Winter tyres dahn sarf?
Discussion
In recent years, your northern types have begun to fit winter tyres.
The Midlands upwards get a little colder with more inclement weather than we southern softies - do many M4 corridor and South fit them and has it proven advantageous?
My existing 'all season' tyres are pretty new so to fork out £500+ maybe a year early feels odd, but I'd guess any winter tyres fitted now would be stored in April-ish and re-used the following winter (or two) so I'd just be buying in advance really.
If I decide to go this route, any makes/patterns recommended or to avoid?
The Midlands upwards get a little colder with more inclement weather than we southern softies - do many M4 corridor and South fit them and has it proven advantageous?
My existing 'all season' tyres are pretty new so to fork out £500+ maybe a year early feels odd, but I'd guess any winter tyres fitted now would be stored in April-ish and re-used the following winter (or two) so I'd just be buying in advance really.
If I decide to go this route, any makes/patterns recommended or to avoid?
Just bought a s/h set of MX5 14" wheels & 4 winters off of E Bay for my wifes MX5. For a variety of reasons. Kent has seen some pretty grim winters recently, not last year but the previous 3 were dire. My wife has come from a newish diesel Astra with FWD/ABS/TC etc etc. to a 24 year old Eunos/MX5 with RWD & no ABS! It also has aftermarket 16" wheels with summer & wide tyres.
With luck this should keep her mobile over the winter & able to get to work. The new winters are amazing soft doing the thumbnail test!
With luck this should keep her mobile over the winter & able to get to work. The new winters are amazing soft doing the thumbnail test!
I just adapt my driving to suit the conditions. I've driven down to work on all seasons when there was 6" of snow on the ground, and parked the car on a pile of ice whilst I do a day's work, then drove home.
Its the people who can't drive in icy/cold conditions that are the problem, not the tyres.
Its the people who can't drive in icy/cold conditions that are the problem, not the tyres.
You don't need to see a single flake of snow to justify winter tyres
They have better traction in all winter conditions than summer rubber/all season tyres, simple as really
Once you've made that investment, you've got them.
Last year, winter was so feeble winters went on for < month, but so what, another yrs use.
This will be their 4th winter
Modern winter tyres don't need to be ultra narrow high side walled either.
The Wintrac Xtreme for example are winter sports tyres, designed for low profile wide fitment
Just been looking at how expensive winters have got, even taking into account inflation, big price hike
On a par with track day tyres though
They have better traction in all winter conditions than summer rubber/all season tyres, simple as really
Once you've made that investment, you've got them.
Last year, winter was so feeble winters went on for < month, but so what, another yrs use.
This will be their 4th winter
Modern winter tyres don't need to be ultra narrow high side walled either.
The Wintrac Xtreme for example are winter sports tyres, designed for low profile wide fitment
Just been looking at how expensive winters have got, even taking into account inflation, big price hike
On a par with track day tyres though
Lord G - as you know I have a diesel barge and now have a 2nd set of wheels with summer tyres on. I have run winters all year round for the last couple of long visits to the UK.
Water clearing ability on a cold wet road is in another league to summer tyres - so much so that when I had brand new summers fitted in May this year, I thought they were dangerous compared to the winters in their first heavy downpour - and they are Michelin Pilots!
I am going to change back to the Michelin Alpins fitted wheels later this month - whatever the weather.
Water clearing ability on a cold wet road is in another league to summer tyres - so much so that when I had brand new summers fitted in May this year, I thought they were dangerous compared to the winters in their first heavy downpour - and they are Michelin Pilots!
I am going to change back to the Michelin Alpins fitted wheels later this month - whatever the weather.
It was bad enough here last year that the Saab simply wouldn't go up one of the local hills, meaning a long detour. The Impreza (on quatrac all-seasons) had no trouble in previous years, it will be interesting to see how the Saab does this year on full winters.
I think there is a greater divide between urban and rural drivers than between North and South, and it also depends on what kind of tyres your car runs as standard. On anything running high performance summer tyres, I'd prefer a separate set of winters, for more mundane vehicles on ordinary tyres, I'd stick a good set of all-seasons on and leave it at that. Doesn't help that even very low performance cars often come with irrelevantly sporting tyres these days.
I think there is a greater divide between urban and rural drivers than between North and South, and it also depends on what kind of tyres your car runs as standard. On anything running high performance summer tyres, I'd prefer a separate set of winters, for more mundane vehicles on ordinary tyres, I'd stick a good set of all-seasons on and leave it at that. Doesn't help that even very low performance cars often come with irrelevantly sporting tyres these days.
LordGrover said:
Clearly your abilities are greater than mine.
When I've been stationary waiting at lights and slid gracefully sideways to the kerb, it was clearly my driving skills at fault.
I think having a hulk of pig-iron over the driven wheels (and having a shut diff) helps me out, compared to something like a BMW/MX5 which is RWD and seem a lot tougher to drive in tough winter conditions.When I've been stationary waiting at lights and slid gracefully sideways to the kerb, it was clearly my driving skills at fault.
I have just invented a fabulous new tyre catergory called Autumn tyres, they are slightly different to Winter & summer tyres and are particularly good on leaves...you can buy them for £1000 pounds each.
WOW soon to be released top secret "spring tyres" particularly good at working in 12-13 degree temperatures only. These will be limited supply and just £2000 each corner.
All products to be produced by JML and sold via high street hardware stores beside the ped-egg and shower foot brush thingy
Judging by the above responses, I expect to be inundated with buyers
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires
WOW soon to be released top secret "spring tyres" particularly good at working in 12-13 degree temperatures only. These will be limited supply and just £2000 each corner.
All products to be produced by JML and sold via high street hardware stores beside the ped-egg and shower foot brush thingy
Judging by the above responses, I expect to be inundated with buyers
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires
TDIfurby said:
I just adapt my driving to suit the conditions. I've driven down to work on all seasons when there was 6" of snow on the ground, and parked the car on a pile of ice whilst I do a day's work, then drove home.
Its the people who can't drive in icy/cold conditions that are the problem, not the tyres.
Quite, in the past few years despite all the snow and ice we've had I've not once been stuck or had a problem, last winter I made it to work everyday without an issue with cars off in ditches and fields all over the shop.Its the people who can't drive in icy/cold conditions that are the problem, not the tyres.
I don't doubt at all that winter tyres offer better performance in cold conditions but with sensible driving I just don't think they're necessary.
Winter tyres generally are a fad. In this country for the other 364 days a year you don't need them they don't grip nearly as well as a reputable 'all season' tyre, they wear out quicker and they are noisier.
This is due to the tread block spacing being greater than a standard tyre, the parts in contact with the road are having to work harder and have more ability to flex generating heat thus wearing faster without any benefit in regular driving conditions.
What do I do? I sell them for a living.
This is due to the tread block spacing being greater than a standard tyre, the parts in contact with the road are having to work harder and have more ability to flex generating heat thus wearing faster without any benefit in regular driving conditions.
What do I do? I sell them for a living.
I've just swapped the 225/45/17 Goodyears on the Saab for 205/55/16 Nokians. I looked at all season options, but the choice in the correct size and load rating was poor and would require dropping to a lower speed rating - and was also surprisingly expensive. I think what I've fitted represents a better compromise for us - I've just fitted the winters now, it's 5C at midday and it has been snowing today (though not sticking). I've only done the estate car, the other two cars will stay on summers and will simply not be used if the conditions are too poor. Knowing that my mrs will have extra grip in hand should someone else do something dumb in snowy or icy conditions is worth a little hassle to me, and given that the Goodyears are not wearing out while they are stored, it is cost neutral.
If I were looking for a set of 195/60/15s for a small low powered hatch, I'd just buy all-seasons and leave it at that.
If I were looking for a set of 195/60/15s for a small low powered hatch, I'd just buy all-seasons and leave it at that.
Bomber Denton said:
Winter tyres generally are a fad. In this country for the other 364 days a year you don't need them they don't grip nearly as well as a reputable 'all season' tyre, they wear out quicker and they are noisier.
This is due to the tread block spacing being greater than a standard tyre, the parts in contact with the road are having to work harder and have more ability to flex generating heat thus wearing faster without any benefit in regular driving conditions.
What do I do? I sell them for a living.
^^Like^^This is due to the tread block spacing being greater than a standard tyre, the parts in contact with the road are having to work harder and have more ability to flex generating heat thus wearing faster without any benefit in regular driving conditions.
What do I do? I sell them for a living.
Why is there still no LIKE button on this forum !
I do love the way that everybody who buys them has to write a long justification thread so we dont think they have fallen for the doom mungering marketeers.
TDIfurby said:
LordGrover said:
Clearly your abilities are greater than mine.
When I've been stationary waiting at lights and slid gracefully sideways to the kerb, it was clearly my driving skills at fault.
I think having a hulk of pig-iron over the driven wheels (and having a shut diff) helps me out, compared to something like a BMW/MX5 which is RWD and seem a lot tougher to drive in tough winter conditions.When I've been stationary waiting at lights and slid gracefully sideways to the kerb, it was clearly my driving skills at fault.
It very much depends what car you're driving and how you're using it. My van is absolutely fine in the snow, so even though I must use it every day I don't need winter tyres.
Both my cars are wide tyred and not very good in the snow, but I don't really need to use them so I don't need winter tyres.
My OH's car (MX5) is terrible in the snow and she must use it every day, so she has some winter wheels (went on today). In her case they also add a bit of confidence.
I did exactly what someone else did: bought her a set of 14" wheels off ebay (in the summer when no one else was doing the same) and put Yokohama W-trak somethingorothers on.
They have the added advantage of being a bit higher profile, as winter is no pothole season too.
LancerG said:
I do love the way that everybody who buys them has to write a long justification thread so we dont think they have fallen for the doom mungering marketeers.
Short justification - we want tyres which work properly in snow and ice. It costs us nothing to have them. Why would we use inferior equipment when we don't have to? It would cost me about £500-£600. Spare set of 17" wheels (cheap ones), and then finding winters in 205/40 R17 I suspect won't be cheap. I will admit to staying on all seasons / performance tyres over winter because of the financial side of it, but I feel they are not a necessity this far south, especially when living by the sea as it tends to lessen any cold spell. Before the recent cold snaps in the last 2 years, no bugger ever thought about having them. Now all of a sudden we do? Not for me. Some do, I agree, just not for me.
Just had a look on camskill - £130 each for their only choice of 205/40 R17 (Pirelli) winter tyre. Now I'm looking at more like £750 to purchase a full winter set.
Just had a look on camskill - £130 each for their only choice of 205/40 R17 (Pirelli) winter tyre. Now I'm looking at more like £750 to purchase a full winter set.
Edited by TDIfurby on Sunday 4th November 23:12
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