Winter tyres - do you?
Discussion
So I recently bought my 14 plate Boxster.
When picking it up, I asked how they handle in the winter months generally.
The salesman of course suggested buying winter tyres for the car and changing over each Autumn then back again early Spring.
So, how many of you actually do it - or do you just run with what's on the car currently?
Is it just a sales ploy?
When picking it up, I asked how they handle in the winter months generally.
The salesman of course suggested buying winter tyres for the car and changing over each Autumn then back again early Spring.
So, how many of you actually do it - or do you just run with what's on the car currently?
Is it just a sales ploy?
depends where you live , I have not seen snow for 3 years in the midlands, in Scotland it's always bloody cold.
And mean day time temps when I am out of bed are above 6oc.
if you live in Scotland and get up at 7 am and it's always 2 oc then try winters.
in you live some where warmer and you get up at 8am and it's 8oc don't.
And mean day time temps when I am out of bed are above 6oc.
if you live in Scotland and get up at 7 am and it's always 2 oc then try winters.
in you live some where warmer and you get up at 8am and it's 8oc don't.
I have had winter tyres previously - on a BMW & a couple of Porsche's as I use my Porsche throughout the year & are my daily drive. Had a nasty spin in snow in a 993 once. Definitely improved grip & overall confidence - amazed how good they are. However last year when I had my 997 I didn't bother & it was absolutely fine over winter (although it was pretty mild tbh). I did take it very easy & if it was that icy I used my wifes 4 X 4 tank.
Got a set of used 18 inch Boxster wheels for £400 and put a set of Pirelli Sottozeros on. Not my first choice of winter but they are N rated. I think they were circa £140 a corner from Tyreleader. I find they are much better than my PS2s in the wet and cold.yes, I have them. 981 Cayman S in the 'mild' midlands... Two winters on 19" winter tyres which replace 20" 'summer' tyres. They are gripper at sub zero temp and perform better in the wet but feel squishy if you push hard in the dry. if nothing else they boost your confidence. I tend to drive less hard in winter, the smaller rims have the added bonus of a better ride quality (the car has PASM)
I've got a set of 18 wheels with Michelin Pilot Alpin 2 on them for my 987.2 Cayman during the Winter months (normally on 19s). I live in North Yorkshire and while yes, they make the car completely drivable on snow (I found snow driving dreadful on my Summer tyres), there are only a couple of days of actual snow a year on average round here so not worth it for that. However I find the Winters make a huge difference in the cold average temperatures I drive in (around 2-5C). On Summers even in my 2.9 I found it's ridiculously easy to break traction on "greasy" roads, but on Winters it's a lot more solid (no longer greasy), plus Winters seem far better going through standing water (it rains a lot in Yorkshire so dry roads in Winter are pretty unheard of). Not sure whether it's just that PS2s suck in cold weather but for me I felt a lot more confident on Winters.
I think the cost of winters is pretty negligible, so don't understand why people don't use them. I am charged about 300-350 Euros for changing the tyres twice (use the same rims summer and winter) and all year storage - thats is about 3 tanks of fuel - well worth it to reduce chance of accidents during the colder months.
If you plan a trip to Europe in Winter then check out this webbie (or others) to see which countries require winter tyres (not optional). This may help your decision making. I agree with other posters here.... decide based on what conditions are like round your way in winter. I wouldnt bother but then I live in the SE of London, so don't have need for them.
http://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/winter-tyres/law...
http://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/winter-tyres/law...
My Boxster is a weekend toy, so no I dnt use winter tyres. This winter I indeed to put it in a storage company for 3 months as it won't get used much and those winter months are my busiest work wise anyway.
On my daily car I have a set of different wheels and winter tyres that go about early Nov and come off mid-March.
On my daily car I have a set of different wheels and winter tyres that go about early Nov and come off mid-March.
Used Dunlop Winter Sport 3Ds on a set of 18" rims over the winter (such as it was) My 981S has PZeros on 19"rims and PASM. Ride actually slightly worse than Pirellis (much worse when initially fitted), but tyre roar on course surfaces much reduced. Scrubbing on lock in cold conditions completely eliminated which was by far the biggest benefit. Car lacks precision on the winter tyres - though the playfulness of the rear is some compensation. Not really a fair test - mild weather in the midlands last winter and didn't see any real grip benefits. Might be quite different in a harsh winter.
I don't know why you wouldn't. You have to buy tyres anyway so your only costs are the cost to change them over if you don't do it yourself and possibly what you would lose on the second set of alloys.
If you do go down the second set of alloys route the wheels are often smaller which means the tyres are.
Certainly on our X5 the winter tyres are much cheaper then the summer tyres.
Stopping distances in the wet are massively improved, with it for that in my book.
If you do go down the second set of alloys route the wheels are often smaller which means the tyres are.
Certainly on our X5 the winter tyres are much cheaper then the summer tyres.
Stopping distances in the wet are massively improved, with it for that in my book.
I had mine over several winters and never used winters. The one winter (forget which) that we had proper snow I was basically ready to jack the car in because I got stuck on compacted snow and simply couldn't move in any direction the car just kind of spun on the spot.
Very possibly my driving capabilities but I never had any issues at all in any other weather. If I could have paid for a set of winters there and then I would have taken them just for that one day.
But all the other days the car was simply never an issue for me.
Very possibly my driving capabilities but I never had any issues at all in any other weather. If I could have paid for a set of winters there and then I would have taken them just for that one day.
But all the other days the car was simply never an issue for me.
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