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What i didn't realise until today when i looked on the tyre reviews website is that it's the same chap doing the tyre reviews videos linked to here.
Interestingly from the latest autobild all season tyre test it appears Bridgestone have brought a new all season tyre out which looks to be either giving it a run for its money or actually beating Michelin's CC at their own game, however that Nexen tyre featured is averaging out as a worthy contender too and is near enough half the price of the Michelins.
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The Bridgestone tyre seems to be better in the dry and wet, but inferior in wintry conditions - to the point that in Germany the tests advise against this tyre in winter.
Running 185/60/15 last month I paid £270 for a set of 4 CrossClimate tyres fitted (including Saturday PM discount), and my Amazon Echo arrived in the post this week.
So far I am very happy with them, let's see how the winter treats me!
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About a month ago, my wife's Qashqai needed 4 new tyres and Crossclimates were, at the time, much the same price as any other brand I'd ever actually heard of, or could pronounce, so I thought, why not.
They seem very tyre like in their attributes so far but it will of course not snow here for the next three years as a result of my having had them fitted I suppose.
In fact, it was supposed to have snowed last night but it hasn't.
Slightly disappointing in a way.
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In fact, it was supposed to have snowed last night but it hasn't. Slightly disappointing in a way.
Your wish may be granted today. Forecasts of snow and freezing rain.
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What i didn't realise until today when i looked on the tyre reviews website is that it's the same chap doing the tyre reviews videos linked to here.
Interestingly from the latest autobild all season tyre test it appears Bridgestone have brought a new all season tyre out which looks to be either giving it a run for its money or actually beating Michelin's CC at their own game, however that Nexen tyre featured is averaging out as a worthy contender too and is near enough half the price of the Michelins.
The Bridgestones appear from the (TRs - AutoBild) test to be VERY summer biased and not that good at all on ice and snow, even compared to the CCs. I suppose for those of us in more temperature climes they may be fine.
What also convinced me of the CCs (the Goodyears were excellent on this as well and I might've gone for them had the CCs not been on a discount and priced the same) is that they cushioned the ride more and were noticeably more quiet than others - the Bridgestones (and the Contis), as is often the case, are not so good in that regard. The Contis seem like a good middle compromise tyre, but from my experience are quite hard (and thus expensive) to find in the UK as opposed to the rest of Europe.
I suspect that if and when all-season tyres REALLY catch on in the UK, prices will drop further and the range of tyre size combos will expand to match demand.
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I like the idea of the Cross Climates, but none of our 3 cars uses a tyre size that is available in them.
I'll look up the other two 'recommended' types in the video GB linked to.
To me, it appears that Michellin are going primarily for the most popular 'mass market' tyre sizes, hence why my OEMs (205/55 R16) and the replacements (195/65 R15) are significantly cheaper, as these two are the most popular tyre size combo for 15 and 16in tyres, as well as being smaller tyres in general.
I think it's an indication of the rip-off nature of the tyre market that car manufacturers nowadays fit odd-sized (unusual) tyre combos for now apparent reason, never mind the wide, low/ultra low profile variety, which artificially boosts handling at a significant penalty in comfort, wear rate, damage resistance and costs.
It still amuses me when owners of essentially bog-standard C-sector cars are livid with their main dealer at having to shell out £125 - £175 a corner after 10k - 15k miles tops and constantly complaining of a firm ride.
Unless lots of people vote with their wallets as well as have a go at the manufacturers for what they're doing (IMHO in cahoots with the tyre manufacturers and fitters to drum up more trade/get extra profits at our expense), nothing is going to change. Same goes with them doing away with spare tyres (many now not even including the space for one under the main boot).
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Trouble is EA, when there's a choice very few people opt for the model with the sensible size tyres when the car is new, one or two poster here in the past have successfully had the large alloys on their top range new model swapped for the taller/narrower sizes as part of the order.
I wonder how many people were overjoyed when they realised their lower spec new car was coming on freebie top of the range wheels, and realised things were not so rosy once they found the first pot hole or needed to buy new tyres.
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Trouble is EA, when there's a choice very few people opt for the model with the sensible size tyres when the car is new, one or two poster here in the past have successfully had the large alloys on their top range new model swapped for the taller/narrower sizes as part of the order.
I wonder how many people were overjoyed when they realised their lower spec new car was coming on freebie top of the range wheels, and realised things were not so rosy once they found the first pot hole or needed to buy new tyres.
Oh I quite agree, but until people start doing their homework before buying a car, like madf described, the situation will continue. My own Dad was suckered in to a degree on this, buying a new (end-of-line) low-spec Fiesta a decade ago (though he did get it for about £6.5k) but which had 50 profile 15in tyres, as opposed to the 13in and 14in 'standard' ones common on previous models and many from other makes at the time.
They look very nice, but the ride is firmer than on the previous 65 profile tyres and are actually much rarer (very little choice, limited to tyres that are D or [mostly] E rated for fuel economy [older designs only], even summer tyres [almost no all seasons available]) more expensive: about 25-30% more than my car's new size and about 10-15% more than my 16in OEM ones. Plus they don't last as long.
It's often the 'special edition' models that have the bling wheels and tyres (at very little extra cost to the manufacturer) which then go on to earn them and the tyre outfits/manufacturers a load of money, or draw people into buying poor quality Chinese ditchfinders to keep the replacement costs down.
To be honest, I wasn't pretty clued up on this when I bought my first car in 1998, but then the prevelence of bling wheels and tyres was far lower back then. It was reading HJ's column in the Telegraph and more lattery this site & forum which helped me with advice and know-how.
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I agree, and had a puncture soon after buying new car August 2017. I had researched that the car came with a full size (but smaller size) spare, nonetheless I felt a danger to all road users stuck at 50mph forcing HGV's in to lane 2 (ie forcing all cars to slow down to under 60 mph)
What I had also researched was that the smaller size was a very popular size with a much wider range of tyres and at lower prices too. So I purchased a second set of nearly new OEM alloys (from a franchise dealer found on Ebay for under £50 per corner) and fitted the CC to these. The original size tyres are ready for fitting in the summer until worn out then will be retired until car is sold. The alternative could have been to buy some winter steel wheels which came recommended in this smaller size.
Ride is better and so far it seems the fuel economy is too (longer term testing is required).
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I like the idea of the Cross Climates, but none of our 3 cars uses a tyre size that is available in them.
I'll look up the other two 'recommended' types in the video GB linked to.
It still amuses me when owners of essentially bog-standard C-sector cars are livid with their main dealer at having to shell out £125 - £175 a corner after 10k - 15k miles tops and constantly complaining of a firm ride.
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Given the letters to HJ showing new car owners have never driven the cars they buy before they buy, or are ignorant of its feature sI am not surprised
Being old and world weary, I always check replacement tyre prices before I buy a car.. Sad? Yes... but i was brought up in Scotland...
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I've got 205/55/16 on my Octavia. Was planning to get a set of all seasons tyres. The Michelins initially had a price premium of £5 each over my other short listed tyre ,Vredestein Quatrac 5. By the time I came to buy 4 at the beginning of November it had increased to £10. Insignificant I know.
A minor down side of the Michelins - they are unidirectional and the larger tread gaps may catch and eject bigger stones . Popular tyres though.
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I've got 205/55/16 on my Octavia. Was planning to get a set of all seasons tyres. The Michelins initially had a price premium of £5 each over my other short listed tyre ,Vredestein Quatrac 5. By the time I came to buy 4 at the beginning of November it had increased to £10. Insignificant I know.
A minor down side of the Michelins - they are unidirectional and the larger tread gaps may catch and eject bigger stones . Popular tyres though.
I was under the impression that almost all all-season tyres (and all winter tyres) are directional. Perhaps it has changed in the last few years, or that the Vredesteins are an anomoly. All the other big names seem to be the same style as the CCs with minor variations. The benefit from the asymmetric Qs is I suppose (other than price) that they can be rotated anywhere, rather than just front to back without completely refitting and balancing them.
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I've got 205/55/16 on my Octavia. Was planning to get a set of all seasons tyres. The Michelins initially had a price premium of £5 each over my other short listed tyre ,Vredestein Quatrac 5. By the time I came to buy 4 at the beginning of November it had increased to £10. Insignificant I know.
A minor down side of the Michelins - they are unidirectional and the larger tread gaps may catch and eject bigger stones . Popular tyres though.
I was under the impression that almost all all-season tyres (and all winter tyres) are directional. Perhaps it has changed in the last few years, or that the Vredesteins are an anomoly. All the other big names seem to be the same style as the CCs with minor variations. The benefit from the asymmetric Qs is I suppose (other than price) that they can be rotated anywhere, rather than just front to back without completely refitting and balancing them.
I think many all-seasons are Assymetric, with a summer and winter side, rather than directional - Vredestein Quatrac 5 are Assymetric All-season tyres with additional 3PMSF winter rating.
"Bling" wheels/tyres sells cars - most car buyers will ignore good advice they might get here and buy something that looks good.
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I was replying with the only reasons NOT to buy Michelin CC. Cost, unidirectional and larger gaps between tread. Trivial reasons. I may buy them next time.
The Tyre Review site on You Tube praised Quatrac 5 . Not as the best tyre, but maybe better than the Michelin, if you live up north and experience more snow.
I don't expect an all seasons tyre to perform as well in dry braking tests. I do expect better traction and steering in cold, wet and icy conditions. My previous good experience with Quatrac 3 definitely influenced me.
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I was replying with the only reasons NOT to buy Michelin CC. Cost, unidirectional and larger gaps between tread. Trivial reasons. I may buy them next time.
The Tyre Review site on You Tube praised Quatrac 5 . Not as the best tyre, but maybe better than the Michelin, if you live up north and experience more snow.
I don't expect an all seasons tyre to perform as well in dry braking tests. I do expect better traction and steering in cold, wet and icy conditions. My previous good experience with Quatrac 3 definitely influenced me.
Indeed - having not quite as good non-winter performance isn't that bad, it mainly means you just brake a bit earlier or take corners slightly slower, although I doubt if it would affect most of us as how often do we brake or corner at the absolute limit of grip?
In the winter, however, going from a summer tyre that 'might' stop the car in 40m+ (Ref. the Auto Bild test on Tyre Reviews) to one that does stop it in 25-30m or works safely at all in moderate to heavier snow is much more beneficial, especially if you live in rural/remote areas and are dependent on your car for much of your livelihood.
As tyres get better over the years, today's all season tyres are probably just as good as a top brand summer tyre from 5-10 years ago in non-winter conditions. As I've said before, I think people suffer more in the winter nowadays because a far greater percentage of cars are fitted with wide, low profile tyres, which work very poorly in snowy and icy conditions.
I think that too many car manufacturers and, it has to be said, car owners, are too obsessed with their cars having amazing grip in warmer conditions, especially when the only way to experience that is on a track day or via breaking the law on our roads. I note that our friends from across the Channel, Atlantic and probably Down Under do not seem to share this obsession as much as we appear to. When did we stop being a practical people and become obsessed with image?
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When did we stop being a practical people and become obsessed with image?
Around the time Thatcher bought millions of votes by flogging off the nations council housing stock at dirt cheap prices, and convinced millions of working class people they were now middle class.
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I've got 205/55/16 on my Octavia. Was planning to get a set of all seasons tyres. The Michelins initially had a price premium of £5 each over my other short listed tyre ,Vredestein Quatrac 5. By the time I came to buy 4 at the beginning of November it had increased to £10. Insignificant I know.
A minor down side of the Michelins - they are unidirectional and the larger tread gaps may catch and eject bigger stones . Popular tyres though.
Have a good read up of the reviews for the Quadrac 5. They may be improved now from my previous Quadrac 3's, but I found dry weather braking distances disappointing in emergency stops, making the ABS come in earlier than usual, has happened on 2 cars, my previous car and my current car where I inherited a virtually new set at sale. They got noisy when worn, in some instances bad enough to mistake it for a worn wheel bearing, many reviews highlighting this.
I understand that all seasons are a compromise, but the Quadrac 3's were compromised enough for me to seek alternatives.
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Interesting you should say that Corax, i think Quatrac 2 was the best of the Vredestein all season bunch, our daughters were kept out of trouble and mobile in all weathers on several sets.
Not just in tyres this happens, for years i bought DeWalt Challenger 2 Goretex boots, car transporter work rips work boots to shreds due to the stamped lorry decks but those Dewalts proved comfy as old slippers from the first time you put them on, completely waterproof and indestructible till you actually wore through the sole, even the laces lasted the life of the boot.
I bought one pair of the Challenger 3 boots when the 2 was discontinued, not comfortable at all, not cosy warm, not superlight, laces were rubbish and the soles split away in no time, i'm into CAT boots now which are doing well so far.
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I bought one pair of the Challenger 3 boots when the 2 was discontinued, not comfortable at all, not cosy warm, not superlight, laces were rubbish and the soles split away in no time, i'm into CAT boots now which are doing well so far.
Shoes are notorious for that. I have a pair of North Face Hedgehog goretex trainers. I think North Face realised that they had over engineered them because I bought the next generation with a view to relegating the older pair to gardening duties. The soles on the new pair had no shock absorption and the uppers wore out in no time, leaking water and not fit for purpose anymore, cold and wet.
They like to change the design on running shoes every year. They'll come out with a really good pair, everyone loves them, then they'll ruin it the next year, people wise up and buy 2 or 3 pairs of their favourites before they run out.
Interesting about the Challenger boots, I bought some 2's based on your recommendation. I still have them in the car for occasional use, great for standing on ladders for a long time with the steel shank through the sole and incredibly waterproof and warm. I'll have to hang on to them!
Before I write them off, the Quadracs were very good for their main purpose of snow and wet weather grip, I just felt that there must be better tyres out there for overall performance.
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mproved now from my previous Quadrac 3's, but I found dry weather braking distances disappointing in emergency stops, making the ABS come in earlier than usual, has happened on 2 cars,
Really! would have been really disappointing if you slam into the back of some innocent motorist. Had to imagine that some out there drive like this, How long do you expect your tyres to last driving like that?
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Really! would have been really disappointing if you slam into the back of some innocent motorist. Had to imagine that some out there drive like this, How long do you expect your tyres to last driving like that?
Have you never had to slow or emergency stop quickly? Have you ever driven in thick fog?
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Ok, which all seasons tyres have a dry braking distance as good as a summer tyre, while being great in cold ,wet, snowy and icy conditions?
Yes, I did my research. And bought Vredestein Quatrac 5 - as a compromise- when driving in poor weather conditions who doesn't slow down?
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Ok, which all seasons tyres have a dry braking distance as good as a summer tyre, while being great in cold ,wet, snowy and icy conditions?
Yes, I did my research. And bought Vredestein Quatrac 5 - as a compromise- when driving in poor weather conditions who doesn't slow down?
m****s.
There are a lot around here.
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Fitted crossclimates to our Golf GTD in December 2016 (7mm tread depth). 2 years and 32,500 miles later the front tyres are at 4mm and rears at 6mm. So I expect to get 40,000 miles from the fronts and who can guess how much from the rears.
Much quieter than the factory fitted Bridgestons, more comfortable and hugely better ice and snow grip..... Yes.... We live in Scotland! I highly recommend.
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