AutoExpress
tests winter tyres
Gordon
Hesketh-Jones provides useful feedback on his tyre choices as
a heavy MGBGTV8 user and highlights an AutoExpress winter tyre
test.
Which? magazine winter tyre test report. More
See our briefing note on winter tyres. More
Are winter tyres worth the expense? - see our article from December
2010. More
Are snow socks a low cost alternative to winter tyres or snow
chains? More
See a winter
tyres update from Chris Hunt Cooke. More
Further
update. More
Posted: 191211
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Visit the AutoExpress website and see a video clip
of their useful tyre tests. More |
Gordon
Hesketh-Jones, an all the year round high mileage
MGBGTV8 driver, notes "AutoExpress ran a reasonably
scientific Winter Tyre test in one of their October
editions, the actual tests being carried out in
Sweden for the snow tests and then in Hanover for
the dry and wet comparative tests." |
Gordon adds that "predictably the Continental
tyres came out best - but we all know that they
are sold out. Mentally I had decided (old-fart prejudice)
against the Asian makes, but I was quite impressed
by the scores for Hankook etc. I
do have some spare V8 wheels but feel that my main
requirement is in improved braking; I have frequently
driven home through snow from Exeter or Plymouth
and have found that the RWD MGBGTV8 with its old-fashioned
low-end torque can maintain traction even when modern
FWD cars are spinning their front wheels to a frustrated
standstill. I plan therefore to fit initially Winter
tyres to the front only; as to the make, the chart
above is useful, but it depends on availability.
AutoExpress
mention mytyres.co.uk and I see that their local
fitting agents charge £17.45 for fitting,
balancing and disposing of the old tyre. I also
spoke to my local ATS depot who have been supplying
my tyres for approaching 30 years and they quoted
£15 per corner.
On
a related point, all my V8 mileage has been on Michelin
X tyres and their various successor versions. These
tyres carry a pronounced bead around the side, this
being originally at the behest of Mercedes who required
it to protect their newly-introduced alloy wheels.
I routinely asked ATS last August to order some
new Michelins for me; every so often I called in
to check progress, and last week ATS became frustrated
and did some serious delving - only to find out
that our size of tyre in that X-successor range
(the Energy/MXV) has been totally discontinued.
As a result of this I plan to switch to Hankook
tyres (if I can get them) as they came out well
as an all-season tyre.
Remember
you don't need snow for winter tyres to show a benefit
for winter driving - they work considerably better
in all conditions as temperatures drop below 7C.
In some parts of the UK that can be as early as
September or October. With average winter temperatures
of 3.7C, winter tyres can offer 60% more grip than
summer tyres and noticeably more traction and steering
response. |
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