Winter tyre question

Joetidman

Joetidman

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I’m considering sticking winter tyres on my S5 this year, as Audi offer a free tyre hotel, and over 3-4 years I should get my money’s worth (as my summer tyres will not be used for several months each year and last longer). After enquiringly, the only option of tyre for my current 19inch alloys (not interested in paying for new alloys) is kumho wintercraft wp71. They seem to be mid-range performance winter tyres with limited intelligence via google.

Any experience from anyone?


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No, winter tyres don’t get much use in the uk anyway so that probably contributes. It’s about £600 for 4 tyres which isn’t bad, but I don’t want the expense and hassle only to get tyres no better than my summer ones in ice and snow!


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It depends on what your thinking is about getting winter tyres! Are you thinking snow and ice only, or are you thinking wet roads?

If it's just for grip in snow then look at this:


If it's for wet roads you could say in the UK it rains all year!

This is interesting:


How about a middle ground and getting the Michelin CrossClimate tyres? They get good reviews.

Ultimately it also depends where you live, I've had either the S3 quattro or a 4x4 suv for the last 5 winters and we haven't had a single flake of snow...:(
 
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It’s a good question. To be honest we rarely get heavy snow, but we do get sub-zero and icy weather fairly predictably (as well as rain). My understanding is that winter tyres work much better than summer tyres below 7 degrees (which is most of December Jan and Feb even in the south of England, so my logic was better traction, stopping distance and performance generally in cold weather. The added benefit also being that if it does snow, I also have some extra benefit...still worth getting these? Surely even mid range winter tyres made with more natural rubber etc will be an improvement in the cold and rain versus my summer performance hankooks?


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I live in Alaska and we have a long winter season, pretty much from November through March. Although we can have snow as early as September and as late as the end of April. I have been using studless winter tires for 10 years +

I noticed on my S 5 that the traction on my 19” Hankook performance summer tires started getting dodgy at about 10 degrees C. The front tires started breaking loose on corners when they hadn’t earlier. I switched to winter tire/wheel for the winter - Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D on 18” wheels. They are the Audi AO tire. I noticed immediate improvement in braking and cornering, even before the snow fell. They just held traction better in wet cold conditions. I did get slightly higher profile tires, so the cornering feels a little softer than with the summer tires -but it is winter, so I won’t be driving them to extremes anyway! I highly recommend winter tires


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What part of the uk are you in. I had a focus st 2.5 years ago and that handled the odd northants snow fall with no problem and standard tyres. I've never felt the need for winter tyres but some seem to think there a necessity. Maybe up north.
 
Down south, and like you managed fine up until now with summers, but thinking safer with winters, rather than a necessity


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Joetidman said:
Down south, and like you managed fine up until now with summers, but thinking safer with winters, rather than a necessity


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Like I say 'middle ground then', Michelin CrossClimate tyres :) MrSkimo is in Alaska and getting winter tyres...think they would be an overkill in the south of England!!! Run the cross climate all year and keep the ones you have now for the last 6 months before you change the car, plenty of tread left on them when you sell/change it then!
 
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Yes, the only real contribution I can add for you guys in England is the relative performance at lower temperatures on dry and wet pavement (no snow). I picked up my car in Ingolstadt in May, spent two days on the Nurburgring, and drove hard for 2,500 miles through Europe - up and over the Alps continuously. The only time my front tires broke loose with understeer was at the top of Stelvio with wet conditions and near zero temps (centigrade).

I got the car back to Alaska and drove on my Hankooks and as soon as it cooled down to 10 degrees C I started to lose grip again. Certainly in full on winter conditions with snow and ice, it is clear that we need winter tires. But, the rubber compound on those winter tires keeps grip when you are under 10 degrees. I’d argue that in most places in the UK you could benefit from proper winter tires for 5 or 6 months of the year.


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Interesting. I’ve heard it said that it’s like comparing going out in running shoes versus Wellington boots. Both have their purpose but both don’t really work in the wrong conditions. I’ve decided to go with the winter tyres. I’ve talked about it for years and I want to do an experiment and see if they really make a difference in the conditions we have, and £600 isn’t a large outlay if I’m wrong


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Joetidman said:
Interesting. I’ve heard it said that it’s like comparing going out in running shoes versus Wellington boots. Both have their purpose but both don’t really work in the wrong conditions. I’ve decided to go with the winter tyres. I’ve talked about it for years and I want to do an experiment and see if they really make a difference in the conditions we have, and £600 isn’t a large outlay if I’m wrong

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I've winter rubber (with OEM wheels) for our A1, TT, and RS3. The winters (Toyo Snowprox for the 2nd UK winter season) are already on the A1 and going on the RS3 (Vredestein Wintrac Xtream for the 7th winter season running) this weekend, maybe. Most talk about improved traction with winter rubber in sub 7deg C conditions but I find them most impressive under braking. Even with quattro, braking on snow is NO different than with a front or rear 2-wheel drive car on summer rubber, that darn thing just slides. For my own safety, once I see temperatures dipping below the 7deg C mark on a regular basis then winter rubber goes on.

Winter rubber for me and my cars just love it:
23.gif
 
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45bvtc said:
I've winter rubber (with OEM wheels) for our A1, TT, and RS3. The winters (Toyo Snowprox for the 2nd UK winter season) are already on the A1 and going on the RS3 (Vredestein Wintrac Xtream for the 7th winter season running) this weekend, maybe. Most talk about improved traction with winter rubber in sub 7deg C conditions but I find them most impressive under braking. Even with quattro, braking on snow is NO different than with a front or rear 2-wheel drive car on summer rubber, that darn thing just slides. For my own safety, once I see temperatures dipping below the 7deg C mark on a regular basis then winter rubber goes on.

Winter rubber for me and my cars just love it:
23.gif
Click to expand...
Winter alloys & tyres and summer alloys & tyres...I'd do that if I were going for winter tyres. Less chance of damage to your alloys changing the tyres over all the time and you also get a different look to your car for a few months :) Plus you can always sell them on if you change cars!
 
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S32B said:
Winter alloys & tyres and summer alloys & tyres...I'd do that if I were going for winter tyres. Less chance of damage to your alloys changing the tyres over all the time and you also get a different look to your car for a few months :) Plus you can always sell them on if you change cars!
Click to expand...

EXACTLY, for me, in one, S32B.

I/we've done it for many a year with many a car and I've always got me money/investment back PLUS SAFETY during the winter season; our current RS3 loves the snow on winter rubber, like so:

RS3 5 Snow


Unfortunately while we got the the pub/restaurant the chief didn't but the journey there and back was memorable and safe and we'd do it again and again and again - in snow of course.
 
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You could have popped into the Windmill on the way back John. They do pretty good food although not quite as nice as the Malt shovel. Still got the summer tyres on mine. Keeping an eye on the weather see where it goes.
 
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desertstorm said:
You could have popped into the Windmill on the way back John. They do pretty good food although not quite as nice as the Malt shovel. Still got the summer tyres on mine. Keeping an eye on the weather see where it goes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you told me that back then Karl and I've regretted it ever since; but the Malt Shovel was higher up on Cannock Chase - maybe but we'd already gone UP to the Windmill and DOWN and then UP again to the Malt Shovel enjoying more of the back-road snow-covered challenge: but not really a challenge as we found out as winter rubber on the RS3 was all soooo easy for traction, steering, and braking.

I think it's the braking some don't realise as they just think 'traction' but on winters it's the traction, steering, AND braking that's mega impressive. Would I make 'em a legal requirement as in Germany, yes, I guess I would. SAFETY for me is way too important and them rubber things are the only contact you have with terra firma.

Hope ALL is WELL with you and yours Karl - maybe we should meet up at the Windmill some day... :hi:
 
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Joetidman said:
Interesting. I’ve heard it said that it’s like comparing going out in running shoes versus Wellington boots. Both have their purpose but both don’t really work in the wrong conditions. I’ve decided to go with the winter tyres. I’ve talked about it for years and I want to do an experiment and see if they really make a difference in the conditions we have, and £600 isn’t a large outlay if I’m wrong


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Just seen this post and thought of you! http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...-rs5-1-x-full-set-winter-wheels-tyres.351744/ would they fit yours?
 
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