I'm looking to get some winter tyres for my Panda, has anyone had an experiances with any of the below tyres, good or bad.

Nankang Snow SV-2
Vredestein Snowtrac 3
Goodyear Ulta grip 8
Kleber Krisalp HP
BF Goodrich Winter G
Michelin Alpine A3

I'm not interested in any opinions about summer versus winter tyres, I just want to know which ones are good and which are not so good.

I'm running on Vredestein Quatrac 3 all-season tyres with my Panda Cross all year round. In the heavy snow last winter they were terrific and now the temperatures are higher the tyres still perform well and are not wearing too badly.

Vredestein Snowtrac 3 all the way for me


got 2 winters out of them so far at least another 2 in them






only had one moment when i had to rock the car back and forth several times to get it moving but apart from that it went up hill and down dale without any problem



all season tyres are a jack of all trades master of none....... (sorry chris

I've got Michelin Alpine A3's for my MJ, they did extremely well this winter. I highly recommend them.

The Vredestein testimonials throw-up an interesting point. Generally (as one might expect) a winter tyre will out-perform an all-season tyre – but there are interesting exceptions. For example, in tests the Goodyear Vector 4S out-performed some of the winter spec tyres – but then the price reflects that!

References
175/65R14T (2008)http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/test...R14.aspx?ComponentId=29824&SourcePageId=31821
195/65R15T (2008)http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/test...R15.aspx?ComponentId=29866&SourcePageId=31821
185/60R14T (2009)http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/test...R14.aspx?ComponentId=29872&SourcePageId=31821
185/65R15T (2010)http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/test...R15.aspx?ComponentId=40327&SourcePageId=31821

Andy Monty said:

Vredestein Snowtrac 3 all the way for me


got 2 winters out of them so far at least another 2 in them

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only had one moment when i had to rock the car back and forth several times to get it moving but apart from that it went up hill and down dale without any problem



all season tyres are a jack of all trades master of none....... (sorry chris

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Agreed.

They are simply fantastic and are just so unbelievably better than the summer tyres the 500 came with that it's not funny



The only thing stopping the 500 was when the bumper started acting like a plough


I could get into places where other cars simply couldn't go


When it was properly snowy on the road I could just drive around cars with complete confidence in the car. The knowledge that the car is going to stop when you press the brake pedal is well worth it

paul100hp said:

I'm looking to get some winter tyres for my Panda, has anyone had an experiances with any of the below tyres, good or bad.

Nankang Snow SV-2
Vredestein Snowtrac 3
Goodyear Ulta grip 8
Kleber Krisalp HP
BF Goodrich Winter G
Michelin Alpine A3

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Out of those I'd go for the Vredestein or the Goodyear. The others are either not going to be quite as good, or as will be the case with the Michelin, they'll be more expensive. Seriously though, don't even think of touching the Nankang, they're crap.

Andy Monty said:

Vredestein Snowtrac 3 all the way for me


got 2 winters out of them so far at least another 2 in them

View attachment 91379

View attachment 91380


only had one moment when i had to rock the car back and forth several times to get it moving but apart from that it went up hill and down dale without any problem



all season tyres are a jack of all trades master of none....... (sorry chris

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:yeahthat:

Never before have I had tyres that stop a car on a cold water logged road like it was a dry road in the middle of summer. Just always hope the person behind had the same stopping ability.

The ability of them IMO is superb and only had two bum in seat moments last winter (one of which I'm sure I'd have written the car off if I didn't have the snowtracs fitted!) compaired to countless the year before.

Well worth the price if you buy them early enough in

Most Easterly Pandas said:

:yeahthat:

Never before have I had tyres that stop a car on a cold water logged road like it was a dry road in the middle of summer. Just always hope the person behind had the same stopping ability.

The ability of them IMO is superb and only had two bum in seat moments last winter (one of which I'm sure I'd have written the car off if I didn't have the snowtracs fitted!) compaired to countless the year before.

Well worth the price if you buy them early enough in

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The way they stop on a wet road is otherwordly. I remember driving through deep puddles at speed and the car didn't get pulled to one side like it would with summer tyres.

One brand of tyres I'd add to the mix would be Continental's as well, but they're generally fairly expensive.

306maxi said:

The way they stop on a wet road is otherwordly. I remember driving through deep puddles at speed and the car didn't get pulled to one side like it would with summer tyres.

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I still remember nearly putting a friend through the windscreen in December with there where he was mucking about and didn't believe how effective the tyres were.

As I've mentioned before, we had the Goodyear UltraGrips on a Honda S2000 this year and even that managed to get around in the snow as if it was just raining. Am just annoyed it took me so long to get my finger out.....!

PG

Most Easterly Pandas said:

I still remember nearly putting a friend through the windscreen in December with there where he was mucking about and didn't believe how effective the tyres were.

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I did that to the wife. She was forever braking a million miles early and I did a panic stop to show her just how effective they are

R1nga, I know exactly what you mean. Luckily I've only lived in the UK for just under 5 years and in that time there have only been 2 really bad winters and the 500 was without winter tyres for the worst bit of the 1st one and it whilst our road was snowy/icy the 500 was just a 10k street decoration It was going nowhere. Winter tyres on and she's as surefooted as a mountain goat

30mph to 0 on a packed snow covered back road






and car on what i assume are summers taking on a hump back crossing vs me behind with winters....

I have a set of 195 50 R15 Pirelli's and they are great, they've only done 1 winter so are just scrubbed in.



As I'm considering selling the Panda I could be persuaded to sell the tyres separately. Premium brand so probably not the cheapest but PM me if interested.

Either way winter tyres are definitely worth having .

Thanks all, sounds like the Vredestein snowtrac 3 are favourite. I can get them for £54 each at the mo in the size i need, so not to bad.

ring round a few scrap yards and get a second set of panda steelies makes swapping them over nice and simple and no hassle

Andy Monty said:

ring round a few scrap yards and get a second set of panda steelies makes swapping them over nice and simple and no hassle

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I was just looking at some. http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Details&ProdID=1730&sku=4862

Agree, alot less hassle to swap over very 6 months.

might be worth ringing a few local dealers often they have steel wheels cheap when someone wants alloys putting on or flea bay

paul100hp said:

I was just looking at some. http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Details&ProdID=1730&sku=4862

Agree, alot less hassle to swap over very 6 months.

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How much?!

£20 each delivered off of eBay (without tyres) seems to be going price if you can find some on there.

The price quotes for your Tyres isn't bad also. I got them for the Stilo for £58 each iirc. 3 weeks after in the middle of all the snow I kid you not they'd shot up to something silly like £162 each! Summer is defo the time to get them. Lol.

yeah will do, although Mytyres are doing snowtrac tyres on 13 " steel wheels for £67. Looks like agood deal.