In 2011 we got a game of winter tires with the intention of verifying its operation in real life. Almost 4 years have passed and we have ridden with them more than 30.000 km in all kinds of conditions, from deep snow to midsummer. Are winter tires useful? Do they wear out quickly? Do they make a lot of noise? Are they very expensive? To what extent do they increase our security? We will try to clear all these issues one by one.
In 2010 in Spain only one in a hundred tires that were sold in our country was a winter tire. They passed more pain than glory through our market and a large percentage of drivers were even unaware of their existence, which motivated us to start this test. In our country they are not mandatory, unlike several of our European colleagues where at certain times of the year we must mount them or leave the car at home. Mounting them has a number of advantages and disadvantages.
The price
Michelin Pilot Alpin worn
The selling price of the winter tire is about 8-10% more expensive than its summer counterpart. In addition, the cost of assembly and disassembly must be added twice a year (about €30 each time). If we do not have a place to store them, possibly the workshop where you bought them will do it for free if you make the changes with them, although this is not always the case. Currently some Michelin Pilot Sport 3 in the measure of this test cost about €120/unit while the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 costs about €135/unit.
The duration
Here comes one of the most surprising points. Interestingly the winter tire it wears less than the summer equivalent during the cold months. This effect is more noticeable the more aggressive we are at the wheel, since the summer tire does not manage to reach its use temperature and it hardens, suffering more microslips than winter rubber, wearing down.
By using winter tires at low temperatures, we are "saving" tires, which compensates in part your highest purchase price. In addition, it also has a little more tread depth (9 millimeters compared to 8,2 millimeters in this case), that is, more rubber to be able to wear, therefore the mileage performance in winter is higher.
Keep in mind that as the tire wears out, it loses winter performance. That is why the tires have two witnesses, one that marks the legal limit of 1,6 mm (like any tire) and another at 4 millimeters that indicates the moment in which it begins to lose effectiveness on snow and ice. In my case, I have been looking for uniform wear by rotating them every year, taking care of the pressures, with good alignment levels and shock absorbers in good condition. When I removed them, all four tires were practically within the legal limit of 1,6 millimeters, showing off perfect wear.
What happens in summer?
As we already saw last summer, these tires do not “disintegrate” nor do they burst or any other strange thing that I have heard in bar conversations, not even circulating with them in the middle of summer at very happy rhythms. They are obviously out of their range of use and lose benefits, especially lengthening the braking compared to its summer counterpart. To always drive with maximum safety, the ideal is to take the summer tires out of the warehouse from April, approximately, depending on the climate in your area.
Noise
Today, with the tire labeling we can compare the noise generated by each, regardless of our perception. In real life, there is less noise with the summer tyre, although it doesn't seem significant to me either. I also consider that during the four years of the trial It hasn't gotten noisy which is also related to the good wear it has had.
A reflection: when choosing our new car, do we take into account that 18” wheels make more noise than the standard 16” ones? Or do we only think about aesthetics and behavior? And in the cost of changing tires?
consumption
I have tried to adjust myself as closely as possible to reality and according to my measurements the car with Michelin Pilot Alpin consumed an average of 0,2 liters/100 km more than with the Pilot Sport 3. To continue with the example, the tires that have consumed the most of all the ones I have had in my car have been the Pirelli Pzero Nero, with approximately 0,4 litres/100 km more than the Pilot Sport 3.
Doing approximate numbers for about 40.000 km of duration, they are about €100 more in fuel with winter tires compared to equivalent summer tires of the same brand. Assuming that it had brought Pzero Nero it would be €200 more. I have never used Pirelli winter tires so I cannot compare within the same brand. It should also be noted that these data are to the extent tested and may vary considerably for other dimensions.
driving on dry ground
In winter on dry soil they behave quite similar to the summer equivalent. The only drawback is a greater inaccuracy in driving, due to the movements of the blades, the greater height of the pattern and the greater number of studs. As the tire wears out the tire becomes more precise. The biggest differences with the summer tire occur when humidity begins to appear or temperatures drop below 0ºC on any type of road.
where it is most noticeable the security they provide it is on the typical dry road that has curvy wet areas where the sun does not shine, since the car passes by without even flinching when with summer tires we would already have a scare. As the weather changes and the good weather begins, we will notice how the tire begins to lose performance compared to the summer equivalent, and it is time to change it again.
Driving on wet ground
In winter, the difference in safety between the two is very noticeable, especially in braking and changes of trajectory rapid. When the good weather approaches, in the wet they behave quite similarly. They may suffer a little more from drift but always offering a great sense of security, mainly due to the fact that they are very progressive at the limit.
Driving on snow or ice
Under these conditions the difference is simply abysmal. As soon as a single inch of snow falls, a car with front-wheel drive and winter tires is capable of moving through places where SUVs and several 4 × 4 with summer tires have already been thrown. And remember that the important thing is not to go up and accelerate, but go down and be able to brake.
Concluding
What I liked the most:
- Winter safety, especially when driving on dry roads where shady wet ones abound
- You totally forget about the chains
- They fulfill in a polyvalent way in a climate like ours
- Unexpectedly high mileage
What I liked the least
- Forces you to go to the workshop to change the tires 2 times a year (even if they check them by the way)
- Somewhat less precise ride feel, especially when new (partly due to reed carving)
- Higher expense. In total they have been approximately €400 (purchase price €70 higher + 2 tire changes per year + 0,2 liters / 100 km). As they suffer less wear and tear by wearing the right tires at each moment of the year, one set of summer and one set of winter will last us longer than two sets of summer all year round. I have not calculated how much is saved, but it is not a negligible figure. Never has a tire lasted me so many kilometers and that can only be due to the lower wear that the tire suffers when used at the right time.