WINTER tyres :)
Discussion
So, put 4 x SP WINTER SPORT M3 255/35 R18 on the Tuscan: 
(must say, F225/R255 combo had less tramlining...)
Getting onto the point: these winter tyres are just amazing.
2 wet drives: kept accelerating harder and harder, at least beyond the capabilities of the Goodyear F1's and what I believed could be possible, but still no loss of traction! I guess it's down to the compound/hundreds of jagged perforations in the tyre
1 dry run: well, they almost seem to have more grip than the F1's! How do u explain that one..
Interestingly, they are worse at reversing than the F1's - must be the direction of the perforations..but I hardly care.
Ran out of time before I had to go on a trip, so don't cancel your ski holiday flights just yet! Will continue the experiment next Saturday. Bring on the white stuff!
Edited to add: tramlining gone after ~150miles
(must say, F225/R255 combo had less tramlining...)
Getting onto the point: these winter tyres are just amazing.
2 wet drives: kept accelerating harder and harder, at least beyond the capabilities of the Goodyear F1's and what I believed could be possible, but still no loss of traction! I guess it's down to the compound/hundreds of jagged perforations in the tyre
1 dry run: well, they almost seem to have more grip than the F1's! How do u explain that one..
Interestingly, they are worse at reversing than the F1's - must be the direction of the perforations..but I hardly care.
Ran out of time before I had to go on a trip, so don't cancel your ski holiday flights just yet! Will continue the experiment next Saturday. Bring on the white stuff!
Edited to add: tramlining gone after ~150miles
Edited by Avalanche on Tuesday 11th December 13:11
Winter tyres are quite astonishing in conditions suited to them. Though the tread design is obviously helpful in slush and snow and very effective in the rain, the biggest difference is the rubber compound used during manufacture.
Winter tyres remain soft at extremely low temperatures, where normal road tyres become very hard and pretty well useless. We all know how little traction you have on a cold winters morning when starting off! This soft compound is also why winter tyres offer surprising performance on dry roads at normal temperatures. They do wear fairly quickly though if you start pushing them during the summer.
If you want to try a winter drive to Val D'Isere, drop two or three tyre sizes and fit winter tyres. You'll be amazed at what your car will do!
Winter tyres remain soft at extremely low temperatures, where normal road tyres become very hard and pretty well useless. We all know how little traction you have on a cold winters morning when starting off! This soft compound is also why winter tyres offer surprising performance on dry roads at normal temperatures. They do wear fairly quickly though if you start pushing them during the summer.
If you want to try a winter drive to Val D'Isere, drop two or three tyre sizes and fit winter tyres. You'll be amazed at what your car will do!
Talkwrench said:
astonishing
Indeed!I took the Tuscan to an empty carpark to test the winter tyres last night.
Absolutely amazing. In the pouring rain they grip tremendously under v.hard acceleration and cornering. Way way beyond what summer tyres are capable of.
No hesitation now - just buy them! If they don't save your life they will at least allow you to drive the TVR with confidence and use more than 25% of the accelerator in the cold/wet!
And frankly they don't cost more because you'll either use 2 sets of summer tyres back-to-back in 4 years, or 1 set of summers and 1 set of winters alternated through the seasons!
In my case I have the summer look with silver spiders and a winter look with the anthracites. It's like having 2 Tuscans, so what a bonus!
Just dropping in to one of my old haunts 
, and saw this thread. I've just put some Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas all round on my SL55 AMG, and so far the results have been amazing. Once the shine was scrubbed off the surface, they are amazing in cold and wet conditions, with safe handling and much better feel than the Pirellis that are standard fit. They have a weird tread 
with huge slashes in the pattern which is supposed to clear loads of water (and I suppose snow). They were best wet handling/braking tyres in EVO's recent tyre test, which is why I bought them. They also are heavy load tyres., so the side walls are nice and stiff which helps grip and handling. I like 'em!
, and saw this thread. I've just put some Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas all round on my SL55 AMG, and so far the results have been amazing. Once the shine was scrubbed off the surface, they are amazing in cold and wet conditions, with safe handling and much better feel than the Pirellis that are standard fit. They have a weird tread with huge slashes in the pattern which is supposed to clear loads of water (and I suppose snow). They were best wet handling/braking tyres in EVO's recent tyre test, which is why I bought them. They also are heavy load tyres., so the side walls are nice and stiff which helps grip and handling. I like 'em!Derek Smith said:
I have just been talking to a Swiss motoring journalist and mentioned I'd skidded on ice on Thursday. His first question was about winter tyres and when I said that I never bothered he was bemused. It seems that it is the norm to change in most continental countries.
and in Northern USA too !The Interweb said:
Driving on snow-covered roads is permitted only if your car is equipped with winter tires. Use of regular tires can result in a fine and, much worse, loss of your insurance coverage in the event of an accident.
I'm sure somebody with specific knowledge will be along soon to clarify further but I do not believe it applies to foreign registered vehicles.df
This does a good job of summing up the legalities: http://www.etyres.co.uk/winter-tyres-law
Note Austria: just made winter tyres compulsory from Dec 1 2007
Germany: some mountain areas a legal requirement
Finland: applies to cars that have been registered abroad
Switzerland: accident in winter months + summer tyres = you're liable
Still my original point was how u can drive your TVR to it's full potential with these tyres during this half of the year, as opposed to crapping yself every time u go round a corner or hit bit of ice or water... Water....horse....lead.....drink...
I went to the mountains last w/e and the tyres were still perfect. Even when I went round the same bend that the guy in front of me in the white panda spun out on. He hit the mountain and spun back over the road finishing up on the snow piled on the edge......rear wheels on the road, fronts dangling over the edge..... He jumped out pretty sharpish!
Laters
Note Austria: just made winter tyres compulsory from Dec 1 2007
Germany: some mountain areas a legal requirement
Finland: applies to cars that have been registered abroad
Switzerland: accident in winter months + summer tyres = you're liable
Still my original point was how u can drive your TVR to it's full potential with these tyres during this half of the year, as opposed to crapping yself every time u go round a corner or hit bit of ice or water... Water....horse....lead.....drink...
I went to the mountains last w/e and the tyres were still perfect. Even when I went round the same bend that the guy in front of me in the white panda spun out on. He hit the mountain and spun back over the road finishing up on the snow piled on the edge......rear wheels on the road, fronts dangling over the edge..... He jumped out pretty sharpish!
Laters
Avalanche said:
I went to the mountains last w/e and the tyres were still perfect. Even when I went round the same bend that the guy in front of me in the white panda spun out on. He hit the mountain and spun back over the road finishing up on the snow piled on the edge......rear wheels on the road, fronts dangling over the edge..... He jumped out pretty sharpish!
Laters
Nevertheless you almost validated your profile name!
They are astonishing, confidence inspiring, aquaplane resistant and much more. I've had hire cars with them on for years (during winter obviously) and was always impressed but it wasn't until I used them on my own car that I could really do a back to back with summer tyres and they just blew my mind!
I use Michelin Alpin PA3, highly recommended. -10deg C last night and these things are just gripping like hell. I used them for a week or so in the UK and they impressed me just as much there. Any doubters should try them.
I found it quite hard to recalibrate to the new grip level (plus they make the steering a little woolly, but that's a small price to pay).
In Germany (well Bavaria where I work and live) it is not illegal to drive on summer tyres in winter but if you stop traffic due to your tyre choice or have an accident in winter then you will be prosecuted.
I use Michelin Alpin PA3, highly recommended. -10deg C last night and these things are just gripping like hell. I used them for a week or so in the UK and they impressed me just as much there. Any doubters should try them.
I found it quite hard to recalibrate to the new grip level (plus they make the steering a little woolly, but that's a small price to pay).
In Germany (well Bavaria where I work and live) it is not illegal to drive on summer tyres in winter but if you stop traffic due to your tyre choice or have an accident in winter then you will be prosecuted.
...Yeah baby, the stunning R888 summer tyres have landed 
Mission accomplished:
Out with the middle-of-road (pun intended) margy standard tyres that frankly don't perform in any condition.
And in with
summer silver spiders with R888's
on top of the winter anthracite spiders with equally stunning dunlop winter tyres
This is the way to go!
Mission accomplished:
Out with the middle-of-road (pun intended) margy standard tyres that frankly don't perform in any condition.
And in with
summer silver spiders with R888's
on top of the winter anthracite spiders with equally stunning dunlop winter tyres
This is the way to go!
Hi Glow worm!
Yep - I went for the 225's on the front for the R888's. They only come in 40 (not 35 like the 255 rears), but frankly you hardly see the difference and maybe they're a bit more comfortable. Anyway, I reaffirm that 225's on the front are better for handling.
The R888's are equally as good as the winter tyres. Just need to be careful in the rain of course. Frankly with this wet summer we're having for the Euro2008, I might as well have left the winter tyres on until now!!! Their soft compound and perforations are just great in the cold/wet.
The only downside to the R888's is they are SO sticky they pick up all the gravel from my drive!!! Like chewing gum! I have to drive 1km slowly just to offload the gravel! That'll be a new paved drive then!
Like I say, the combo of extreme winter/summer tyres is not only waaaay better than running say F1's all year, but allows u to have a different look for each season - silver and anthracite. Just the ticket!
Laters
Yep - I went for the 225's on the front for the R888's. They only come in 40 (not 35 like the 255 rears), but frankly you hardly see the difference and maybe they're a bit more comfortable. Anyway, I reaffirm that 225's on the front are better for handling.
The R888's are equally as good as the winter tyres. Just need to be careful in the rain of course. Frankly with this wet summer we're having for the Euro2008, I might as well have left the winter tyres on until now!!! Their soft compound and perforations are just great in the cold/wet.
The only downside to the R888's is they are SO sticky they pick up all the gravel from my drive!!! Like chewing gum! I have to drive 1km slowly just to offload the gravel! That'll be a new paved drive then!
Like I say, the combo of extreme winter/summer tyres is not only waaaay better than running say F1's all year, but allows u to have a different look for each season - silver and anthracite. Just the ticket!
Laters
Edited by Avalanche on Wednesday 18th June 13:20
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