Part of it depends on where you live, and your circumstances.

If you're going to be setting off very early in the morning with risk of frozen back roads for example, although it could be argued that no tyre short of a studded is going to help against black ice.

Northern, hilly areas it makes more sense to have decent all seasons or a swap of tyres.

These days you'll be lucky to see a snowflake in the South in winter. And that's likely to be more often the case considering the change in climate.

It's a difficult one in the UK. We don't get enough harsh winters to introduce a law regarding change of tyre. Unless we stop gritting roads.

Cars slide around due to lack of tread. A summer tyre with 8mm is better in snow than an all season with 2mm.

Are you sure? The type of rubber mix and tread pattern of the all season might more than compensate for reduced tread depth.

Cars slide around due to lack of tread. A summer tyre with 8mm is better in snow than an all season with 2mm.

Lack of tread isn't the full picture-a summer tyre with 8mm tread has virtually no grip in snow conditions, I've experienced it. .

The 7° figure is something of a myth put out by tyre manufacturers as part of FUD campaign.

Possibly but all I know is Michelin Energy tyres were truly awful in snow on my previous Superb mkI - that's when I started trying winter tyres etc. I had three decades of this high mileage commute to try different combinations. Latterly I've had two sets of Michelin Crossclimates.

Edited by Big John on 16/10/2023 at 21:21

The 7° figure is something of a myth put out by tyre manufacturers as part of FUD campaign.

So what temperature does the effect of cold start affecting summer tyres?

The 7° figure is something of a myth put out by tyre manufacturers as part of FUD campaign.

I don't agree, being the bore that I am sometimes, I've watched extensive videos and read numerous articles on Winter and summer tyres and how they fair, tread patterns, depth etc. Summer tyres and the softer compound are PROVEN that they deteriate and some are prone to cracking around the wall at below 7 degrees. Its not a marketing ploy, you may well have tyres that do you fine for a couple of weeks ectreme cold in our country but a summer tyre with extended exposure to constant below 7 degrees WILL start to deteriate, some much more noticable than others depending on brand, side wall reinforcement etc.

I live in a very cold part of lancashire and get heavy winters every couple of years and the difference of having a winter tyre onmy car is night and day. Each to there own. I have a friend who drives on Winter tyres all year round and changes his tyres at 3mm mark (yes I know the cost, but he can afford it), he thinks the 1.6mm we have in this country is massivly dangerous and should be 3mm, whats the backroomers opinions on this?

I use All-seasons, changed when down to 3mm - brilliant for the UK climate which is mostly cool and wet, occasionally hot and dry and even less occasionally snowy.

One look at the tread pattern on most OE tyres tells you that they're good in the dy, less so in the wet when worn.

Winter tyres aren't just about snow - they make a major difference on icy roads also, which we get a lot in the UK (at least, where I live in the SW). And gritting around here is only done on major roads and bus routes. I've safely made it around a bend near our house with my all-season tyres, when the very similar car behind me, driving at exactly the same speed but on summer tyres, slid unhesitatingly into the ditch and onto its side.

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons on mine

I've recently fitted the Vector all season tyres to Mrs BJ's Panda as Crosclimates were really expensive for its size, jury is out but initial signs are good - hard to compare as the Panda only does about 2k miles a year. One thing to note is they come with nearly 9mm tread new but the Crossclimates only had 7mm - saying that historically I've been getting over 35k miles out of the CCs.

Strange.

I've never knowingly used Winter Tyres in over 47 years of driving cars.

Rear wheel drive, front wheel drive and Quattro.

I've never had a bump, accident or left the road in bad weather.

Never been stranded.

Am I lucky?

Or just taught how to adapt, at 17 years old, in the Snowy 70's every Winter!

One inch of Snow now and its Headline News, country stopped!