sorry yet another tyres question from new owner

The main thing I have found with the duelers is that they don't age well. They harden after year 4 and both grip and ride quality starts to fall away. Mine are from 2017 and while they still have about 5mm tread they are in real terms used up. I only still use them because I am tight and want to keep some miles off my all terrain tyres.

I think that the best way to look at it is to think in terms of trainers, work boots and wellies. You can walk through a swamp in trainers but you run the risk of falling and getting wet feet. You can also sprint in wellies but you risk hurting your feet and tripping yourself up. For your expected use trainers will be fine or maybe at a push walking trainer boots aka a mild all terrain.

wrote:

I have done some reading here which was helpful, but remain a bit confused.  I have bought a reasonable condition 2005 manual with Dueler H/Ts with good tread left, and a new matching spare.  I will be doing 10-12k pa.

Most of the time the Jimny will be on potholed lanes on the south downs with the odd 40 min run on A roads.

Twice a year it will go to Europe for  2 x 4 weeks, the route involving good A roads, but possibly very wet and or icy in the winter.

The destination will be in Alps, where it will be hilly with some snow in the winter.  In the summer it will go up a steep flinty/gravelly track (no mud) which can get very wet.  The final 400 meters is across a steep grass field.  It is not serious off road though.

In a way I wish it had come with slightly more capable AT tyres, as I could have been OK with the slightly more uncomfortable long trips, in exchange for the security.  But it didn't.  I dont have much money to throw at it but want to be safe. I will need to take it out on snowy hilly days. So thoughts gratefully appreciated.  Drive it as it is?  Buy some ATs and sell the HTs?  Have 2 pairs and swap?  (storage not great)?



 

I doubt you'll get much for you current tyres if they are part used. Obviously it can all help, but you'll need to fund buying new ones first. So it is only recouping some funds, rather than helping pay for anything new.

That said, unless you need a 3 Peak rated tyre legally, you will probably be fine if you drive sensibly.

You could always get yourself some snow socks or chains for a bit of added insurance should you need them:
www.halfords.com/motoring/car-accessories/snow-chains-socks/

If you want new tyres. Then pretty much any AT, All Season or Winter tyre should likely do you fine. If snow performance is a concern some ATs are tailored more to this end of the market.

Worth keeping in mind that some roads in the high Alps require mandatory snow chains, so it really depends where you plan to go. The grip you get with proper chains fitted (i.e. Pewag or similar, not snow socks) is phenomenal. Otherwise I agree with 300bhpton's comments re the tyres themselves. Good luck in any case

well thanks everyone, really helpful.  It is good to know the stock duelers are going to be a lot better than a standard car tyre, and should be hardy enough to get up my track for c 8 months of the year.  Pre Jimny I had cars with good all-season tyres but pretty much did not take it out on snowy days in the mountains.  My first impressions of the Jimny is that I have not bought a lemon, so this is good.  So far.  I think what I will do is buy some snow chains, and see how I get on this winter.  I will keep the existing tyres for now, but check they are not too old, regardless of wear.  Then next autumn I will buy a slight compromise set of ATs on the basis they will be a) not too bad on the longer trips b) minimise to close to zero the risk of needing to put on the chains, which I will have by then. Storing and changing the tyres is a bit of a faff for me, but I can manage storing the chains.....  I should probably do all this now and be done with it but this way I get a year's use from what appear to be serviceable tyres and don't feel too bad about spending a bit more money next Autumn.  Thanks again, I will keep reading the forum for other tips.