Right. Moved to an area where, if we get a bad, or even just icy winter, we will be in trouble without decent tyres.

I have my FL2 and my wife has a front wheel drive Audi A4.

I've just received 4 new Wintrac Xtreme and now that I see them, I realise how low the tread is on my own tyres (still legal). Currently the FL2 has the standard Wranglers.

I recently bought a set of alloys fitted with Wrangler AT/SA with what I thought was a good amount of tread (until I saw the new ones). The seller (from here) assured me that those tyres were great in the winter, much better than the standard Wranglers, so as it seemed a good deal I went for it.

However, now I am wondering if either set of tyres are a good bet.

I have some options and would appreciate your thoughts.

1. Come October-ist time, stick the AT/SA on and go through the winter with them. If they are poor try and get proper winters fitted, likely at a higher price with longer order time due to weather (?)

2. Get a new set of winters fitted on
a) my old Wranglers and keep the AT/SA as summer set as they have more tread
B) replace the AT/SA with proper winters.

Bit of a ramble I know but I've already spent £300 on the wheels and tyres and was hoping they were the right buy. Don't want to waste money when not needed but on the flip side don't want to put myself or family at risk driving on tyres not best suited to the road. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Winters have deeper tread than summers and should be changed at 4mm. Check your Wintracs and you will find 2 wear indicators. 2014 SE Loire Blue SD4 Auto (MY15)
Gone - 2011 GS Baltic Blue, Retrofit Electric Leather, Side Steps, 19"SC's, Roof Rails, TT Sat Nav Mod, Retrofit Premium Audio, Retro fit 2013 Xenons with DRL & Sig Strip (Clutch at 47k)
Gone - 2007 GS Narvik Black, Privacy Glass, 19" SC's, Side Steps,Roof Rails, Roof Spoiler, Lamp Guards, Retrofit Electric Leather (Clutch at 115k)
Gone - 2007 SE Santorini Black (Clutch at 120k)
BT IID (best money ever spent on a car)

Will do. Haven't unwrapped them yet but will look when I do.

Any idea if the Wranglers have markers? Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Never used Wranglers but they will have wear indicators. Always used Conti's in summer and Wintracs in winter. Now on Nokian in summer. 2014 SE Loire Blue SD4 Auto (MY15)
Gone - 2011 GS Baltic Blue, Retrofit Electric Leather, Side Steps, 19"SC's, Roof Rails, TT Sat Nav Mod, Retrofit Premium Audio, Retro fit 2013 Xenons with DRL & Sig Strip (Clutch at 47k)
Gone - 2007 GS Narvik Black, Privacy Glass, 19" SC's, Side Steps,Roof Rails, Roof Spoiler, Lamp Guards, Retrofit Electric Leather (Clutch at 115k)
Gone - 2007 SE Santorini Black (Clutch at 120k)
BT IID (best money ever spent on a car)


You could always get a set of these and leave them on all the time I have been pleased with them

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How are you finding the Nokians Jim?
I am just about done on my Contis, may wait until spring as the nokian winters will go on in a few weeks, yes seriously, it's only weeks away
Had a quick search online at other brands and Kwik Fit-up have Pirelli Verde at £124 fitted which is damn good and they are a nice quiet tyre.

If you are likely to have prolonged winter conditions you really need winter rated tyres, ie those with a snowflake or snowflake in a mountain peak symbol. As you say yourself the AT/SAs are not proper winter tyres and neither are the Michelins recommended above. Both may be OK in soft mud or snow conditions but will struggle on compacted snow and ice or when it's really sub-zero cold. The Wintrac Xtreme's are a good choice, for the Audi I presume? If your wife's annual mileage is low you could even leave them on all year round. I will on my FL2 because Vredestein winter tyre compounds appear to be on the hard side and last well.

Now that you've bought them I think on balance I'd try to go with the AT/SAs and see how you get on and hope that snow is more of a winter problem for you than ice. I'd think that in your circumstance (and for many UK residents) a winter rated all-season tyre would be ideal such as Vredestein Quatrac 3 (or even 5 now I believe) but I underatnd there is limit to how much you want to continue to invest in tyres.

HTH, a little at least. driving on the right side

Taz - Nokian Zlines on a few weeks now and so far so good. Road noise less than Contis grip well in all UK summer conditions. Haven't noticed any difference in fuel economy. All round I'm happy especially at the price. 2014 SE Loire Blue SD4 Auto (MY15)
Gone - 2011 GS Baltic Blue, Retrofit Electric Leather, Side Steps, 19"SC's, Roof Rails, TT Sat Nav Mod, Retrofit Premium Audio, Retro fit 2013 Xenons with DRL & Sig Strip (Clutch at 47k)
Gone - 2007 GS Narvik Black, Privacy Glass, 19" SC's, Side Steps,Roof Rails, Roof Spoiler, Lamp Guards, Retrofit Electric Leather (Clutch at 115k)
Gone - 2007 SE Santorini Black (Clutch at 120k)
BT IID (best money ever spent on a car)

archie98 wrote:


You could always get a set of these and leave them on all the time I have been pleased with them

I have also put a full set of these on to replace General Grabber AT's

This is a much nicer tyre.

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Thanks everyone. I think if I decide to invest in another set of tyres, I will go for proper winters but may see how I get on this winter first.

I do not that many of the big online Tyre retailers have very limited winter stick that fits the FL2. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Right, wee update on this. Was out looking at the car just now and noticed that the front tyres have lots of little cuts in the tread, some of which you can lift with a finger. They all seem to be on the outer couple of rows of tread. The rears have no such cuts.

If this is a sign that the tyres are shot, I would consider getting a dedicated set of winters and using the other set I have as my summer ones. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

For completeness, thought I'd update this thread with what I have decided.

Seeing as the tyres are probably the most important part of the car to not crimp on, I have bitten the bullet and bought 4 new Wintrac Extremes and will put them on my spare alloys. Hopefully in the long run it'll save cash. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

good choice, I had these before, great tyre. 

I have to remind myself that my wife was driving on the M9 last winter and it was only a little icy, and her car spun leaving her facing the wrong way. Thankfully it was empty at the time and she got onto hard shoulder. Might not have ended that way. I will do anything I can to try and limit the chances of that happening to either car again. Not for the sake of £400. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental