320 sports coupe in the snow

320 sports coupe in the snow

Author
Discussion

5MUG

Original Poster:

734 posts

271 months

Thursday 14th September 2006
quotequote all
Anyone any experience of a C320 in the snow? Does having snow tyres or having studded tyres help? Are my parents mad to think of having one when they live north of Edinburgh? They can get incredibly deep snow during Jan and Feb. Any advice or experience grateully received. S

sneijder

5,221 posts

241 months

Friday 15th September 2006
quotequote all
www.etyres.co.uk/uk-tyre-law Says :

If the tyre causes either damage to the road, or to persons, or to any vehicle using the road. This would cover such instances as if a vehicle with damaged or very oversized tyres which either caught against a person or other vehicle resulting in either damage or injury. Studded tyres also are included in this clause and if used in inappropriate conditions (i.e. where there is no ice or snow) and they damage the road surface then they would be clearly illegal.

I think studded tyres are a real grey area tbh. Best get some snow chains (£340 for Mercedes ones, or Halfords for probably a teenth of that.)

5MUG

Original Poster:

734 posts

271 months

Saturday 16th September 2006
quotequote all
Thanks! S

cptsideways

13,648 posts

259 months

Saturday 16th September 2006
quotequote all
Drove an E320 Cdi estate thing around Austria for a week, in heaps of snow, fitted with those Blizzak tyres, awesome piece of kit did'nt get stuck anywhere & we tried!! went up all the passes & super steep tracks we could find.

Snow tyres not a numpty 4x4

Edited by cptsideways on Saturday 16th September 10:14

deva link

26,934 posts

252 months

Saturday 16th September 2006
quotequote all
5MUG said:
Anyone any experience of a C320 in the snow? Does having snow tyres or having studded tyres help? Are my parents mad to think of having one when they live north of Edinburgh? They can get incredibly deep snow during Jan and Feb. Any advice or experience grateully received. S

Well you couldn't even drive a 4x4 in 'incredibly deep snow', and even in middling conditions if all the other cars get stuck then you're stuck too.

Many people with Merc's put winter tyres on them - the winter tyre trend for all cars is spreading across Europe. Normal tyres are designed to work in temps of about +8C. Once you're below that, then winter tyres are better. It really is a 'night and day' difference.

One thing I've looked at is getting some Autosocks www.autosock.co.uk , but I don't know anyone who has used these.

Wacky Racer

38,987 posts

254 months

Saturday 16th September 2006
quotequote all
Mrs WR had a C180 coupe from new and it is CRAP in the snow, even the dealer admitted it.......

Everything else about the car is great though.....

benzo

1,159 posts

218 months

Sunday 17th September 2006
quotequote all
The C might have a little switch on the centre console marked W/S. If you flick the switch to 'W' it orders the gearbox to move of in second gear. With traction control & 'W', i find that moving off in snow is not bad- but not good either.

Snow chains and tyres sound great. Personaly, I dont think i could be arsed getting out of bed on a baltic day and swapping wheels / fitting chains. Would rather lay in bed drinking beer & watching tv.

deva link

26,934 posts

252 months

Sunday 17th September 2006
quotequote all
benzo said:

Snow chains and tyres sound great. Personaly, I dont think i could be arsed getting out of bed on a baltic day and swapping wheels / fitting chains.

You don't do that - you put the winter tyres on when the weather starts to turn cold and leave them on until it starts to warm up again.

benzo

1,159 posts

218 months

Sunday 17th September 2006
quotequote all
deva link said:
benzo said:

Snow chains and tyres sound great. Personaly, I dont think i could be arsed getting out of bed on a baltic day and swapping wheels / fitting chains.

You don't do that - you put the winter tyres on when the weather starts to turn cold and leave them on until it starts to warm up again.


Does that mean you need two sets of alloys- one for summer, one for winter?

Sorry to be naive. New alloys could cost many ££££. Swapping tyres costs about £100 and thats just for fitting.

I live in scotland and although it snows heavily from time to time, I have never seen heavy snow sit for more than two weeks. £200 for two weeks of snow tyres....

niva441

2,023 posts

238 months

Sunday 17th September 2006
quotequote all
You could get a set of steel wheels for winter use, that's what I'll be looking for. Either that or a secondhand set from someone who has changed to different rims.

deva link

26,934 posts

252 months

Sunday 17th September 2006
quotequote all
benzo said:
deva link said:
benzo said:

Snow chains and tyres sound great. Personaly, I dont think i could be arsed getting out of bed on a baltic day and swapping wheels / fitting chains.

You don't do that - you put the winter tyres on when the weather starts to turn cold and leave them on until it starts to warm up again.


Does that mean you need two sets of alloys- one for summer, one for winter?

Sorry to be naive. New alloys could cost many ££££. Swapping tyres costs about £100 and thats just for fitting.

I live in scotland and although it snows heavily from time to time, I have never seen heavy snow sit for more than two weeks. £200 for two weeks of snow tyres....


You could have another set of wheels, or go to a tyre place and get them swopped in (say) Nov and back again in Apr. In places where it snows a lot people usually have a crappy set of wheels (often steel) for winter to keep preserve their decent alloys for summer. Snow chains wreck alloys so you really don't want your best wheels on if you need to use chains.

Winter tyres are not just for snow - normal tyres lose a lot of grip once the temp is under about 8C.

See stuff here - obviously they have a vested interest but still interesting:
www.etyres.co.uk/bad-weather-tyres

Howitzer

2,857 posts

223 months

Tuesday 26th September 2006
quotequote all
My 500E is apparently brilliant in the snow, turns, pulls away and is easy to control. That is until you have to stop and then momentum and 2 tons all combine to laugh at whatever road furniture gets in the way.

Eagle F1s are horrendous in the snow so I would say a decent set of snow tyres would be much better. I think due to it being an auto though with economy setting will give a ffalse sense of security, just because you can get to moving doesn't mean you can get to stopping.

Put a Land Criser on the soptions list haha

Dave!