Winter Tyres On....

[Silver Arrow]

And the car feels great! Pirelli Sotto 2's. I was scared they'd be noisy etc, but they aren't at all. very smooth and quiet! The turn in on a cold dry road is superb when the temp was reading -1.5c!! Just so much more grip.

Thought I'd share this, knowing how bad RWD cars can be in the snow, I left it late. Where I live the weather rarely gets too snowy, but this year I don't want to regret it.

[TigerFish]

Yeah, I run winter tyres on my GS430 Sport, well worth the investment.

[Stuart Aspey]

This is the first time I've ever bought winter tyres, but with a rear wheel drive Lexus, I was not going to risk not buying them.

[Guest]

Any ideas what winter tyres on a GS450h ?

[Silver Arrow]

The highest speed rating you'll get is V generally, but all you need to do is find a set (ideally with the same tread pattern on all 4) of the size you have now (18 inch??). Or buy a set of second hand alloys, possibly even 17's and do a google search. there are some web sites that allow you to put in what you have now and what you are changing to, and it suggests whether they would be OK or not.

Edit there are some GS alloys on eBay with winters fitted (almost new). He wants £900 or the best offer.....call him and see if he'll sell them for less and place a bid, or just offer to go and get them off him. Genuine Lexus alloys too!! Can't see how they can be W speed index though, unless they make them!!

HERE

[matt-c]

This is the first time I've ever bought winter tyres, but with a rear wheel drive Lexus, I was not going to risk not buying them.

Exactly the same here. The Lex is my first RWD car, and I've never used, or really needed, winter tyres before (always had FWD). But after much reading, and watching of videos, and seeing how even 4WD/AWD vehicles struggle to get out of where I live when it snows and gets icy (which has been every year for the last 5 winters I've been here) I decided to get a set. Part worn (7-8mm) Uniroyals, and have had them on since Dec 1st. Only had one snowy day so far - until now - to test them on, but they coped great with that, and they are also fantastic in the wet. My only fear is whether I've put any premature wear on them over Dec, when the temp has been in double figures for a fair bit of the time (since winter tyres prefer cold temps.

Went out on Tuesday night, and it was -5, and gotta say, even without snow, they were great. Crisp, sharp turn in, no scrub, very composed.

[Stuart Aspey]

The winter tyres will be good for 6-10, 000 miles. Don't go over 60mph too often, don't speed round corners and they'll last. They'd last longer if we could guarantee 6 months continuously at 3ºs or lower, but heyho!

I'll be looking for a set of is200 17" rims in a couple of months to put summer tyres on, the 16" with winters will then go into storage. Mine were part worns too. Goodyear on the front Bridgestone on the rear. I would rather have had all the same, but I didn't want to pay £70.00 + per tyre. I'm hoping I don't regret this decision.

[matt-c]

My standard 17's had been refurbed by the previous owner and the Hankook summer tyres (also excellent I might add) were more or less new, so I bought a set of tatty standard 17's to shoe the winter tyres on (£250 for all four, plus £80 for the wheels), so the much better condition rims can sit in the shed over winter, and avoid all the salt and grit.

Yes it's expensive having a second set of wheels and tyres, and some see it as extravagant or pointless, but I look at it two ways; one, it's safer, and two, while I'm running one set of tyres, the others aren't wearing, thus prolonging their life. Also, provided I don't wear the winter tyres down too much, if I sell the Lex they can either go with it, or I can sell them separately

[Stuart Aspey]

Indeed. I think that if you have two sets of tyres ( winter and summer ) psychologically you drive a little differently. More responsibly maybe because you know you're going to be swapping them around each year, you want them to last.

[ManicMark]

Hi I drove down to south Germany last year for 400 miles in settled 20cm snow winter tyres on, not a problem at all. Its a legal requirement as of last year to have them fitted even if you visit.

[Guest]

Does Lexus recommend a particular winter tyre ?

[Stuart Aspey]

Does Lexus recommend a particular winter tyre ?

I don't think there are any specific tyres Lexus would recommend. Check out prices of part worns. Garages who sell them will have a certificate as they are not meant to be sold if they have lost more than 2mm of tread since original sale. But there may be a clause in your insurance that states in the event of an accident in adverse weather conditions, if winter tyres are not fitted, insurance could be nul and void.

[ManicMark]

I am really impressed with the michelin alpin 3 s I have on my 400 fantastic grip & quiet.

[matt-c]

A note on part worns. Every year there is a flood of part worn winter tyres on the likes of eBay, usually from Germany, most of which are around the ~4mm mark. Seeing as winter tyres are a legal requirement in parts of Germany, and that the Germans are sensible, logical people, that like things at their best, what does that tell you about part worn winter tyres with about 4mm tread? It tells me, that at 4mm tread depth, winter tyres aren't at their best, and that the Germans change their tyres at this level for new ones...

So when I was buying part worn, I wouldn't go for anything less than 8mm tread

[Stuart Aspey]

Yeah, most garages, if they sell part worns, will not sell below 7mm. Or at least, they shouldn't! Mine are 8mm.

[matt-c]

Mine were ~8mm, however I ran them all through Dec (probably 300 miles?) in temps as high 13/14 deg (in Dec!!!!) and mostly in the dry. I'm sure I haven't worn them down much if any, but I've never had them before, so I don't have any experience of the wear rates...

[Silver Arrow]

4mm is where they start to lose their effectiveness, thats why people change them then. So don't buy any that low.

[ManicMark]

Its the same for summer tyres 1.6 mm is the legal min, below 4mm they wont clear water so well in the wet, so loose grip

[Silver Arrow]

Very true. I did this whole thing as a test (as I was a complete sceptic on WInter tyres), so I bought 2 used ones with 5-6mm on them. They're on the back, and the wear is slightly uneven. I think the numpty who had them before over inflated them, so they are more worn in the centre. Even still, the grip's brilliant.

The front ones are new, same tread pattern.