Winter Tyres What does the Tyre label / efficiency classes mean ?

[colinjy]

Hi Guys

need some new tyres on my Volvo alloys but there my spare set so looking to get some winter tyres on them to keep my summer alloys from getting destroyed.

Im trying to rack my head round this new labelling system they have



Obviously the pictures of what there grading are obvious fuel efficiency, grip in shite weather and noise but it's the first two I can't quite under stand is it better having a compromise on the fuel efficiency say a D and an A in the grip side or would you be looking for an F ?

I think that makes sense, well it does in my head

[Mark]

I guess it depends on whats important to you, saving fuel or stopping

[R3K1355]

The labelling system is a load of **** and only there to sell stuff to idiots.

Check out how the tyres got reviewed here, see what people actually thought of the way it drove.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/

[-ghost-]

if your in oxford is it really worth it? if you was in the highlands i would say you need them otherwise just take it easy on the roads


Even if you get winter tyres, you'd have the argument with the insurance company the you realise that not many other people have them so you can guaranty someone will hit you.

[Evilchap]

Resistance G, Wetgrip A, Noise 75dB

That's what they mean - rolling resistance is largely to do with fuel econemy, the others are fairly obvious

A is better performing in that area, so A A 1 would be the perfect tyre - but not very possible.

[colinjy]

if your in oxford is it really worth it? if you was in the highlands i would say you need them otherwise just take it easy on the roads

I do a fair amount of traveling out of the county so it's not just local round oxford, half the roads I went down last year were never gritted. I need new tyres on the alloys any way, unless I use my other set but there on better alloys that id prefer not to run on salted roads.

im still not sure about the grading for wet weather grip is A good grip and G poor ? or is it the other way round ?

[colinjy]

Resistance G, Wetgrip A, Noise 75dB

That's what they mean - rolling resistance is largely to do with fuel econemy, the others are fairly obvious

A is better performing in that area, so A A 1 would be the perfect tyre - but not very possible.

Cheers Evil

[Evilchap]

Also a winter tyre once the temperatures are under 6 degrees regularly will grip far better, as a summer tyre will go really hard and not get up to the correct temperature - winter tyres aren't just better for snow grip, they'll give more grip in colder weather generally.

A winter tyre due to it being softer tends not to give as good a handling, and can be a little noisier, they also tend to have lower speed ratings. This is normal, and the sacrifice you make for being able to drive in snow and chuckle at people who are stuck in their X5s on sports tyres

[clai cerrig]

Good thread this saves me having to post up questions about Winter Tires

Just fitted a set of evergreens on the spare alloys for Mrs C daily(yes its still the Streetwise Mark ) and was wandering when was the best time to fit them to the car ? EvilChap`s post above very helpful

[skyshack]

Meaningless for winter grip. The label doesn't give winter grip, just wet grip. Winter tyres get better when colder. Summer / all season get worse. The slope of lines on grip / temp graphs go in opposite directions. There is no correlation between winter and wet grip.

Slide 9
http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/t...RRF-71-10e.pdf

[colinjy]

Also a winter tyre once the temperatures are under 6 degrees regularly will grip far better, as a summer tyre will go really hard and not get up to the correct temperature - winter tyres aren't just better for snow grip, they'll give more grip in colder weather generally.

A winter tyre due to it being softer tends not to give as good a handling, and can be a little noisier, they also tend to have lower speed ratings. This is normal, and the sacrifice you make for being able to drive in snow and chuckle at people who are stuck in their X5s on sports tyres

From what I've seen on the interweb anything from oct till march or when the temperature goes below 7 degrees

[mossyboy]

Hi - quick confession - I actually work with a company involved in the labelling so I know quite a lot of background about them. The key thing is actually that they are forcing tyre makers to make better tyres. Current premium tyres ain't that hot against the new labels and some mid range outperform the big brand high priced options so people like Conti and Michelin are spending a lot of money on brand new tyres that will cover BOTH wet grip and fuel efficiency very well. These so called 'Green tyres' start appearing in about a month. They'll save people huge amounts of money on fuel each year and stop about 20m shorter in the wet than a budget tyre. They'll also be about £20quid a corner more expensive.

Also - check out this app for iphone/ipad: app.green-tyres.org.uk which offers exact savings for ecah of the tyre categories depending on the car you drive and the annual mileage you do.

It is worth looking at the labels. They aren't foolproof and they don't offer exact detail but they are a reliable rough guide. If you buy a G rated tyre for fuel efficiency over a B rated tyre it will cost you more in fuel over a year. Fact. If you buy one that is G rated for wet braking (note braking not grip) it will take longer to stop than a B rated tyre. Fact. Don't see them as the be all and end all but use them as they are intended.

[Johnny]

From what I've seen on the interweb anything from oct till march or when the temperature goes below 7 degrees

or last year when it was above 7 degrees for the whole winter other than the 3rd Jan when it reached 4 deg ..... I completely wasted winter tyres last year, far to warm for them ...... it would be nice to have a dedicated winter this year ... although I cant be arsed to spank out on tyres "again" .... I think I'll just take the insurance payout and get another car if I stack it

[craiglancs]

Get some dunlop wintersport 3d, job done! Mine were climbing hills of ice last year in lancashire! They've been on 2 weeks btw