All Season Tyres. Help please.

[f1eng]

I think it fairer to say that summer tyres are suboptimal for those conditions

I think this is a common POV in the UK which I find cause for concern.

IME the difference is big rather than sub optimal. The difference between turning and going straight on, or slowing down when braking or skidding.

IMO the biggest hazard driving in winter in the UK is the tyres on most other people’s vehicle.

As long as people don’t try them and realise how big the difference is this will continue.

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[simcity]

I had stopped buying 2 sets of tyres years ago after the 4 seasons tyres discovery. I find the compromise is excellent on Suv, Van and cars below 300hp and no sport cars in general. On sporty or powerful cars the all seasons become a bit underwhelming when driving at high speed. cornering as well is not very pleasant when the tyres are hot. I thought this time I deserve to enjoy the drive all year round with specific tyres.

Precisely what I've done with the Taycan. Happy to swap summer to winter rubber. Two sets of wheels (kosher Porsche approved rubber on both) and its a quick job to swap.

Even on the Tesla, the all-seasons (Michelin CrossClimate) I had were too much of a compromise in the warmer months, especially if you enjoyed pushing on. Great in winter though generally, and far superior to summer tyres, but didn't run the CCs in snow.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

IME the difference is big rather than sub optimal. The difference between turning and going straight on, or slowing down when braking or skidding.

I couldn't argue with the 2nd sentence (nor that the difference can't be big). Having experienced a formative instance of each case in my early years- luckily for me without causing any damage or injury- the memory of that along with the accompanying shock and embarrassment encourages me to be drastically slower in such potential conditions, which I've thankfully very rarely had to face. If I needed to face them more often, when travelling at a crawl becomes impractical, I'd be in the tyre-switching camp.

 

[f1eng]

If I needed to face them more often, when travelling at a crawl becomes impractical

Now I have retired I don’t have to face bad road conditions often myself either, but after years of feeling the extra grip in winter I wouldn’t go back to my old ways and considered the ~£4k for the winter wheels and tyres one of the best value “options” I added!

 

[WuffvonTrips]

Now I have retired I don’t have to face bad road conditions often myself either, but after years of feeling the extra grip in winter I wouldn’t go back to my old ways and considered the ~£4k for the winter wheels and tyres one of the best value “options” I added!

In terms of Porsche ownership costs that is indeed great value (and the dealership Tyre Hotel charges would be worthwhile to avoid further cluttering my garage). My cheapskate solution is to listen out for cars struggling up the incline on the only route out of our estate, in which case it's a Duvet Day for the Taycan. Luckily, it's only a half-mile walk to our local hypermarket for provisions.

 

[Crazymind]

Just swopped to winter tyres. Not loving the alloys though. Tyres make the car super comfy. Need to replace silver nuts to black.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

I haven’t taken the plunge with the Taycan yet as I am still thinking about getting a Turismo. Interestingly I have just bought Good Year 4 seasons for my Audi Etron. Fitting next week.

Did you find any NF0 All Seasons suitable for the Taycan 20" 245/45 & 285/40 setup?
(Just asking for a friend )

 

[Ross]

Did you find any NF0 All Seasons suitable for the Taycan 20" 245/45 & 285/40 setup?
(Just asking for a friend )

All Season Tyres 'official' fit NFO are not available in UK it seems - Only in USA.
Despite the fact that according to all the testers the best 'winter' tyre for lowland UK is an All Season tyre. They are much better in cold and wet. Its cold and wet in Lancashire most of the time including today.

Winter tyres are only better than All seasons in SNOW. It rarely snows in lowland UK and if it does it never sticks. All seasons are good enough on these rare occasions and still MILES better than a summer tyre.

You need to just look around for XL All season tyres that fit 20' Taycan wheels.
You may as well get All Seasons with 3Mountain Snowflake for legality in Europe.
There are at least 4 quality makes with this including Michelin, Good Year and Vredestein(?)
Michelin dont make a Cross Climate 2 in the Taycan rear size.
Not sure about the others. Good Luck

I just put Good Year Vector 4s on my Audi Etron, they are not official AO tyres like the Bridgestone Alenza summers but they are XL

Good Years are 15% off at National at the moment

 

[Ross]

On Black Circles I can find 5 (FIVE) makes of All Terrain Tyre WITH the '3 Mountain Snowflake'
Michelin, Good Year, Vredestein, Cooper and Yokohama (and Pirelli without '3 Mountain Snowflake' )
to fit my Audi Etron 20' wheels (255/55/20 all round)

You can find Contis, Michelin and Pirelli to fit the front Taycan wheel 245/45 R20
but NOTHING to fit the rear 285/40 R20

Just don't make em for UK

Contis (at least on Black Circles) are the only WINTER tyre showing as available
for front AND rear Taycan 20' wheels and its not even NFO

 

[WuffvonTrips]

On Black Circles I can find 5 (FIVE) makes of All Terrain Tyre WITH the '3 Mountain Snowflake'
Michelin, Good Year, Vredestein, Cooper and Yokohama (and Pirelli without '3 Mountain Snowflake' )
to fit my Audi Etron 20' wheels (255/55/20 all round)

You can find Contis, Michelin and Pirelli to fit the front Taycan wheel 245/45 R20
but NOTHING to fit the rear 285/40 R20

Just don't make em for UK

Contis (at least on Black Circles) are the only WINTER tyre showing as available
for front AND rear Taycan 20' wheels and its not even NFO

Since I started looking in to this a few days ago, that's my current understanding too. I've gone from not finding any all-seasons to not finding any 285/40 winters so went to my Porsche dealership explaining that I don't want wheels (I'm planning to get a 21" wheels + summer tyre set next year, so for now just want to swap to winters on my current 20" wheels)...they are getting me Contis which I had assumed would be NF0 rated, but having read your post I'd better double check with them.

 

[Kaan34]

Just a thought: winter tyres are better than all seasons…and summer are better in summer.
Taycan is heavy vehicle, and i’d never take a risk, using all seasons on a 150k€ car…

I totally agree and some tire experts told me the same thing..

 

[Gareth Swain]

Before and after. Summer RS21 to Winter Turbo S aero 20. Helps with winter range

 

[WuffvonTrips]

You can find Contis, Michelin and Pirelli to fit the front Taycan wheel 245/45 R20
but NOTHING to fit the rear 285/40 R20

Just don't make em for UK

Contis (at least on Black Circles) are the only WINTER tyre showing as available
for front AND rear Taycan 20' wheels and its not even NFO

Sadly, I can now confirm that the Contis I was being offered aren't NF0 rated, and the other brands' NF0 rated options are not currently available for 20" rears.
The frustrating thing is that the same family Conti tyre is rated NF0 for the 19" wheels.
As it stands, anyone who bought a TEquipment set of winter tyres with 20" wheels appears to be at risk of getting stuck, not in wintry conditions, but with an unapproved tyre issue when one of their rears needs replacing. Ridiculous.

 

[Archimedes]

I’ve driven through massive snowstorms / blizzards many times with all season tires, with no problems. I’ve also done it in full snows, which was way more fun and relaxing, but not mandatory IMO on an AWD vehicle if you know what you’re doing. No way would I put full winters on an AWD vehicle unless I lived somewhere with constant heavy winter snow.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

I’ve driven through massive snowstorms / blizzards many times with all season tires, with no problems. I’ve also done it in full snows, which was way more fun and relaxing, but not mandatory IMO on an AWD vehicle if you know what you’re doing. No way would I put full winters on an AWD vehicle unless I lived somewhere with constant heavy winter snow.

The challenge in the UK seems to be getting hold of an approved NF0 All Season tyre for 20" rear wheels (and now apparently, currently also for the Winter options).

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