We have only had a little bit of snow where I live but they were ok, the braking grip was excellent, cornering was ok, no slides.

Wet grip is very good in heavy rain and in ordinary conditions also. I have not had to go round any corners in the wet or dry any slower since having them fitted but I was amazed at the difference in road noise compared to the Continental tires that were fitted.

I tend to run tyres in for about 100 miles, which I did with the Kuhmo's, but at no time was there a feeling of less grip while they were new.

When they wear out I intend to have them fitted again.

One point to consider when buying a second set of wheels, try and get a set that were an option for the car. Insurance companies now appear to be happy with people fitting winter tyres but wheels other than OE will be considered an option and insurance company need to be notified, there may also be a charge. When I bought mine I found a set of steel ones for peanuts that came off the base model. Insurance company wanted another £60, reason was steel whels are not fitted with locking nuts like alloys, when i said I would certainly be fitting locking nuts it made no difference. Alloys cost me £20 more than steels with no extra insurance.

I'm out on a limb here, as I have never found any problem with summer slicks. Mind you, I'm a Londoner, and don't do early runs to work either. My guess is that only with snow and ice on a regular basis does anyone - except tyre manufactuers - need winter tyres.

Certainly, travelling anywhere at the type of speeds I drive is never going to test anything. I've not driven in under 3C yet this year, and was quite happy in minus temps last year around town and suburban - which is after all about 80% of us.

Driving around at 3 degrees in London will not be a problem for summer tyres but when during an average winter (not the last 3 severe ones) you get several falls of snow and you have to drive up to 20 miles each way on poorly treated roads they make one hell of a difference. Just have a read at either Honest Johns or the Auto Express winter tyre test to see what a huge difference they make to braking safety alone.

Last winter 17" of snow fell on our garden over a 3 day period, actually there was more than 17" but once it was 17" deep the next dump just compressed it to 17". 225 summer slicks would been an absolute disaster, man up street with new Passat CC thought he could defy the laws of the universe and drive the brand new car like it was dry, traction contol, ESP, ABS etc will sort out any problem he thought, well the kerb on the first corner stopped him. Whatever speed you drive and however careful you are conditions can catch you out.

As I have said before they do not cost me anything. Keep cars 5 years and normally need a one set of new tyres during that time, rotate them front to back to even wear. Summer tyres are about £125 each for one acra and £165 for the other. The Kleber tyres we have cost me £290 a set, wheels off e-bay £80 and £120 a set, both of those are way less than a set of summer tyres.

Providing we don't have a puncture that damages a tyre beyond repair we will not have to buy any more tyres for either car while we own them, if the wheels don't fit the next car stick them back on e-bay, won't loose any money.

The OH has a i30 - a 1.4 Comfort. It's the last of the ones running the 15" alloys and 185-65/15 tyres.

The factory Hankook Optimo K415 are rubbish. Fronts are nearly down to 3mm after less than 10k.

Channel, I respectfully suggest your driving style may have something to do with your tyre wear - on my 1.4 i30 Comfort I just changed the front Hankook Optimos at 21000 miles with 3.5 mm tread left.

(And no, I don't drive slowly).

Why did you change them with 3.5mm tread?

3mm is the recommended minimum depth for reasonable wet grip - so if safety figures anywhere on your priorities it's a good figure to use.

4mm is the guide for changing them in Germany new tyres are 8mm all tyre especially winter yres loose more than 50% of the effectiveness even though there is 50% of the tread left.

I'm wondering what you replaced them with, and what do you think of the new tyres? I've been bitten before when fitting new tyres to a car, and the tyre turning out to be unsuitable for that car's chassis.

Up here on the edge of the Pennines we had plenty of snow last winter, the Hankook Optimos worked well on snowy gradients, so with winter approaching I replaced the fronts with the same tyres. The rears still had almost 6mm on so now I have the same tyres all round with plenty tread. As these were the factory fit and have performed OK why change?