Last week, just after the first snow fall of the season (in our region anyway) my Sister-in-law asked me to take her car to get the tyres changed over for the winter. She kept on stressing to take it easy on the road, that if I had an accident insurance wouldn't pay because the car only had summer tyres. I did notice that the car tended to slip a little with the summer tyres. I come from a place where it never snows, so I dont really know about these things. So can anyone tell me what is the difference in these tyres that makes one a winter tyre and the other a summer tyre ?

the difference is in the compund (winter tyres are softer) and the profile (you can see these little lines).
The profile gives you more grip in the snow.The softer compound gives you better overall grip.

The tread is deeper for a start and I think the rubber compound is slightly different, softer maybe?

That would make sense, I guess a hard tyre is more likely to slip

Lots of discussion and opinion only a search away...

Winter wheels

Winter tyres - regulations and discussion

Winter Tyres

http://www.vredestein.com/file_bande...o_ENG_2010.pdf

Bear in mind that most "snow" tyres aren't specifically for snow - they are winter tyres and they will work better even if it used on dry roads when the temperature is low.

Summer tyres use a compound which is designed to grip best at summer temperatures. In winter, that summer compound never reaches it's optimal temperature so won't give good grip even if it is dry but cold.

Winter tyres use a softer compound which reaches optimal temperature even in low temperatures, therefore giving good grip in winter. However, continue to use these winter tyres once it warms up again and they will overheat, leading to loss of grip and faster wear.

The point of all this rambling is - don't wait until it snows to put on your winter tyres - they are useful as soon as the temperature starts to drop towards 0C, and that way you will avoid the queue at the garage to change them over the day after the first snow falls

Ok point taken...

hahaha we've seen the difference in all the cars with summer tires getting stuck and slipping all over the road here in the snow. we don't have a car, but personally i wouldn't mess around with tires. i have a friend who keeps the winter tires on all year- just so he doesn't have to change them- better idea than trying the summer tires all year, looks like a dangerous plan

Do you have evidence to back this statement up?

I thought that too, but then on reading around a bit - motivated by the discussions in one of the threads I posted above - I've come across lots of discussion which basically suggests that on dry roads at low temperatures, summer tyres outperform winter tyres.

On wet or snow-covered roads, winter tyres are better than summer.

Given that winters are generally wetter and/or snowier than summer, the usefulness of this distinction is somewhat moot, but I thought I'd ask.

Be aware that all winter tyres are not made equal either. I'm quite disappointed with the snow and ice performance of my current winter tyres. I've driven a 2wd car for the last 5 winters and in that time only had to put chains on twice! I travel to the mountains on average twice a week!

I changed to a 4wd car this year and despite having winter tyres on the car the performance is only marginally better then it was for 2wd. So much so that I've actually gone out and bought chains for a 4wd car!

If you need a winter tyre to just drive in the city they would be a great tyre, extra security, low rolling resistance, no increase in fuel consumption etc. But if you need to depend on the tyres in snow and ice then avoid them. Another set won't be going on my car once these ones are gone.

The tyres are Michelin Alpin PA3

Probably best to choose something 5 star rated from this list.

The figures I've seen for this suggest that when stopping from 100km/h the difference is a matter of 2 metres, where as it can be as much as 50m when stopping on snow. In my opinion the margin for error is less when driving on snow and ice so I'd take a reduction in dry braking of 2m and try to look far enough ahead to make up for it then a difference of 50+m and have run out of road to be able to do anything about it.

Just read the TCS magazine or the German ADAC magazine, or move to Austria where they are compulsory, or listen to German parliamentary debates where it will soon be mandatory, or just ask your insurance company. They all say the same as we have been writing here for 4 weeks! Buy winter tyres, save the wear on your summer tyres, avoid heavy insurance penalty. Avoid police fine for driving without due care.

Michelin Alpin large size tyres came out highly recommended in the Swiss motoring organisation, but the Continental were better on snow, http://www.tcs.ch/main/de/home/auto_...ts/reifen.html

http://www.tcs.ch/main/de/home/auto_..._R_17_H_de.pdf

http://www.tcs.ch/main/de/home/auto_..._R_15_T_de.pdf


Google translation:
That summer tires in winter represent a significant security risk, show measurements of the TCS. But all-season tires have a significantly worse performance compared to winter tires. Who uses winter tires in winter and summer season tires, drives the bottom line is not only safer but also less expensive than if only all-season tires are used.

The best thing in the snow is an underpowered car with narrow wheels...and that's exactly the proplem with most cars nowadays. They all have a lot of power compared to older cars and since everybody has to take their minivan to the Nürnburg ring, they are equipped with broad tires.

You could see here:

Go with Conti's they are superb and on the list, they have pretty good noise levels compared to most, excellent all-round grip, and pretty good life... not the cheapest mind you, but it's the bit of your buggy that meets the road, so it's not worth skimping.

I did a snow driving course in Airolo a few years back and all the schools cars and the instructors were all booted in Conti's, and that was the brand they recommended.

Living in the mountains we only use winter tyres.
slightly more expensive but safer.

The best reason for fitting winter tyres is to avoid the problems with the insurance company if you have to make a claim.

The arguments for performance, grip, etc are all over the place: what temperature threshold, snow/ice/water vs. dry, brand vs. brand, etc. However, the statements from the insurers are pretty clear and if they think you should have had winter tyres on and didn't you might not be covered.

I made my decision on that basis. Do the tyres make a difference - how can you tell??

Incredibly easily - go outside, look at the cars parked up by the side of the road which couldn't get up a slight incline, and look at the nice summer tyres they have on. Then see all the other cars easily driving up the same road with steel rims and winter tyres on...

The best and most important reason should be your own safety

I've driven the same car on the same day in the same conditions (snow/ice) with both winter and summer tyres on. If you can't feel the difference you shouldn't have a drivers license.

I've lost count of the number of times I've been driving to a ski resort and passed people getting stuck on summer tyres. I've also had some muppet driving summer tyres slide back on top of my when he couldn't make it up a hill just outside Zurich!

On dry roads the debate can go on all it wants. On snow and ice there is no contest. Even the winter tyres that I rate as pretty crappy are light years ahead of summer tyres on snow and ice.