Car back from its MOT/service yesterday (I had a 6 months extension as it was due in March, but the car needed a service anyway before going to France, if that ever happens).
Both rear tyres down to 2mm, so need to change them.
All tyres are 245/45 R18, on a BMW F11. Good tyres, run flat Conti.
I always had winter tyres until last winter, because I would have had to buy new wheels and tyres and the weather did not warrant it.
I am therefore considering all weather tyres this time, but it means ditching the run flats.
There is a lot of writing on the internet about the pros and cons, and I am seriously considering some Michelin cross climate +.
Anybody here has done the same on an equivalent car?
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I went for Goodyear Vector 4Seasons recently. The choice between the Michelin, the Contis and the Goodyear was tough but decided by noise. I've a VW Golf GTE so not equivalent, but it's damn near silent most of the time hence the noise criteria. The fronts are still top line Pirelli but they're out in the autumn.
I'll look at the Goodyear option Nigel. Unfortunately I believe I cannot mix RF with non RF, so I would need to go for all 4.
It looks like they both have the same ratings in all 3 criteria, including noise (69 dB)
Last edited by Saint-Just; 16th July 2020 at 09:22.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I’m hoping to ditch the RFs on my F11 at next change, so will be very interested to hear
- what rubber you settle on; and
- your strategy/kit for a puncture
I always buy premium tyres and I’ve had them all, Michelin, Pirelli, Continental etc etc.
Never can tell the difference between any of them. Rain, wet, life etc., they all feel and last the same in my experience.
As long as it’s a good branded tyre, I know just go for the cheapest.
Michelin pilot sport 4 are fantastic in my experience but not in run flat and admittedly I don’t use the car in the winter as it’s more of a toy. My failed driver came with Hancook fitted and so far so good but it’s only a 1.6tdi so not a lot of power!
Last edited by Kevin Glover; 16th July 2020 at 10:28.
I will go for a premium brand. I am convinced that the differences between the top products in a category are marginal, and come down to personal preferences (like noise, feeling, or brand attachment)
I am more concerned by the switch from RF to non RF, the switch from Summer/Winter to All seasons, and the solution to mitigate the risk of a puncture, as a spare is not an option.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Ah, ok, I didn’t spot the RF requirement. TBH I binned the RFs from my 320d at the earliest opportunity and it was much better, noise, ride, everything.
I don’t know about the all weather but the change from run flat to normal is night and day better. I just added a mobility kit to the boot as a precaution but never had to use it thankfully. Bet I get a flat after saying that!
https://www.continental-tires.com/ca...ntimobilitykit
Good to know, thanks!
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I go by the ratings for wet grip, fuel efficiancy and noise.
I want good very wet grip without having the other 2 ratings suffer too much.
All weather tyres are good choice for the UK in my opinion.
I was advised by our local independent garage (that supplies and fits my tyres) not to bother with all season or winter tyres. They reckon that for the number of days that we typically have very cold weather they aren't worth it. They must be fairly confident in this advice because I was quite happy to shell out for a set of wheels and winter tyres, so they had plenty of commercial incentive to suggest they were a good idea. This is in Hertfordshire so we don't usually get too much bad weather - the last time we had snow, I stayed at home for a couple of days.
For the last few years I've switched between summer and winter tyres despite the last couple of winters been mild with no snow. I've just changed my car and think I will go down the all season route this time to save the bother of changing and the expense of a second set of rims.
I've used Michelin Crossclimates before and rate them highly but I'm thinking of going for Goodyear Vector 4 seasons this time. There's a new version (G3) so I'm waiting to see some reviews emerge before I purchase them but I'm confident they'll be as good if not better than the previous generations.
I would never run a car through the winter with summer tyres. I will always use winters or a good quality all season. It only takes one day of snow or ice and the few hundred pounds spent is worth every penny for the peace of mind if my Mrs gets caught in bad conditions with the kids in the car.
This you tube video may be helpful
https://youtu.be/pe-gkTCOs7E
Last edited by Craig; 16th July 2020 at 12:51.
I changed from RF to non-RF on a Mercedes a few months ago.
The change was noticeable as the non-RF felt softer and the ride was more compliant. I am glad I made the change. The car feels a little less jittery and nicer on bumps. The cost was far less too as an added bonus. Main reason I did it was due to availability of the RF for the size I needed was limited and had heard good stories about making the change benefiting the ride.
You will probably want to stick a container of Holts in the boot in case you do get a puncture.
I went for Pirelli and I believe they are all season.
When ever possible on the 20 or so cars we've had in the same number of years I always opted for Goodyear F1's
Have found they wear well and noise is not an issue
No.....
You cant run with a "mix" of run flats and "normal"! tyres.
Personally, on my last 3 series, I changed all the tyres to a decent make...think the ones on now are goodyear rain something or other!
I then bought a space saver spare wheel for it, and leave it in the boot!.
Thinking about it? I also bought 4 wheels (not alloys, steel wheels, with good all season tyres on them).I put them in the shed 2 years ago.....they are still in there! Never used them!
We havent had proper snow for years...if the snow or ice was that bad? Id not drive to work and just be late! ............... Now Im retired...I no longer have that problem!
Run flats have very stiff sidewalls and so can/will affect comfort so a lot of folk bin them first opportunity, I run rwd 2 seater all year and go with max grip summer tyres, usually recommended down to 5’c, currently ready to fit a set of Michelin pilot4 all round following rave revues, Uniroyal Rainsport3 are also highly thought of.
I have a BMW 330i with 255 18's on the rear, I put Pirelli P Zero Assymetrics on and the ride was much better, smoother, and very grippy. So i can recommend Pirelli.
I got a set of Michelin primacy 4s from Costco they seem to have offers on Michelin tyres a lot I got them for £80 each the next cheapest was £105 each
Nonsense, of course you can. I run RF on the front of my SLK, and non RFs on the back. It's a very good compromise for comfort and piece of mind.Originally Posted by valleywatch
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You shouldn’t mix RF and non RF on the same axle
Winter / all season tyres work from 7 degrees and below
All premium manufacturers offer decent performance
Michelin, Conti, Dunlop Goodyear, Pirelli, Bridgestone and arguably Hankook who are now OE on some of the premium brand cars.
Money no object Michelin Cross Climate offer the best all round performance and mix of summer and winter performance.
Michelin offer the best longevity, Pirelli often the best grip
The move from RF to non RF is often night and day
Go for non RF with a puncture kit for the boot...
Hope this helps! :)
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Peace of mind will only be 50% better, is that good enough?
Back in MY day (like 50 years ago), the Gold Standard in high performance street tires was the Pirelli Cinturato CN36...
That advice is so bad that I would be concerned about other work that your local garage is doing to your car(s).
I run a 435 with RF on front and non Rf on rears without any issues. I wouldn’t choose different constructions on the same axle. Conti sport 5 are good. On previous 4series had bridgestones (Sp1??) and they were good, good mileage and low road noise. Stick to a decent brand and I don’t think you’ll get a bad tyre
Well if there was a single, definitive answer, there wouldn't be differences of opinion...
But apologies to the OP for leading the thread off topic
Last edited by JonRA; 17th July 2020 at 07:04.
Based on snow falls in most of the UK that would be a valid opinion, if you’re prepared to accept that it is a wager, and you may be stuck at home for a few days. A bit like your home insurance.
But people forget that winter tyres are much more than that.
Not only are they significantly better in wet weather, but they also provide much better grip below 7°C, and therefore much shorter braking distances.
If you know that, and decide that you’re better off with summer tyres year round, that is indeed your privilege, and provided that you qualify it, a legitimate opinion.
Just drive accordingly in winter, and keep your distances if you’re behind me. The choice of an all seasons tyre is a compromise of course: it’s still an excellent summer tyre, that will perform well in cold temperatures and deal efficiently with snow. On a RWD you may still get stuck if it’s really bad, but the probabilities are that you won’t. However if you live in parts where snow is more likely than in the rest of the UK, it’s still a good idea to have a set of steel rims fitted with winter tyres, and swap in November. Over 3 to 4 years, the cost difference is negligible, as you effectively run 2 sets of tyres.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I think it’s more indicative that tyre technology, compounds and design have moved on to the extent that all season tyres now out perform, in general, summer tyres all year round and therefore are a great choice today. That particular person is maybe not quite up to speed on the developments. YMMV.
Yes, it's a judgment call - I'm retired and can generally avoid driving in snow. In cold weather I take extra care. I hope those drivers with winter tyres on in southern England take extra care on the many winter days when the temperature is above 7 degrees centigrade https://www.uniroyal-tyres.com/car/t...lder%20weather.
Last edited by JonRA; 17th July 2020 at 09:53.
The winter tyres are better than summer tyres in the dry under 7ºC, roughly equivalent up to 11-12ºC and not as good above.
In the wet, they are usually better than a summer tyre regardless of the temperature.
All weather tyres are the best answer for the type of weather we have year round.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Personally I like to stick with the run flats. I know everyone says the non-RF are better and the ride is better etc but I've been caught by punctures a couple of times and the RFs were great. These cars are hardly the next level in performance/feedback. My 440i has the run flats and it's not terrible. I mean BMW's have a harsher ride anyway.
The boss has just had four new Micehlin Pilot Sport 4's fitted to her Cooper S at Costco - 215/45 17s at £105 each with a promotion from Michelin.
Costco is Michelin's biggest customer in UK - the small independent I use for motorcycle tyres says he cannot buy them from the trade at the price Costco sell them for.
They are excellent tyres - strong grip in all conditions, and last noticeably longer than Falken and Kumho, which I fit to my 2x son's cars.
Would like to ditch the run flats on my 440i (F34), ideally to cross-climates, but the last time I looked they're not available in all sizes. Mine are different (225/45 R19 front; 255/40 R19 rear) and the ride can be on the harsh side, and a bit jittery on poorly maintained roads.
It is for me as far as a front tyre puncture is concerned.
I guess the operative word in my post was ‘’compromise’’.
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Last edited by pinpull; 17th July 2020 at 16:10.
I had Rainsports on a mk5 golf gti, didn't have the car long after having them fitted, the price was reasonable and they lived upto their name in the wet. No pull back when hitting lieing water. Not quiet as compliant as pirellis in fact the ride felt harder on rainsports unless it was me. No complaints especially for the price. Good vfm
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I agree completely with all of this. But, to play devil’s advocate against yourself/myself, the only time I have ever had a traction issue in either a 7er or 5er in snow on summer tyres was an occasion when I managed to lift the rear diff on the central snow bank of a singletrack. It was particularly frustrating as it was an e39 estate with pneumatic suspension that could have increased the ride height to get the wheels back to earth, if only there had been a manual switch to the compressor.
But anyway, back in the real world, snow is challenging and the older/wiser I get the more I acknowledge the sense of winter tyres.
Whatever you do, ditch the runflats, it's a much more comfortable ride
I run a small GTI and would be interested to know how all season tyres would compromise handling?
Unless you take every corner sideways or take your car on track, I think that you’ll struggle to tell the difference.
I had a set of CrossClimate+ on an e36 M3 and there was no discernible difference in the summer to Pilot Sports. In the winter, or when it was cold and/or wet, the difference was huge.
Go to 9' 15" on this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2MxuknropY&t
The guy says the all weather tyres on the new Corvette are great.
Of course, the UK market tyre might be different?
Rob.
Not an equivalent car, but do have the Michelin CrossClimate+ on SWMBO's Lexus and they certainly feel more grippy in wet/muddy roads than the Pirelli's they replaced.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
4 cross climate + being ordered this morning, thank you all for your input.
It was a close call with the Goodyears as they both claimed 69 dB. Price difference between them for 4 was around £10-20, so I went with French maker ;)
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Michelin or Pirelli for summer, Nokian for winter, always ....
Bearing in mind the tiny contact between car/surface, price should not be an object.
Good choice. I had crossclimate plus on a Subaru forester, they were fantastic in the snow. They also have the snowflake symbol, which allows you to use them in countries which legally require winter tyres in the winter.
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Just bought a pair of 215/45/17s plus a pair 245/40/17s from Camskill tyres, with Michelin cashback £365, I can fit them myself but if you know a man who can worth checking them out for prices.
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