Winter Tyre Review Thread

[The Dogfather]

As winter approaches I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread about what people think of the different brands of winter tyres: -

So far I’ve had the Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds, Nokian WRG2 and I’ve got a set of the Hankook I*Cepts ready to go on a set of spare wheels.

Nokian WRG2
The best of the two sets I’ve had are the Nokian’s, they coped well with the snow and performed well even on warmer days. The were brilliant in all conditions even right at the limit. A great sporty tyre.

Dunlop Wintersport 3D
The Dunlops were excellent in the cold and probably had a edge as far as traction went in the deep stuff but they seemed a bit woolly on warmer days.

I’d strongly recommend either brand but I’d go with the Nokian if you prefer a sportier drive.


Recommended Winter Tyres
Nokian WRG2 - Craig, Vidal
Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds - Vidal
Toyo Snowproxies - Stoney, The Chief
Hankook i*Cept - Alex
Vred Wintrac Extreme - The Chief

Pending Review
Goodyear Ultragrip - Duncan
Nokian W+ - Craig

[Craig]

I've got 2 new sets of winters this year the Nokian W+ on the Gp ;) and a set of Vred Wintrac 4 Xtreme on the Sportage. Just fitted the winters on the punto as my sister wanted them on before I go on holiday next week.

Can't say how good they are yet, but I'll give an update once the weather turns.

I can only echo what Paul has said re the WRG2 Nokians. They were faultless for me over 2 bad winters ;). They were especially good I'n slushy carparks were everyone else was getting stuck (as summer tyres struggle with slush the most!). I also had to do a hill start on hard packed snow and ice (due to an inconsiderate driver coming down a hill :ragin: ) and the car just drove up the hill like it was a dry summers day.

I would have had the WRG2's on both cars if they weren't so blooming expensive :yes nod:

[Big Gordy]

Don't know if this purely an Audi A4 diesel thing but I found the Bridgestone Potenzas fantactic in the snow last year :cool: As far as I know they're not meant to be a winter tyre so was amazed at how well they performed :thumbs up: I drove from Falkirk to the Hillington (30 miles) on the west side of Glasgow every week day in all that snow last year and not once did it slip or slide :idea: They were brand spanking new at the time so we'll see how they cope this year with 14,000 miles under them :Whistle:

[stoney]

i have the Toyo's for the proper GP :lol: and have to say could not fault them can not mind what i had for my van last year but they where good got goodyear for this year for my van so will update once i have driven with them should be going on 2morow :)

[Craig]

Don't know if this purely an Audi A4 diesel thing but I found the Bridgestone Potenzas fantactic in the snow last year :cool: As far as I know they're not meant to be a winter tyre so was amazed at how well they performed :thumbs up: I drove from Falkirk to the Hillington (30 miles) on the west side of Glasgow every week day in all that snow last year and not once did it slip or slide :idea: They were brand spanking new at the time so we'll see how they cope this year with 14,000 miles under them :Whistle:

The front wheel drive and lazy diesel engine with the added weight will help ;). Plus lots of tread :yes nod:

[The Dogfather]

i have the Toyo's for the proper GP :lol: and have to say could not fault them can not mind what i had for my van last year but they where good got goodyear for this year for my van so will update once i have driven with them should be going on 2morow :)

Are they the snow proxies?

[The Dogfather]

Can we keep this to proper winter tyres rather than summer tyres that did OK. There’s a huge difference in performance on snow.

[SuperCooperS]

i have never bothered with winter tyres due to the fact that alot of people i know have been over trusting with their tyre selection and have ended up driving in winter with winter tyres in not much of a different style as anyone would drive in the summer with normal tyres. I know they are good for driving away from a standing start in deeper snow and grip that little bit more up and down hills, but i just increase my distance between other road users, use my gears a little more, drive slower and go gently on the brakes and, touch wood had never had any difficulties with standard tyres, even ones that are middle age with reduced tread!

[Duncan Stewart]

Got a of Goodyear Eagle ultragrip GW3s fitted to my spare 16" alloys today but not fitted them on the mini yet.
Never had winter tyres before so will be interesting to see what difference they make.
They are run flats which I was not sure about but the idea of not having to try and change a wheel on the narrow, twisty country roads I drive to work in the freezing pitch black won me over.

[The Dogfather]

i have never bothered with winter tyres due to the fact that alot of people i know have been over trusting with their tyre selection and have ended up driving in winter with winter tyres in not much of a different style as anyone would drive in the summer with normal tyres. I know they are good for driving away from a standing start in deeper snow and grip that little bit more up and down hills, but i just increase my distance between other road users, use my gears a little more, drive slower and go gently on the brakes and, touch wood had never had any difficulties with standard tyres, even ones that are middle age with reduced tread!

The difference in braking and turning is huge. Its not all about getting away smoothly. I’ll give you a scenario that happened to me last winter.

Car coming towards me downhill brakes traction and starts to slide sideways into my lane as the road was cambered, I was able to initially slow down and then go around him on his side of the road quickly enough to avoid other on coming cars. The best I could have hoped to do with summer tyres would have been to stop and wait to be hit. The speeds would have been slow but it would have probably meant a new bumper/bonnet at the very least.

[Craig]

Are they the snow proxies?

Yes they are ;)

[Crombers]

The best I could have hoped to do would have been to stop and wait to be hit.

Who would have done such a thing :Whistle:

Rascals, I tell you :hand:

[stoney]

Are they the snow proxies?

yep thats the ones i was going to edit my post up 2morow when find out what my van ones where and looked at the GP ones as i dont keep them at the house

[stoney]

Can we keep this to proper winter tyres rather than summer tyres that did OK. There’s a huge difference in performance on snow.

do you want me to clean this up then Paul ??

[The Dogfather]

Nah, its fine I’ll just add a recommended list to the first post. I don’t mind discussion on winter tyres but just wanted it to be about winter tyres only.

[The Dogfather]

Who would have done such a thing :Whistle:

Absolute genius, you’ve been waiting for so long for a chance like that to come along. :hand: :thumbs up:

[Crombers]

Absolute genius, you’ve been waiting for so long for a chance like that to come along. :hand: :thumbs up:

Aye ok, I'll pop on over to the 'naughty step' :smilewinkgrin:

[The Dogfather]

Aye ok, I'll pop on over to the 'naughty step' :smilewinkgrin:

Yeah, you better had or Andy will be having words :Whistle::popcorn:

[Crombers]

Yeah, you better had or Andy will be having words :Whistle::popcorn:



(In true 'Bart' fashion) ............ Oh yeah!!!!! ;)

Seems like a plan to go 'nick' some popcorn :cool:

[thechief]

I've used both Toyo snowprox and Vredestein Wintrac's, both were seriously good!

[euan]

Anyone tried Nankang? Might get a cheapy set for the missus car, as by all accounts the C-Max is woeful in the snow.

[Craig]

Used them on a car for 4 days and had them changed <cough ditchfinders cough>. That was summer tyres, their winters may be better ;)

[The Dogfather]

Don't know about Nankang Winters but their summer tyres did dreadfully in a comparison test with some branded ones, as did all the other budget tyres.

I guess it depends on how much value you put on safety......

[euan]

Quite a lot, but equally don't want to spend a ton of cash as I've got Quattro on my car which we use more in winter.

The car has quite big tyres so are quite pricey to get tyres for (205/50/R17).

[The Dogfather]

I'd look on ebay to see if anyone is flogging off steel wheels cheaply, if not mytyres do full sets of steels and winters.

[Craig]

I'd look on ebay to see if anyone is flogging off steel wheels cheaply, if not mytyres do full sets of steels and winters.

I got my steels and winters from mytyres - I was £400 all in which I thought is not bad for 3 winters which is what I think the tyres will last ;)

[Big Gordy]

Anyone tried Nankang? Might get a cheapy set for the missus car, as by all accounts the C-Max is woeful in the snow.

DON'T GET NANKANGS....!!! unless you're planing on collecting her insurance money..!!! By far the worst tyre I've ever had the missfortune to fit on a car and that includes the 145 crossplies I had on my first car..!!!

[stoney]

going to make this a sticky for the winter and will un stick it when summer comes back again :lol:

[euan]

DON'T GET NANKANGS....!!! unless you're planing on collecting her insurance money..!!! By far the worst tyre I've ever had the missfortune to fit on a car and that includes the 145 crossplies I had on my first car..!!!

I hear you, won't be getting them :smilewinkgrin:

[S21AGD]

I hear you, won't be getting them :smilewinkgrin:

Depends how you drive - Nankang's were the best cheap tyres I've ever had. wear out quick and other brands out perform them but you get what you pay for.

I've gone to a set of steel wheels with Pirelli snow controls front and back. had fronts only last year and spend a fair bit of time catching the back end stepping out. (Yoko Paradas on the back)

Read a few bits about tyres being useless in snow when the tread drops below 4mm, makes sense I guess.

[MINIme:)]

Anyone got an opinion on Pirellis? If I bought a set of steelies and winters from Vardy they would be:

Pirelli W190 84T tyres (if I got the last set in stock)
I thought they'd be narrower than 190?


or if they were ordered in they're saying Pirelli 190 snowcontrol tyres.

Any thoughts? I've left this ages as I don't have somewhere to store my current wheels. Not figured all this out but was not too chuffed to see slushy roads this morning!

[gauldrymini]

Anyone got an opinion on Pirellis? If I bought a set of steelies and winters from Vardy they would be:

Pirelli W190 84T tyres (if I got the last set in stock)
I thought they'd be narrower than 190?


or if they were ordered in they're saying Pirelli 190 snowcontrol tyres.

Any thoughts? I've left this ages as I don't have somewhere to store my current wheels. Not figured all this out but was not too chuffed to see slushy roads this morning!

We have these Pirellis, they are 175 wide, just like the summer tyres. They seem better in the colder temps as we have had them on since late October when it was much milder and sometimes they seemed a bit "woolly"...

[stoney]

Don't know but my goodyears held up well today on snow packed roads ;)


IF IN DOUBT FLAT OUT :)

[Bryce]

Never contemplated winter tyres before but after free falling a mile down the Pirllyhill brae (If your local to Falkirk) with my foot right down on the brake :frown: scary stuff.

I’m gona give Skids a visit tomorrow morning anyone from around Falkirk use them for winter tyres?

[Craig]

Never contemplated winter tyres before but after free falling a mile down the Pirllyhill brae (If your local to Falkirk) with my foot right down on the brake :frown: scary stuff.

I&rsquo;m gona give Skids a visit tomorrow morning anyone from around Falkirk use them for winter tyres?

Bryce, I've used them for wheels and tyres and never had an issue. You may find it cheaper to buy online from camskills or mytyres and get a local garage to fit.

You just think about tyres it getting steelies and tyres??

[RobSco]

Bryce, I've used them for wheels and tyres and never had an issue. You may find it cheaper to buy online from camskills or mytyres and get a local garage to fit.

You just think about tyres it getting steelies and tyres??

As Craig has said Camskills would give you a good deal as that's where I've just bought tyres from as I'm getting rid of the dreaded Run Flats... :thumbs up:


www.camskill.co.uk

[MINIme:)]

I think you're speaking to Bryce and not me, but I think the deal i've been offered sounds pretty good. But it made me wonder whether they were cheaper tyres.


Gauldrymini - which of the two tyres I mentioned do you have? Would you recommend or not sure?

[stoney]

Mini me just check camskill mini is very expensive for things like that camskill will also do steel wheels as well I think !!


IF IN DOUBT FLAT OUT :)

[MINIme:)]

I expected them to be a lot more, but well under £500 for steels and tyres, fitted didn't sound over the odds to me

[Craig]

As a guide, my steels and nokian winters were £400 delivered for my punto from mytyres. They are the same stud pattern and tyre size as the mini so it's a direct comparison. Plus IMHO the Nokians are a much better winter tyre than the pirrellis ;)

[weefossy]

So glad it doesn't snow in North Berwick :smilewinkgrin:................yet

[MINIme:)]

So glad it doesn't snow in North Berwick :smilewinkgrin:................yet
Your time will come!

[gauldrymini]

I think you're speaking to Bryce and not me, but I think the deal i've been offered sounds pretty good. But it made me wonder whether they were cheaper tyres.


Gauldrymini - which of the two tyres I mentioned do you have? Would you recommend or not sure?

Joanna,

We bought the 15 inch winter wheel set (steelies plus tyres) from JC Dundee (Grassicks were out of stock...and I missed out on a 5% discount there:hand:) The tyres are PIRELLI 190 Snowcontrol ( tyre size 175/65R15 84T). We also bought the small centre caps, not the wheel trims (it makes the wheel look more "finished" but not essential). In total is was £490 fitted (plus they will put the alloys back on when winter is gone:snow:). Hope this helps...I am sure as Craig mentions you could build a winter wheel package for a bit less but for convience I went with the dealer option this time around.


The tyres seem much grippier now its colder:yes nod:
Andrew

[MINIme:)]

ok thanks Andrew. I was quoted £450 which wasn't as bad as I expected. I want genuine mini steel wheels and tyres that I'm absolutely sure are suitable for my car which makes online shopping harder.

[stoney]

ok thanks Andrew. I was quoted £450 which wasn't as bad as I expected. I want genuine mini steel wheels and tyres that I'm absolutely sure are suitable for my car which makes online shopping harder.

Well the rubber will be the same any where you go if going for the same one as its not mini that make that bit and also the steel wheel well I four mini make that ether tbh


IF IN DOUBT FLAT OUT :)

[MINIme:)]

Can anyone help me demystify these codes in the image below? I presume I'd want the UKL-L ones - they look like the post facelift. But what of the kW value? there are 3 and I've no idea which I'd be.


I'm not sure what to do about this, I want winters but if it takes 2 weeks to deliver and another few days / week for me to get them fitted it might be barely worth it at this rate :argh:

3230

[MINIme:)]

Being a softer compound, do winter tyres take the same few hundred miles to scrub in as summer tyres?

[Craig]

Being a softer compound, do winter tyres take the same few hundred miles to scrub in as summer tyres?

Yup, very similar, they appear "greasy" to start with ;)

[GCA3N]

Being a softer compound, do winter tyres take the same few hundred miles to scrub in as summer tyres?

If your needing them scrubbed in Joanna give us a shout. Had this been this time last year Craig would have done that but sadly he is a big girls blouse now.......:mobile::clap:...only joking big man......:smilewinkgrin:

[Craig]

If your needing them scrubbed in Joanna give us a shout. Had this been this time last year Craig would have done that but sadly he is a big girls blouse now.......:mobile::clap:...only joking big man......:smilewinkgrin:

They would prob fit my Punto :moonie: :lol:

[MINIme:)]

If your needing them scrubbed in Joanna give us a shout. Had this been this time last year Craig would have done that but sadly he is a big girls blouse now.......:mobile::clap:...only joking big man......:smilewinkgrin:

:lol:

:eek: :eek: are you planning to thrash my wee Pip?! :eek: :eek:

[Craig]

:lol:

:eek: :eek: are you planning to thrash my wee Pip?! :eek: :eek:

I'll answer that.... Yip he is :lol: have you seen his driving ?!?!? :thud: :laugh:

[MINIme:)]

I'll answer that.... Yip he is :lol: have you seen his driving ?!?!? :thud: :laugh:

:eek: The wee car's not even run in yet, 560mi of pootle on the clock! :motoring: Thrashing ban in force!

[Tam1314]

I am going to buy some winter tyres this year, a wee query tho :confused:
I will have a Cooper S with 17" wheels, what problems if any will there be in fitting either a
15" or 16" set of wheels with winter tyres
Obviously a set in these sizes is going to be quite a bit cheaper than the 17s

[Craig]

From memory 16's are the smallest you can fit on an R56 S...

Yeah much cheaper than 17"s ;)

[Tam1314]

Thanks, 16s it is then lol
Think l read somewhere that you need to inform the insurance company as well if you change the size of the wheels

[Craig]

Yeah always best to tell your insurance about ANY change then in the unlikely event of an accident they can't use the non disclosure as a get out !! ;)

[SCOOTERBUK]

From memory 16's are the smallest you can fit on an R56 S...

Yeah much cheaper than 17"s ;)


Yep 16's the smallest for a R56s tyre size 195 55 16

[Tam1314]

Thanks, now l have my car l going to get looking in plenty of time for winter :thumbs up:

[Craig]

Thanks, now l have my car l going to get looking in plenty of time for winter :thumbs up:

I always buy in the summer as there is normally lots of stock and you get them fairly quickly ...... Plus when the winter weather starts to bite, stock disappears quick and the price goes up rapid...

[Tam1314]

Good thinking Craig

[MINIme:)]

yep what craig said - I couldn't get what I wanted ANYWHERE last year. Had to go to the dealers in the end. And my, what a cold winter we didn't then have! Oh well, tyres still good so I'm ready for it this year!!

[3GGG]

I recently got a set of 15" steels and tyres from mytyres:

Item: Steel wheels with winter tyres (LK 4 x 100.00 x 56.00)Dunlop SP Winter Response M+S marking 175/65 R15 84TBMW MINI COOPER R50 1598ccm 85 kW 08.2001-04.2003
Amount: 4
Price: £ 95.40
------------------------------------------
Total VAT included: £ 381.60

Shipping: 39.60 £
Shipping costs amounting to 39.60 £, because 4 you have chosen complete wheels.
------------------------------------------
Total Amount: 421.20 £

I have a friendly local garage who do all my servicing (not BMW), and they kindly swopped the wheels over and stored the summer ones for me, for nought!

Had some snow last week and they were absolutely brilliant, unlike my previous summer 16" 205/50's.