Discussion
GameOverMan! said:
I've always been dubious of winter tyres but the experience of the M4 last year has made be look at investing in my first set.
I've owned and driven lots of high performance rear drive cars all year round but the M4 wasn't playing ball in light snow/slippery conditions. I couldn't get the thing up the hill to the main road despite trying every trick in the book.
I got my other halves 320D M Sport Cab to the main road without any problems and just a bag of sand in the boot. The M4.... nope, going nowhere fast.
It pains me to spend the money but I just don't want to get stuck or trash the car.
Honestly, they will completely transform the car if it is snowy or icy. I've owned and driven lots of high performance rear drive cars all year round but the M4 wasn't playing ball in light snow/slippery conditions. I couldn't get the thing up the hill to the main road despite trying every trick in the book.
I got my other halves 320D M Sport Cab to the main road without any problems and just a bag of sand in the boot. The M4.... nope, going nowhere fast.
It pains me to spend the money but I just don't want to get stuck or trash the car.
I can guarantee you that with winter tyres fitted the M4 will easily drive up your hill to the main road with no dramas at all - they really are that good.
I was also sceptical once, but a couple of years ago we had a couple of inches of snow and I simply couldn't get my 135i on wide, sporty, summer rubber out of my inclined drive and make the hundred yards or so to the main road. The next year I put a set of winter tyres on my E92 M3 and was amazed at the way the car simply gripped and went. Even deliberately trying to provoke a loss of traction (for research purposes you understand) was harder than I thought it would be.
Having said that, I agree with a lot of the posters here that when temperatures are merely low or perhaps when one lives adjacent to a main, gritted road and will only be driving on gritted roads (say just town driving) one can manage without.
For me, I like the feeling that with the winter tyres fitted I feel more confident going anywhere in snowy conditions and am not concerned about getting stuck. I do realise though, that one could get stuck behind other cars not fitted with winter tyres.
I spent about £800 on a set and would expect them to last at least five winters or more (about three months of steady driving each year). If I sold the car before that I could easily recoup £500 so I don't think the net cost is much at all for the secure feeling I get using them.
There is another factor here. If you drive on main roads that are readily gritted at peak times you probably don't have an issue. If like me your journey takes you through roads that aren't gritted then you do have problems. We also have no public transport and a boss who lives on a main road so doesn't understand if his way to work is perfectly clear what is my excuse. My journey includes ungritted inclines too but I refuse to give in to buying a 'country tractor' so if a set of winters helps me out and keeps me in the M3 than that's a huge tick in my book.
elliebeth said:
There is another factor here. If you drive on main roads that are readily gritted at peak times you probably don't have an issue. If like me your journey takes you through roads that aren't gritted then you do have problems. We also have no public transport and a boss who lives on a main road so doesn't understand if his way to work is perfectly clear what is my excuse. My journey includes ungritted inclines too but I refuse to give in to buying a 'country tractor' so if a set of winters helps me out and keeps me in the M3 than that's a huge tick in my book.
You need them in that case for sure, go buy a set you wont regret it.theotherJamie said:
I've got a set of 19" Michelin Alpin (fit onto standard F10 M5 wheels) that are now surplus to requirements.
PM if interested.
How much? If not a major investment & they'll fit directly onto the OEM F10 M5 19" wheels then as a safeguard i may consider. Happy to admit i may have underestimated their benefits, but still feel i'd use alternative transport in conditions where snow/ice may be present so they'd just sit in the garage for the next 2 Winters.PM if interested.
W8PMC said:
downthepub said:
Fantastic & yes hype. That's driving on ice so even i'd concede that certain Winter Tyres would be better in those conditions. Personally i'd not be out in my M5 on the roads in such conditions so wouldn't make a difference if i was running Summers, Winters or even slicks. If the roads were that bad i'd stay home or take the train.
W8PMC said:
How much? If not a major investment & they'll fit directly onto the OEM F10 M5 19" wheels then as a safeguard i may consider. Happy to admit i may have underestimated their benefits, but still feel i'd use alternative transport in conditions where snow/ice may be present so they'd just sit in the garage for the next 2 Winters.
Yes they fit onto OEM F10 M5 19"s. I've ran them for the past two winters so approx 6k miles.They cost just under £950. I've no idea what they're worth so was going to put them on ebay and let it run its course but your welcome to make an offer.
theotherJamie said:
Yes they fit onto OEM F10 M5 19"s. I've ran them for the past two winters so approx 6k miles.
They cost just under £950. I've no idea what they're worth so was going to put them on ebay and let it run its course but your welcome to make an offer.
Hi Jamie, thanks for your reply. As they've done 6k miles & i assume wear at a higher rate than the OEM MPSS, how much tread is left on them & i can base an offer on that? Also how old are they & what sizes? Genuinely interested of they're a bargain.They cost just under £950. I've no idea what they're worth so was going to put them on ebay and let it run its course but your welcome to make an offer.
This month i need to purchase a full set of MPSS & it's Insurance renewal month
B19TOY said:
So long as the same make is on the same axle you would not know the difference. I ran this combination for years on my old M6.
I don't doubt that, but my point was at £600 i could spend just another £100 ish & have 4 the same. I've never had a need or desire for Winter tyres so was more a case if cheap enough i'd take a punt as i'll only have this car for 2 more Winters & will then likely swap brand for a while.Having driven on snow with Winter tyres over several years I would not now go back to summer tyre slithering. If you do go for the punt I suggest you will not regret it. Therefore at your 400 price point suggest you seek a part worn set. These can be good budget level value but carry some additional concerns about history.
B19TOY said:
Having driven on snow with Winter tyres over several years I would not now go back to summer tyre slithering. If you do go for the punt I suggest you will not regret it. Therefore at your 400 price point suggest you seek a part worn set. These can be good budget level value but carry some additional concerns about history.
LOL yours are "Part worn".B19TOY said:
Having driven on snow with Winter tyres over several years I would not now go back to summer tyre slithering. If you do go for the punt I suggest you will not regret it. Therefore at your 400 price point suggest you seek a part worn set. These can be good budget level value but carry some additional concerns about history.
I'd probably come up a little from £400 as if you recall from that earlier post, the other seller was trying to shift part worn tyres (think they'd covered 6k miles) which i'd prefer to steer clear of.Just bought a full set of new MPSS for just over £800 which is why even if i felt Winter Tyres were really that beneficial, spending £600 on a set of part time tyres i'd use over at the most 2 Winters & for limited driving is a tad too rich for me.
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