Winter Tyres

[Lookything]

Hi guys,

I am looking to buy winter tyres for my MY2011 TT coupe. Ive been looking at getting vredestein wintrac xtreme 245/40/18 XL 97W. My car currently has bridgestone potenza 245/40/18 93Y. My question is will it be ok to go with the vredestein's

Cheers

Steve

[hibberd]

Vredestein make some of the best winter tyres around. I always use them.

[Psycho29]

I have some Chinese ones in your size and work pretty well:

HIFLY WIN-TURI 212 XL 245/40R18 97 H

29083

Hope this helps!

[Sam]

I have some Chinese ones in your size and work pretty well:

HIFLY WIN-TURI 212 XL 245/40R18 97 H


Hope this helps!

5 years past the original asking date aside, I wouldn't fit those to my wheelbarrow.

Hifly Win...seriously?!

You've got a 20k+ car with billions of € investment in a four wheel drive system. Please, if you value your own safety, don't put Chinese crap on it.

[Psycho29]

....

[Sam]

Forums are or people to find information, debate, give their opinion, etc, but well, I guess you are like the king here, so..... I will just bow and moonwalk after your presence.....

I believe that's what I was doing, why so hostile?

The internets are full of tales of woe from people fitting Chinese ditchfinders.

I'm far from the king, that's Stuart, I'm just an underling, no need to bow. You may moonwalk though, moonwalking is cool.

[zollaf]

chinese tyres are really bad though. why people bother i just don't know. you normally only save a tenner or so per tyre over a budget known tyre such as a hankook or sava, and not much more over an avon or michelin. the chinese tyres are just copies, with a slight difference in the tread for copyright reasons, but no thought gone into the rubber. they are often downright dangerous and something really should be done to stop them being sold.

[EssexGonzo]

chinese tyres are really bad though. why people bother i just don't know. you normally only save a tenner or so per tyre over a budget known tyre such as a hankook or sava, and not much more over an avon or michelin. the chinese tyres are just copies, with a slight difference in the tread for copyright reasons, but no thought gone into the rubber. they are often downright dangerous and something really should be done to stop them being sold.

Absolutely agree.

The teenager's limo (Honda Jazz 2004) used to be my Mum's car. We got it back from her last year. I replaced the fronts with Uniroyal rain tyres but the rears looked fine, loads of wear left.

Until I went around a damp roundabout at moderate speed and the back end came round. I caught it but was pretty worried. It appears she had cheap Chinese tyres put on a two years ago. The date stamp is 5 years ago. They came straight off and another couple of Uniroyals on. All solved.

The car may only be worth a grand but my sons will be driving around in it so I will not be cutting corners. And I will be putting winter tyres on too (I normally choose from the top 5 in the Auto Express winter test) to give them every possible chance of avoiding an accident.

It really does astound me that someone will spend 5, 10 or 20k+ on a car and then put the cheapest tyres they can find on. Seriously screwed up prioritisation and decision-making.......but then I guess that the world can't see how great you are from your tyres, can they?

And to the OP - Vredesteins always score well in the tests......they should be great, whether you have 4WD or not.

[quattrokid]

Very interesting, I have no real first hand experience of Chinese tyres, the names are ridiculous enough to out me off and you have just confirmed my worst fears. Goes on my list of things coming towards you on the road that if you knew the whole story you wouldn't even drive; Drunks, Druggies, People with no insurance, people who don't maintain their cars, Little old ladies who can't see beyond the steering wheel and, last but not least Chinese tyres.
Also a favourite hobby of mine to spot peoples tyres with the most ridiculous names, funny but not really if you know what I mean.

[efunc]

I don't know about the winter tyres, but I've had Vredestein Ultracs before and they were great.

btw, many of the mid range tyres people have recommended above are 'Chinese'. Basically you get what you pay for. Premium price - premium performance. bottom rung price - poor performance