Winter tire advice

['& Son' managed]

I chose Vredestein Quatrac 5 All-Season tyres over similar other types for my Golf 7.5 and am happy with them.

These have a better dry road handling/steering response bias that I wanted for 95% of the year, whilst still being
preferable to even a good 'Summer' tyre in near-freezing road or muddy track conditions.

That they are not quite as good as some others in snow is of little concern where I live on the south coast, but
may not be such a good option for a hilly district some 400 miles north - tyre choice depends a lot on your own
priorities and circumstances.

 

[BigJase88]

The thing is temperatures last week were close to zero so winter tyres would have been the "right" tyres. However, it will be 12-14 C for at least the next week so winter tyres will be the "wrong" tyres. If you always want to be on the "right" tyres then you'll be changing them multiple times over the course of the winter.

Yup so Cross Climates are a decent choice.

I have had zero snow where i am. Scotland and no snow? Yup possible

 

[carl^]

The thing is temperatures last week were close to zero so winter tyres would have been the "right" tyres. However, it will be 12-14 C for at least the next week so winter tyres will be the "wrong" tyres. If you always want to be on the "right" tyres then you'll be changing them multiple times over the course of the winter.

I was always under the impression high wear and reduced mpg were the only downsides of running winters in double digit C temps? At only 10k miles a year of which around 3k is on winters, I've found the upsides outweighs those downsides.

 

[CupraGeezer]

So summer tyres give less grip than winter tyres at temperatures below 7 C but have no more grip at 14 C? That seems unlikely.

 

[carl^]

So summer tyres give less grip than winter tyres at temperatures below 7 C but have no more grip at 14 C? That seems unlikely.

I was musing if in summer the softer compound of the winters would give more grip than the higher contact area of the summers (if we ignore wear and economy) but it looks like there's a point where they become too soft and reduce handling. Worth remembering they're affected more by the ground temps than air temps, so a few warm days in a wintery period are unlikely to make much difference.

 

[RUM4MO]

The thing is temperatures last week were close to zero so winter tyres would have been the "right" tyres. However, it will be 12-14 C for at least the next week so winter tyres will be the "wrong" tyres. If you always want to be on the "right" tyres then you'll be changing them multiple times over the course of the winter.

Really, running premium winter tyres in ambient temperatures of 12>14C should not cause anyone serious problems, the driver, having chosen to run winter tyres in the normal winter period will be smart enough not to rag it at any time they are fitted to the car and wear will be normal. I tend to leave winter tyres on both our cars until almost May from late October mainly because of the high levels of rain before and after winter.

 

[carl^]

Really, running premium winter tyres in ambient temperatures of 12>14C should not cause anyone serious problems, the driver, having chosen to run winter tyres in the normal winter period will be smart enough not to rag it at any time they are fitted to the car and wear will be normal. I tend to leave winter tyres on both our cars until almost May from late October mainly because of the high levels of rain before and after winter.

I'm down the middle / leaning towards this, but the conti website begs to differ.

I think it all depends what one calls winter, summer and correct operating temperatures.

I'm surprised how little information there is on the subject considering how much they say is invested into design and development.

<>7C is what they say, but where's the data.

 

[RUM4MO]

I'm down the middle / leaning towards this, but the conti website begs to differ.

I think it all depends what one calls winter, summer and correct operating temperatures.

I'm surprised how little information there is on the subject considering how much they say is invested into design and development.

<>7C is what they say, but where's the data.

I always assumed that +7C temperatures and lower was the point where winter tyres out perform summer tyres, but I've never ever considered that +8C and slightly above that leads to terrible performance, wear and reduced MPG if keeping winter tyres on.

Think about it, dropping temperatures at any time of year will always be followed by higher temperatures, though in winter only over a short period, no one is expected to have their car up on stands, and the tyres choice being made each day depending on what the weather forecast predicts, I've always, and most others will as well, use the point in the year when temperatures can normally be expected to drop frequently to +7C and below, and change to winters at that point in the year, same for frequently above say 10C(a guess) for changing back to summers, for me in Southern Scotland that means late October to late April, that has worked for me over the past 10+ years of using winter tyres.

 

[SuperV8]

I was musing if in summer the softer compound of the winters would give more grip than the higher contact area of the summers (if we ignore wear and economy) but it looks like there's a point where they become too soft and reduce handling. Worth remembering they're affected more by the ground temps than air temps, so a few warm days in a wintery period are unlikely to make much difference.

It's not as simple as saying winters use a softer compound. Winter tyres rubber compound maintains its friction coefficient at low temperatures.

Agree it's really the road temperature - rather than the air temp.

A few winters ago I was driving quite happily and carefully, lots of grip from my tyres, then I went over a bridge and holy cow - slippery! because there was a lot less mass of earth under the bridge the road temps over the bridge would have been colder than the actual road.

Tyre reviews you tube channel has a video on the 7 degree cross over:
search youtube:
The TRUTH About Winter, All Season and Summer Tires ❄ Tested at 0c, 2c, 6c, 10c, 15c

 

[Mr Pig]

The thing is temperatures last week were close to zero so winter tyres would have been the "right" tyres. However, it will be 12-14 C for at least the next week so winter tyres will be the "wrong" tyres.

Not exactly. True, it's always a compromise but winter tyres work better than summer tyres at low temperature and winters are too soft in the summer.

On the really cold day your summers don't work and you crash into the truck in front you can remember this conversation ;0)

 

[carl^]

Watching that video @SuperV8 mentioned I'm getting more and more sold on all-season tyres all-year, but on balance it seems safer to use winters in the British summer than use summers in the British winter.

 

[Jazzjames]

The thing is temperatures last week were close to zero so winter tyres would have been the "right" tyres. However, it will be 12-14 C for at least the next week so winter tyres will be the "wrong" tyres. If you always want to be on the "right" tyres then you'll be changing them multiple times over the course of the winter.

Whilst you are correct, winter tyres on roads a bit warmer than 7C are just fine, whereas summers in the really cold temps are pretty average at best. It's going to be 18C here at the weekend but I won't switch to the summer tyres for a little while yet. Sure the winters are not comparable in dry warm weather for outright grip and driving pleasure, but they do keep you out of trouble when the conditions are colder and wetter, which is the majority of the time in the winter.

 

[harmonicandy]

Thought it better to revive an old thread rather than start a new one.
We're looking to get a Cupra ST 4drive which will come with 19" wheels. I want to get another set of wheels and winter tyres as I think all-seasons will be too much of a compromise and want to go with smaller wheels to reduce the cost. I'm guessing 18" wheels will fit as they are standard on the Golf R but would 17"s be ok?

 

[black_sheep]

Thought it better to revive an old thread rather than start a new one.
We're looking to get a Cupra ST 4drive which will come with 19" wheels. I want to get another set of wheels and winter tyres as I think all-seasons will be too much of a compromise and want to go with smaller wheels to reduce the cost. I'm guessing 18" wheels will fit as they are standard on the Golf R but would 17"s be ok?

If standard TRW 340mm front brake set up, then some 17” rims will fit, but clearance over the calliper (balance weights on wheel, and internal spoke design) need to be considered.

I run 17” TD Dezent wheels ET40 (I believe that you can now get ET50 or 51 which is much closer to OEM spec), but these were purchased in 2013 when I had the same brake setup on an Octavia VRS, and 18” winter tyres weren’t a common fitment and were prohibitively expensive. The clearance from some wheel weights is only about 3mm.

If I was to buy again now, I would definitely chose 18” rims.

 

[black_sheep]

@harmonicandy have a look at this thread for sizes etc:

Looking for some winter tires and possibly rims

Hi all. New member here with a Mk3 Cupra ST 4 Drive. I need some winter tires here in Germany. I am trying to decide between the following options: 1. All season tires in 235/35/ R19 and not worry about changing out twice a year. 2. Winter set of stock size 235/35 R19 tires only. 3. Complete...

www.seatcupra.net

 

[RUM4MO]

If you are willing to shop remotely, why not look on off shore tyre and wheel websites like mytyres.co.uk, they are based in mainland Europe but I have bought winter/wheel packages from them in the past, plus their choice of sizes and brands is a lot better than here in UK where mainly we don't tend to bother about using winter tyres.

 

[harmonicandy]

If you are willing to shop remotely, why not look on off shore tyre and wheel websites like mytyres.co.uk, they are based in mainland Europe but I have bought winter/wheel packages from them in the past, plus their choice of sizes and brands is a lot better than here in UK where mainly we don't tend to bother about using winter tyres.

Mytyres is exactly where I plan to go. We bought a set of BBS wheels and winter tyres from them 7 or 8 years ago for my wife's X-Type estate after it slide backwards down a hill in snow. After that we went for Scorpion Verdes on her F-Pace and have Cross Climates on both cars at the moment.

 

[SuperV8]

@harmonicandy have a look at this thread for sizes etc:

Looking for some winter tires and possibly rims

Hi all. New member here with a Mk3 Cupra ST 4 Drive. I need some winter tires here in Germany. I am trying to decide between the following options: 1. All season tires in 235/35/ R19 and not worry about changing out twice a year. 2. Winter set of stock size 235/35 R19 tires only. 3. Complete...

www.seatcupra.net

And also this thread is interesting:

Cupra 300 brake disc size for 17 winter tyres.

Apologises if this has been discussed before.... however would someone be able to provide the width of the cupra 300 front disc brake and calliper in cm? Or better still would these 17” alloys fit over the cupra brakes? I’m trying to source some winter tyres and alloys. I have a spare set...

www.seatcupra.net

Basically I think it 'depends' some 17's will fit, some won't.

 

[jt20vt]

I bought 17's for the cupra st using seat standard wheels. I posted the part numbers in one of the earlier threads. Fit fine over the brakes and have standard offset. Part number 5f0601025b used on leon se and fr models in the UK.

 

[LeylandVCDS]

Do you expect a UHP summer tyre to work in the winter when the temps are under 7C, whether in the dry or the wet/snow? I mean, they will work, but not very well. The compound simply isn't designed to work at those temps. Your supersports are obviously a step more extreme than the Goodyears I use (Asymmetric 5), and mine are already noticeably less grippy when the temp dips significantly below 7C, so I can imagine yours could be low on grip when the conditions get cold and wet.

When I moved to Germany and bought my Leon here it came with a set of summers (Goodyear Eagle F1 19" ) and winters (conti wintercontact 17") and I haven't looked back.

I've got masses more grip in the winter compared to on summer tyres. Hill starts? No problem. It was a revelation driving on snow with winter tyres for the first time. It makes you realise how stupid it is in the UK that everyone wobbles about on summers in snow, even if it is only for a few days (if at all) in the South. If I came back to the UK, I wouldn't even think of going back to running summers all year round, it just isn't safe in those rare situations when you need a good tyre the most.

Something very important that no one talks about: I can keep my nice rims away from the salt and crud that gets sprayed up in the winter. No refurbing because of corrosion necessary!

Having said all that, if you found the Conti contact 6s to be acceptable in wintery conditions, go for it. My experience here tells me that it's totally worth the outlay to have two sets of wheels. On a less sporty car than a Cupra, I'd probably go for a summer-biased all-season tyre like the Michelin Crossclimate, but for my circumstances, I want to take advantage of the German autobahns an country roads around the 'Ring in the summer, so I'll be putting my summer tyres back on around Easter...

@Jazzjames
Am I right in thinking that in Germany there is a legal requirement to swap to winter tyre for a set period in the year?