how necessary are dedicated winter tires for a quattro audi??
09-22-2006, 05:47 PM
#31
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What you need is a set of PS 2 for summer, those A/S will be fine for
most winter driving. There's absolutely no point shelling out the dough for those high performance all season Michelins and then putting full winters on, unless you are nervous about your driving skills. There's no doubt full winters give you better grip but how much grip do you think you need?
Heck, we used to use radial summers as winter tires before winter radials became readily available, they were much better than those bias ply winter snowtires.
Awd makes winter driving pretty much a cakewalk EXCEPT for hard braking. Apart from emergency braking you don't have to use winter tires as long as you use at least all seasons.
As for those nervous nellies that think Q rated full winter tires on narrow minus one or two rims, learn how to drive in winter eh?
Heck, we used to use radial summers as winter tires before winter radials became readily available, they were much better than those bias ply winter snowtires.
Awd makes winter driving pretty much a cakewalk EXCEPT for hard braking. Apart from emergency braking you don't have to use winter tires as long as you use at least all seasons.
As for those nervous nellies that think Q rated full winter tires on narrow minus one or two rims, learn how to drive in winter eh?
09-22-2006, 05:50 PM
#32
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Not all All season tires use hard rubber
technically, an all season tire is defined by its land/sea ratio, that's it. But, if you pay the unbelievably high price for Michelin A/S Pilots you get that PLUS proper winter rubber compounding.
Most All season tires are pure crap, no season tires. However, properly designed all seaosn tires with advanced rubber compounding are all you really need if you have awd or fwd.
Most All season tires are pure crap, no season tires. However, properly designed all seaosn tires with advanced rubber compounding are all you really need if you have awd or fwd.
09-22-2006, 06:56 PM
#34
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"harden up"? you don't know what you're talking about
all season tires do not have to have any particular traction capabilities, they are defined SOLELY by land/sea ratio. Some all season tires are so awful they don't belong on any car. The really good (expensive) ones are quite good and certainly don't "harden up" as they warm up.
Winter tires that are Q rated are way too soft for warm roads but all season's do not "harden up" as they get warmer. All rubber gets softer as it warms up. Summer tires use hard rubber that only softens up when it gets warm.
If you don't drive hard you're wasting your money with high performance summer tires, they are like concrete unless you drive them hard enough to get them warm.
Winter tires that are Q rated are way too soft for warm roads but all season's do not "harden up" as they get warmer. All rubber gets softer as it warms up. Summer tires use hard rubber that only softens up when it gets warm.
If you don't drive hard you're wasting your money with high performance summer tires, they are like concrete unless you drive them hard enough to get them warm.
09-23-2006, 02:33 AM
#37
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Winter Tires = Improved Safety
Winter tires improve traction but most important reduce braking distances. Quattro has no effect on braking distance. If you want an added margin of safety get winter tires.
It's only money....why have Quattro if you won't use all its capability?
It's only money....why have Quattro if you won't use all its capability?
09-23-2006, 07:30 AM
#39
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Yes that's what I was trying to say. Let me rephrase:
As temperature drops, the rubber compound of all season tires harden up & loses traction capability at significantly milder temperature than winter tires.
