MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: Second on November 20, 2019, 12:08:03 pm

Title: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: Second on November 20, 2019, 12:08:03 pm
I need a new set of tires - do you think it’s worth buying winters - if so, what would you recommend? or do you think I should just put on another set of PS4’s. 225/45 r17
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: titchy on November 20, 2019, 12:25:58 pm
Autoexpress did a winter tyre test a few weeks ago you can read it online
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: Dan_FR on November 20, 2019, 01:29:35 pm
PS4 work really well in the cold but are utterly lousy in the ice & snow, as will any summer/performance tyre

Question is do you really need them? We (south wales) get snow maybe once a year if that which lasts a few days - I certainly wouldn't entertain winters for just that, and in a few months time those winter tyres will turn to jelly in summer temperatures
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: bobby_fodge on November 20, 2019, 01:51:57 pm
I have ps4 tyres on the front and their crossclimate ones one the rear. Now that the temps are lowish I'll swap them around. The crossclimates are ok but not as grippy in the wet as the ps4 though. I bought them last autumn  and expected them to outperform the ps4 over the winter. As we didn't have snow I don't thing they are worth bothering with.
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: snowball05 on November 21, 2019, 08:26:25 pm
Depends where you live. But in the South East I don’t think it’s worth it. I’ve been running PS3s and PS4s and I think they are an awesome all round tyre.


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Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: pudding on November 22, 2019, 11:35:55 am
For general winter use in the midlands, south east, and east anglia decent summer tyres are adequate if you don't drive like a pillock. 

The UK doesn't get enough compacted snow that hangs around for weeks to justify winters.  That is where they piss all over summer tyres, especially in the braking department.  You have to feel the difference to appreciate it.  It's not a slight improvement, it's night and day!
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: Andy on November 23, 2019, 05:52:44 pm
i live in the north east and sell a lot of nankang winter tyres
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: probedb on November 24, 2019, 07:07:07 pm
Winters are not just for snow first and foremost, they're made to be usable in much lower temperatures than summers.

Having had winter tires on my rwd RX7 and the difference they made, I'm going to be getting a set on the stock 17" Monzas at some point as they really do make a difference and that's the temperature, nothing to do with snow.

If you can, get a second set of wheels just for winter. It's just storing it that's the issue. However makes it easy to swap when you want :)
Title: Re: Time for new tires... Winters??
Post by: pudding on November 30, 2019, 06:08:43 pm
Agreed to some extent, winters are far superior at low temps.  Dealers tend to over hype the '7 degree' marketing flannel in order to punt winter tyres onto customers, but the reality is top tier summer tyres are now pliable 'enough' down to 0 degrees.  They will never match a winter tyre though, but the problem with the UK is it can be -4 degrees one day, and +10 degrees the next day.  Winters are bloody useless in positive temperatures.  Way too squishy and floppy.  It needs to be really cold to get the benefit, which it just isn't (consistently) here.