Technical Panda 4wd ----Winter Tyres!!!!!!!!!
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Technical Panda 4wd ----Winter Tyres!!!!!!!!!
I know its early for winter tyres even in Norway! Picked up proper winter tyres at the dealer today for my 4x4. These are Nokian HakkaR2, and will stay soft and grippy even in extreme cold. The Conti M&S tyres on the car now will probably be OK down to a few degrees below freezing, but the dealer (and my own experience with all seasons) reckoned around 5 below was the limit before they turned hard.
Make sure these are fresh and not last years stock. In that case ask for a big discount. The stamp on the inside means they are produced in week 33 2013 (being the week ending August 16). Rubber smell overwhelming!
Make sure these are fresh and not last years stock. In that case ask for a big discount. The stamp on the inside means they are produced in week 33 2013 (being the week ending August 16). Rubber smell overwhelming!
So you're saying that winter tyres are only really good for one winter and after that they won't be as soft?
No, not sure where you read that.
Was saying the M&S tyres (which is just a stamp, not normally winter tyres) will be no good below 5c as they'll harden up, but the winters will
Hi Most Easterly Pandas, I was questioning our Norwegian correspondent's comment...
The 4x4 Pandas are supplied with winter tyres as standard, not all season.
They are called 'cross contact winter'
click
The reviews are very good. I don't see the point of changing them for a different brand, unless the originals are worn. If anything, a set of summer tyres for the warmer months would be most beneficial.
They are called 'cross contact winter'
click
The reviews are very good. I don't see the point of changing them for a different brand, unless the originals are worn. If anything, a set of summer tyres for the warmer months would be most beneficial.
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The Conti Winter M&S are probably all the winter tyres you will ever need in the UK. And for that market they are classified as winter tyres. As you can read on website, the Contis are"Designed specifically for use during the winter months (when temperatures drop below 7ºC". However,here in Norway the Conti Wintes are called all seasons, and are not what we call proper winter tyres (google "nordic winter tyres" for details).And below +7C is not winter on our scales. Quoted from continental.no the Conti Winter M&S currently on my Panda 4x4 are for "light winter and city use". Contis nordic winter tyres are called Conti IceContact, but these are not on the Conti UK webpage. The Conti Winters will probably be fine down to-5, but when it is -20 C below my guess is that they are as hard as rock. All this is however not a problem in the UK, but something we deal with for months every year.
Winter tyres do turn hard with age, and there is a significant change in grip on snow only after 2-3 years. Fresh winter tyres have an absolutely amazing grip on snow and you can easily tell the difference between fresh and 3 year olds (with the same wear of course). After 6-7 years winter tyres are useless up here at least, and I change after say 4 years. Consequently, when buying tyres I think it is worth to check the production date. I am sure one year old tyres will do fine, but I really like the feeling and hard to beat fun of driving Pandas in snow with fresh rubber.
Winter tyres do turn hard with age, and there is a significant change in grip on snow only after 2-3 years. Fresh winter tyres have an absolutely amazing grip on snow and you can easily tell the difference between fresh and 3 year olds (with the same wear of course). After 6-7 years winter tyres are useless up here at least, and I change after say 4 years. Consequently, when buying tyres I think it is worth to check the production date. I am sure one year old tyres will do fine, but I really like the feeling and hard to beat fun of driving Pandas in snow with fresh rubber.
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Fair enough, if you're in extreme climates buy the best available.
I didn't realise that tyre manufacturers market the same tyres as different uses
in different territories. Makes sense though.
Horses for courses as they say.
I didn't realise that tyre manufacturers market the same tyres as different uses
in different territories. Makes sense though.
Horses for courses as they say.
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I reckon that in Britain all weather tyres, plus the 4x4 traction or the clever front axle in the Trekking, will be all any of us will realistically need.
Continentals are more used to replacing tyres regularly anyway, and few of my continental friends would consider keeping a set of tyres more than four years max. Wear doesn't come into it. Same with wiper blades, they replace them every year.
I'm going to put winter tyres on my Doblo this year because I need traction in rain and snow, at night, and the summer tyres fitted now are totally useless in the cold and wet, not to mention ice and snow.
Winter tyres have a high silica content and are made from natural rubber, so they do indeed perish more quickly with time than summer tyres, which incorporate artificial rubber for long life etc..
But being stuck with the wheels spinning, or not being in control when gently braking on icy roads, doesn't bear consideration.
Costly, yes. But so is a crash.
I reckon £650 over three years, including changing them twice a year. So roughly £215 a year. The price of a day in London. Not much really.
Continentals are more used to replacing tyres regularly anyway, and few of my continental friends would consider keeping a set of tyres more than four years max. Wear doesn't come into it. Same with wiper blades, they replace them every year.
I'm going to put winter tyres on my Doblo this year because I need traction in rain and snow, at night, and the summer tyres fitted now are totally useless in the cold and wet, not to mention ice and snow.
Winter tyres have a high silica content and are made from natural rubber, so they do indeed perish more quickly with time than summer tyres, which incorporate artificial rubber for long life etc..
But being stuck with the wheels spinning, or not being in control when gently braking on icy roads, doesn't bear consideration.
Costly, yes. But so is a crash.
I reckon £650 over three years, including changing them twice a year. So roughly £215 a year. The price of a day in London. Not much really.
Nordic Winter tyres are different to uk/continental ones.
babbo_umbro
Established member
Does the very strong rubber smell suggest that there are more volatile components in the rubber mix, which would mean that an older tyre has lost some of its low-temperature characteristics?
These volatile molecules are in essence solvents or softeners. The technique of using "softeners" also applies to many kinds of "soft" plastics.
The softeners slowly evaporate / leach into other solvents like water etc in case the softened compound remains immersed for a long time.
This leaching thing can be a problem as the leaching organic molecules can contaminate the contents of a container / hose in applications where any form of organic contamination might be an issue.
The softeners slowly evaporate / leach into other solvents like water etc in case the softened compound remains immersed for a long time.
This leaching thing can be a problem as the leaching organic molecules can contaminate the contents of a container / hose in applications where any form of organic contamination might be an issue.
My winter tyres are now 3.5 years old, i have to say they're very much past their best.
babbo_umbro
Established member
Very interesting, thank you. So presumably that does mean that it's worth checking when your winter tyres were produced?
Most tyre places don't tend to keep large amounts of stock, especially in the UK where winter tyres simply aren't all that popular. Personally I'm going to leave it as late as possible (within reason) to get the freshest tyres possible
greenfintry
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Get the tyres through MyTyres as they come from Poland and always seem brand new manufacture.... guess they sell shed loads of them. Also their deals are good for steel wheel + tyre combo, but be careful if for the new 4x4 as they sometimes set up a 14" not 15" wheel
Whenever I've used mytyres they've come from Germany.
