Winter tyres vol 2
Discussion
Mine certainly feel "s
t" if taking roundabouts faster, makes the car want to understeer on the way in and oversteer on the way out.
However much much better in the snow we have have the last 24 hours. Just a shame I don't have a second set of wheels so I can switch at home easily for when it's ice/snow or just wet.
t" if taking roundabouts faster, makes the car want to understeer on the way in and oversteer on the way out.However much much better in the snow we have have the last 24 hours. Just a shame I don't have a second set of wheels so I can switch at home easily for when it's ice/snow or just wet.
HoHoHo said:
I've left mine off the M5 so far this year, waaayyyyy to warm to worry about winters - I assume you're referring to the Scooby?
Ja - der Scooby.I put the winters on as I was doing some work on the car, and the wheels were off anyway.... but the weather remained stupidly warm, and it felt like driving on marshmallow.
I bought the winters only as we took der Scooby to the Alps last year. You usually do need them there.
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
I'm in the highlands of Scotland, they are good from dec-feb but as we have had early snow I made the change and just have to put up with the poorer performance in this mild weather.oldcynic said:
tenohfive said:
Anyone run the TS850's year round, or the Goodyear UG8's (or UG Performance Gen-1) and finally Alpin A5's? If so, how did you find wear rates?
If I can't find the right all season (snow biased) I'm probably going to have to go for a winter that'll wear well if run year round.
I've run Pilot Alpin 4's year round for the last couple of years and can't complain, that's on a V70 D5. I'm not prone to throwing it around too much, but compared to the Avon Ice Touring ST's (which melted in mid-summer) they're fantastic - and they're wearing pretty well too.If I can't find the right all season (snow biased) I'm probably going to have to go for a winter that'll wear well if run year round.
Wear rate was absolutely fine. Performance was generally ok during normal driving but any kind of pushing on and they started to struggle, very squidgy, then a bit slidey and poor turn in that didn't inspire confidence.
Put the A4 rears on this morning, after the winter I'm planning on getting the wheels refurbed and a new set of Summers.
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
Ultimately you can get by without them, let's face it most of us did for years.However, once you've tried them (last year was my first time) you realise how good they are and would prefer not to be without them.
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
I don't think there is much dissent - I am a big fan of winters even in the South of the UK - I am just trying to be balanced and intellectually honest : I think the 7deg thing is utter BS - but in a non-binary way that doesn't suddenly mean that winters are of no use in the UK.Every year my objective is NOT to fit my winters (managed last year) but I am quite comfortable in the knowledge that should I feel they could be useful, they can be on the car in 1 hour or so - plus, they are (almost) free. Buy second hand OE wheels separately and buy new winters : you'll get 80% of your outlay back in 2/3 years. Plus you saved wear on your summers and saved your "nicer" wheels.
BrownBottle said:
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
Ultimately you can get by without them, let's face it most of us did for years.However, once you've tried them (last year was my first time) you realise how good they are and would prefer not to be without them.
Last year was my first season with winters on the car. I chose them because I changed jobs and went to 25 mile commute, nearly half of which is on twisty, Lincolnshire roads. They worked really well and even though some would say you don't need them where I live, they just gave me more confidence. Not doesn't need to be snowing for them to work, just cold and wet.
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However, once you've tried them (last year was my first time) you realise how good they are and would prefer not to be without them.They do indeed make a difference. However, as pointed out above, a lot of people get by without them.
Last year was my first season with winters on the car. I chose them because I changed jobs and went to 25 mile commute, nearly half of which is on twisty, Lincolnshire roads. They worked really well and even though some would say you don't need them where I live, they just gave me more confidence. Not doesn't need to be snowing for them to work, just cold and wet.I'm also amazed how much difference they make.
On a typical winters day using summers I can't even with the gentlest of peddle pushing make good progress without the traction light flashing away and big puddles are a nightmare. Put winters on and whilst I still get the light, it's not on as frequently and puddles seem to disappear.
Only issue is I go through rears as they are clearly a lot softer and 560bhp simply eats rubber and more so when it's warm
funkyrobot said:
BrownBottle said:
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
Ultimately you can get by without them, let's face it most of us did for years.However, once you've tried them (last year was my first time) you realise how good they are and would prefer not to be without them.
Last year was my first season with winters on the car. I chose them because I changed jobs and went to 25 mile commute, nearly half of which is on twisty, Lincolnshire roads. They worked really well and even though some would say you don't need them where I live, they just gave me more confidence. Not doesn't need to be snowing for them to work, just cold and wet.
On a typical winters day using summers I can't even with the gentlest of peddle pushing make good progress without the traction light flashing away and big puddles are a nightmare. Put winters on and whilst I still get the light, it's not on as frequently and puddles seem to disappear.
Only issue is I go through rears as they are clearly a lot softer and 560bhp simply eats rubber and more so when it's warm
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
You mean that some of us for years have questioned the 7C as a significant point, look back and the suggestions that 2 or 3C is the start of where the benefit can be clearly seen.The other issue you're ignoring is tyre development. Some years back it was either put full on winters or not. There was little information out there in the press or the net, and none in tyre dealers, to help people choose based on their individual circumstances. It's always been the case that there have been certain tyres, sold as full on winters, but which were less biased to snow and ice and performed better in cold and wet and dry than the full on almost Nordic spec stuff and thus better for UK conditions.
Then there were the all season stuff from Vredestein, but at a price. Only this year with the CrossClimate from Michelin and the All Weather from Nokian have products really come to the market which are much more in line with UK conditions. And they're selling and taking sales from full winters, and converting some who previously didn't bother.
As always it's still the case that the sweeping statement "most people don't need / do need" is twaddle. There is no single answer which fits most people and it's about time folks stopped trotting it out. Individual circumstances and needs are the main issue can result in the right answer for them being anything from not changing anything to maintaining two full sets. The correct answer for that individual may be quite different from what's the optimum solution for their next door neighbour.
FiF said:
As always it's still the case that the sweeping statement "most people don't need / do need" is twaddle. There is no single answer which fits most people and it's about time folks stopped trotting it out. Individual circumstances and needs are the main issue can result in the right answer for them being anything from not changing anything to maintaining two full sets. The correct answer for that individual may be quite different from what's the optimum solution for their next door neighbour.
Exactly. Blanket 'need' statements are meaningless. I CHOOSE to put on winters on a RWD 5 series as I don't want to get caught out trying to get home late from a far flung part of the UK as my work takes me all over the place and I'm often travelling early in the morning on frosty roads or late at night. So I may get to the end of winter and find I haven't needed them but it's not much effort or cost to put them on as an insurance policy. We pay insurance for all sorts of things - so why not this. If I worked locally and all my commuting was on gritted roads then I probably wouldn't need them...dtmpower said:
GTIAlex said:
Yeah, looks sharp, are you using the same wheel studs from your alloys ?
I check the tightness of them daily and they seem fine to me.
Slow said:
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
I'm in the highlands of Scotland, they are good from dec-feb but as we have had early snow I made the change and just have to put up with the poorer performance in this mild weather.All-seasons or decent wet-biased tyres are a good thing. Cold-ish weather in England is newsworthy for a reason. It isn't newsworthy in cold countries
Edited by MC Bodge on Sunday 22 November 10:16
GTIAlex said:
I am indeed. The taper of the nut is fine. I did a bit of reading and concluded that the general rule is that you cant use alloy nuts on steel wheels, but should never use steel wheel nuts on alloy wheels.
I check the tightness of them daily and they seem fine to me.
When I had steels using the nuts from my alloys I had some of these.I check the tightness of them daily and they seem fine to me.
The look is an acquired taste (wasn't too bad on a 4x4) but much easier to visually check them than messing around with a wrench every day.
They are called wheel nut indicators.
Wheel nuts indicators, a security blanket, nothing more. Wouldn't waste my money frankly. Having investigated many lost and loose wheel incidents over the years, almost all heavy lorries and buses admittedly, providing the wheel fixings are the correct ones to the correct spec and undamaged, everything is clean and fixings torqued up to the correct value, checked after covering a few miles then there is no need for nut indicators or any other fancy schmancy kit.
If the nuts aren't torqued up correctly, or some other reason that the clamping pressure is not in the correct window then you could weld the nuts to the studs and ultimately you could still lose a wheel.
Anyway back to topic.
If the nuts aren't torqued up correctly, or some other reason that the clamping pressure is not in the correct window then you could weld the nuts to the studs and ultimately you could still lose a wheel.
Anyway back to topic.
Problem with "Summer Tyres" is that they've gone too far the other way. They will have the obligatory circumference tread but very little else. Add on the "Sport" moniker and you can see their intended use. Tyres of yesteryear if anything were more like the all weather tyres we have today with blocky tread which is why years ago people still got around. These days every hatchback has 17" or 18" tyres with SportBruvInnit tyres on.
MC Bodge said:
Slow said:
MC Bodge said:
Do I detect that people on here are finally conceding that winter tyres are actually, probably, not really that necessary for most people in the UK? There is even Dissenting talk about the " 7degc rule" ??
I'm in the highlands of Scotland, they are good from dec-feb but as we have had early snow I made the change and just have to put up with the poorer performance in this mild weather.All-seasons or decent wet-biased tyres are a good thing. Cold-ish weather in England is newsworthy for a reason. It isn't newsworthy in cold countries
Edited by MC Bodge on Sunday 22 November 10:16
Billy_Whizzzz said:
FiF said:
As always it's still the case that the sweeping statement "most people don't need / do need" is twaddle. There is no single answer which fits most people and it's about time folks stopped trotting it out. Individual circumstances and needs are the main issue can result in the right answer for them being anything from not changing anything to maintaining two full sets. The correct answer for that individual may be quite different from what's the optimum solution for their next door neighbour.
Exactly. Blanket 'need' statements are meaningless. I CHOOSE to put on winters on a RWD 5 series as I don't want to get caught out trying to get home late from a far flung part of the UK as my work takes me all over the place and I'm often travelling early in the morning on frosty roads or late at night. So I may get to the end of winter and find I haven't needed them but it's not much effort or cost to put them on as an insurance policy. We pay insurance for all sorts of things - so why not this. If I worked locally and all my commuting was on gritted roads then I probably wouldn't need them...Gassing Station | Suspension, Brakes & Tyres | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff