Down south the idiots are not those that keep their summer tyres on all year round, it is those drivers who put winter tyres on their cars in November and take them off in March. They spend about 4 months out of 5 driving with tyres that perform worse than their summer ones and with higher wear. Around here you really only need winter tyres or all season tyres for January.

OpticalBoffin said:

Down south the idiots are not those that keep their summer tyres on all year round, it is those drivers who put winter tyres on their cars in November and take them off in March. They spend about 4 months out of 5 driving with tyres that perform worse than their summer ones and with higher wear. Around here you really only need winter tyres or all season tyres for January.

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I couldn't possibly agree less I'm afraid - winter or all-season tyres will feel no different to about 90% of the driving population, most of whom can't even tell when they've got a flat tyre, let alone the subtle handling differences between a more forgiving winter-based tread and compound or a summer one. Sure, maybe in 30degC heat the all-seasons might feel less stable and offer less grip, but it's only in more extreme situations that the differences manifest themselves fully.

Bottom line is when the weather is bad, all-seasons will keep the country rolling, as opposed to stalling completely on account of disinterested people using the wrong tyres.

You won't be surprised to hear that we all have all-seasons on our 4x4 and Trekking Pandas as standard from the factory and I have separate wheels and winters for both of our other cars, neither of which would move in the drive in a decent snow on summers.....

Each to their own however, of course

I am sure, if one looked hard enough other tests by German car magazines would offer different results and opinions.

Why would one be considered more correct than the rest?

If we believed what's written in the press, there really is a bus on the moon then.

What is true is that all tyres now sold in Europe need to meet EU reg 661/2009.

Tyres that wear the "Alpine" mark of three peaks and a snowflake (not just a M&S mark) are rated on the same tests but at a much lower temperature (I believe 5c).

If they were as suggested, similar, then surely all tyres would pass at this lower temp level and they would all wear the "alpine" symbol and as far as I know they don't.

One type of tyre is tested at ambient temps and another at a lower temp and both types carry a rating.

Why would this be so?
Make your own mind up.

Goudrons said:

....What is true is that all tyres now sold in Europe need to meet EU reg 661/2009....

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Which unfortunately still allows the REALLY rubbish, cheap Chinese tyres such as Linglong and their ilk through the doors. Respected car magazine tyre tests in the UK typically include at least one nasty cheap option to demonstrate just how bad these tyres are, although of course those buying them are not normally car enthusiasts so wouldn't read the tests anyhow, which is a shame. The first they know about it is when they slide into a hedge and wonder why the other cars around them were OK....

OpticalBoffin said:

Down south the idiots are not those that keep their summer tyres on all year round, it is those drivers who put winter tyres on their cars in November and take them off in March.

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Just like those idiots at the London Ambulance Service do!

Just had 4 Michelin Cross Climates put on my Panda...
I'm at the bottom of a hill so in snow, every little helps I guess..

Lighter on the steering and positive feel to them.
No snow yet but time will tell