Hankook
all season tyre is an option worth considering
Gordon
Hesketh-Jones provides useful feedback on his tyre choices as
a heavy MGBGTV8 user and highlights an all season tyre which
came out well in an AutoExpress winter tyre test.
See the review of the Hankook all season
tyre. More
Pneus-Online is a possible source of Continental winter tyres
for an MGBV8. More
AutoExpress tests winter tyres. More
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: 1211211
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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
driver in his MGBGTV8, notes "AutoExpress ran
a reasonably scientific Winter Tyre test in one
of their October editions. The tests were carried
out in Sweden for the snow tests and then in Hanover
for the dry and wet comparative tests." The
tests are described on the AutoExpress website and
the results table is alongside showing Continental
winter tyres coming out best but interestingly the
Hankook Optimo - an all-season tyre - came fifth
in the results. This tyre was described as the"best
all-season choice is a real jack-of-all trades". |
Gordon
has decided that the Hankook all season tyre,
with its very good performance when measured alongside
the winter tyres in the AutoExpress comparative
tests, is probably the best option for his frequent
all the year round use of his V8. Good braking,
handling and grip on wet and dry roads in cold
temperatures is important for him rather than the
slightly better braking, traction and handling performance
that a genuine winter tyre would provide on snow.
The Hankook Optimo K175 tyres all season tyre scored
a respectable 95.7% beating Vredestein and Goodyear.
The other useful feature revealed by the AutoExpress
tests is the Hankook tyres are available in the
175/80 R14 size which is correct for the Factory
MGBGTV8 model although they have a "T"
speed rating rather than an "H". Gordon
says "blackcircle.com have them on offer at
£48.46 each so with local fitting in Cornwall
that would be a total of around £270 for a
set - well worth it I would say".
Prudently Gordon has checked with his insurer that
fitting a Hankook all season tyre in the correct
tyre size for the V8 but with an altered speed rating
would be acceptable and they confirmed it would
be fine. As he intended fitting an 80 aspect ratio
tyre he did not enquire whether they would accept
a 70 profile tyre if he had chosen to fit the Continental
winter tyre which is available only as a 175/70
R14, but he feels that fitting that profile would
require the insurer's consent..
One
final point - blackcircles.com
also have the Continental Eco Contact 3 Summer 175/80
R14 tyre (the winner in the AutoExpress Summer tests)
in an H rating at £63.84. |
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