ChannelZ Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I have a set of Dunlop Graspic DS3 tyres, which are Studless Ice & Snow jobbies. They were fine the past few years, but this year they're woeful No grip at all. I was just out this evening, roads are a little greasy and heading towards ice. Total lack of grip, I was able to light up the fronts driving at 40mph in 3rd by just gently accelerating. Standing starts are comical, driving off easy they're spinning. So, what gives? Pressure is fine, same as last year. Tread is fine, having just worn off the mould marks despite two years of use. It seems as if the rubber is really damned hard. No grip in the wet, barely much more in the dry. Confused. Should I just give up on these tyres? Has the rubber gone off? I can't understand why my summer tyre give significantly better grip in both wet and dry when it's below 0C. Doesn't make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 They are a top tyre...... How old are they, how have they been stored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelZ Posted February 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 They're 2009 made, this is my 3rd winter with them, they were fine before. They're stored on the rims in my parent's unheated garage, out of sunlight. I'm at a loss... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 Silica must have gone off if they were ok before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 When the sipes have worn away I thought they weren't that good anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelZ Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Sipes are still there - it's the MOULD LINES that have just worn - they've still got more than 8mm tread still. I've done little miles on the tyres, and only just put them on again this winter. Perhaps they need scrubbed in? I did 200 miles yesterday and they do seem a LITTLE better. IF the silica "has gone off" does that mean they're daffy-ducked? Seems a bit crap when they've over 8mm tread left, and they left the Dunlop factory less than 3 years ago... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I'm not to sure what to say..... Winters need to be scrubbed in same as summers, not forgetting the tyres duty is ice/ snow so they wont perform like summer/ normal tyres in dry conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 How many miles did you do on them before as the standard depth is normally 8mm so if you still have that they could just need scrubbing in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelZ Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Probably only do 1000-2000 miles a year on them at most, and both previous winters were snowy, so I guess there wasn't much wear involved. My annual mileage is only 8k. On a previous car (diesel Mitsubishi Lancer) I ran Vredestein Wintrac Xtremes which were far and away better than these Dunlops, even considering they were 225-45/18 and the Dunlops are 205-55/16. I'd have expected the Dunlops to be better as they're narrower and on a marginally lighter car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 The missus has Dunlop 3D on her Civic and we took it out tonight so she could get some practise of driving it in the snow. Only had the car 8 months and it's our first auto so wanted to see how it handled. She had no issues at all on the slushy snow we found. Going up a hill and then turning left into another road, which is also uphill and bends round made the car felt like it was going to slide but it didn't, just carried on going up the hill We've had these tyres on since late October though so they've had plenty of time to scrub in. I wouldn't of thought tyres could go off after 3 years but I suppose it's possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parthiban Posted February 6, 2012 Report Share Posted February 6, 2012 The missus has Dunlop 3D on her Civic and we took it out tonight so she could get some practise of driving it in the snow. Only had the car 8 months and it's our first auto so wanted to see how it handled. She had no issues at all on the slushy snow we found. Going up a hill and then turning left into another road, which is also uphill and bends round made the car felt like it was going to slide but it didn't, just carried on going up the hill We've had these tyres on since late October though so they've had plenty of time to scrub in. I wouldn't of thought tyres could go off after 3 years but I suppose it's possible. From a trip to Switzerland a while back in a friends Civic I know they're actually pretty decent on snow - on regular tyres we managed to get up to their place in the mountains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelZ Posted February 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Well, seems the Graspic DS3 is totally pants in the wet. http://www.tirerack.com/survey/SurveyComme...tirePageLocQty= General consensus is, brilliant in ice and snow, a bit pants in the wet. Gutted. £400 of pointless tyres. Wish I'd gone for the LM25 Blizzaks when I was ordering. I had the Vredestein Wintrac Xtremes before, they were fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 That's a shame mate My Goodyears are awesome in the wet and the Dunlop 3D are also very good winter tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelZ Posted February 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 That's a shame mate My Goodyears are awesome in the wet and the Dunlop 3D are also very good winter tyres. Aye, typical. Should have stuck to what I knew. Ah well, haven't needed them this year as it's not gone much below 0C here at all this winter. Only can think of 3 mornings there's been ice on the car. Anyone want to buy some quality Dunlops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 The trouble is everyone's experience with tyres differ depending on their driving style and the type of car. If we don't experience the tyres ourselves we will never know for sure what is and isn't a good tyre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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