Winter tyres...which ones do you have?

As above.. What're your favourites? And what are the quietest?

Currently considering new tyres, and winter is coming anyway.

At the moment, they're 15" Hankook's, and I think I'm getting a lot of tyre noise from the front. In particular, the drivers side.

Is it necessary to replace all four, or could I just replace the front two?

Thanking you

Replace all 4 for the same type or you'll run into problems, get yourself some Goodyear Wrangler M&S or some Pirelli Scorpion STR M&S, they were standard fitment on the cars, are pretty cheap, last ages, and are good in all weather

SES88 said:

Replace all 4 for the same type or you'll run into problems, get yourself some Goodyear Wrangler M&S or some Pirelli Scorpion STR M&S, they were standard fitment on the cars, are pretty cheap, last ages, and are good in all weather

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Many thanks for that

Should I stick with the same profile/width etc that's already on it? I don't have the hand book, so don't know what was originally recommended...

I would, are they something like 195/80/15?

Spot on! Thanks for that, you're very helpful

I'll be fitting Vredestsn Wintrax 4 extreme to my 16" rims.

Epicuser said:

I'll be fitting Vredestsn Wintrax 4 extreme to my 16" rims.

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What's wrong with your grabbers? Thought they were M&S rated?

gen grabber at's or at2's - cant be beat for grip & longevity.

The Mad Hat Man said:

gen grabber at's or at2's - cant be beat for grip & longevity.

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SES88 said:

What's wrong with your grabbers? Thought they were M&S rated?

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They all can be by proper winter tyres.

Grip? The Grabbers may be okay off-road (not great) but on tarmac in my auto I can get them to spin in the dry! In the wet they are even worse.

They don't have the sipes which is what gives you the grip on ice and snow.

I want my car to stop in wet weather and I am not confident with the Grabber AT. They don't hold the road very well dry or wet compared to proper winter tyres.

I have used winter tyres or better named in the UK, cold weather tyres, for the last 4 years. They are so different to everything else. They have to be experienced to be believed.

The AT tyre is a compromise and not a great one at that, in my opinion. I'd be better off with Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme tyres all year round!

After nearly 14 months of ownership I have used the car about 99% on road. I just don't have the time to drive a long way to go off-road.

Last year I was in Continental WinterContact tyres, but they were on the small side. They are all around 4mm so time to change to some the right size.

I've found the Wranglers and Scorpion tyres to be great the last few years, although they're more road biased tyres and full of sipes which will help...

My AT3's are shocking in the wet, all over the place, can't really comment on last winter as it was pretty mild, but the odd day or two when it was slippery I had no issues, again though they have a lot of sipes!

I've found GG AT's to be excellent in the wet. At best average in the dry though.

As for winter tyres, as has already been said they are amazing in the snow.
My M3 went from being a death trap to almost unstoppable in the snow.

It was only the front spoiler acting like a snow plow that would stop it.
They are hopeless in the summer though.

jaygti said:

I've found GG AT's to be excellent in the wet. At best average in the dry though.

As for winter tyres, as has already been said they are amazing in the snow.
My M3 went from being a death trap to almost unstoppable in the snow.

It was only the front spoiler acting like a snow plow that would stop it.
They are hopeless in the summer though.

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That's not my experience in the wet with my new Grabber AT's.

The Vredestein Wintrac tyres seem to be quite good in the summer from what I have heard.

Epicuser said:

That's not my experience in the wet with my new Grabber AT's.

The Vredestein Wintrac tyres seem to be quite good in the summer from what I have heard.

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My Aunt & Uncle use them year round on their Jaaaaag's, have done now for a few years

Use maxis winter all year very cheap very good

There is some confusion about Winter tyres and the legislation in some countries where they are mandatory at certain times of the year. Many of the countries that require them actually only specify a tyre which is M&S rated (Mud and Snow) - this only means that the tread pattern differs slightly and is not optimised for high speed wet roads.

I think Winter tyres as UK tyre stockists refer to them are tyres with the M&S tread pattern AND siping AND made from a different compound of rubber which provides much improved grip below 7 degrees - these tyres carry both the M&S markings and the "Alpine snowflake symbol". It is these tyres that offer a significant improvement in snow and ice - there are plenty of videos on YouTube with comparisons to normal car tyres.

I have just bought four Cooper Discoverer M+S2 winter tyres from Oponeo for a price no-one else could get near too. So far they seem great - sticky and quiet. My dad has used Wintrac 4's on his XC70 for 3 years now and swears by them - but they are expensive.

What he says ^^^^

Have a watch of this then....

Winter tyres vs 4x4 - snow tyre test - autocar.co.uk - YouTube

And this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STaximkaQxo

Then this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elP_34ltdWI

I run general grabber at's have had no issues in wet or dry and seem ok for general offroad .

My biggest beef with the new General Grabber AT I purchased new earlier this year is the side walls. They are so soft and take no abuse whatsoever. I have gone through 3 so far, all with sidewall problems. Never had any problems before with the Grabber UHP's, or my Continental WinterContact's or with the Dunlop Sports on my previous car.
That is 8 tyres I have bought.... Really no impressed with them at all.
They spin when I pull away quickly and slide a little on wet & greasy roads, more than any other tyres I have used. They are noisy and use more fuel. Apart from that they are fine!