jkoya
NA2 NSX
Thanks for your post. I was considering the Crossclimate+, but you helped me rule them out..
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Wheel Sizes - Practicality
- Thread starter spon88
- Start date
Thanks for your post. I was considering the Crossclimate+, but you helped me rule them out..
I agree, in terms of ride. When I had my M3P I was really surprised how supple the ride, especially when compared to Msport optioned cars from BMW etc. The ride is firm, but not firm like other German sports saloons with big wheels and low profile tyres (unless they have adaptive or air suspension)
Another thing that surprised me with the M3P is how practical they were over speed bumps of all shapes and sizes, the car would glide over much more smoothly than equivalent German sport saloons that often have to slow down to very slow speeds.
Yes, the tyres which were specifically designed for the Model 3 with Michelin are very soft, which is why they are so sticky to the road, which is great from a performance perspective, but less great from an efficiency perspective due to the higher rolling resistance.
I'm not sure they are more at risk of punctures than the tyres on the 18s? I get punctures regularly with nails stuck in the tyre, and that's with cars that have had 15s or 17s. It's just luck of the draw.
Regardless of wheel size or tyre profile, it's prudent to be scanning the road ahead when on the move for potholes that could damage your tyres and/or suspension.
Picked the car up Friday and have done nearly 500 miles since then. The ride in my M3P is smoother than my last car (Golf R) and like riding on a cloud compared to the Mrs car (Civic Type R) so I guess the ride has to be compared to what you have had in the past!
I can see where you're coming from. I guess in my personal situation I'm guided more by my motoring history which has included a number of cars with larger specification wheels (all OEM/Factory fit) and having not a single problem, despite quite a bit of abuse. My personal suspicion is that if you were to deep-dive the individual circumstances you'd find quite a bit of driver error as I've certainly known a few less than diligent drivers who have damaged tyre side walls, buckled alloys and always seem to find bollards.I know what you mean but there are enough posts of broken 20s to concern me, particularly if I'm hundreds of miles from home. A really bad pot hole happens maybe 3 or 4 times a year and you always wonder if you've come through it unscathed. For those occasions I'll feel happier with a set of 18s on. A poor chap in the TOG Facebook group trashed 2 20s on a pothole at a motorway services last week
You have my full permission to put a gun to my head when I defer my own critical thinking to internet message boards!
I'm finding the ride good but a bit bumpy on rough roads. Last car was Golf GTD, but was constantly in comfort adaptive mode. The Tesla feels like the golf in sport mode but with better dampening. But it's incredibly smooth on good roads.
I'm planning on dropping psi to 39 and seeing how it feels (on 41 currently). This is on 18" aero.
Hmmm, that's a bit concerning. They seem to get excellent reviews and I was hoping to have a genuine "all season" option with those in case I leave them on over summer. We were planning to cruise down through France with them on the car next summer but your assessment now makes me wonder. I know the compound is a wee bit softer but how do you mean "turn to mush" please - quite a lot of the guys on the TOG group have gone with those. Cheers.
The V60 I had them on was around two tonnes and when you really got after it on hot days I could easily get them outside of the temperature window, some chronic unexpected understeer shat my pants moments! Under braking they would start to feel disconnected from the road slightly, almost like it was delayed. Cruising around they are fine, I drove 24k miles in a year on them, started off in November 2017, put them on a couple of weeks before heavy snowfall and I could drive around ok aided by 4wd but I didn’t get that amazing feeling you get with winter tyres, especially under braking, on inclines the wheels would spin more also. They are a compromise, ok for my partner who drives extremely cautiously and 5k miles max a year. If you really want to enjoy driving a winter/summer setup will always be better just a bit more hassle. I got them based on reviews but wouldn’t purchase again.
I am going to give the CrossClimate + a try as well, but not for all year round. I am aiming to use them from say Oct-March and the 20" OEMs from March to Oct, maybe 6 months each. I am just waiting on whether I can get a set of the 18" wheels to fit M3P+.
Having read the detailed feedback from Cherub77 (thanks) I won't use them during hot/warm weather, but I think they will be okay during winter and probably be useful for longer than the dedicated winter tyres I have had on previous cars (BMW X5 & Merc C Class) which I only used for the 2 coldest months of the year. If one set lasted 24k miles for Cherub77 then I consider that quite impressive for a compromise tyres used all year round. That is much longer lasting than some other tyres I have used on previous cars.
AJP
Having read the detailed feedback from Cherub77 (thanks) I won't use them during hot/warm weather, but I think they will be okay during winter and probably be useful for longer than the dedicated winter tyres I have had on previous cars (BMW X5 & Merc C Class) which I only used for the 2 coldest months of the year. If one set lasted 24k miles for Cherub77 then I consider that quite impressive for a compromise tyres used all year round. That is much longer lasting than some other tyres I have used on previous cars.
AJP
MrBadger
Badger out
What spec tyres do the 18" come with? In 35 years of driving, I've just stuck with what came with the car. People view things different these days. So many things are specialised for one thing or another these days, where as it use to be you got by quite comfortably with one thing. Presumably a cross climate is just a new word for a standard tyre that worked fine all year round?
However, seriously considering getting a set of winters as we looked at that in current car but was too late in season so missed the boat. Didn't bother with current car after a tyre supplier who could easily said something different, said that our standard Contis were probably better winter tyres than some specialist winter ones. But starting a fresh this time with hopefully many years ahead, so its back on our radar as I do understand the merits of a specialist winter tyre. But in mean time, just hope that what comes as standard does not favour one extreme or other.
However, seriously considering getting a set of winters as we looked at that in current car but was too late in season so missed the boat. Didn't bother with current car after a tyre supplier who could easily said something different, said that our standard Contis were probably better winter tyres than some specialist winter ones. But starting a fresh this time with hopefully many years ahead, so its back on our radar as I do understand the merits of a specialist winter tyre. But in mean time, just hope that what comes as standard does not favour one extreme or other.
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WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Maybe it depends where you are / where you drive. My last few miles is rural, albeit a bus route (so can normally expect it to be gritted), but I find the Winters tyres particularly beneficial for "out of the ordinary" scenarios. Some unexpected black ice, or when I turn off main road onto, ungritted, side road without thinking to take extra care.
I've driven to rural places without being aware that it was icy, got out of the car and gone Base over Apex!
And of course if we get a lousy winter it will make even more difference.
AWD is great to keep going, but does nothing to help with stopping ... Years ago I had a sports AWD with regular tyres go straight on on a right angle bend, at negligible speed, where there was ice. For me Winter tyres is a bit like central-locking, electric windows, and when headlight dipper moved from a foot-button to a stalk!! ... once you've had them you wouldn't go back
Choosing something suitable I find a challenge. Much of the Magazine Reviews is more to do with show-countries, rather than cold and wet or icy UK roads.
I've driven to rural places without being aware that it was icy, got out of the car and gone Base over Apex!
And of course if we get a lousy winter it will make even more difference.
AWD is great to keep going, but does nothing to help with stopping ... Years ago I had a sports AWD with regular tyres go straight on on a right angle bend, at negligible speed, where there was ice. For me Winter tyres is a bit like central-locking, electric windows, and when headlight dipper moved from a foot-button to a stalk!! ... once you've had them you wouldn't go back
Choosing something suitable I find a challenge. Much of the Magazine Reviews is more to do with show-countries, rather than cold and wet or icy UK roads.
Yes, I'll be running 18" CC+ over winter and to be honest, also for the annual long road trip in summer. I've seen enough evidence and reviews to suggest that they are suitable for that and I'll have more confidence if I drive down a French pothole. They may have dug a few more for us if the 31st October debacle actually happens! The rest of the summer and closer to home, I'll switch back to the 20s - they're very pretty and if I break them, so be it! So now I have rims, TPMS, a jack, torque wrench, special socket, new centres etc etc. Just need another garage to store it all in now
Spon are these the Varro wheels you bought from the FB group buy? Need to source some 18” soon.Yes, I'll be running 18" CC+ over winter and to be honest, also for the annual long road trip in summer. I've seen enough evidence and reviews to suggest that they are suitable for that and I'll have more confidence if I drive down a French pothole. They may have dug a few more for us if the 31st October debacle actually happens! The rest of the summer and closer to home, I'll switch back to the 20s - they're very pretty and if I break them, so be it! So now I have rims, TPMS, a jack, torque wrench, special socket, new centres etc etc. Just need another garage to store it all in now
Indeed they are. Do you have a contact? I can link the guy though here if you wish. I also have a set of 19s of the same wheel, brand new which I'm looking to sell. I bought these before I decided to get the Michelin Cross Climates which I subsequently found out aren't available for 19s. Hence I need to sell them - fail on my part! Beautiful rims and also fit the full P spec, just not quite the right size for the tyre combination I'm now after. If anyone's interested let me know. Cheers
The only time I've damaged someone else's car was in the work carpark when I had a 4wd (prior to getting winter tyres).
I had come to a standstill on a corner to check where there were spaces. I pulled away without a problem but when I turned my wheel nothing hapened and I went straight into the car in front.
It turns out that my front wheels were on a patch of ice so the helpful 4wd had sent 50% to the rear
What transformed me into a winter tyre believer though was pulling a Seat Alhambra (IIRC) up a steep incline in ankle deep snow with my old Koleos.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Driving a (front wheel drive) Seat Alhambra up an alpine road, packed with snow from valley floor, and overtaking everyone on chains was what converted me to Winters ... and, no, I was not being towed by a Koleo
Same, my gf was worried that it would be too firm/rough, simply because that was what everyone was talking about on this forum and on videos we watched. It hasnt been an issue at all and she hasn't moaned once about the ride....and she loves a good moan
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