 Poster: A snowHead
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The blurb says they are the perfect tyres for British weather, longevity and rain performance as a summer tyre, snowflake rating and good performance in ice and snow, good fuel economy, low noise, yada yada.
Since owning my car I have run Continental winter tyres, which have been fabulous in the snow, but don't last very long. As we only have an average of 20 snow days a year, running winters all year is a bit overkill, but I don't have two sets of wheels nor the means of getting them changed twice a year very easily.
Are these Michelins what I am looking for? I'm already a firm fan of Michelin motorcycle tyres. Has anyone else tried the Cross Climates? Plenty of good reviews online but would be even more helpful to read some real world reviews...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@queen bodecia, those tyres might well be good but I don't understand why changing is so difficult. Most garages can do it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You can even get someone to come out to home or work to change them. We use a mobile tyre service and they are cheaper than most of the garages. Someone on here had these tyres, might have been Boris ?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Changing wheels and tyres twice a year means storing the set not in use, I assume there's a cost involved with that. Then the cost involved with getting a garage to change them twice a year. Assuming the wheels/tyres are not stored at the same location as the garage changing them, then there's transporting them between these locations, my car would only take two at a time. All seems like a load of extra cost and hassle to me.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@queen bodecia, if you have wheels, you can change them yourself at no cost. To change tyres you need a garage. I can store 4 tyres without any difficulty but I can see that if you live in a tiny flat with no garage it would be a nuisance.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@queen bodecia, my workshop store mine then send me a reminder (or an offer of dates) around the time they should be change. They wash the rims and tyres and store them in a dry dark place (probably a cellar) so I don't have any hassle. When I need to replace any I have the off season to look and buy while they are cheap, then get them delivered to the workshop in a packet with my name address and car registration number on it. 
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@pam w, I do have a garage but it's full right now. The only space I have is in the house, not really somewhere I'd want to keep dirty tyres. Plus I can only transport two at a time in my car so it would be a right faff twice a year doing multiple journeys to get tyres changed. I realise the better solution to having two sets of tyres is to have two sets of wheels with two sets of tyres which I could probably change myself, other than the storage issue. And the cost issue. It's way cheaper to just buy 4 new tyres that do everything I need them to do.
@Samerberg Sue, I can see that would be a popular service in your neck of the woods, but I doubt it's widely available in the UK. However I can order tyres through blackcircles.com and get them delivered and fitted at a place near to work, so buying and getting tyres fitted is not a problem. That's why the Michelins seemed an obvious solution to me. The marketing blurb suggests they have been developed with the UK climate in mind.
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@queen bodecia, These appear to be a recent innovation, so unlikely anyone has a long term view on them. However, there seem to be many SnowHeads like myself who run snow tyres all year round without problems. Their life may be a few miles shorter than equivalent summer tyres, but I regard that as a small price for the convenience.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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We changed back this summer, because we had a very new set of tyres to change back to, but have ran the car on winter tyres all year round for the last couple of years.
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Well I bought Nokian Weatherproof in the end. An offer too good to miss saving £100 over the Michelins. Billed more as a winter tyre that works year round than vice versa. So far the weather has been mild and mostly wet and I'm very impressed with the wet grip. I might get to try them out in the snow this weekend if the forecasts turn out as they say.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Woah, that was my 10,000th post. I really should have planned that a bit better...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Winter tyres in summer?!?! It's been a while but I don't remember British summers being _that_ bad. Apart from the wear you get reduced stopping distance in hotter weather. Not sure I'd want that. All weather + snow chains would seem a better bet.
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@bleudegex, Nokian Weatherproof are billed as all season tyres based on winter tyre technology but with all weather capabilities. I'll report back how they fare. As for hotter weather, if last this summer just gone is anything to go by, two weeks with temperatures just climbing above 20 degrees and the rest of the time with temperatures in the teens doesn't really count as hot to me.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Jake43, I got them for £59 each fitted too. Masses cheaper than the Michelins.
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FAQ
