All Season Tyres

[jomifl]

Have just been to my local tyre emporium for a new set of boots and was offered Michelin's new(ish) all season tyres for only €7 extra per tyre. I declined the generous offer since we rarely get snow here and when we do it isn't exactly challenging. Got home and looked for reviews on the web to see if these tyres would have been worth buying. What reviews I found only compared them with other tyres in winter conditions ie.snow. Since I do 90% of my driving on warm/hot continental roads I thought it more important that my tyres perform well under these conditions. The all season tyres on display had blockier treads so I was wondering how they performed when the road was hot enough to fry an egg. They surely must be noiser, less efficient and squirmier than normal (summer) tyres?
Does anyone have any experience of all season tyres?

[Booldawg]

they will be constructed of a harder compound so will take longer to warm up. If they are sold as 'all season' they will perform better than dedicated mud and snow tyres though.

[jomifl]

All season tyres are supposedly a softer grade than 'summer' tyres' to give better grip in the cold, just wondering if the steering and braking would be compromised by the soft compound when it is 40C in the shade and the road surface is too hot to touch.

[ToraToraTora]

all of this depends on your car and how you drive, can you suplly those details.

[jomifl]

TTT, I don't think my car or driving style affects my tyres too much. The opposite would surely be the case. All season tyres apparently do not perform as well under braking as summer tyres (in the summer).

[SlackAlice]

I am assuming you mean the 'CrossClimate' tyre?

Couple of reviews here, but no final conclusions yet.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Michelin-CrossClimate-First-Review.htm

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Michelin-CrossClimate-launched-is-this-a-game-changer.htm

I think from what I've read, the tyre is the next evolution up from 'all season tyres' but they have only been on the market since Spring 2015 and therefore long term 'real life' benefits have yet to be confirmed.

I think 'all season tyres' are a bit of a compromise, neither better than 'summer' tyres in winter or better than 'winter' tyres in summer, with only a narrow margin that they prove superior.

CrossClimate tyres are not all season tyres but whether they prove a better all rounder remains to be seen.

If your driving 90% of your time on roads above an ambient temperature of 7C then your current purchase would be the best choice as long as you are aware the other 10% driving must be a bit more circumspect. ☺☺☺

[jomifl]

Thank SA, the second link was new to me. So the jury isn't back yet, I'm wondering whether if they are soft enough to give improve grip in cold conditions will they hold together on a midsummer blast across central spain, for example.

[Khandro]

There are one or two maddening things about living in Germany and Winter-Reifen (winter tyres) is for me the worst. It isn't exactly against the law not to have them on in winter, but if you were an unfortunate in any kind of shunt at all, the odds are you will bear the blame, so everyone has to, twice a year, change their wheels. I have only one car now but when I had two it meant having permanently 8 extra wheel in my garage (though for a fee there exist 'Wheel Hotels' where they can be lodged).
If you ever intend driving here in Winter, be warned.

[cactusdriver]

I've been reading about CrossClimates for a while now and they are reported to be excellent in all conditions as well as being quiet and refined. It seems they are legal in areas where winter tyres are mandatory. I'm a Michelin man (no, I'm not fat) and would definitely go for these if I were in the market for new rubber.

[jomifl]

My local vehicle tester thought that they might make steering a bit too imprecise for 'sporty' driving but he admitted that he didn't have any experience of them.