I paid about £700 for 4 x Michelins pre-fitted to steel wheels last year, but they were a smaller size: 205/55 R16.
Right, I can;t make my mind up about these winter tyres, it seems a hell of a lot of money to get decent ones, I'm thinking of getting some good summer wet weather tyres and hoping for the best...it's very warm at the moment and wondering if there will be any snow or slush!?
The alternative is to buy some budget Chinese winter tyres (still £300 a set). Would it be a mistake to buy budget tyres?
The alternative is to buy some budget Chinese winter tyres (still £300 a set). Would it be a mistake to buy budget tyres?
You could go Vred. Quatrac if you wanted to go 'all season'.
Personally I think its a compromise (as it is with anything). The question you would ask yourself is would you buy Chinese rubber for summer?
It isn't cheap and I spent over £1100 last year in winter rubber (2 sets) but you're not creating too much additional cost, just bringing the next set of rubber cost forward. In theory thereafter it would be as you were.
Whilst your summers aren't on you're not wearing them out.
Personally I think its a compromise (as it is with anything). The question you would ask yourself is would you buy Chinese rubber for summer?
It isn't cheap and I spent over £1100 last year in winter rubber (2 sets) but you're not creating too much additional cost, just bringing the next set of rubber cost forward. In theory thereafter it would be as you were.
Whilst your summers aren't on you're not wearing them out.
alibali45
Guest
Yeah that's initially what i wanted, the tyre review site I had read had the dunlops top but the supplier had no stock and didn't know when they would get any, so knowing how good michelins usually are (from my summer tyres) I went for them.
Yeah on mytyres they had the michelins at about £240 a corner!
Course I don't! I got them from eventtyres.co.uk, but that price is delivered only as I fitted them myself!
Lol, not only do people fit ditch-finders alot run around with very low or bald tread no matter what the season! And then they wonder and blame the car when it ends up in a ditch! Crazy!
Thanks for the reply & info!
after reading more since i have decided to go for the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3Ds, but notice you have now opted for the Conti's......is this just based on rolling resistance? ....as the 3Ds seem to top most test results this year!
been looking at tyres and notice that there aren't many with the correct V speed rating 
......then come across this website (CLICKY) with a description / explanation of speed ratings, which states "In winter, it is acceptable to mount tyres with a lower speed index (by one letter) than those mounted in the summer. For example, if the summer tyres have a speed index code of W, winter tyres with a code of V can be mounted."
.....has any body else heard of this? is this legal to do as i thought you couldn't go lower than the manufacturers spec?
......then come across this website (CLICKY) with a description / explanation of speed ratings, which states "In winter, it is acceptable to mount tyres with a lower speed index (by one letter) than those mounted in the summer. For example, if the summer tyres have a speed index code of W, winter tyres with a code of V can be mounted."
.....has any body else heard of this? is this legal to do as i thought you couldn't go lower than the manufacturers spec?
been looking at tyres and notice that there aren't many with the correct V speed rating
......then come across this website (CLICKY) with a description / explanation of speed ratings, which states "In winter, it is acceptable to mount tyres with a lower speed index (by one letter) than those mounted in the summer. For example, if the summer tyres have a speed index code of W, winter tyres with a code of V can be mounted."
.....has any body else heard of this? is this legal to do as i thought you couldn't go lower than the manufacturers spec?
I was told when I had mine fitted last year that it might be a good idea to let the insurance company know as the speed rating was lower (only 130mph IIRC!)
They said that it wouldn't effect anything (Admiral)
Wheels were changed over on the Smart on Saturday and if I get chance the Altea will get done this week.
On the 'outside manufacturers spec' point specifically, I understand that you are not allowed to use the wrong load rating (e.g. 88 vs 91) for obvious reasons, but you're allowed to use an alternative speed rating for winter tyres. SEAT even include a facility on the MFD (on my MY11 car anyway) for you to specify a special speed warning for when you have winter tyres fitted.
In my case it's hardly relevant though as H rating on my winters is approx 130mph and my Ecomotive only has a theoretical top speed of 118mph anyway... and there's no way I'd drive anywhere near that fast especially in winter.
My stock Pirelli P7s were 205/55 R16 91V, on 16" alloys and my Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 winters are 205/55 R16 91H, on 16" steel wheels. So less different to stock than when I used the same winters on my FR.
Anyway, I called my insurer last year to 'declare' my winter wheels and tyres, just in case they were interested - didn't want them to have any excuse not to cough up if I need them to! They said that so long as I was fitting tyres and wheels that were of the right size according to the manual, they didn't care what I had fitted.
In my case it's hardly relevant though as H rating on my winters is approx 130mph and my Ecomotive only has a theoretical top speed of 118mph anyway... and there's no way I'd drive anywhere near that fast especially in winter.
My stock Pirelli P7s were 205/55 R16 91V, on 16" alloys and my Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 winters are 205/55 R16 91H, on 16" steel wheels. So less different to stock than when I used the same winters on my FR.
Anyway, I called my insurer last year to 'declare' my winter wheels and tyres, just in case they were interested - didn't want them to have any excuse not to cough up if I need them to! They said that so long as I was fitting tyres and wheels that were of the right size according to the manual, they didn't care what I had fitted.
been looking at tyres and notice that there aren't many with the correct V speed rating
......then come across this website (CLICKY) with a description / explanation of speed ratings, which states "In winter, it is acceptable to mount tyres with a lower speed index (by one letter) than those mounted in the summer. For example, if the summer tyres have a speed index code of W, winter tyres with a code of V can be mounted."
.....has any body else heard of this? is this legal to do as i thought you couldn't go lower than the manufacturers spec?
Rang my insurer earlier and they confirmed you can go down 1 speed rating, I just need to notify them when I switch the Tyres and wheels to winters and obviously back to summers I'n the spring! so I can drop from a V to H, which will save quite a few £££££!!!!
They did say that as I had modified car insurance there wouldn't be any extra charge, so I assume they consider this to be a modification that they may charge people with standard policies????
astra
Guest
Hi mate i put today my ovation tyres 205/55/R16 in my astra is very good tyres in first instant i see the car a little balance but is new tyres in brake is good and wend you curve the car still in road now waiting for the snow and ice but is you go to you tube and there is some videos with summer and winter so buy ovation mate is very good and cheap i pay just 198 ponds 4 in ebay so good luke
I thought I'd give them a go, of the various winter tyre reviews I read it seems to be half & half between the Contis & Dunlops performance wise; with the amount of miles I cover and cost of fuel the chance of improved rolling resistance swung me towards the Contis.
It's the TS830 I've got rather than the TS830P, I didn't see the latter listed in my size when I was looking to buy (205/55/16).
Haven't got them mounted on the rims yet, going to put the old ones on the car and the new tyres in the boot, and hopefully get them fitted during the week.
Fitted mine on Friday night before I left work. Forgot how quiet they are compared to Bridgestone summer tyres.
6 degrees & damp yesterday and I could tell the difference. Bring on the winter, I'm ready!
6 degrees & damp yesterday and I could tell the difference. Bring on the winter, I'm ready!
Drove to work this morning and mine seemed very noisy, far noisier than I ever remember (don't recall ever noticing them before), quite strange.
I'm wondering if it's because the rear half of my engine/gearbox undertray is currently missing and letting more noise up through the underside of the car.
Going to double-check the pressures at lunchtime, and double check I fitted them in the right direction...
I laid mine out ready for fitting & then when I went to fit the first one I noticed I had them the wrong way
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