Fred's surprise Munich Trip... guess what...

[mcmaddy]

The Goodyear and the Michelin both have the 3 peak symbol so are good to use in the snow 👍

[Daz Auto]

The Goodyear and the Michelin both have the 3 peak symbol so are good to use in the snow 👍

I think all the tyres work reasonably well in snow. Having driven on the Michelin CrossClimate - they just don't have the same grip on polished snow and ice as my Vredestine Wintrac Pros. Probably because they don't have the extra edges from the sipes cut into the tyres.

I can't comment yet on how the Goodyear's 4 seasons perform on compacted snow. Though, they have sipes just like a winter tyres.

The Michelin CrossClimate are better for 95% of our weather, However, given my recent experience, I would be really cautious using them on polished snow and ice.

[ub7rm]

Thats my experience with them as well - they will get you out of a situation a summer tyre won't - but not as effortlessly as a true winter tyre.  With our climate though that small compromise vs swapping tyres is probably worth it for the vast majority of people. 

Similarly they are not as good as the best summer tyres in nice dry weather, but only if you're really keen on exploring the limits of your cars handling (I guess most of us who take the time to buy performance orientated cars).  But more than acceptable for the majority of drivers and their driving style. 

IMO the cross climate type tyres should be the default type of tyre in the UK - and proper summer / winter tyres a smaller part of the market. 

[fredgroves]

That's a good point about cross climates maybe should be default but there probably is a few reasons for it not being the case.

First one will be that that we discussed about the i30n track times... The oem fit whatever they get a good deal on. Until your car comes new with cross climates most people wouldn't consider fitting them. Nobody wants to gamble four tyres worth of money when they could just stick with what they know.

[Daz Auto]

My dad said the C220 was the worst car he had ever driven on snow. He could not get the car up the drive to the house. It’s not a steep drive. When it was time to change the tyres he wanted the cheapest ones.

I had a word with my mum and she bought the Michelin CrossClimates. I pointed out that the tyres would perform much better and last much longer than cheap nomake ditch finders.

It saddens me that my father insisted on a C220 then would not put decent tyres on it. It’s stupid buying a car like that then putting the cheapest tyres on it  Thankfully mum is more reasonable.

So, unless it’s law, it’s not going to happen.

[ub7rm]

I think it will gradually become more the norm - to begin with the michelin cross climates were the only tyre like that on the market.  Now there are a few other brands doing the 'all season thing'.  Soon there will be more budget versions available and that might make the all season concept more mainstream. 

[Exonian]

I couldn’t sleep last night so decided I’d try and bore myself unconscious with some YouTube vids.
I’m now an expert on the facelifted Mini after that little solo soirée.
Anyhow, it was interesting watching the Goodyear All-Season review by Andrew Volkswizard.
Being as the last time it snowed where I live was 18th March 2018 (quite a memorable day) I don’t think full winter tyres would be at the top of my essential purchases list but some all seasons to run over winter have often appealed to me.

Some good thinking on here around these tyres should be mandatory fitment in the UK for anything but possibly focussed high performance cars (during summer at least for the latter exception).
Having said that, it only takes a sustained brainwashing session these days using a few well known names to ‘educate’ the masses. For example just about everyone I know who isn’t a complete petrolhead (therefore most people I know) have eyes on either hybrid or full EV’s as their next purchase.
I’m sure the same could be done for tyres if the collective will of government, insurers and tyre manufacturers were remotely bothered (even in non-pandemic times).

[Daz Auto]

I think it will gradually become more the norm - to begin with the michelin cross climates were the only tyre like that on the market.  Now there are a few other brands doing the 'all season thing'.  Soon there will be more budget versions available and that might make the all season concept more mainstream. 

Anyhow, it was interesting watching the Goodyear All-Season review by Andrew Volkswizard.
Being as the last time it snowed where I live was 18th March 2018 (quite a memorable day) I don’t think full winter tyres would be at the top of my essential purchases list but some all seasons to run over winter have often appealed to me.

... using a few well known names to ‘educate’ the masses.

Lets start the education here. The tyres we are talking about are NOT all season. They are 4 season tyres. 

The VolksWizard video mentioned something about law changing in 2024. So I had a google. Zee Germans are making it law that all tyres must have the 3 peaks mountain symbol during the winter months. Apparently even summer tyres can be stamped with M+S and qualify as 'all season', without actually having any snow and ice capabilities.

[Yusee]

Mandatory winter tyres in the Uk? Blimey, we aren’t leaving much room for personal freedom!
Not cold enough for long enough in most of the UK.

[mike roberts]

Nah, it won't be made mandatory - but it should be encouraged.

It doesn't have to be expensive. I had 17" X5 steels for £35 each new off a German site, the CrossClimates can always be found on a deal and for every mile I was doing in the winter months, I wasn't wearing out £xxx/corner summer rubber.