Winter Tyres on PHEV

[Muddywheels]

I've been corresponding with Mitsubishi UK Customer Services regarding Winter Tyres and today received the following reply :shock:

Dear Mr XXXXX,

Thank you for your e-mail.

The PHEV has never been tested or homologated with winter tyres, therefore we cannot recommend having winter tyres fitted.


Yours sincerely,

XXXXX

So that means the handbook is wrong :?

The NL website is wrong :?

https://shop.mitsubishi-motors.nl/cat/banden?filter_banden-type=winterbandensets

Also the PHEV must be illegal to drive in many European countries during winter where they are compulsory such as Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Slovakia and Sweden

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/snow-chains-winter-tyres.html

My dealer has offered me a set of 16" Steel wheels like these with winter tyres. They are a lot more expensive than in the NL - he obviously doesn't know they can't be fitted here and I guess Brexit is to blame for the price difference not Rip off Britain :roll:

Such a shame after 2 weeks PHEV ownership to experience this kind of service - it took me 16 years to feel like this about Land Rover

 

[anko]

It would be painful if it wasn't so funny. Or did I get that backasswards?

 

[NightPHEVer]

Does make you wonder if anyone knows anything at all about anything these days. Especially as everybody now has a university degree. I expect Mitsubishi UK are terrified of litigation. The instruction manual seems to consist mainly of WARNINGS!. So are those 18" PHEV wheels and tyres in the Netherlands £1500 for four, or just the one? Presumably one could order them from Mitsubishi NL and fit them in the UK - they look like the same wheels. I would like some winter tyres/wheels for my PHEV (I've always had them on my Smart car and they're very useful) but I don't think I want black, 16" steel wheels. They don't look very nice do they. How would the PHEV tyre pressure sensors work? Another good reason to have an extra set of wheels for the winter is so you have at least one set of alloys not rotted by salt. That polished/lacquered alloy finish won't last long with salt anywhere near it.

 

[Muddywheels]

UK Dealers quoted £2764 for matching set of 18" alloys without tyres :shock:

The price in NL is for a set with tyres and I'm no maths genius but it looks like a big difference between UK and EU prices :roll:

I've contacted Mitsubishi NL and been advised I can't order them for UK delivery as they must be collected from NL dealer

I live very nr Hull ferry so tempted to go over and collect but with my luck.......

Dealer says they would need to program second set first time then I can switch after myself :?

 

[Bilbo59]

Not sure if this helps - I got these a couple of years ago. Been fine for two winters. I just switch the sensor from A to B or vice versa each swop.

I sent the TPMS sensors to wheelbase, they fitted them and sent the wheels out with tpms/tyres fitted. All I had to do was stick them on and get the TPMS calibration done at my local Mits garage.

TPMS Sensors
Cost £121.87 from Celtic Mitsubishi - 01792 659555 - Mark or Ceri

Wheels & Tyres
Cost £1109.00
Tekno RX7 Silver 18" 8J ET40
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme - 225/55/18 98V
Wheelbase (G.B.) Limited - 0845 500 4001 - Damian
http://www.wheelbasealloys.com/

 

[Muddywheels]

Cheers Bilbo59

I did look at them but they needed adaptor rings to fit - to avoid insurance and warranty questions I prefer to fit genuine parts but I appreciate the info - the TPMS are definitely cheaper than quoted by my dealer :mrgreen:

 

[Muddywheels]

I've now had a reply after I asked them to clarify the first email above as follows :?

Dear Mr XXXXX,

Thank you for your e-mail.

As advised in my previous e-mail, here in the UK The PHEV has never been tested or homologated with winter tyres, therefore we cannot recommend having winter tyres fitted.

That said, if you use exactly the same size of tyre and the same manufacture of the four tyres you can fit them to your vehicle and there shouldn’t be an issue.


Yours sincerely,

XXXXX

I give up - we're still part of EU and Mitsubish NL are selling Winter sets at a fraction of the price in UK so this makes no sense :evil:

I think I will just see how it goes on the Factory Toyos as it's just not worth the hassle :roll:

I was hoping for a better ownership experience but it appears the badge may be different but the aftercare is as bad

 

[chromium67]

I'm having fun getting a new set of tyre/wheels for my 2014 model.

We live in Inverness and the OE Toyos have coped okay with our snow, but this year I need to travel the A9 to Edinburgh weekly.

The car was in for a service last week and I pre-arranged the garage getting me a set of Michelin Lattitude cross tyres.

Went in to discover they had got 225/60 18 and not 225/55 18.

I left that morning under the impression thay were fitting them but on returning they said they were too big....doh.

Seemingly the Police up here run an Outlander on 16" wheels with 205/70 16's on them, which is in fact very close to the overall circumfernce of the 18" tyres.

I have now spent a week going back and forward with the garage while they continually keep trying to get me to take an incorrect size fitment or cheap makes. Their 16" wheels are £114.45 each plus VAT and they can't supply my preferred brand of tyres. I asked about the TPMS sensors yesterday and they were stumped.

We are getting close to the bad weather and I'm no further forward. Been looking at Wheelbase, but don't think half their 16" wheel options meet the technical spec in the handbook. Bear in mind changing wheels etc can invalidate insurance too if you are not following the manufacturer's guidelines.

I'm probably going to end up getting whatever winter tyre in the original size I can get before they are all gone.

It's a total nightmare and the garage has likely lost a new car sale too as my wife was looking for a new vehicle.

 

[Muddywheels]

I would never run a different size than handbook due to likelihood of insurance/warranty issues - I also worried in event of accident modification may open a can of worms so I'm shocked a dealer got it wrong and the Police fit something different than book :shock:

We could do with a second car and I thought about a SWB Shogun - now I'm no longer a LR buyer it looked good value but this fiasco means I will wait a bit longer before deciding :?

The 16" are about £100 cheaper a set than I've been quoted - presumably steel :?:
*Edit* missed the +vat so about the same

I emailed 3 local dealers - only 1 responded

 

[ClasseClas]

Hi, just for your info. I use Nokian Hakkapeliitta8 SUV 215/70R16 100T tyres as winter tyres. These happen to be studded, but there are similar tyres to be found from Nokian, eg WR SUV 3, https://www.nokiantyres.com/winter-tyres/nokian-wr-suv-3/

In Sweden you will be fined if you do not use winter wheels during winter season. So there has to be alternatives to summer tyres for good reasons. I cannot really understand why Mitsu UK are so deadly scared to give any recommendations. It should be possible to find some EU related info which apply for UK too.

BTW, my tyres work just fine.

 

[greendwarf]

In Sweden you will be fined if you do not use winter wheels during winter season. So there has to be alternatives to summer tyres for good reasons. I cannot really understand why Mitsu UK are so deadly scared to give any recommendations. It should be possible to find some EU related info which apply for UK too.

To be fair to Mitsu UK they are in a difficult position. There is no official recommendation in UK about fitting winter tyres and for most of the UK population the temp in winter is going to be around the 7c "switch over" point, when summer tyres are going to be better - last year in tropical Sarf Lundun, I didn't get more than 6 weeks out of my winter set. Of course, there is a significant user base in rural and/or northern areas but they will already be clued up what is needed and the PHEV is primarily intended as a city car.

 

[Muddywheels]

After 10 years living in Scotland where the weather got pretty bad at times I moved to East Sussex late 80s and remember being snowed in once during the 3 years there :lol:

Back then I had 2wd cars and whatever tyre was fitted so I will probably be ok on the oem Toyo tyres - I never had a problem with Freelanders and Discoverys - just the RR Sports so I guess I'm getting cautious in my old age

I live in rural Yorkshire now and most of my trips are in battery range and I'm really happy with the phev so hoping it's not just a city car :shock:

 

[anko]

Of course it is not intended as a city car. That is nonsense. It is just that the EV drive train (or to be more precise the battery) proves most value on shorter ranges. But that does not mean the car doesn't work outside the city.

It may not be the perfect off-road vehicle, but there is lots of stuff in between off-road driving and city driving.

 

[greendwarf]

Of course it is not intended as a city car. That is nonsense. It is just that the EV drive train (or to be more precise the battery) proves most value on shorter ranges. But that does not mean the car doesn't work outside the city.

It may not be the perfect off-road vehicle, but there is lots of stuff in between off-road driving and city driving.

You and I are not going to agree , anko, but this is a Japanese car and they live in cities and have a VERY efficient inter-city rail system. I'd put money on the design specification being for a city car with occasional other use

 

[Muddywheels]

To me a city car is small and suited to parking in tight spaces etc - the Outlander doesn't appear to fit this criteria

I've owned a couple of Range Rover Sports and even compared to them the Outlander is surprisingly comfortable on long journeys - a lumbar support would be nice but it's not the end of the world. It's an excellent tourer

 

[greendwarf]

To me a city car is small and suited to parking in tight spaces etc - the Outlander doesn't appear to fit this criteria

That was true when space was seen the main limitation in cities, now pollution is top of the agenda especially in the Asian market. Unfortunately small has not been trendy since the Mini in the 60s, status now is in big gas guzzlers e.g. Chelsea tractors, even if you also own a "city car" (more likely to be a very expensive bike in London :lol: ).

Perhaps a better description of the PHEV design brief would be as a "city dwellers car" :idea:

 

[Steepndeep]

Back to original question.

In Sweden it is as said before illegal to drive on anything else than proper winter tyres during winter. It is also NOT mandatory to have TPMS installed. EU exception for various reasons. So therefore you must be able to drive your car without TPMS installed on the tyres. I have now ordered Nokian Hakka R2 SUV in 215/70-16 as I prefer as narrow tyres as possible in winter, to get through the slush we have frequently. And without TPMS.

Btw in Sweden Internet purchasing of tyres are very big and instead of asking your local dealer just go to e.g. www.mytyres.co.uk and order your tyres. That is europes largest online store for wheels and tyres (German company) and they have good prices. There are others as well so you can compare but this is really the only way to compare prices.

 

[greendwarf]

Btw in Sweden Internet purchasing of tyres are very big and instead of asking your local dealer just go to e.g. http://www.mytyres.co.uk and order your tyres. That is europes largest online store for wheels and tyres (German company) and they have good prices. There are others as well so you can compare but this is really the only way to compare prices.

I've used tyreleader.co.uk twice now - similarly German based and tyres couriered within 48 hours to local tyre fitters (not major chain) good prices on tyres and £10 each to fit

 

[anko]

... this is a Japanese car and they live in cities and have a VERY efficient inter-city rail system. I'd put money on the design specification being for a city car with occasional other use

So, in your opinion every Japanese car is a city car? :shock:

It can safely tow my 1500 kg caravan to the South of France while comfortably carrying my family of four. Indeed, I cannot see it as a city car.

 

[rennie]

A couple of FAQ's taken off the UK site (I'm awaiting a good dollop of snow this year to test out):

Q: Is the performance of the vehicle compromised?

No, in fact the vehicle is quicker to 62mph than the Outlander 2.2 Diesel Auto due to the combined power output from the Electric Motor and Internal Combustion Engine. The 4 Wheel Drive ability is not compromised as the combination of the twin-motor 4WD system and Mitsubishi’s existing technology allows for an enhanced off road performance.

Q: Can I drive the Outlander PHEV off road?

Yes, the twin-motor 4WD system and Mitsubishi’s proven Super All Wheel Control system provide the vehicle with superb off road ability. The power delivered from the Electric Motor and Internal Combustion Engine is able to deliver 200bhp to the wheels.