Winter tyres vol 2
Discussion
I used to drive the snake pass regularly in snowy conditions in an A3 Quattro and the only times I couldn't make it were when the road was thick with a few feet of snow. That was with quattro and 4mm summer tyres on.
The closest it came to not making it one evening was coming to Manchester from sheffield up the long hill on the glossop side when about 20 cars had already attempted it and we're going back the other way, telling me to turn around. I'd come so far that I may as well have had a go, which I and a panda 4x4 also did. We both made it (just, I might add) and saw several jack-knifed HGVs at the top along with many abandoned vehicles.
In my opinion, if I still had a 4wd/quattro I'd probably have stuck with the regular summers for winters as i never got stuck in the 'quattro', however I now don't have 4wd so I've got a lovely new set of wheels with winter tyres on to see me through.
Just need a bit of snow now!
The closest it came to not making it one evening was coming to Manchester from sheffield up the long hill on the glossop side when about 20 cars had already attempted it and we're going back the other way, telling me to turn around. I'd come so far that I may as well have had a go, which I and a panda 4x4 also did. We both made it (just, I might add) and saw several jack-knifed HGVs at the top along with many abandoned vehicles.
In my opinion, if I still had a 4wd/quattro I'd probably have stuck with the regular summers for winters as i never got stuck in the 'quattro', however I now don't have 4wd so I've got a lovely new set of wheels with winter tyres on to see me through.
Just need a bit of snow now!
I had to go out early and even in the balmy south-east it was freezing and there was ice on the roads. At a roundabout near Goodwood circuit there was a police car attending a RTC with an E39 BMW on 18s, a Focus ST and Micra, all showing signs of damage. The downhill curving approach to the roundabout was sheet ice, my Gti (on Conti Winters) stopped easily with just a little ABS action.
SS7
SS7
RenesisEvo said:
Countdown said:
Are you hoping it snows? 
If so, I'm not sure why. Surely the whole point of winter tyres is to improve safety. All other things being equal , snow will make driving less safe, both for those on summer tyres and even for those on winter tyres.
Totally sensible viewpoint, but of course anyone on winter tyres [for the first time] will always be interested in 'testing them out', I know I am. But I certainly won't got for a test run if there's any question of my actions inconveniencing/endangering anyone else.If so, I'm not sure why. Surely the whole point of winter tyres is to improve safety. All other things being equal , snow will make driving less safe, both for those on summer tyres and even for those on winter tyres.
This year, for the first time now I no longer have a company lease car, I seriously considered getting some winter tyres. I chose which ones, but in the end decided to buy some snow socks instead as I wasn't convinced how often tyres would be beneficial. .
Well today is the first day this winter it would have been better to be on winter tyres i.e. the temperature both ways on my commute was under 7c. 0c this morning, 5c on the way home.
Admittedly I live in South Devon, but on the edge of Dartmoor and drive over Haldon Hill everyday. I'm very surprised how rarely it has been under 7c at the beginning and end of the day so far this winter.
Well today is the first day this winter it would have been better to be on winter tyres i.e. the temperature both ways on my commute was under 7c. 0c this morning, 5c on the way home.
Admittedly I live in South Devon, but on the edge of Dartmoor and drive over Haldon Hill everyday. I'm very surprised how rarely it has been under 7c at the beginning and end of the day so far this winter.
Winter tyres have paid for themselves already for me.
I don't get paid if I don't go to work, I work 170 miles away from home in Aberdeen, I rent a room in a village just south of Aberdeen which is a good few miles of single track untreated roads. I drive a BMW (one of two in the household)
If I didn't have winter tyres on my car I wouldn't have got to work on Monday morning, I definitely wouldn't have got back to the digs Monday night due to compacted ice on the single track roads, and I wouldn't have got to work this morning after another light dusting had frozen on top of the compacted ice!
I probably would've missed a whole week of work, the winter wheels and tyres were less than a weeks wage. Winner!
I don't get paid if I don't go to work, I work 170 miles away from home in Aberdeen, I rent a room in a village just south of Aberdeen which is a good few miles of single track untreated roads. I drive a BMW (one of two in the household)
If I didn't have winter tyres on my car I wouldn't have got to work on Monday morning, I definitely wouldn't have got back to the digs Monday night due to compacted ice on the single track roads, and I wouldn't have got to work this morning after another light dusting had frozen on top of the compacted ice!
I probably would've missed a whole week of work, the winter wheels and tyres were less than a weeks wage. Winner!
Driving around on snow or ice in summer tyres is, in my opinion, is little better than driving around in the pissing rain on full slicks. Legality aside then yes, you *could* reach your destination if you "drive to the conditions" but you are a bit of a liability against a backdrop of people sensibly equipped with suitable tyres for the conditions and will certainly be wasting everyone elses' time as you creep along on the wrong tyres.
My AWD X-Type couldn't make it up my icy driveway 2 weeks ago. My RWD S-Type had no trouble the same morning. The difference was tyres. The X-Type is now wearing winter tyres also and surprise, surprise, it's no longer an ice polishing machine.
My AWD X-Type couldn't make it up my icy driveway 2 weeks ago. My RWD S-Type had no trouble the same morning. The difference was tyres. The X-Type is now wearing winter tyres also and surprise, surprise, it's no longer an ice polishing machine.
Frozen snow is a 
. I spent a solid 20 minutes defrosting the car at work this morning- that's with going through half a large can of de-icer. Couldn't even get in the thing for 5 minutes. Glad to have the tyres, even if they do only really come into their own a few times throughout the winter it's good to actually have some confidence in the car when commuting at 6am.
. I spent a solid 20 minutes defrosting the car at work this morning- that's with going through half a large can of de-icer. Couldn't even get in the thing for 5 minutes. Glad to have the tyres, even if they do only really come into their own a few times throughout the winter it's good to actually have some confidence in the car when commuting at 6am.Some of us do not need Winter tyres, if you live in Barbados for example - why would you!
Some in the UK can possibly get away without needing them too.
But if you lose control with Summers on and crash into my cherished car, be assured I will not be happy. And neither will you when you lose your No Claims Bonus when the insurance company have my dash cam footage. Which would possibly be more than the cost of Winters.
Hopefully though as I have winters on I can avoid the adhesion challenged motorists.
We are not out of the woods yet I feel.
Be safe!
Some in the UK can possibly get away without needing them too.
But if you lose control with Summers on and crash into my cherished car, be assured I will not be happy. And neither will you when you lose your No Claims Bonus when the insurance company have my dash cam footage. Which would possibly be more than the cost of Winters.
Hopefully though as I have winters on I can avoid the adhesion challenged motorists.
We are not out of the woods yet I feel.
Be safe!
JagXJR said:
Some of us do not need Winter tyres, if you live in Barbados for example - why would you!
Some in the UK can possibly get away without needing them too.
But if you lose control with Summers on and crash into my cherished car, be assured I will not be happy. And neither will you when you lose your No Claims Bonus when the insurance company have my dash cam footage. Which would possibly be more than the cost of Winters.
Hopefully though as I have winters on I can avoid the adhesion challenged motorists.
We are not out of the woods yet I feel.
Be safe!
Some in the UK can possibly get away without needing them too.
But if you lose control with Summers on and crash into my cherished car, be assured I will not be happy. And neither will you when you lose your No Claims Bonus when the insurance company have my dash cam footage. Which would possibly be more than the cost of Winters.
Hopefully though as I have winters on I can avoid the adhesion challenged motorists.
We are not out of the woods yet I feel.
Be safe!
Advice required please...
My wife's working in the Lakes, driving a Clio diesel. In November I removed the standard 16" alloys and fitted 15" steels with Continental winter tyres (cost a bob or two, believe me!).
This weekend I found a puncture in the front left winter tyre (thorn from a hawthorn tree). Not repairable.
There isn't a matching tyre to be found anywhere! Continental UK are still looking, but the only lead I have so far will not arrive until Feb 6th (about a fortnight).
Car currently has the spare on. It's not a spacesaver, it's a full size 15" and the same size/load rating as the winters, but of course a summer pattern Conti. Speed limited to 50mph.
So, looking at the weather forecast for the next couple of weeks, what do people think I should do?
1) Leave it as it is (spare front left) and drive at 50?
2) Switch the spare to rear left to put two winters on the front (and still drive at 50)?
3) Switch back to the summers?
4) Buy a pair of winters of another make and fit those?
Thoughts, please!
My wife's working in the Lakes, driving a Clio diesel. In November I removed the standard 16" alloys and fitted 15" steels with Continental winter tyres (cost a bob or two, believe me!).
This weekend I found a puncture in the front left winter tyre (thorn from a hawthorn tree). Not repairable.
There isn't a matching tyre to be found anywhere! Continental UK are still looking, but the only lead I have so far will not arrive until Feb 6th (about a fortnight).
Car currently has the spare on. It's not a spacesaver, it's a full size 15" and the same size/load rating as the winters, but of course a summer pattern Conti. Speed limited to 50mph.
So, looking at the weather forecast for the next couple of weeks, what do people think I should do?
1) Leave it as it is (spare front left) and drive at 50?
2) Switch the spare to rear left to put two winters on the front (and still drive at 50)?
3) Switch back to the summers?
4) Buy a pair of winters of another make and fit those?
Thoughts, please!
Either finding a part worn (but similar quality) winter to swap it on to, or switch front to rear leaving the spare on the back corner - provided your missus is sensible enough to drive as though she's on snow socks, and be aware that the back end is more likely to break loose than previously. If you trust her then that's the option I'd go with.
Put it on the rear and find a part worn winter the same size to replace it with.
We have been using winter tyres for many years (in Scotland) and on front wheel drive cars we usually just run them on the front (from Nov - April). As someone who has driven thousands of miles like this I can confirm it will be fine and you wont end up in the nearest ditch (regardless of all the peoples comments on here who have never tried this).
We have been using winter tyres for many years (in Scotland) and on front wheel drive cars we usually just run them on the front (from Nov - April). As someone who has driven thousands of miles like this I can confirm it will be fine and you wont end up in the nearest ditch (regardless of all the peoples comments on here who have never tried this).
Countdown said:
Fair enough. I find supermarket car parks early morning to be best for testing. Usually empty with lots of space.
Be aware though that there are often kerbs delimiting parking areas, ends of rows, and so on. If the snow is deep enough and untouched these become all but invisible, and can put a major dampener on your sideways drift hero action . I find supermarket car parks early morning to be best for testing. Usually empty with lots of space.
rallycross said:
Put it on the rear and find a part worn winter the same size to replace it with.
We have been using winter tyres for many years (in Scotland) and on front wheel drive cars we usually just run them on the front (from Nov - April). As someone who has driven thousands of miles like this I can confirm it will be fine and you wont end up in the nearest ditch (regardless of all the peoples comments on here who have never tried this).
I agree with this. Not is Scotland but I have used a FWD car with winter tyres just on the front and there are no issues provided in very low grip situations you drive on the basis of having summer tyres.We have been using winter tyres for many years (in Scotland) and on front wheel drive cars we usually just run them on the front (from Nov - April). As someone who has driven thousands of miles like this I can confirm it will be fine and you wont end up in the nearest ditch (regardless of all the peoples comments on here who have never tried this).
rallycross said:
--and on front wheel drive cars we usually just run them on the front (from Nov - April). As someone who has driven thousands of miles like this I can confirm it will be fine and you wont end up in the nearest ditch (regardless of all the peoples comments on here who have never tried this
A) your username might reflect the casual attitude to mixing tyre types across axlesB) insurance company might pay very careful attention to you if you have crashed - any excuse not to pay out or point finger for liabilty blah blah
C) "you confirm it will be fine and your won't end up in the nearest ditch" - will you pay out damages for those people that have tried it and crash?
D) any snow/ice/black ice driving scenario which involves rearward weight transfer will be interesting indeed. Refer back to A)
Drive whatever tyre combination you want- but that kind of 'advice' is just nonsense.
I have a confession to make.
My winter tyres are worse than my summer tyres on normal, reasonably cold greasy surfaces. They trigger the ABS more, wheelspin more, understeer more. Better on snow, but here in the south-east corner of the UK that is the absolute minority of the time, if at all.
If buying again, I either wouldn't bother or I'd go for the absolute premium winter tyres. For reference I'm comparing Hankook winters to Continental summers.
My winter tyres are worse than my summer tyres on normal, reasonably cold greasy surfaces. They trigger the ABS more, wheelspin more, understeer more. Better on snow, but here in the south-east corner of the UK that is the absolute minority of the time, if at all.
If buying again, I either wouldn't bother or I'd go for the absolute premium winter tyres. For reference I'm comparing Hankook winters to Continental summers.
Personally, while my wife is sensible I'm not sure she'd deal with snap oversteer and looking at the weather expected toward the end of this week I'd bite the bullet and get a pair (or at least another winter tyre) and keep the 5th winter on the spare wheel so you're sorted if it happens again.
Thanks for all the advice.
In view of the weather conditions, and the lead time on a Conti, I've decided that different makes of winter tyres front and rear is the lesser of two evils, so taken the plunge and ordered a pair of Goodyear Ultragrip 9's to go on the back.
Dented the bank balance even more, but that's life isn't it!
In view of the weather conditions, and the lead time on a Conti, I've decided that different makes of winter tyres front and rear is the lesser of two evils, so taken the plunge and ordered a pair of Goodyear Ultragrip 9's to go on the back.
Dented the bank balance even more, but that's life isn't it!
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