Winter Tyres

[Renny]

Need/want to replace all four tyres on a Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 and have decided to go for all-season to avoid having to change them next year. The car has 185/55/R15s at the moment but can also use 155/80/R13s.

With such a small engine, I'd be looking at the narrower tyre option. I run 195 width on a 2.0 diesel. The wider footprint will create extra drag and may struggle to cut down through slush etc.

[Gareth]

With such a small engine, I'd be looking at the narrower tyre option.

That's an interesting point but the answer might be different when considering all season tyres to having a set of summer and a set of winter tyres.

FWIW we used to have an older car that had 165/70R13 as the smallest standard size in the range. After Quatrac 3s had been fitted it seemed to roll better than when the previous tyres were on it, which was encouraging as it felt that with only 68 bhp out of the factory it needed all the help it could get. The downside seemed to be a greater susceptibility to cross-winds on motorways than is apparent in cars with wider tyres, although the compromise seemed fine to me.

A little bit of detective work and I suspect MGF's Corsa is a 'C' version (2000-06) given the smaller size stated. If so, with only 58 or 60 PS depending on engine version, it's clear that Vauxhall specified smaller wheels and tyres to reduce drag and to avoid unduly harming fuel economy. If I were MGF I might be tempted to try to get a set of the standard wheels from a breakers and then get the smaller tyres fitted. I'd also expect a more comfortable ride as a result.

[Gareth]

Mytyres also appears to list the same tyre under both winter and all-season so I am more confused. It appears these terms are labels rather than comparable terms such as the M+S and mountain signs.

When I looked at the mytyres website, it seemed they classified tyres as either 'all season' or 'winter' tyres but also allowed you to choose 'cold weather ' tyres which showed both 'all season' and 'winter' tyres together.

Regarding the particular tyre, Star Performer list it as a winter tyre. Perhaps mytyres think it is appropriate to also include it in the all season section.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Star Performer = Ditchfinder, at least the ones I had. I'd steer well clear.

Disclaimer: Different tyre variants are known to have different performance, and these may be fine. I just thought I would chip in in case it's helpful.

[MGF]

Thanks for all the replies. I have gone for the quatrac 3s (185) and started to regret it a little having read the most recent posts. (The car did 35 mpg on a 600 mile - mainly motorway - round trip recently). Having said that Mrs F will probably appreciate less susceptibility to crosswinds.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

I think you'll be pleased with the Quatracs. My experience of them (albeit in a different kind of car belonging to another forum member), has been sublime.