Recommendation of winter tyres

[Negativegravity]

Hi guys,

Can anyone recommend and winter tyres that they've bought for standard steelies?
Currently looking at these:
http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... p=R-249473" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any other suggestions?

Standard fitting is 185/80/14 right?
Cheers,
Adam

[fairwynds]

Ive got these and very happy with them...
http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-details/un ... 02-100-q-c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Negativegravity]

Cheers. What's the wear like on them? Some of the reviews seemed to suggest that they wore down rather fast?!

[keith]

What.....summers nearly here.....save your money and spend it on suncream

[fairwynds]

Cheers. What's the wear like on them? Some of the reviews seemed to suggest that they wore down rather fast?!

The van suspension is stock and well set up, as is the alignment/camber of wheels etc. I don't do big mileages on them. Havent noticed any wear issues. Any winter tyre (should) be a softer compound than say, a budget 'plastic' summer tyre but that's a trade off for grip you make.
The main difference is the wet weather handling/braking etc.
When all is said and done, unless you live/use your van in regular 'winter' conditions then people will always argue theyre not necessary in UK.
I plan lots of European trips, and (bet Oct - March?) they are compulsory in many countries.
At end of day, should I need to brake in a hurry, in the wet etc, to avoid the usual drongo drivers doing something unexpected, I want all the help I can get to stop a couple of tonnes in a hurry

[jamiehamy]

I'd avoid cheapies like 'Matador' like the plague. Go with something well known - Uniroyal, Continental etc. Matador, Linglong, Sunny, Nankang - all junk Maybe good on a dry day, but greasy/wet/slushy/snowy they are useless, winters included. I had a friend who put on cheap winters and he said they were so dangerous, he took them off and sent them back (and actually got his money).

I've got the Snowmax on mine and run them all year. Were great in the limited amount of snow we got last year.

[Titus A Duxass]

I have Hankook (W422 I think) on the bus and Vredestein Snowtrac 3 on the car.
The Hankooks are good but the snowtracs are awesome in the snow.

[bigherb]

Or go for all season and use them all year round, excepted as a snow tyre in countries that specify a snow tyre.

I use Vredestien Comtrac all season. Goodyear do one as well.
http://www.camskill.co.uk/m151b0s8073p1 ... se%3A_71dB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Matador are OK I used the previous version of their snow tyre The MPS10 all year round lasted for 22000 miles before they where worn down 4mm and worked very well in the snow, not so good in mud as the Vredestiens though, they are one of Continental tyres brands.

[Negativegravity]

Thanks very much for the advice guys. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes to have them on steelies to switch over easily.

I've found some localy - Vredestein Comtrac on 15" steel wheels for a T4.

The size is 195/70
Any idea if these will fit straight on without any fuss? Or would I need spacers and the like?

Thanks again

[Titus A Duxass]

Any idea if these will fit straight on without any fuss? Or would I need spacers and the like?

Thanks again

Nope they won't fit straight on.

[dalester]

Hi Guys

Having had a "moment" in the Swiss Alps this weekend, I want to fit winter tyres - these boys seem pretty decent, based on reviews:

Continental Winter Contact TS850 - http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/wheels-and ... act-ts-850" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

....questions are:

1. What profile should I go for (currently have 14" wheels)?

2. Do these have the correct load rating (i.e. commercial / reinforced side-walls)

Thx

[AdrianC]

Camskill's one of the best tyre sites for seeing what's available in any size/rating etc.

So... 185/80 14C winters :-
http://www.camskill.co.uk/m108b0s1530p0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unless you're somewhere like the Alps _right now_ (in which case, it's "What can I buy locally tomorrow?"), I'd take the summer to decide and order. I've got winters on the Pug at the mo, and the only reason I've not swapped back to the summers yet is indolence and the fast-vanishing risk of a late properly cold snap - we live in the boonies of the Welsh borders, and had a very heavy frost yesterday, but even that disappeared in short order.

<thinks> If I do 'em today, that'll bring snow tomorrow, won't it?

[pirate-pete]

Camskill don't seem to have to many winter tyres in stock at the moment. Plenty at Oponeo though who ship from Poland.

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-finder/van ... 185-80-r14


Think those TS850 ones you are looking at might be car tyres so if you want commercial ones you could try these

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-details/co ... c#50364699

[Titus A Duxass]

Tyres from Poland! Don't!
I have a set of Polish "tyres" as sommer tyres on my Yaris they are very dodgy in anything but dry conditions.

[pirate-pete]

Tyres from Poland! Don't!
I have a set of Polish "tyres" as sommer tyres on my Yaris they are very dodgy in anything but dry conditions.

Not polish made. Just that the warehouse is in poland where they ship from. The Michelin Alpins on my car are from them and also GT Radial Maxmiler winter ones on van too. They seem OK so far and I checked some reviews first as that not a make I would usually consider. Made in Indonesia of all places.