Just a quick write up on my first impressions of using Vredstein Quatrac 3 All Season tyres on my 03 Roadster, using early 15" rims.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
For the last few years, I've been using the Lotus Advan Neova AD06's on my Roadster, and have been generally very happy with the wet and dry handling.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
I did note that on winter mornings, there was quite a lot less grip available
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- especially noticeable as oversteer with little feedback at low speeds and small throttle inputs pulling out from T-Junctions, and mild understeer on slow tight roundabouts.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
I'd put this down to the salt on the roads
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- before I found out that the root cause is
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
'Summer' Performance tyres harden notably below 7C
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
( ie November to March in the UK
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
)
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- the result being less grip as the temperatures drop and hover around freezing.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
That caused me to take another look at tyres and options for the Roadster.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
Although I don't drive the
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
'2 in snow in general, I do believe in having the best tyres available for the conditions.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
There's a lot of advice online around winter tyres, but it is mostly aimed at more extreme climates than the UK
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
( eg North America
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
) where temperatures are lower with snow on the ground for long periods, unlike the UK.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
The best, balanced write up of the pros and cons I found was from a Lotus website, along with some interesting stats on braking differences at different temperatures
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
:
http://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-ne ... -analysis/
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
With input from Lotus Engineers:
http://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-ne ... ter-tyres/
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
For my own use, I didn't want a full on winter tyre
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- but instead an All-Season tyre which is a compromise between the two types
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- adapted for low temperatures and for water, ice and snow but OK on dry roads
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
which would be used more in the conditions I would be using the tyre in.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
Autoexpress ran a tyre test, and this tyre which is available in early Mk3 alloy sizes did well
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/tyre-guide ... -quatrac-3
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
So, having picked up a set of early Mk3 alloys needing a refurb for
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
£80 from eBay, a full set of tyres from Elite were
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
£310
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- not far off your typical insurance excess of
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
£250.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
![Image](http://www.formesyn.com/tyres/QT3_Neova.jpg)
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
In the above, you can see the difference in tread pattern between the smaller blocks of the Quatrac3 on the left and the large blocks of the Nevoas on the right.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
![Image](http://www.formesyn.com/tyres/QT3.jpg)
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
And many more fine
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
'spies' to provide biting edges in snow and ice, with wide channels for water and slush.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
My impressions, a month on and after some icy and snowy mornings is that they are a noticeable improvement on the Neovas in the cold.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
Ice and Snow grip is astounding
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- trying them out I could drive on those surfaces and expect nearly as much grip as wet tarmac.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
There isn't any additional road noise and fuel economy seems about the same.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
Dry handling is also good, with nice progression to the grip.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
The only Cons I have are that the 185/55 profile gives me much lighter steering than the stiff sidewalls of the 195/50's on the Nevoas, but you do get used to this.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
The only other surprise I've had is that the Quatrac's on concrete road surfaces that have been re-keyed
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
/ scored in the direction of travel are very keen to follow the new keying on the surface
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
- near me, there is some
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
'wave' in the keying on a dual carriageway which results in some pull on the steering.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)
I'll be refitting the Neovas early next year but so far am very pleased with the Quatracs.
![](./images/smilies/spacer.gif)