I'm currently running on Michelin Energy tyres and am very happy with the mpg and tread life.  2016 Octavia 1.4tsi Combi.

I am now more likely to have to use wintry roads into the Peak District.

Thinking of Michelin Crossclimate or Vredestein Quatrac 5. Any comments on the mpg or tread life etc for either

, compared to my present tyres?

Both good tyres, I have both. Both have shown excellent life and exhibit low rolling resistance.

 

Be aware of the differences, Crossclimates are Directional tyres and Quatrac 5 are Asymmetric tyres. Crossclimates are reinforced XL rated tyres as standard, Quatracs are available as standard or extra 

load (XL).

 

Difficult to accurately assess compared to Energy saver which I have tried in the distant past, you may lose a tiny bit of mpg but you gain lots of extra grip in wet/muddy conditions. In muddy, or snowy/ icy conditions, both tyres are far far better than the energy saver which are utterly useless and dangerous.

 

Impressions echo reviews I've read, the crossclimates are more summer tyres with winter capability, whereas the Quatrac 5 is a more all rounder, better in wet and winter. Crossclimates summer and dry braking better.

 

Crossclimate not suitable as a spare because its directional.

 

I've found life to be excellent on both with Quatrac 5 (standard load) easily getting 35000 miles on the front of Octavia ii 1.2tsi, and both Fabia. The crossclimates on the rear of the fabia estate have hardly worn in 45000 miles, now at 5mm (7mm new).

 

Both are quiet tyres.

 

Which is better? Both are good, the Michelin's are expensive though in comparison. Difficult choice. 

Either of those you are considering are better in the Wet, Cold, Snow or Ice than you have with the Michelin Energy so it is easier to stay out of a ditch, 

hence last longer because less likely to have a car wreck.

Life expectancy of the tyre depends on how you drive, and change wheels / tyre front to back and back to front maybe once or twice a year.

 

Use a Directional Spare exactly as you use any other Emergency Spare, Space Saver or Saver of Space or odd one out tyre,

for driving slower to a place of safety or to get a repair or replacement.

50 / 50 chance it will be the correct one for fitting anyway as it does suit one side of the car.

Edited 7 October, 20187 yr by Offski

3 minutes ago, Offski said:

Either of those you are considering are better in the Wet, Cold, Snow or Ice than you have with the Michelin Energy so it is easier to stay out of a ditch, 

.

 

In the peak district, the ditch can be hundreds of feet deep!

^^^ No ****, really?, that must be like the countryside, and hills and hill roads.  

Was it below freezing there this morning and has winter road treatment started?

No idea ski. But I do know its full of crazy motorcyclists and plenty of roadside floral tributes to those "fallen heroes"

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/peak-district-route-claims-title-of-britains-most-dangerous-road-2287812.html

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24717857

 

https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/peak-district-road-tops-list-of-most-dangerous-in-britain-1-8869890

Edited 7 October, 20187 yr by xman

Thanks all for your considered and useful inputs. The Vredesteins are currently £25 cheaper each as well. No frost or snow just yet.

Good that it is the A537 Macclesfield to Buxton that gets the title it used to be the A889 just off the A9 which was said to be twice as dangerous as it, and it was not dangerous, just the people driving it or riding it. (Funnily it was back in 2002 that they published about the A889 being th4 most dangerous.)

European Survey as well, but they maybe knew Scotland was in Britain and England is not Britain just one of the 4 countries.

But then come the snow there are not that many bikers on it.

Edited 7 October, 20187 yr by Offski

7 minutes ago, Offski said:

Good that it is the A537 Macclesfield to Buxton that gets the title it used to be the A889 just off the A9 which was said to be twice as dangerous as it, and it was not dangerous, just the people driving it or riding it. (Funnily it was back in 2002 that they published about the A889 being th4 most dangerous.)

European Survey as well, but they maybe knew Scotland was in Britain and England is not Britain just one of the 4 countries.

But then come the snow there are not that many bikers on it.

I know both of those 'dangerous' roads. I used the A889 every year, heading for the Isle of Skye and was puzzled at its claim to fame.

I know the A537 well as a motorcyclist and never enjoyed it due to tightening bends, bumpy surfaces and now a 50mph limit. There's more fun to be had in the summer on the B and unclassified roads elsewhere in the Peaks.

The A889 was not that many accidents, it was just the not many users either back then, so a percentage.

To us that used it often and enjoyed it fully it was hard to understand how anyone came a cropper, until someone did.

Edited 7 October, 20187 yr by Offski

I've been using Vredestein Quatrac 5's since last December.  I'm really impressed with them.  They've performed impeccably throughout a range of weather conditions, proving they are defo an ALL season tyre.  With the 'Beast From The East' and a very warm Summer they've operated at the extremes of what the UK climate can bring. 

 

I've since swapped them onto my 4x4 280 and I'm hoping the additional traction will make them even more surefooted when it gets colder.   FWIW, they are also more than capable for stints of 'spirited' driving across the NY Moors.   

 

I've also just fitted Goodyear Vector 4 Season Gen 2's to my wifes Golf GTi.  Opted for them over the Cross Climates as they are meant to be a 'Winter biased' all-season tyre, so hopefully more suitable to the weather we get around these parts.  Why didn't I just stick to the Quatrac 5's?  Because I could get the GY's the next day for the same price and I thought I'd give the GY's a go as they review really well and are apparently even better than the Quatrac 5's.   So far, so good.  Noticeable improvement over the Conti SC5's which were previously fitted and they still had 5mm depth on them too. 

 

EDIT:  Wear rate for me: 6k miles on my FWD TDI (mainly motorway) and now 5k miles on my 4x4 TSI (mixture of roads)- 5mm on the fronts, 6mm on the rears

 

 

Edited 10 October, 20187 yr by penguin17

Thanks, a great review. New tyres in a few weeks then, my current tyres are hanging in there.

Just booked with Blackcircles  ,for the Vredestein Quatrac 5, they are £5 per tyre cheaper than MyTyres, both using the same Formula 1 fitter. No, not 2 seconds per wheel.

Just had Vredestein fitted at my local Formula 1 depot in Chesterfield. 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/7-of-the-best-all-season-tyres-for-2018.htm

 

They feature in this review along with a few others. 

So far I have to say they feel a bit understeery and wobbly- compared to the previous Michelin Energy+ tyres. Running at the same 2.5bar.

Taking it easy to bed them in on the Buxton trip. Hoping the cold weather traction will be a lot better. The Michelins were easily spinning as I set off onto the the local main road from my side street. The traction control is not impressive at junctions with lock on.

2.5 bar sounds high for an Octavia unless fully laden. Normal pressures are 2.2 bar?

Standard 'eco' pressure recommended on the fuel flap. Always used that for my Michelins,  so I have a comparison how they feel. 

Which is why it feels crap.

ECO / fuel saving achieved by less friction so grip, so feels a bit understeery and wobbly compared to Michelin Energy + tyres.  Simple really.

http://michelin.co.uk/tyres/learn-share/care-guide/cold-weather-tips

 

 

Edited 9 November, 20187 yr by Offski

My tyres are inflated to the same eco pressures as I have always used. I check regularly so the ambient temperature is indeed taken into account as per your useful Michelin link.

So are you asserting that eco pressures must not be used at all? The Michelins felt better (non crap) than the Vredesteins now do, when running at the same eco pressures.

Several things to remember,

 

winter/all season tyres use softer tread compounds than summer tyres and have lots of sipes and much smaller tread blocks which are more flexible. That's what gives them the advantage on snow and ice. Consequently always going to be squishier, not as good at dry braking, and feel softer on cornering.

 

New tyres still have the release agent on the surface which reduces grip for the first couple of hundred miles. 

 

As tyres wear, the remaining tread becomes harder, you are comparing a new tyre to a well worn tyre which will be harder.

 

You run at eco pressures, so a new tyre will be running overinflated more on the centre of the tread, reducing grip. Your old tyres will have worn the centre section down and probably running evenly across the tread toward end of life, so higher grip.

 

The vredesteins are softer in the sidewall too, I personally like that because they are more comfortable and lower noise as a result. But it makes them less sporty.

 

The difference for me that counts is in winter and cold wet conditions.

 

Everyone has their personal preferences and opinion, let us know how you feel after a thousand or so miles. Valuable for others choosing tyres.

 

 

Edited 10 November, 20187 yr by xman

Also with a new tyre the taller tread blocks can move around more than on a worn tyre.

This can give a slower reaction time as they can squirm around more.

You want to try new versus new, rather than new versus old.

 

I have run Vredestein Quatrac 5's as my winter tyre ( I am in the south ) for several years.

I run them at the eco pressure setting and they work very well especially in the cold/snow.

I have a lighter car but with smaller tyres.

 

thanks AG Falco

@gregoir  Obviously you can run the tyres at Eco pressure if you want, but what are you trying to get, 1 mpg better fuel consumption with less traction / friction?

 

Then there are 'Green Tyres'  new and unworn, scrubbed.  they are floaty in some case, many cases, for a few hundred miles?

Obviously , i do want better traction in cold and snowy conditions compared to Michelin Energy.  And better mpg for the Vredestein  compared to standard tyre pressures. So wanting the best of both worlds. Well ,being a Scot , maximum value for money is important. If the traction proves to be poor in winter conditions, I'll reduce the pressure.

?

Is an extra 10 or 20 miles out of a tank full why you run the tyres at higher pressures in good road conditions?

 

There is being Scottish and tight, and Scottish and just Scottish, all the gear and not much of an idea. Each to their own.

 

Safest grip and traction and handling is nice IMO because when the rain comes on you do not pull into a filling station and deflate your tyres checking the pressures.

 

Edited 10 November, 20187 yr by Offski

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/417566-eco-tyre-pressures-or-not

 

A simple test, takes 10 minutes.

 

Inflate your tyres to Eco Pressure, find a clear straight bit of road, reach say 60 mph and at a point do an emergency stop with ABS working. See where you stop.

Let the pressures down a bit, go back and then over the same place do the same again, see if there is any better braking in the dry with the lower pressures.

You could try it another time when it is raining.  maybe wasted time but it is how you get an idea if there is a difference.

Edited 10 November, 20187 yr by Offski