"All season" tyres

A

Adam

Member
 Manchester
Hi Guys,

Sorry to post yet another thread about tyres, but I couldn't find the answer to all my questions from the threads I searched through.

Given the shocking weather we had last winter that rendered by Zed stuck in snow for 2 weeks :headbang: , I was wondering if any forum members have a set of non run flat winter tyres that they use all year round?
I can't really be bothered changing the tyres around depending on the season and as the Bridgestone run-flats are getting low on tread, i was wanting to make the change over to non- runflats to feel the benefits everybody's been raving about :thumbsup: . I was also a little concerned that some posts were talking about having different rims for the winter months?

The way I figure it, I have 2 options:

1) Faulken 452s (can anyone advise how these compare in the snow to the bridgestones?)
2) Get an all season tyre that will give be decent enough grip to get by on the snowy/icy months, without comprimising the normal ride.

Please can someone also confirm what the correct tyres are for front and rear on the Falken 452s (speed, width etc)? I have the 18" ellipsoids on now if this makes a difference.

Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.

Adam
 
Just get a spare set of wheels with winter tyres on and swap the wheels over come November/March.

If you're not bothered about aesthetics, then you can get a full set of 17" steel wheels & tyres for £600 or so.
 
Thanks for the response.

I ideally just want to have one set of tyres for ease and cost. As I need to change my tyres now anyway, I would have to buy to full sets of tyres (one normal and one winter), as well as an extra set of rims, which would be fairly costly I would imagine.
 
I read a good bit into buying all-season tyres (although for my van rather than the Z4 - I already decided to go for proper winter/cold-weather tyres on the Z4).

Basically, all season tyres are a compromise - stating the obvious. They'll never be as effective as a specific summer/general tyre or a specific cold-conditions/winter tyre. My thoughts are why put a compromising tyre on a performance-orientated car such as the Z4?

In the end I decided against them for the van too after hearing about all-season tyres wearing out quickly during the summer/warmer months (different/softer compound for grip during winter). Considering I'll be doing a few thousand miles in mainland Europe at the height of summer, plus I already had spare rims for the van, I decided on 2 sets of wheels/tyres for it too. Just means I've got to store 8 spare wheels/tyres year round :D
 
Adam said:
Thanks for the response.

I ideally just want to have one set of tyres for ease and cost. As I need to change my tyres now anyway, I would have to buy to full sets of tyres (one normal and one winter), as well as an extra set of rims, which would be fairly costly I would imagine.
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What you'd do for now, is buy a set of wheels with winter tyres (or just winter tyres for the standard wheels), and in March you either take the winter tyres off your standard wheels and store them and then buy your summer tyres, or swap your winter wheels & tyres for your summer set. Then next winter you already have a set of winter tyres, rather than having worn them out by driving on them in the summer.

You'd probably get a set of summer tyres (non-runflats) for £100 a corner.

How many miles do you do a year? If it's loads (i.e. over 20,000) then it'll be worth having two sets.
 
I only do 6k miles per year and I still think it's worth having the two sets. It'll basically delay me having to buy replacement summer tyres - and as I'm planning on keeping the Z4 another couple of years minimum, I'll get the use out of both sets.

Reminds me that my current rears (Falken FK-452's) were looking quite worn when I swapped wheels at the weekend. But not surprising since they've now covered approx 10k miles of "fun" driving :driving:
 
Thanks for the responses so far.

Has had anyone had experience of how the Falken 452s perform in the snow? I think these will definitely be my summer choice, if not an all rounder.
 
Think the 452's are a summer tyre not all season and therefore rubbish on snow. I used them back in early 2007 and got stuck in the snow we had that year in a car park while all those around me (FWD) drove away.
 
I found the FK452's useless in the snow last winter, but that was my first time in snow in RWD and I don't have anything to compare them against. I guess they're no worse than other summer tyres though, I think the winter performance last year was more to do with RWD.

I found the Bridgestone RE040's on my EP3 Civic Type R (FWD of course) utterly useless a few years ago too - I was getting passed by Micra's and Fiesta's on skinny tyres - so it's not all to do with FWD/RWD. Wide performance tyres in general are useless in the snow!
 
I feel my summer tyres start to lose grip when temperature is below 7C and the road is wet. :(

The cheapest 17" wheel for E89 is star spoke 276 and £225 each, 17" star spoke 290 is £290. :headbang:
 
I guess the wheel size of the e89 is the same as the e85
Then 3 series wheels will fit, see bmautosport.co.uk for 4 17" wheels for about £350 :)
Check ebay also
 
The best all round tyre that I've read reviews on is the Nokian WR G2, it's a cold weather tyre that many on the Saab and Volvo forums feel can be used all year round. Apparently it delivers reasonable performance under all conditions.

I'm running pure winter tyres at the moment and feel that the dry/warm handling is compromised compared with summer tyres, but then in the North East the weather seems to have turned in the last couple of days, much colder, lots of rain and hail stones. The winter tyres are starting to make a lot of sense. :rofl:
 
Blue said:
The best all round tyre that I've read reviews on is the Nokian WR G2, it's a cold weather tyre that many on the Saab and Volvo forums feel can be used all year round. Apparently it delivers reasonable performance under all conditions.
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That's the ones I've heard of too, but even still I've heard stories of them wearing out more quickly than regular summer tyres. I considered them for my van but dismissed them due to cost: for the cost of them I can buy a set of (admittedly budget) winter tyres AND a set of good summer tyres :roll:
 
I use Vredestein Wintracs on my Disco 3 and when I bought them, I was a bit concerned about the wear rate as I was going to use them all year round. (the manufacturer didn't make another tyre in the size and load rating req'd.)

The factory fitted tyres were Pirelli normal pattern / all purpose job - they lasted 22k - The fellas on the disco3.co.uk forum reckon 40k on the Vredestein winter tyre and used all year is what is expected!

That'll do me. :D
 
Think I'll go with the Falken's for the time-being then. Don't really want to compromise on grip etc in summer for the sake of driving it in the snow. With a bit of luck we may avoid the snow this year!!
Looking forward to getting rid of these runflats. Went over a bumpy bit of road on my drive home today and felt like I was having a seizure!!
 
Just about to buy some Falkens this weekend. Can I just check before I take the plunge, have I got the sizes for front and back etc?


Falken FK-452 225/40 R18 Y (92), Reinforced 2 £86.36 £172.72
Falken FK-452 255/35 R18 Y (94), Reinforced 2 £126.47 £252.94

This is what's in my basket at Blackcircles (this includes fitting).
Has anyone had any experience with these guys?

Thanks,

Adam
 
Adam said:
Just about to buy some Falkens this weekend. Can I just check before I take the plunge, have I got the sizes for front and back etc?


Falken FK-452 225/40 R18 Y (92), Reinforced 2 £86.36 £172.72
Falken FK-452 255/35 R18 Y (94), Reinforced 2 £126.47 £252.94

This is what's in my basket at Blackcircles (this includes fitting).
Has anyone had any experience with these guys?

Thanks,

Adam
Click to expand...
Camskill at £62.25 and £102.2 respectivley are cheaper
Russ
 
Wondermike said:
Bought 2 full sets from them, one fitted and one mail order. No problems at all :thumbsup:

Sizes are correct :)
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Great!

I'm not sure whereabouts up North you're from, but I was wondering which "approved fitting centre you selected? If its anywhere near Manchester, I will probably go for the same one (would rather find one that isn't going to destroy my alloys!)
 
tdz840 said:
Adam said:
Just about to buy some Falkens this weekend. Can I just check before I take the plunge, have I got the sizes for front and back etc?


Falken FK-452 225/40 R18 Y (92), Reinforced 2 £86.36 £172.72
Falken FK-452 255/35 R18 Y (94), Reinforced 2 £126.47 £252.94

This is what's in my basket at Blackcircles (this includes fitting).
Has anyone had any experience with these guys?

Thanks,

Adam
Click to expand...
Camskill at £62.25 and £102.2 respectivley are cheaper
Russ
Click to expand...


That's a fair bit cheaper. Does Camskill include fitting?
 
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