Should I avoid Summer tyres and get all-season ones?

[k-dog]

Originally Posted by mattyfezf

My opinion is that the weather is too mild here to make it worth it - they might be handy 1 month per year if you are lucky, and the rest of the time they will perform sub-optimaly in relation to a summer tyre.

If anything, I would buy some cheap steel wheels and put some proper winter tyres on, but then you live in the south, so still, its a lot of money and effort for something you will get very little use from... I would suggest a summer tyre that excels in wet weather would be the most sensible choise for the temperate British climate.

This article is quite interesting:
http://www.insideline.com/features/t...vs-summer.html

EDIT: Ha! i just noticed the OP is a quote from the same article!

I've been thinking about this recently and I'm beginning to think that the opposite is actually true - summer tyres are obviously designed to work in reasonable warm conditions - and in the UK (up here anyway) it is actually cool and damp for more of the year than warm and dry - I'm thinking that all season tyres would be a more sensible choice for the average conditions and then winter tyres for 4 months or so.

[mattyfezf]

Originally Posted by k-dog

I've been thinking about this recently and I'm beginning to think that the opposite is actually true - summer tyres are obviously designed to work in reasonable warm conditions - and in the UK (up here anyway) it is actually cool and damp for more of the year than warm and dry - I'm thinking that all season tyres would be a more sensible choice for the average conditions and then winter tyres for 4 months or so.

thats fine if you dont mind inferior tyres for the majority of the time. Even this winter we had days where the temperature was relatively high - where all season tyres would be putting you at a disadvantage.

It just isnt worth it in England, in my opinion.

It's funny how a few years ago, the phrase 'summer' tyres was pretty much unheard of, they were just tyres. All of a sudden seasonal tyres are a must have? im still of the opinion that a suitable high quality regular tyre is all you need.

[dabrovsky]

All season tyres are not good at all.
They not good in the winter and not good in the summer!
I have got experience as I come from east Europe and we change tyres twice a year.
The best option for you is have two sets of tyres: summer on your alloys and second set of winter on steel rims. Easy way to change and less risk of damage alloys in the winter.
Hope it helps.