Do you use all season tyres?

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

I just use normal tyres, I've never seen them sold as all-season, winter or summer. In aware of tyre companies trying to flog the concept. Unlike Canada, UK winters are not that different to summers, there is often overlap in weather.

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scuderia91@reddit

Your “normal” tyres will still be winter, summer or all season. It’s not some gimmick to sell tyres, it’s based on actual temperatures they’re designed to work at.

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Summer tyres apparently - in the UK it's a gimmick, unless you put new tyres on daily

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scuderia91@reddit

Why would you need to be putting on new tyres daily?

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

UK weather

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scuderia91@reddit

It doesn’t swing that much day to day. It’s not 15 one day and then 2 the next

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Yes it is, it just did that

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scuderia91@reddit

Have you just waited 2 months to respond to this? Either way it’s nonsense. If you’d put your winter tyres on ahead of this week you still wouldn’t need to take them off, it’s barely even getting into double digits the next week. You could run winter tyres the rest of the year now.

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

I think you're just upselling people, but feel free to do it yourself

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scuderia91@reddit

I’m upselling people?

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

You're acting as if to upsell an unneeded product, which often happens

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scuderia91@reddit

I’m upselling a product by saying you don’t need an extra set of tyres?

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Yeah ok I agree, I answered to not having swing temps, but we do get that. Yeah sorry, I take it all back

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Ok-Insurance6933@reddit

‘Trying to flog the concept’ and ‘gimmick’ is hilarious. The point is that summers are not suitable for the job below 7 degrees Celsius. Physics vs bloke from Reddit

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Do what you like, but I think you're suggesting to people to waste their money, so I'm going to say it. The tyres you get with a new car are safe and an MOT tests your tyres.

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Azyall@reddit

Not sure where you get the idea it doesn't snow or get icy here in the winter? True, we don't have consistently snowy winters, nor do we (usually) get the type of winters many other countries do, but ice on the roads is certainly an annual event, and some areas of the UK (Scotland, for instance) almost always have significant snowfall. Yes, we use all season tyres. Drivers in some areas might invest in snow chains, or modern equivalent, but for most people the tyres they use on the hottest days are also those they use on the coldest.

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MJLDat@reddit

We use tyres. Not sure if summer/winter tyres are even available here.

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ZekkPacus@reddit

It doesn't really get cold enough in most of the country for all seasons to be worth it, and in the parts of the country that it does, the roads often aren't really designed to be driveable in bad weather. Obviously there are exceptions to this, agricultural vehicles and the like.

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snowandrocks2@reddit

Eh? I live in inland Aberdeenshire, possibly the coldest, snowiest part of the UK, and the roads are usually perfectly driveable in winter weather with the right tyres. Sure there are odd days when the wind blocks the roads with drifting snow but the snow ploughing service is generally great so it's rarely an issue for long away from the highest hill passes. Most people I know here either use winters or, increasingly, all weather tyres like the Michelin Cross Climates which are very nearly as good in the winter but are also fine over the summer.

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ZekkPacus@reddit

I did say "mostly" and "often". I wasn't aiming to cover every single edge case going.

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snowandrocks2@reddit

Pretty common here in rural Aberdeenshire to fit either dedicated winter tyres on a separate set of wheels or just to run all weathers like Michelin Cross Climates. Always a big queue at my local tyre fitters the first time it snows each autumn.

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Conscious_Leading_52@reddit

Full winter tyres for me from beginning of November until the end of April! I'd never ever do anything different

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Big_Lemon_5849@reddit

I use cross climate all seasons and it’s a noticeable improvement over summers. I was going to switch between summers and winters but the winters aren’t bad enough and I don’t drive hard enough to use summers.

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HankHippopopolous@reddit

I don’t even know what tyres I have. When one gets worn or if I’ve ever gotten a puncture I get them changed at a tyre place near me. I don’t even know what brand they are. I look at the performance ratings on the sheet when choosing them and pick mediumish ones. Never buy the cheapest ones and don’t need the top performance ones.

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Regular_Zombie@reddit

I don't always practice what I'm about to say but everyone should have the best tyres they can afford. They're the only thing attaching your car to the road. In an emergency the better around performance and greater grip available to enable rapid changes of direction could be the difference between avoiding a collision or being caught up in it. Good tyres are actually pretty cheap insurance.

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HankHippopopolous@reddit

No buying the most expensive tyre people can afford is silly and a waste of money. Some of the tyres are like £300 per tyre. I can afford that but it’s way more than I need on my regular car doing regular speeds. So when I say mediumish ones I’m talking like £130-£150ish range. The cheapest ones are like £60 and will be garbage and yeah people should avoid those as long as they can afford to but as with most products there is a happy middle ground where quality is good but you’re not paying way over the odds for diminishing returns. You can get very decent tyres at that medium range and when you look at the euro safety ratings charts have good scores.

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GFoxtrot@reddit

Garage asked me last time if I was sure I wanted continentals and not some unknown brand. Like you I always pay for a good tyre, some of my bicycle tyres are more expensive than some of the car tyres I’ve seen!

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bookfrombox@reddit

Honestly no idea. I buy bog standard tyres. I drive sensible for the conditions. I don't speed or take stupid risks.

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partywithanf@reddit

You have to don't speed or take risks to struggle in Winter weather. But when the road hasn't been cleared after week of snow, on top of ice, good luck getting in/out the driveway on Summer tyres.

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bookfrombox@reddit

Which happens for a few days once every 5-10 years in the UK. I think in all my years of driving there has been two incidents when the weather was so bad people were struggling. It's just not an issue needing a solution.

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partywithanf@reddit

I don’t think that’s an applicable blanket statement for the U.K.

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partywithanf@reddit

"In the U.K. in the winters it dosent snow or get icy" what tropical climate is that? Barely made it over freezing from Decemeber to March last winter.

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Otherwise_Fly_2263@reddit

I toyed with the idea of all season tyres on my partner’s rear wheel drive bmw because I was worried about how it would handle in the winter after reading horror stories on Reddit about how all rear wheel drive car try to kill you as soon as you press the accelerator. The reality is it was absolutely fine on the fairly decent set of Pirelli P Zeros that it had when we bought it. We live in the midlands, it rarely stays below 7°C for more than a couple of days. I could just about see the logic in all season tyres if you lived in Scotland or do a lot of driving on ungritted roads, otherwise, just don’t drive like a twat and you’ll be fine.

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Insideout_Ink_Demon@reddit

I have spring on the front near side, summer on the front offside. Autumn on the rear near side and Winter on the rear offside

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pm_me_your_amphibian@reddit

Our weather is too changeable from one day to the next to faff about with changing tyres all the time.

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Professional-Day6965@reddit

I just use the tyres that came with the car. It's not something I really think about

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nunsreversereverse@reddit

That'll be summer then

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

I've never bought a pair of tyres referred to as 'summer tyres', but it'd make sense since our winters are often as warm as cool Summer days.

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nunsreversereverse@reddit

They do use them mind. Michelin website has summer, all season and winter.

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CrazyInEngland@reddit

Really? How long do you have the car for? Dont you need to change them after age/wear and tear? Or do you mean you replace them with the same brand of tyre that was on the wheel?

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Beartato4772@reddit

For most people the garage will say “you need a new tyre(s)” at the service and they will have them fitted. But if they do it between services they’ll just go to the same garage or a tyre place and might go as far as choosing a brand. As a car owner for 3 decades in the uk no tyre seller has ever mentioned “winter tyres” to me and I’m not even sure I’ve seen it on their websites.

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Professional-Day6965@reddit

3 years then trade in. But when I've had second hand cars in the past I just buy the tyres as recommend by the garage (provided cost is reasonable).

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Rastapopolos-III@reddit

Nah, replacing the car when the tyres are bald.

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

No I think tyre marketing dept thinks about how to sell us the idea - not much use when December can be 12C and autumn/spring anything. Maybe it's worthwhile in Scotland.

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albamick@reddit

4 season tyres. They make a big difference in the wet too

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whereismyfix@reddit

This is a myth about all season tyres. They are not better in the wet than equivalent performance summer tyres in normal UK driving conditions. However, when temperatures drop below 7 degrees or you experience any snow or ice on the road, they can be a lifesaver.

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Yes but unfortunately one day can be 3C then the next day is back over 10

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albamick@reddit

I find a massive improvement with surface water.

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rev-fr-john@reddit

No, I don't change my tyres on an almost daily basis.

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Or even half daily

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Fred_Derf_Jnr@reddit

The problem with winter tyres in the UK is that they are only good below 7c and we can’t guarantee that we have enough consecutive days below that even in the middle of winter, so not worth the money. And it’s something else to complain about!

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Beartato4772@reddit

Plus in a country where a very large number of people have no garage or driveway, where the hell am I going to store 4 wheels and tyres at all time?

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EdmundTheInsulter@reddit

Don't worry you can pay them to store them for you. I mean seriously, some people have only got to hear a theory about tyres and they'll be straight out to pay for it. I sometimes wonder if the same people end up skint with bald tyres

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FreshPrinceOfH@reddit

My tyres are definitely black, rubber and round.

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Nuker-79@reddit

I use winter tyres and summer tyres, didn’t used to do this but the company pays for them so I just take advantage of the offer.

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redmanshaun@reddit

All season. Am I bugger changing my tyres for 10-20 days of the year. Even then half those days still end up somewhat wet.

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MarrV@reddit

But you did change them from the default tyres that came with the car though?

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Dramatic_Strategy_95@reddit

Yes, in Scotland and have done for years. In my younger days I lost traction and ended up off the road a couple of times on summer tyres so don't risk it anymore.

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daddywookie@reddit

A lot of people here mixing up All Season and Winter tyres. The whole “below 7C” thing is for winter tyres which are specifically designed for cold and snow. Ordinary “Summer” tyres get stiffer below this temperature making them less grippy. The choice used to be summer or winter. There’s a growing range of All Season tyres which are designed to work in the -10C to +30C range. You lose performance at the very cold or very warm end but most of the time they’re a good compromise between grip and efficiency. Perfect for the UK climate.

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fussyfella@reddit

UK general purpose tyres are fine for virtually all the weather the UK typically gets, but when I lived in Germany I did as local do (not least as it is the law) and changed to winter tyres which perform notably better on ice than the summer ones. Just remember, if it does net snowy and icy in the UK, your tyres are sub optimal (at best) so take extra care. The bigger problem though in such conditions, is that the Brits have mostly never learned to drive in those conditions and that makes it much much worse.

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QuarrieMcQuarrie@reddit

Yes. I live in Scotland along 6miles of untreated roads. Plus lots of water.

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SpaTowner@reddit

I live in the Highlands and use Michelin CrossClimate All Season tyres. I used to use whatever was second cheapest at National Tyres, but I moved and the roads where I am now get *much* more surface water (and ice in winter) and the car was starting to feel quite unsafe in the colder months. The road holding and ability to deal with surface water is so much better that I’d never go back.

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Altruistic_Cress_700@reddit

I do the same but only because I holiday in European mountains every year and France have created rules about winter tyres or chains in the last few years. I live in the home counties and there is zero need for Winter tyres. The last time I think they would have given serious benefit in the South of England was the big snowfalls in 2010. They are nice when the roads are crappy in winter (mud and/or lots of surface water). But are they worth the cost difference? I'd say no unless you gave another factor (like my holiday thing, or travelling extensively to the countryside in the north of England or Scotland in winter)

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sjcuthbertson@reddit

Initially in my youth, was just using summer tyres all-year round, out of ignorance rather than by choice. After my first seriously snowy winter in Yorkshire, started keeping summer and winter sets and getting them swapped over etc. Extra faff and cost, but made a huge difference to my daily commute in winter. Had a few more very snowy winters under that system and I don't think I ever again had to miss a day's work because the car just couldn't get through. Then I moved to Manchester (flatland), less snow, no garage, and I was mostly commuting by bicycle. Second set of tyres took up the entire understairs cupboard! So I gave up on two sets after a while and went back to summers only. All-seasons were still way out of my budget then - the cheapest ones were twice the price of summers or winters. Not worth it when I didn't depend on the car. After moving abroad for a few years and coming back, I found i could afford all-seasons, so that's what I run now. But if I change car and the new one has summers on, I'll still wear them out before switching.

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CuriousThylacine@reddit

I just use tyres.

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Beartato4772@reddit

Winter tyres are uncommon enough in the uk that most lay people will have no idea what you even mean by “all season tyres”, they’re just “tyres”.

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McGubbins@reddit

I live at the same latitude as Edmonton, AB. I was shocked how cold their winters get because over here, it's rarely below freezing for more than a week. When the temperature does get low and ice becomes a risk, I generally don't drive outside the city, so I'm driving almost exclusively on gritted/salted roads. Summer tyres that have good wet weather performance are adequate for my needs. I'd consider all-seasons if I needed a new pair in winter months but I've never had an uncontrollable skid yet.

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Runawaygeek500@reddit

I go for tyres with A rated wet grip, it rains here a lot.. even in the south. I find them ok on ice and snow for the 1-2cm we might get every 3 years. The way I see it, is I have 400bhp and 2.2ts to keep down, I want as much grip as I can get. I have Goodyear Eagle F1s after trying some Continentals, and they are excellent in all weather so far, even on black ice which we had in Feb (-5-8) but they are a bit on the pricey side, still, better than being in a ditch etc..

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OriginalPlonker@reddit

I don't know what they are. The EV had it's replaced because they were three years old and my van's were replaced after I got a puncture, but we haven't had proper snow in ten years so there's no point worrying about it. Previously, if I ever bought a brand, it was Hankook, but I've never once asked or been asked about winter tyres.

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mylittlemudkip@reddit

We generally don't get enough snow to need them. Maybe if you were a gamekeeper driving a Landrover through the highlands in the winter?

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West-Ad-1532@reddit

I've got all season on mine. They're fine...

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jpdonelurkin@reddit

Nope. 330d Kumho's all round. No problem even in icy weather despite RWD. Rears are 255 wide which seems to give more than enough grip.

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h4baine@reddit

I grew up in Metro Detroit just across from Canada and never changed my tyres based on the season. I don't know anyone there who did. We get pretty much the same weather as Southern Ontario.

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Kind_Shift_8121@reddit

I live in a rural area that is prone to localised flooding. It’s very normal that you will come across a stream that has spilled over into the road. I had one significant aqua plane incident before swapping over to all seasons. I look for whatever gives the best wet cornering and wet braking performance. I’m a bit superstitious about tyres. I have always fitted my motorbikes with Michelins Except for once when I was a bit skint so went for an Avon. A couple months later I lost grip and ended up in a high side. It’s the only part of your vehicle which touches the road, so if they are no good then nothing else can be expected to work properly either.

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Wizzpig25@reddit

Yes, I use all season tyres. They are noticeably better in the winter where I live (lots of steep hills and narrow lanes), and not noticeably different in the summer to a summer tyre.

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Jolly-Minimum-6641@reddit

It always amuses me how people, usually Americans, comment on YouTube videos of British snow driving and say "he he he le snow tyres", then you watch an American video and it's the same thing. Someone blows up their transmission from revving in the snow, Randy's pickup truck goes sideways like a curling stone, ten people pushing a school bus. Where are _their_ "he he he le snow tires" then?

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Pedantichrist@reddit

I used to drive the 101 from Mountain View to San Francisco daily. If it rained enough to put on the sunscreen wipers at all, hazard warning lights came in and everyone slowed down to 15mph. It was shocking, as a Brit, how utterly unprepared the locals were for precipitation.

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frankieramps@reddit

a lot of southern states are like the UK. they get snow rarely (although often severe when it does come) and when they do, people find it difficult/are unprepared.

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Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit

Summer tyres are what 99% of cars come with. It’s only different if the manufacturer specifies (rare) or the owner switches over (usually if they are petrol heads, live rurally or most often-both)

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Pedantichrist@reddit

Or, you know, you keep the car for more than a couple of years.

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Fwoggie2@reddit

A lot of people don't bother in the UK. I used to use winter tyres on my old car and would swap them out. Everyone thought I was mad but you don't wear flip flops in the winter do you. I didn't but them for snow, we get as much as Vancouver does. I bought them for being better at stopping in wet conditions under 7c and we get quite a lot of that.

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Historical-Car5553@reddit

Yes, have all seasons on both cars. Fine throughout the year and great when you really need them.

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ozaz1@reddit

I got all seasons last time my tyres needed changing. I live in southern UK so did it mainly out of curiosity rather than necessity. The tyres have been great during the days I've used them in snow, but this has been so few days that I'll probably switch back to summer tyres next time. Summer tyres have significantly better fuel economy.

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stocksy@reddit

I have a set of winter wheels for both of my cars. They’re the smallest size that will fit the car so I can use winter tyres with the biggest possible sidewall. I can’t prove it, but I suspect it has saved me money from not having the summer wheels damaged by potholes and other road hazards. Further, the winter tyre cost less than the summer ones and this has probably saved me more than the cost of the wheels by now. I don’t know anyone else who does this though.

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FeDUpGraduate87@reddit

I use Michelim Crossclimates. They are good tyres, wet braking let them down in the reviews I watched. I've had them on a few cars, and I'm on my second set on this current car, wet braking is fine to me. I get snow, and these tyres are fantastic and getting me out the driveway, and up to the main road. Such good tyres in snow.

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Dapper-Lab-9285@reddit

In Ireland most tyre places don't even stock known brands anymore never mind having all seasons or winter tyres. People just want the cheapest tyre possible and don't care about what happens when they have an "Oh shit" moment. We don't get cold enough for winters in most of the country, but as our summers are cool so all seasons are fine.

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urmumr8s8outof8@reddit

On my van I do. Car is summer tyres.

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nosajn@reddit

Same. Cars are on summers with the exception of the discovery which is on 50/50's, so half good on road and half good off. Run all seasons on the van because I'm actually going to need it if it snows.

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CuriousHuman111@reddit

They're black ones.

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Competitive_Zone_897@reddit

I have a set of winter tyres on rims I use from late November then use my all season tyres on the rims that came with the car from February onwards but I find that it hardly ever gets below 7c. Generally if it’s snowing/icy I won’t leave the house, take annual leave from work and get everything I want delivered to avoid any potential incidents.

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islandhopper37@reddit

On my previous car the tyres had to be replaced shortly after I bought it, so I had all season tyres fitted. The winters are mild where I am, but I regularly visit Germany in winter, where winter tyres are compulsory in cold/snowy weather. Having all season tyres saved me from getting a second set of wheels with winter tyres just for a few weeks each year. (The winter tyres for a vehicle I sold ten years ago are still sitting in my garage - I should get rid of them at some point!) I bought my current car only a few months ago, and it came with new tyres, so I'll drive them until later in the year before changing them. It seem a bit of a waste to replace tyres that are about a year old, but needs must, I suppose.

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_Nefarium@reddit

Yes and no, I have all seasons on the front and standards on the back but only because the previous owner had all seasons all around. I am planning on getting another set of rims (steel 16"s rather than current 17") as a crap pair that I'll stick all seasons on for when it's cold and for when I'm expecting to be working more rurally. Keep my 17"s with summer tyres for the nicer seasons and standard commuting to office when I'm not expecting to be sent down forestry roads. Mines not a nice car by any means but I prefer not to knacker up my nice alloys. If my job didn't have the tendency to send me in winter galavanting missions in the sticks then I absolutely wouldn't bother.

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Independent-Bed-4644@reddit

I have no idea that’s definitely someone else’s job to sort that out. I’ve run flats on the rest I leave up to the garage.

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CrazyInEngland@reddit

No I generally use Summer tyres. I live in the south of England where the average day time Winter temperature in December/January is 8.5c. There is no way I'm changing my tyres for the odd day or two where its colder than that, or even just for that week during a UK cold snap where it gets to 4c where I live and theres snow everywhere else in the country except here! The last time I saw snow on the ground was during that exceptional cold snap of 2010!

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steveakacrush@reddit

Yes I use all season tyres, but I live in a rural location and winters here can be a bit chillier than the national average.

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markycrummett@reddit

Have never changed my tyres based on the season ever in the last 20+ years. It’s made no noticeable issue

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Careless-Giraffe-623@reddit

I just use summer sports tyres all year round.

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hhfugrr3@reddit

It's rarely below 7C where I live in the UK. Happens over night, but I rarely drive at night. There's a few days of the year when the day time temp drops but really not that many & when it does it's still pretty close to 7C.

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dbxp@reddit

Most people just use the tyres their car comes with even if the grip is all gone and its icy out, the UK doesn't deal with extreme weather well. I believe in Canadian terms it's similar to driving in Victoria.

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Nervous-Power-9800@reddit

I've found pilot sport 4s a good tyre for all seasons without being an all season tyre.

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QueefInMyKisser@reddit

The temperature never really drops much below 7°C and then stays there for that long. The average daily high temperature where I live down south is 8°C in the winter months.

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