Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme

I'm a bit confused here... I was looking for winter tyres for my Honda Civic 2010 and since the size 225 45 17 is expensive I started to watch out for decent used ones. Than I found these Vredestein Wintrac Extreme for a reasonable price. I started reading the reviews on this site and the opinion on these tyres were seriously possitive. So I bought them with lots of confidence.

They look great, real sporty and like they can handle a lot.

But than I put them onmy car... different story !
Even on dry roads, lots of understeer, tramlining and not the grip my summer tyres (Michelin Pilot HP) have in winter. But when It's raining things get worse... really poor grip. The car drifts easily.

So I don't understand where all these possitive reviews com from. I don't drive my car real fast. The tyres are no good, even if I drive like an old man. It's a good thing they are progressive enough to let you know when they will loose grip, but nevertheless it shouln'd be with tyres in this pricerange.

I would never buy these new, considering that these are more expensive then Michelin Alpin, wich I got on my other car, who are extremely good in any condition.

I use these on a Toyota Sienna minivan. The 1st and 2nd winter, these tires were AMAZING! Better than Nokian, Michelin, Gislaved, and other winter tires I have used, not by a margin but exceeded all brands by a wide margin. The, and now the 4th and final winter, the original stunning performance has naturally declined with wear. BUT, just tonight, which is what fiannly spurred me to write a review, I was lightly rear ended by a Subaru Legacy with OEM Bridgestone Turanza's. Then about an hour later, I passed a pack of vehicles. One 4x4 pulled out in an attempt to keep up with me. After 2 minutes, where I increased my speed to about 55-60 mph, he suddenly began to swerve back and forth, then careened into the ditch. This is with 5/32 on the front's and 4/32 on the rear. Even at the end of their service life, these tires are outperforming aforementioned brands when they were new. And I just can't believe how many SUV's and 4x4's I pass in the snow and ESPECIALLY on the ice, where these put all season's to absolute shame. My only complaint is price. Here in WI in the USA, they are harder to find and thus more expensive. That said the Wintrac Xtreme 4's are far and away some of the best tires I have ever owned. Will be hunting down new pair for next winter.

Unbelievable. I am a tyre nerd. I've had all sorts of tyres on various cars. I have run 19,000 miles on these tyres and 14 months, and aside from a bit of tyre scrub on one of my rear tyres due to a slow puncture, they hardly show any wear. I drive a Disco 3 and I do drive it hard and in all conditions. They are incredible, better than Scorpions in summer or winter for wear and handling, better than Wranglers or Grabbers. I wouldn't use anything else now.
The only time they made me nervous has been on wet ice with diesel on the road aswell, but only studded tyres would have been any use in those conditions, and even then, they would have been questionable. Previously I would have recommended Nokians, which wear very well and grip extremely well, but Vredesteins have the edge.

Fantastic winter tyres fitted November 2009 to an RS6. Kept them on all summer too. Amazing in the winter. Never missed a beat. Gripped well even when the snow was deeper than the ground clearance. No significant use of traction control on steep hills. Feels extremely safe on steep downhill sections. Great sense of satisfaction passing stuck 4x4s on M&S tyres. We live 3 miles from a main road and our road is rarely plowed. Never had a problem getting to work or back home again no matter how bad the weather. Good grip in the summer although a bit more understear on overenthusiastic cornering. tread still legal after 30,000 miles although will need changing soon. Highly recommended

Fantastic!

Just bought my second set. 1st set lasted almost 40,000 miles (3 winters plus all of this summer as I thought they wouldn't do another winter). Great feel and excellent grip even in the coldest, snowiest conditions.

Bought mine late 2010 before first snow came. My RenaultSport Megane RS250 just couldn't cope with slushy snow, with the standard sport tyres and was undriveable. Fitted these and drove them all winter, through to end of March.
They coped with ALL snow and ice conditions encountered, including early mornings on country B-roads. Excellent for water shedding as well, with standing water on B-roads.
I WILL be buying these again and can't recommend them enough.

wanted some winter tyres for my remapped BMW 535d.
without these the car was all over the place on wet roads.
with the tyres what good fun to drive again.

Excellent grip in snow, wet and to an extent on ice as well. Dry grip good, but a bit noisy. Tyres have worn well over this winter, and have given me enormous confidence in the vehicle. Now switched to summers from mid March.

I used these on my car this year through the worst of the winter weather in the UK and the Porsche became our daily car due to the amazing traction and grip from these tyres in the snow and ice. No one could believe when I went out in 8 inches of snow on top of ice. There was absolutely no drama in the 4 weeks of appalling weather. Although I've rated road feedback and progressiveness only middle of the road, I am comparing how my car feels when it was on dedicated performance summer tyres for the Porsche. The tyres are wearing very well and the rears have lost 1mm tread in 1500 miles and less than that on the front. The wear is comparable to summer tyres in the summer months.

These tyres are so good I would be happy to use them all year round, however, I do notice that they are softer than my summmer Continental's when the temperature gets to about +10C and above. In snow they are almost magical - used both here in the UK and the Alps, both in hard pack or fluffy soft snow. Have overtaken 4x4's on hills were they where sliding sideways on their stock M&S tyres in my hilly area many times, much to my amusement - but it is when going downhill on treacherous roads where the safety of these tyres is evident. I can stop easily when others keep going in a slide.
These are just as quiet as my summer tyres, and actually quieter on rough motorway sections. Wear rate so far seems to be excellent - on my second winter on them with trips to the alps and still look like new. If I didn't have a second set of wheels, I would be happy to run them all year round as numerous people that I know already do.