Winter tyres vol 2

[Speed 3]

ChocolateFrog said:

loskie said:

Support your local grimy commercial back street tyre place if you can. When you need them in a time of need they'll be there. The online discount places won't be.

I did that recently and he charged me £40 to balance 4 loose wheels that I dropped off and picked up 2ft from his balancing machine. Done inside 5 mins.

Not for me, back to the chains and shopping online for the cheapest price.

Can't see Kwik Fit being less than a tenner a wheel for balancing. You do know how overheads work I take it ?

[Sheepshanks]

Smint said:

Yes the problem is since you last used them when they proved superb, mainly because the foreman/supervisor/superfitter/manager (often one person) made the place a gem, unfortunately he has since moved on and some bod of less use than a chocolate teapot is now personing the desk.

That's exactly what's happened to the place i've used for years. Suddenly a clueless dolly bird on the desk and manager strutting around.

ChocolateFrog said:

loskie said:

Support your local grimy commercial back street tyre place if you can. When you need them in a time of need they'll be there. The online discount places won't be.

I did that recently and he charged me £40 to balance 4 loose wheels that I dropped off and picked up 2ft from his balancing machine. Done inside 5 mins.

Not for me, back to the chains and shopping online for the cheapest price.

Above mentioned place charged £18 (which turned out to be plus VAT) per wheel to balance the two fronts when swapping winter to summer wheels & tyres. That was on top of £30 (plus VAT) to swap the wheels. Under the old regime they used to do the whole thing for £20 (inc VAT) and increased the price to £25 (warning me on a prior visit) a couple of years ago.

[Bonefish Blues]

Not only a 'dolly bird', but a clueless one, too.

There's a poster-shaped blast from the past...

[Sheepshanks]

Bonefish Blues said:

Not only a 'dolly bird', but a clueless one, too.

There's a poster-shaped blast from the past...

I seem to come across them quite a bit - they're often the owner's daughter.

[Bonefish Blues]

Sheepshanks said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Not only a 'dolly bird', but a clueless one, too.

There's a poster-shaped blast from the past...

I seem to come across them quite a bit - they're often the owner's daughter.

Thanks for reminding up of the 70s

[Pica-Pica]

Sheepshanks said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Not only a 'dolly bird', but a clueless one, too.

There's a poster-shaped blast from the past...

I seem to come across them quite a bit - they're often the owner's daughter.

We seem to get the owner’s mother-in-law (I thought I’d wade in with a trope of my own)

[Suspicious_user]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

Cool supprised only one manufacturer in 275/35/19 though also need 245/40/19

E-class?

I have the same problem - I ended up getting 19” full winters, Pilot Alpin 5.

[xeny]

havoc said:

Unless you've winter tyres, the best on-road-biased vehicle for snow is going to be an old (!) Micra, 2CV etc. - narrow tyres, low-torque, manual gearbox, few driver aids to get in the way, linear long-travel throttle, front-wheel-drive (4wd would be better, before anyone shouts - maybe a Fiat Panda 4x4).

Definitely. Back in 2010 or so my GF's beloved (we both love it more than each other) Mk 2 Golf was hilariously good in significant snow, to the extent she turned up at work and questioned some of her team's inability to get in, as she'd found it a perfectly simple drive.

[7 5 7]

Always have swapped to winter tyres for half the year on my BMW (makes for some great looks from other motorists when calmly climb steep inclines in a RWD car).

Just picked the tree up, stuck it on the roof - lovely bit of snow around up in my region this morning, no worries.

Although I do prefer the naked steel euro look, but my wife insists I keep the trims on....

[Suspicious_user]

7 5 7 said:

Always have swapped to winter tyres for half the year on my BMW (makes for some great looks from other motorists when calmly climb steep inclines in a RWD car).

Just picked the tree up, stuck it on the roof - lovely bit of snow around up in my region this morning, no worries.

Although I do prefer the naked steel euro look, but my wife insists I keep the trims on....

Looking good!!

[mmm-five]

Got mine on a couple of weeks ago...but in the gangsta look. Still waiting for some snow to settle though.

[Speed 3]

Snap !

I hate black wheels but they came with car. I bought a set of much nicer Cerium grey & silver ones and kept the blacks for the winters

[redback911]

Cumbria was fun earlier this week. Typically fit winter tyres (Bridgestone Blizzak) on our 4wd. Living in the western lake district and I love trail running in the snow, best to avoid getting caught out in more rural areas.



Went out for trail run morning after, a few folks struggled night before...

Edited by redback911 on Friday 8th December 12:33

[SAS Tom]

Why is it always BMW’s?

It can’t be just rwd on its own as merc’s don’t seem to have the same issue.

[B'stard Child]

There is a common denominator * in the abandoned cars

* They clearly weren't fitted with winters

[redback911]

SAS Tom said:

Why is it always BMW’s?

It can’t be just rwd on its own as merc’s don’t seem to have the same issue.

Hehe, ya I did feel bad about posting only BMW pictures. On that stretch of road there was another BMW abandoned, but it was on a bend so could not stop for piccy.

[B'stard Child]

SAS Tom said:

Why is it always BMW’s?

It can’t be just rwd on its own as merc’s don’t seem to have the same issue.

Our road one year (I think 2012 or 2013) became a sheet of polished ice due to thaw in day and freeze at night repeated several days running - it's mainly flat but has a nice gradient where it approaches the main road it joins - only car that got out on a couple of days was mine - '99 BMW 740i Auto

The traction control system on that car was top class - first car I'd ever owned with TC as a driver aid

[Speed 3]

redback911 said:

SAS Tom said:

Why is it always BMW’s?

It can’t be just rwd on its own as merc’s don’t seem to have the same issue.

Hehe, ya I did feel bad about posting only BMW pictures. On that stretch of road there was another BMW abandoned, but it was on a bend so could not stop for piccy.

IME I see just as many Mercs struggling as BMW's. One of our neighbours can't even get to the end of our close with a light dusting of snow or frost and its barely 3 deg incline.

[Sheepshanks]

SAS Tom said:

Why is it always BMW’s?

It can’t be just rwd on its own as merc’s don’t seem to have the same issue.

Really? Colleague and I both had Merc estates and they were completely useless in snow. Mine wouldn't go forwards once when one side was on a very slightly uphill grass verge - had to reverse off it. He'd had a 5 Series before and never gave him any concern.

I put All Seasons on mine and it transformed it.

[SAS Tom]

I get that with winters etc they are fine and that other cars get stuck. It just always seems to be a disproportionate amount of BMW’s when I’m on the road or in pictures.