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Re: Snow Tires

Anyone have a recommendation on winter tires for a B5 Passat 4Motion? >

> My plan is to do a "minus 1" conversion and run 195/65 tires and buy a set > of steel 15" wheels.

I'm running Nokian Hakka Qs in that size on my A4 Jetta. Got four winters out of the first set (about 25,000 miles) and might be able to go another winter, but I don't like to get snow tires too far down on tread, and, goodness knows, if I need to replace them in January, there won't be any to be found. They've been excellent on packed snow and ice. We can't use studs here, but that's just as well, because many times the roads are clear, and studded tires are not a good choice on dry roads. The Qs are not bad on dry roads - I greatly preferred them to the Goodyears that came with the car, and the steering is quick like the Dunlop Sport 5000s I use in the summer. I'm buying another set for this winter -- first time I've ever bought the same tire twice. Worth shopping around for.

sd

Reply to
sd
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For snow and ice, the Nokian Hakkepeliitta Q is the best one among the studless snow tires. It is, however, not as good on dry and wet roads.

Espen

86 Golf GTI
Reply to
gshok

If you don't want to change tires seasonally, I heard the Nokian WR is also a very good tire. One of the few all seasons really good in snow.

Reply to
Mike W

One of the few all-seasons actually rated for use in snow with the "snowflake" symbol (see for details).

sd

Reply to
sd

Thanks for all the input. The Toyo's. alas, aren't available as 195/65-15 in the States. Looks like the Nokians are in the hunt...

Reply to
Jeffrey Claus

details).

So what makes a tyre a snow tyre? Surely it can't match the grip of a studded tyre or one with snow chains on.

Reply to
Whytoi

Snow tires are designated by the type of tread (generally lots of surfaces in a blocky design, which increases friction against the surface against which the tire is working) and the rubber compound (stays flexible at lower temperatures).

I believe there are some actual measurable standards for tires with the "M&S" (mud and snow) rating (based on things like the amount of rubber to the amount of open space on tread, etc.), and there also are tests administered by U.S. and Canadian standards groups which determine which tires get the "snowflake" symbol, indicating that they meet certain performance standards in snow and ice.

And while not all snow tires will meet the snow-and-ice performance of studded tires or tires with chains, studs or chains are not practical in all driving circumstances. Maybe we should consider non-studded/non-chained tires the true "all-season" tires and consider the rest of them "summer tires."

sd

Reply to
sd

Snow tires usually carry a "M+S" (mud and snow) rating. How well they grip depends on the surface. Here in southern Ontario I run snows on my car from November through the first of April. Probably 90% of my driving in that period is on dry roads. Studded tires are great on ice, but SUCK on dry pavement where the studs decrease traction. In deep snow the studs don't buy you as much as aggressive tread. They have also been illegal here for 30 years, since they destroy road surfaces.

Tire chains are completely different. Nobody would leave chains on all winter. Around here there is probably at most one day each winter when chains would help.

I run Michelin Arctic Alpins in the winter, and (stock) Michelin MXV4 all season tires in the summer (spring, fall). The snows have sigificantly increased traction on snow and ice, and are somewhat better on wet roads too. They have no where near the cornering of the all seasons, wear more quickly, and are a lot noisier.

Reply to
Al Rudderham

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