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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 9, 2018 10:58:20 GMT
Queston for Martin: How are you finding the Allseason Contacts on the Golf? I had my Crossclimates fitted on Friday and it has sort of confirmed my suspicion that they are not ideal on a more "performance" oriented car. They feel fine on the Captur, which has next to sod all feel through the steering but on the VRS there is a distinctly noticeable "rubberiness" and squirm just off dead centre. This, I presume is down to the tread blocks having a bit of movement in them, which you simply don't get on summer performance tyres. They ride is nice on them (thanks to those softer blocks) and they are nice and quiet but I couldn't possibly want them all year round. I am happy with them as a winter set and I am sure they will be fine but there is that noticeable issue with the steering. Perhaps having full winters would mean putting up with grip levels dropping off above 8 degrees, so perhaps it's just a different compromise. I just wondered how you were finding the Contis on the Golf.
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Post by Martin on Dec 9, 2018 11:10:38 GMT
Queston for Martin: How are you finding the Allseason Contacts on the Golf? I had my Crossclimates fitted on Friday and it has sort of confirmed my suspicion that they are not ideal on a more "performance" oriented car. They feel fine on the Captur, which has next to sod all feel through the steering but on the VRS there is a distinctly noticeable "rubberiness" and squirm just off dead centre. This, I presume is down to the tread blocks having a bit of movement in them, which you simply don't get on summer performance tyres. They ride is nice on them (thanks to those softer blocks) and they are nice and quiet but I couldn't possibly want them all year round. I am happy with them as a winter set and I am sure they will be fine but there is that noticeable issue with the steering. Perhaps having full winters would mean putting up with grip levels dropping off above 8 degrees, so perhaps it's just a different compromise. I just wondered how you were finding the Contis on the Golf. I’ve not had them fitted yet, so it’s interesting to get your thoughts on the Crossclimates, especially as the All Season Contacts are difficult to get hold of through the sites that offer fitting so I was thinking of getting the Michelin’s. Plan is to get the tyres on next Saturday. The winters I had on the 5 reduced the steering feel, which I put down to the higher sidewalls as well as the winter rubber. It’s a difficult one, as I could go for decent winters (Continental) but had decided on all seasons because the temperature does vary so much. It was 14c in London this time last week, then 2c at home on Tuesday, 11c yesterday...
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 9, 2018 16:54:58 GMT
Cheers. I reckon it's just a compromise I will have to put up with. It's not horrendous by any means but it is noticeable. This afternoon I tried using the steering in thevSport setting, which just majes it feel heavier, and the effect of the tyres was much less noticeable. I don't really want the steering in Sport all the time, though. I'm absolutely certain it is simply down to the different characteristics of those wobbly, bendy tread blocks and as I said, there is a benefit with a slightly softer and quieter ride. I suppose, ultimately, you will never get the absolute best of both worlds so my grumble really is minor.
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Post by michael on Dec 9, 2018 17:39:36 GMT
Might just be that it’s still too warm. The snow tyres I had on the Alpina were as you described until the temperatures got reasonably cold then they’d firm up. Ive been offered these for a reasonable price should we have a particularly bad winter:
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 9, 2018 19:36:26 GMT
Are they Insa Turbo Traction Tracks? They will be greasy in the wet and noisy on the road if so. Great in mud but probably not as good as A/Ts in snow.
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 9, 2018 22:23:40 GMT
Might just be that it’s still too warm. The snow tyres I had on the Alpina were as you described until the temperatures got reasonably cold then they’d firm up. Crossclimate is an all season tyre and are essentially a mild weather compound with a winter type tread pattern. I'm pretty certain it's that tread pattern that I can feel throughthe steering. Those tyres in your photo look great. If nothing else the Disco will look proper serious on those but it will need a snorkel and winch for the full effect.
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Post by michael on Dec 9, 2018 22:24:38 GMT
I’m not sure what they are but I’ve driven the Discovery 4 that had them on and it felt fine. They’re very good in mud, they helped pull my Volvo out the paddock a few years ago.
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Post by Martin on Dec 16, 2018 16:14:15 GMT
One car ready for the Winter. They look a touch small, but I’m sure I’ll get used to that and I do like the style of wheel. It is the standard (19”) wheel for the 7 series in M Sport trim, but 245 all round rather than 245/275. It’s also the same wheel as my Dads 630d GT.
The before picture
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 17, 2018 19:09:57 GMT
I bet it's not that clean any more...
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Post by Martin on Dec 17, 2018 21:34:49 GMT
I bet it's not that clean any more... I’ll take that bet! It’s not moved off the drive since I washed it, I’ve been using the Golf all day and this evening. That’s now a lot dirtier than it was before I washed it yesterday.
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Post by alf on Dec 18, 2018 11:15:59 GMT
Mine is on the (silver) winters now - I put them on to drive to Dusseldorf the weekend before last with my (German) GF... In the end it was mild, very wet, and busy, plus we were barely on German motorways so there was no opportunity for VMax naughtiness. Plus my winter rears (S2 Sottozeroes) are 8 years old - they were bought 5 years old (from a German Jag dealer actually!) on Ebay, which is within tolerance for storing a new tyre if done properly (just) and this is their 4th winter since. They still have 5mm and feel amazingly good in all conditions, especially as the temperature drops, but I won't be VMaxing them any time soon. At some point I will change them - the fronts are newer series 3 Sottozeroes. I may be driving to Nuremberg in Feb in which case I'll get new rears then...
It did answer one question - I prefer the look of the black summer wheels. Sorry. They also look better for being wider and with a wider offset (they are the XFR-S cold forged ones) - they really fill the arches and look great. Plus they felt impressively light compared to my Nevis silver alloys.
Winter tyres feel very different to summers for sure - extremely light steering and less grip all round are the most obvious, they don't like overlapping acceleration and cornering much either. I've found that all season tyres on non-performance, relatively light, cars like the Golf Plus and C Max felt better than cheapo summers, and suited the car but yes as Stu suggests, I doubt they work well on an enthusiastically driven sporty car.
@ Martin - the 7 series looks good with those wheels!
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Post by Martin on Dec 18, 2018 11:50:27 GMT
Thanks!
The light steering is the one thing I don’t like about runny my winter tyres, didn’t feel great this morning after doing a couple of hundred miles in the Golf yesterday.
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Post by Martin on Dec 22, 2018 14:58:22 GMT
The Golf is now sorted, set of Crossclimate+ fitted to 18” Pretoria’s. They are very bright silver, the 19” are slightly ‘smoked’ but I was expecting that and the only other option was black which I didn’t want. They’re just as heavy because the 19s are forged, which is why 1 x new 19” wheel costs £900 from VW and the set of 4 x 18s were £1200. Pleased that they don’t look small. I know 18s shouldn’t on a small hatchback, but I’m used to the bigger wheels. No noticeable difference in ride quality, but the steering does feel lighter. Will find out more in a few hundred miles.
Comparison of size and colour to the summer wheels.
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Post by Boxer6 on Dec 22, 2018 22:15:34 GMT
Very nice - they do look a little familiar though .. .. .. a bit BMW-esque maybe?
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 24, 2018 0:28:44 GMT
Certainly looks nice on either wheel.
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Post by Martin on Jan 6, 2019 12:59:01 GMT
Certainly looks nice on either wheel. Thanks Question on tyre pressures. Do you think they should be set to the M&S pressure rather than the summer one? The tyre place set them to 2.4 bar which is the summer pressure, but winters should be at 2.8 which is quite a big difference. I’ve increased them to the middle, set them to 2.7 today which will be more like 2.6 when the temperature drops.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2019 19:40:56 GMT
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Post by Martin on Jan 6, 2019 20:11:20 GMT
... if the temperature drops. I've not bothered swapping yet. Thanks for your help.... It was -4c here on Friday morning when I left home. The temperature is all over the place, which is why I decided to go for All Season tyres rather than full winters, which may or may not be a good decision...time will tell. Can’t see the point of not swapping if you have winters, you never know when (appreciate its more of an if) you might benefit from having them fitted.
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Post by PetrolEd on Jan 6, 2019 21:57:57 GMT
Well it’s certainly interesting running around on Cup 2’s in this weather. Car had a massive moment in a straight line last week. Tread ain’t great though
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Post by Martin on Jan 6, 2019 22:07:08 GMT
I bet it is, rather you than me!
I got the TC light flashing this evening at 80 leptons / just over 4,000rpm. Back in the Golf tomorrow!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2019 22:54:09 GMT
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Post by Roadrunner on Jan 6, 2019 23:16:30 GMT
I have not put the winter tyres on the Benz yet. I was walking around outside in a short sleeve shirt today, so have always found something else to do.
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Post by johnc on Jan 7, 2019 7:24:20 GMT
Thanks Question on tyre pressures. Do you think they should be set to the M&S pressure rather than the summer one? The tyre place set them to 2.4 bar which is the summer pressure, but winters should be at 2.8 which is quite a big difference. I’ve increased them to the middle, set them to 2.7 today which will be more like 2.6 when the temperature drops. If VW say winters should be at 2.8, then I think that's what I would run them at. Winters are made of softer rubber and might get pretty hot if run a bit soft especially with the current "non-winter" temperatures we are having.
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Post by ChrisM on Jan 7, 2019 7:52:45 GMT
I have not put the winter tyres on the Benz yet. I was walking around outside in a short sleeve shirt today, so have always found something else to do. Indeed the weather is a little odd at the moment ! For most of last week the local forecast had the temperature dipping below zero at night yet it didn't; we stayed frost-free and it was plus 7 this morning when I left home shortly after 7am. It's also been rain-free for a long time, since before Christmas I think
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Post by Martin on Jan 7, 2019 8:05:02 GMT
Thanks Question on tyre pressures. Do you think they should be set to the M&S pressure rather than the summer one? The tyre place set them to 2.4 bar which is the summer pressure, but winters should be at 2.8 which is quite a big difference. I’ve increased them to the middle, set them to 2.7 today which will be more like 2.6 when the temperature drops. If VW say winters should be at 2.8, then I think that's what I would run them at. Winters are made of softer rubber and might get pretty hot if run a bit soft especially with the current "non-winter" temperatures we are having. Thanks John. What’s not helped is 17” winters should be 2.4. I’ll run them at the 18” winter pressure.
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Post by johnc on Jan 7, 2019 8:27:29 GMT
Is there nothing to tell you in the manual? The only thing I can find is confirmation that the tyre pressure for the 18" wheels (225 width I think) is 2.8 bar but that certainly seems on the high side. My car runs 2.6 in normal and 2.8 with a full load. The VW website and Michelin sites are rubbish but I did find this which suggests higher pressures for winter tyres: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=181&t=1566884
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Post by Martin on Jan 7, 2019 8:55:22 GMT
The manual doesn’t say anything about all season tyres, sounds like it’s best to go for the winter pressures.
Thanks for looking!
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Post by Roadsterstu on Jan 9, 2019 12:54:34 GMT
Crossclimates are not a winter compound, though, so perhaps a different pressure will be required. I found at 2.4bar the ride felt significantly harsher than at 2.3, so that's where they sit for now. I'm monitoring wear. I wouldn't like them higher than 2.4, I don't think. Certainly not on the road surfaces up here.
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Post by michael on Jan 9, 2019 13:18:47 GMT
Just had a flurry of snow and I can see it settled on the hills - how's it going up with you, Mark?
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jan 9, 2019 13:48:53 GMT
Just had a flurry of snow and I can see it settled on the hills - how's it going up with you, Mark? Mark can't come to the computer right now..
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