire confidence in cold wet conditions. The Continental Winter tyres I fitted when it was about three years old transformed the car so the following Spring the Michelin's were ditched and some Dunlop Blue Response were installed. They were good, much better than the Michelin's, but have started to wear and are age hardening so its time for new tyres again- hence the question.
 
In the UK the seasons are not so extreme as to require 2 sets of tyres unless you drive like a lunatic in the summer and do not modify your "style" when the weather turns a bit wet and cold...

I think you need to cover a few miles in bad conditions with winter tyres on your car to appreciate how good they are.
 
I have been driving for longer than I care to remember and have never had any issues using only one type of tyre.
 
We’ve just put Michelin CrossClimates on our Golf Estate (all four corners). At the mileage we do I imagine they’ll not be replaced for the next three to five years, so wanted to ensure we were in good shape for several winters, whatever they may bring.

So far, so good. Seem to have good feel (bear in mind it’s a 1.6 diesel Golf Estate!), and on a motorway journey I had no complaints on noise. No idea, as yet, as to their ice/snow abilities, but the reviews seem good.
 
Snufkin,

You sound like me!

I'm looking at swapping over to the winter wheels/tyres, and for the first time I'll be doing it in the garage rather than on the drive. Better, but I'm not looking forward to it.

Once the winters are worn out I'll be looking at all season tyres too.
 
I have been driving for longer than I care to remember and have never had any issues using only one type of tyre.

I’ve driven in the south of the UK for nearly forty years, and that’s covered a few bad winters where I’ve struggled for grip in situations as simple as negotiating hills, on back roads where the snow has compressed and turned to ice. Perhaps you’ve been luckier.
 
We’ve just put Michelin CrossClimates on out Golf Estate. At the mileage we do I imagine they’ll not be replaced for the next three to five years, so wanted to ensure we were in good shape for several winters, whatever they may bring.

So far, so good. Seem to have good feel (bear in mind it’s a 1.6 diesel Golf Estate!), and on a motorway journey I had no complaints on noise. No idea, as yet, as to their ice/snow abilities, but the reviews seem good.


Thanks Ian, Cross Climates do seem to get favorable reviews but the Conti Winters are going to be a tough act to follow.
 
I’ve driven in the south of th UK for nearly forty years, and that’s covered a few bad winters where I’ve struggled for grip in situations as simple as negotiating hills, on back roads where the snow has compressed and turned to ice. Perhaps you’ve been luckier.

In the South? You don' tknow what winter is!

Luck? I find skill is all one needs.
 
Thanks Ian, Cross Climates do seem to get favorable reviews but the Conti Winters are going to be a tough act to follow.

For us it’s the first time we’ll be on ‘standard’ tyres, so I guess it’s going to be an improvement!

I’m just hedging against the odd few weeks they might be truly useful, and I understand an added degree of safety in cold weather generally.
 


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