Despite having 4WD my Subaru is not great in the snow and as I live on hill with a steep drive down to a main road this is not good. It is better than 2WD cars, but not that much better. I have worked this out as partly due to tyres which are getting close to being worn and secondly for having tyres which are designed more for high performance than cold winter slush and ice.
So, any recommendations for a tyre which can cope with the potential high speeds of my Outback and the better grip needed in the winter. Many of you may remember my accident last winter. I have had two almost repeats of that in the last three weeks and want to avoid another one.
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I have decided not to buy winter tyres but to replace my existing tyres- when worn out - with ones more suited to bad weather - ie. a chunky tread which will give grip in snow (in ice you are wasting time)
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What's Hebrew for "Oh Fertiliser" Espada? Just in case in comes in handy you know !
;-)
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The Vredestein Snowtracs that Im trialling are very quiet, despite having a very deep and chunky tread. They are also amazingly good on ice, quite opposite to what I was expecting. I have driven several cars today, inclusing the Seat with the vredesteins on and the difference is very marked. You wouldnt expect to get any grip on sheet ice, but you do.
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They don't have words for "...oh heck i'm sliding down a snowy hill and about to hit a car going past..." in Israel, as the words snowy and hill rarely appear in the same sentence, especially about a road.
Just come back from a few days on the Red Sea. they do not know what snow is.
Anyway Humph next time you make fun of my accident, you're buying me a pint..........
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The Yokohama W.Drive seem to get consistent Good to Excellent reviews as all-rounders and are reasonably priced. Only rated to 130mph though.
Kevin...
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Try Vredstein Quatrac "all-season" tyres. Should transform the Outback on wet/snow.
I've got Yoko Geolanders on the Forester (standard fit) - not great on road, but adequate on snow/ice. Will probably get Vredsteins at renewal time.
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As Lygonos, Vred Quatrac.
The Quatrac 3 is now available in lower profile and higher speed ratings than the Quat 2 was, if they'd been available before i went to the trouble and expense of 2 sets for each of our cars i'd have given them a go meself.
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I tremble to disagree with gordonbennet, who is much more knowledgeable than I, but my advice is to get winter tyres, like Vredestein Snowtrac 3, rather than all-season tyres.
For snow and ice, an all-season tyre is a compromise. And when I'm driving on snow, I don't want any compromise.
Last year, in one of their winter tyre tests, ADAC included both Snowtrac 3 and Quatrac 3. Quatrac 3 was better on dry and wet roads, Snowtrac 3 was better on snow and ice. (It was also better for noise, fuel consumption, and wear rate.)
See tinyurl.com/ygdupk9
For more ADAC winter tyre tests, see tinyurl.com/ycyx6ue
If the tests are to be believed, you are not going to get much better than Continental WinterContact TS830.
(By the way, I know that an all season tyre is better in the summer than a winter tyre, but you can change back to summer tyres in the spring. In fact, even if you don't change back, driving on winter tyres in the summer isn't a big problem. I have driven with winter tyres during the summer, and never noticed any significant lack of grip.)
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bennet who is much more knowledgeable than I
>>
Where on earth did you get that idea.
I agree with you that proper winter tyres are the way to go if possible and i don't have any regrets, far from it i'm more convinced than ever following the last 2 winters.
However i know i'm keeping my vehicles for lots of years all being well, so i will get the benefit and value of the fairly considerable expense of setting up 2nd set of tyres and wheels over time.
Many drivers will only be keeping their car a couple or maybe 3 years at the most, and if their car is a new model they may struggle to find a set of affordable good used wheels for their winter set.
I really suggested the Quatracs as a compromise because they will be infinitely better than summer tyres, without the cost penalty being able to put them on as straight all year replacements, possibility for company car drivers too if they are allowed an input on tyre choice.
As Espada's car is a Subaru i'd have thought his car shod with good all seasons would be almost unstoppable anyway...with Snowtracs on he could go into vehicle recovery..;)
Agree about noise by the way, the winter tyres on my MB are quiet and give a smooth ride too, big difference to my summer set.
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>>Where on earth did you get that idea?
I read your posts.
:-)
I take your point about cost. I was speaking to a friend a couple of days ago. I have suggested that he get winter tyres on various occasions, and this time he was regretting not having taken my advice. He now plans to get them ASAP. Alas, he is planning to change his car in a few months.
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.........As Espada's car is a Subaru i'd have thought his car shod with good all seasons would be almost unstoppable anyway...with Snowtracs on he could go into vehicle recovery..;)...
Unstoppable is not a word I want to hear. I want to stop, as last year I couldn't and crashed! I want tyres that are ungoable unless I want them to go. :-)
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How about getting some steel wheels and keeping winter tyres on those as the bad weather will probably only be for a few weeks every year :-)
There are some cheaper solutions here:
www.tyresdirectuk.co.uk/xcart/home.php?cat=250
They do steel wheels for £35 a corner too.
If it is icy and very steep then you need studded tyres as even winter tyres aren't invincible. Those autosock things are supposed to be pretty good too but again they might not be up to a steep icy slope.
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If you can get Nokian WR2s in your size (i bought from mytyres) they're ace.
My mate has Bridgestone Blizzak's and in the current snow / ice they're a step up on the Nokian WR2s. Supposed to be good in rain too.
Edited by CraigP on 07/01/2010 at 13:58
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