Winter tires

[Nobody]

Hi guys , I wanna buy new winter tires so any experiences and recommendations from you are very appreciated :-)
Thanx, Peter

[svxistentialist]

Hi Peter

We have very mild winters here in Ireland, so nobody buys winter tyres. In that respect I have no experience from which to advise you.

In general though, if you have to cope with a lot of snow, don't feel you have to run with 225, as a much narrower tyre will work better. In case the rolling diameter is different [almost certainly will be;) ], don't be tempted to buy two, it's four or nothing.

You should run a search on the US forums, General Babble or Technical, there have been many people on there with good recommendations, they get very bad weather in Northern parts.

Joe

[Nobody]

Hi Joe we have not a really lot of snow here but winter tires are necessary for safe driving. As you know US guys have a lot of brands of tires and I realized to ask here in EU forum for Europe models/brands. Maybe Kusi, our Swiss friend will recomned me someting? :-)))
Sure 225 is not the right width for winter, I remeber once I forget to switch tires on my Impreza(GoodYear F1, 225/45/17) and there was heavy snowfall...
My way home was like a hell, I spent 40 minutes on 2nd with reduction (normaly it takes 10 minutes from my work to my home). Never more! :-)
Peter

[svxistentialist]

Good thinking Peter.

Send a Private Message [PM] to Kusi, in case he does not read your current request.

Joe

[Nobody]

Hi Joe we have not a really lot of snow here but winter tires are necessary for safe driving. As you know US guys have a lot of brands of tires and I realized to ask here in EU forum for Europe models/brands. Maybe Kusi, our Swiss friend will recomned me someting? :-)))
Sure 225 is not the right width for winter, I remeber once I forget to switch tires on my Impreza(GoodYear F1, 225/45/17) and there was heavy snowfall...
My way home was like a hell, I spent 40 minutes on 2nd with reduction (normaly it takes 10 minutes from my work to my home). Never more! :-)
Peter

[SVXCH]

Hi Peter

I use Fulda Carat Kristall wintertyres. They are good, I never had problems with them. Price is also ok.

For prices take a look on this:

http://www.sicherbestellen.de/reifendirekt-en/start.html

Greetings Kusi

[Nobody]

Thanx Kusi :-)
What size do you use? Recently, I have read some articles that says there is move from tight to more wide tires because they found out that most drivers do not drive on snowy roads but mostly on wet, icey roads in town where is wide tire much more better for traction. But as I know at Swiss you are very strict in using any chemicals to melt snow and ice you may have other opinion.
By the way due this fact you have best used cars in Europe!!!
Peter

[SVXCH]

I drive same size like in summer (225/45 R17). I read a few tests in tuning magazines, that wide tyres are better then narrow. Specially braking and traction. And this is also my experience.

I drove in very deep snow and traction, brake etc. was good. So, I will always drive same size summer and winter.

In Switzerland they use chemical only on highways and important streets. Other only clean or maybe little stones. This help to protect the enviroment.

cu Kusi

[Nobody]

OK, thanx Kusi

[Sonar]

Hi!
I dont know how good you are in the Swedish language ...but...
you can probably, with a little help, understand the tables in this winter-tyre-test (one of the best tests around).
http://www.vibilagare.se/produkttest.asp?guid={3A3C4B31-0D9D-4F36-B5CC-DF2F299CE9D8}

Just in case, I give you some start to read the tables.:

-Acceleration på is.
is acc. on ice.

-Bromsning på is.
is breaking on ice.

-Körning på is, bana.
is driving on ice track.

-Körning på is, cirkel.
is driving on ice, in a circel.?

-Acceleration på snö.
is acc. on snow.

-Bromsning på snö.
is breaking on snow.

-Körning på våt asfalt.
is driving on wet asphalt.

-Bromsning på våt asfalt.
is breaking on ditto.

-Körning på snöslask i kurva.
(I dont know the correct term for this)
is cornering on very wet snow, almost pure water.

-Körning på vinterväg.
is driving on a winter (snow) road.

-Bullermätning torr asfalt.
is noiselevel on dry asph.

-Rullmotstånd.
(I dont know the correct term for this)
is the resistance the tires make when they are rolling.

And by the way, NÄSTA SIDA is next side, and, FÖREGÅENDE SIDA is previous side.


/ Happy driving ... :)

[SVXCH]

In german and swiss car magazines they test every year winter tyres (where not). But in 99 % they test the tyres on a VW Golf. But a tyre who is good on a Golf doesn't must be good on a 4WD Car, especially SVX. So ask SVX drivers about their experience with diffrent types of tyres is for me the best method to find the right tyre, also experience myself.

Kusi

[Nobody]

Yes, thats why I put here my question. Not every tire is suitable for every car, on one it is perfect and on the other one it is too noisy and uncomfortable.
Thats case of my Impreza, I have bough new 17" disks and wanted the best tire, so I went for GoodYear F1 215/45/17. It is a wonderful tire with excelent behavior but... on 4x4 little bit noisy. Next time I will buy any tire I would rather consult it with somebody who has some experience. You can also buy tires recomended by car manufacturer but these tires are per my experiencies the most expensive :-))
Peter

[Sonar]

In always try to select the "oversteered" tyres from such tests, it seems that they are most fitted to use on 4wd cars (all mine anyway).
Regarding the width of the tyres, ok, there is a old rule that states that you should use narrow tyres in the winter, but, modern winter tyres are so optimized that this is no longer a must.
You can use, let's say 1-2 numbers narrower winter tyres today.
I now use "Continental Viking Stop" (studs) 205/55-16 on my SVX, and they seems to work ok.
I buy in average at least 4 new tyres every winter because we have winter 6-7 months a year, and I mostly have 3-4 cars!
Right now I have a Subaru Trendy (Justy) for my wife with "Nokian" (studs) 155/70-13 winter tyres as they seems to fit the Tredy good, And a Legacy Station w. "Gislaved NordFrost" (studs) 185/70/15 as they seem to cope with heavier cars better, this tyre is my personal favorite!

If I want to equip my XT-turbo (GL10?) with new tyres, and I wish to have a tyre that is fun (controlled slides and so on..:)) I would prefer the old version of "Kleber Kapnor" in size 165/70-15 with 300 studs.
But if I wanted a "safe" tyre, I would buy "Gislaved" .

Buy the way, Yesterday on my way to work (400km! single way) the road was clean and dry for about 150km, then it suddenly started to snow, and for a distance of about 100km there was 3dm (12 inches) of snow!! I almost get stucked when I turned in for lunch at a resturant..!
(I overshooted the turn for about 100m also...just sliding :))
I was regretting that I did'nt swapped to winter tyres before I left home.:(

Hope that this would help you.

[Nobody]

OK thanx Sonar definitely welcome on European Forum :-)))
Peter