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Winter tyres - the ADAC's annual assessment

If you think Michelins are noisy, try Goodyear!
It feels like James Bond on the run with the constant noise of a helicopter chasing you close behind.

Which Goodyear tyres?

I've run Eagle F1s and currently running Vector 4Season all-seasons and they're both super smooth & quiet...
 
As Scandinavian. No, in my country Sweden there is no limit to age. I, stupidly, once had tires so old there where cracks from ageing so that one could see the white cord!!! No complaints in MOT.

They really imported SH tires from Scandinavia? Summer or winter ones?
Ok, must be urban legend. I think mostly winter ones, it was years back. Many could not afford or did not want to buy new ones just for 3 months a year. Today there are offers for all price levels, plenty of cheap ones available, so less interest in used. I can see how people changing tyres after some years without wearing them down, will probably happen to my tyres as well.
 
I was glad of the all-season tyres on my car yesterday, as this was the view on the way up to the Lecht:

173216751.ViGcxAsB.lecht01.jpg


With summer tyres on my car (a rear drive Merc, so crap in slippier conditions) would have been barely able to move and most likely would have either stopped on some of the steeper uphill bits or, worse, slid out of control on some of the very steep downhill bits on the other side of the Lecht (not that I've have tried it with summer tyres on!). I was impressed with the Cross Climates though as, other than the traction control kicking in mildly a couple of times, it felt totally in control.

I'll be interested in trying the road when there is more snow on the ground (on our way to ski at the Lecht) as it might well be less slippery than it was yesterday. The road south from the Lecht I won't be trying any time it's more slippery than that though (although it'd normally be closed after the ski area anyway).
 
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I was glad of the all-season tyres on my car yesterday, as this was the view on the way up to the Lecht:

173216751.ViGcxAsB.lecht01.jpg


With summer tyres on my car (a rear drive Merc, so crap in slipper conditions) would have been barely able to move and most likely would have either stopped on some of the steeper uphill bits or, worse, slid out of control on some of the very steep downhill bits on the other side of the Lecht (not that I've have tried it with summer tyres on!). I was impressed with the Cross Climates though as, other than the traction control kicking in mildly a couple of times, it felt totally in control.

I'll be interested in trying the road when there is more snow on the ground (on our way to ski at the Lecht) as it might well be less slippery than it was yesterday. The road south from the Lecht I won't be trying any time it's more slippery than that though (although it'd normally be closed after the ski area anyway).

I was out & about yesterday needing to do a few chores; unearthed my BMW from it's cover and like you; very glad of my Goodyear all-season tyres as some of the roads were very frozen still with no direct sunlight!

I know very few tyres are any good on roads like that; but they were hell of a lot better than any premium summer tyre I know that!

If the car doesn't sell this weekend (Car & Classic auctions); we'll continue to use it over winter as typically I've got the right tyres...

If it does sell; I'll be fitting winters to the wife's Racing Jazz for peace of mind :D
 
Got my wheels swapped over to the winters on Saturday. I knew the rear brakes were well worn, about 3 or 4mm on outside pads so took the opportunity to check the inner ones with the wheels off as you can’t see them otherwise due to a big backing plate on the hubs. They were completely shot, I mean a sheet of paper thickness left :eek: Getting them changed tomorrow and haven’t driven the car since.

Something to watch out on VAG cars, (mine’s an Audi Q3). Something to do with the electric handbrake?

Winter tyres are Continental TS 850P AO and are superb in the snow, highly recommended :cool:

Bad news is the summers are pretty much done at 3 or 4mm so probably not worth refitting next year, quite fancy Goodyear F1 Eagles.
 
Something to watch out on VAG cars,

As someone who is generally not hard on the brakes, I find it helps to occasionally try and push the brake pedal through the floor when sitting at traffic lights. Helps stop the caliper seizing and giving uneven pad wear or damage to discs through pad operating on one side only.
 
Got my wheels swapped over to the winters on Saturday. I knew the rear brakes were well worn, about 3 or 4mm on outside pads so took the opportunity to check the inner ones with the wheels off as you can’t see them otherwise due to a big backing plate on the hubs. They were completely shot, I mean a sheet of paper thickness left :eek: Getting them changed tomorrow and haven’t driven the car since.

Something to watch out on VAG cars, (mine’s an Audi Q3). Something to do with the electric handbrake?

Winter tyres are Continental TS 850P AO and are superb in the snow, highly recommended :cool:

Bad news is the summers are pretty much done at 3 or 4mm so probably not worth refitting next year, quite fancy Goodyear F1 Eagles.

If you haven't already; have a look into Vredestein Ultrac Vorti's. Superb tyres and IMO better than the F1s and more or less on par with PS4s
 
Got my wheels swapped over to the winters on Saturday. I knew the rear brakes were well worn, about 3 or 4mm on outside pads so took the opportunity to check the inner ones with the wheels off as you can’t see them otherwise due to a big backing plate on the hubs. They were completely shot, I mean a sheet of paper thickness left :eek: Getting them changed tomorrow and haven’t driven the car since.

Something to watch out on VAG cars, (mine’s an Audi Q3). Something to do with the electric handbrake?
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It will be the floating caliper getting gummed up and not moving. Rear brakes get little use so they gum up. Long service intervals don't help this. Ideally rear calipers should be removed, cleaned up and regreased once a year, nobody does. Rear brakes typically only have one piston, on the outside, and the inner pad only hits the disc when the floating caliper pulls it in. If the caliper gets sticky it doesn't release after application. Hence as Tony says:

Inner pads usually wear faster than the outers.
Front brakes wear more evenly because typically (on big cars at least) they have a piston on each side.

It's not just VAG, though this was a problem with the 1980s Golf Mk 2 GTi. The fix was annual strip, clean, grease, reassemble.
 
The first time I encountered snow after fitting winter tyres to my Merc I was on my way home from work, and traffic was tailing back on the main road. When I got to my regular ratrun, which was slightly uphill, I saw it was virgin snow. Up I went, no problem. A couple of cars immediately followed me. I went round a bend and the road then flattened out. Neither of my followers reached the bend.
A tip for Jag, Merc and BMW drivers. In snowy weather supplement your all weather or cross climate tyres with an 18" paving slab in the boot. It takes up no space and really helps the tyres grip.
 
The first time I encountered snow after fitting winter tyres to my Merc I was on my way home from work, and traffic was tailing back on the main road. When I got to my regular ratrun, which was slightly uphill, I saw it was virgin snow. Up I went, no problem. A couple of cars immediately followed me. I went round a bend and the road then flattened out. Neither of my followers reached the bend.

There was a guy in a BMW M2 following me just as we encountered the snow yesterday and I was concerned that he might see my Merc coping and decide to follow, but sensibly he turned back. I didn't see what tyres he had on but wasn't worried about his ability to climb up the the Lecht - I was more worried what'd happen on the other side if he was descending on summer tyres as that might have got ugly!

A tip for Jag, Merc and BMW drivers. In snowy weather supplement your all weather or cross climate tyres with an 18" paving slab in the boot. It takes up no space and really helps the tyres grip.

Yesterday I had 50kg of dogs in the back of the car, which may have helped!
 
Swapped out my summer setup last week, the thought of 275/35 in snow did not fill me with glee.
From a staggered setup I have gone 'square' to 245/45 Continental winter 860s - the smallest I can go with clearance for the calipers.
It's going to be an experience in snow, after having a truck with M/S tyres on for the last twenty odd years - they just went anywhere I decided they could.
First frost here today.
 
Recently put a new set of all terrains on my car then I get struck down with covid and haven’t had a chance to run them in yet :(
 
There was a guy in a BMW M2 following me just as we encountered the snow yesterday and I was concerned that he might see my Merc coping and decide to follow, but sensibly he turned back. I didn't see what tyres he had on but wasn't worried about his ability to climb up the the Lecht - I was more worried what'd happen on the other side if he was descending on summer tyres as that might have got ugly!

Yesterday I had 50kg of dogs in the back of the car, which may have helped!

You were coming from Grantown Steve? I heard the B939 was blocked at Cockbridge, as usual.
 
I have 255/40 20” normal summer tyres on my VW Tiguan that have under 4mm tread left so asked motability if they’d change them for winters or all season tyres as the summers are bloody useless in the winter conditions, traction control kicks in at the slightest application of throttle and you can feel them scrabbling for grip in the wet never mind icy conditions but apparently it’s not a “thing” motability will consider. Living in very rural Galloway the main A75 gets gritted but not many of the B roads I use get treated at all, should be entertaining to drive over the winter.
 


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