Winter Tyres?

Michelin Alpin 5 are great, I use them all year round. The grip levels are startling, get all 4 preferably. You could consider Michelin cross climate, but with your low yearly mileage there would be no point.

Another +1 for Cross Climates, changed to them after getting stuck a couple of times in the first snow last year, and had no trouble in the second snow. They definitely feel "grippier" to me in dodgy conditions. I also carry snow socks in bad weather (need to be able to get to horses on a private road which can get bad).

This is a quote from a Michelin site: surprisingly to me, they *seem* to be saying that winter tyres give inferior wet performance in warmer weather (perhaps because the summer tyre rubber is stiffer and maintains its pumping performance better?).

Summer tyres guarantee the maximum safety performance during summer either on dry and wet roads. As an illustration, breaking from 80 to 0 kph between 11 to 26°C, on wet roads will take 4m shorter with summer tyres than with winter tyres. On dry road, braking from 50 to 0 kph under the same temperature condition will take 1.5m shorter with summer tyres than with winter tyre.

Test realised by TÜV SÜDin 2013 on dimension 205/55 16 H.

There is one type of winter certified tyre though that you can use through summer: the MICHELIN CrossClimate. It is the first summer tyre with winter certification. It is the best option for drivers who face sudden weather change and occasionally experience snowfall."

Is that because they're low wear?

In fact, even on the current slicks, the car had little difficulty on untreated snow and steep hills, driving round stuck cars with relative ease.

Ice (obviously) a completely different matter, and packed snow more 'exciting'.

Mmmm. Making me think Cross Climates are the way to go. I'd need to check insurance too.

Thanks very much both.