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winter use advice


federalexpress

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Just bought a 4x4 140 elegance (manual). Am not a natural 4x4 person but am in a rural setting with on top of a plateau with hills on 3 sides and apparently the winter round here (Gloucestershire) tends to be a bit worse than what I'm used to in London, hence getting rid of my rear wheel drive Merc and getting a Yeti.

 

My question is one that I know doesn't have a simple answer but how good is this car on the supplied tyres in dealing with snow and ice?  I appreciate all bets are off if we get a foot of snow, but that is unlikely where I am, I just wanted to get some kind of understanding of how possible it will be to drive if we get a normal dose of snow and cold weather. We have 11 degree hills round here that I would avoid in snow and ice, but how will I fare on smaller hills and dips in the road? Am really just interested in people's experiences.

 

Am also contemplating winter tyres which I gather would solve pretty much anything I'd be likely to face but obviously these are expensive. There is also the pain of finding somewhere to store the summer ones (and vice versa in summer). But if anyone out there does change in winter, do you just change tyres or change the whole wheel? Is it worth the extra expense of the latter? At the moment, it seems I need to pay someone to do two changes each year, carry the tyres back home in the Yeti and store the ones out of action in the shed till next needed. 

 

Is it possible to just use two winter tyres (presumable fronts) to save money and storage space or is that a bad idea?

 

All input and experiences appreciated.

 

 

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I have just had a set of four Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons tyres fitted, they will stay on all year.

My annual mileage of about 6500 did not warrant the expense and hassle of swapping tyres twice a year, and I am hoping these will last at least four or five years.

 

Tomorrow mornings journey to work might be through some snow, so we will see how good they are !!

 

Phil 

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I bit the bullet after reading up all the advice, and bought a set of 16" steel rims with Nokian tyres from http://www.tyreleader.co.uk, for £420 from Germany to a local garage. I then paid £40 for the four to be fitted and balanced onto the rims.

I have not encountered no snow yet, but a fair bit of rain and some lower temperatures . They stick to the riad nicely and sound like a chamois leather being rung out when on a wet road surface. It is early days but I am happy with the purchase.

 

You might find this of use:- http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/66645/winter-tyres-test-reviews-and-prices-for-2014-2015?utm_source=taboola-internal

 

Colin

Edited by eribaMotters
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I would go to a big tyre retailer and see if he's got some wheels that have been traded and then discuss tyres.

You might get a v good offer.

Graham's right the 'summers' don't wear out in storage.

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Standard "summer " tyres on your Yeti will be on a par with your Merc on snow and ice, except you'll spin all 4 wheels instead of just the rears on your Merc. In a rural area where you expect snow and ice to be a problem winter tyres are your best option. Most Yeti owners that fit winter tyres usually go down the route of 16" steel wheels fitted with 215x60x16 tyres which are available for not too much expense from the likes of Mytyres.com. You have to factor into the thought of the expense that you are not wearing down your summer tyres and your nice alloys are protected from salt and kerb damage whilst your winter wheels are on. I change over to winters at the clock change in November and change back in March/ April time. I store the wheels in my hut and they don't take up that much room.

Another option if you don't want to change wheels around is to fit 4 season tyres to your Yeti wheels.

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A big thank you to replies so far. Food for thought.

 

I've excluded the idea of two tyres on the basis of two replies here and I take the point that if your have a second set of tyres, the whole lasts twice as long. I guess you could then argue that the price of winter tyres is the annual fitting (s), so about £80 or so, plus the hassle of storage and the fact you are paying upfront for your second set of tyres.

 

Beginning to wonder if I should have just gone for a FWD and stuck the winter tyres on. If all I get otherwise is what I would get from a (rear) 2wd like a Merc, it begs the question, why have 4WD in the first place?

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From the little I know about this as above front wheel drive with winters on is comparible with 4WD with normal tyres, but 4WD with winters will be far better traction wise, but you still have to remember braking suffers across all options, but it will be better with winters on whether you have 2 or 4 wheel drive, but again engine braking is likely to be better with 4WD. A set of winters on steels with a tyre tree off eBay or Amazon would be my choice. Good luck

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Bite the bullet and get the winter tyres it is incontrovertible. Winters provide better grip under power and braking whenever the temp falls below 7c.  Of course you can get by without-I did for donkeys years but when even the slightest whoopsie moment may cost hundreds the economics are clear. One trip is all it takes to discover the difference. In March you put them away and put back the summer tyres- overall cost less than your No claims discount.

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...but again engine braking is likely to be better with 4WD...

This is true for a permanent four wheel drive system, but I don't think it applies to the Haldex system in the Yeti. Under braking no power is transferred to the rear, but I'm not entirely sure what happens on a trailing throttle.

...A set of winters on steels with a tyre tree off eBay or Amazon would be my choice. Good luck

I agree with you there!

Just to add our experience over the past few years with different cars, we had an A6 quattro in December 2009. It had summer tyres. In the snow it would go anywhere and easily get up hills where RWD cars and some FWD cars just couldn't move. That was great, but what wasn't so good was trying to stop again on downhill roads. The next year we got a set of 16" alloys with winter tyres and the car was just brilliant. The only limitation was the lack of ground clearance. We also had a second set of alloys with winter tyres on our Fabia vRS that year, and it too could get around with ease.

The winter wheels off that Audi are now on our Octavia vRS, but the snow has never really been that bad since selling the Audi and getting the Octavia. I have 205/60/16 Nokian winter tyres on alloys on my Yeti. Again, it's never really seen any proper snow, but it is far better in icy and slushy conditions than it is on the standard wheels with summer tyres. Having two sets of wheels/tyres for each car saves wear on whichever set isn't in use and makes changing them over much simpler - I just instruct my husband to swap them over! Thus year we (he!) swapped them over at the start of December as it has been quite mild, whereas typically we (he!) swaps them over in November.

We've got a second Yeti (other half saw a 'bargain' and felt compelled to buy it!) which we put a set of Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons on as it needed new tyres anyway. It's been fine in the frosty and icy conditions this week, but we haven't tried it in the snow yet. It will interesting to see how the 4 seasons compare to the winter tyres.

Even in the milder winters we've had for the last couple of years I still think the investment in winter tyres was worthwhile.

Edited by JulieD
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I agree that, if you can, go for summers and winters, or all-seasons. 

 

Your home territory is fairly similar to mine, I think, in both topography and climate.  Tortuous lanes, hills and dips, leaf slurry and puddles, sudden frosts and occasional persistent laying snow.  When I changed tyres recently (yes, 4x4), I opted for all-seasons; no budget or storage space for separate summer and winter rubber.  We haven't had the snow yet (yet...) but they are proving steady round the lanes in rain and dead leaves, as well as dealing with a journey on sodden motorways.  A couple of heavy frost pockets a week or so back looked a bit unfriendly but, on a brief meeting, couldn't produce the twitch that they would have done with the old Conti 2's.  All I need now is a bit of snow! 

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All good stuff above.  I have Dunlop winter tyres on Skoda steel wheels on the Yeti (2WD) and have room to store them - but decided to put Goodyear Vector All Seasons (as mentioned above) on my other car, a  2WD city car, as soon as I bought it.  Dartmoor has it's nippy days.

 

However, one possibility is to put winters on and keep them on all year round.  I recall Honest John recommending the Michelin Alpin winters as he'd had them on all year round and not found them to wear unduly excessively and was happy with summer and winter performance.  It's a debatable point as others will say you're compromising ultimate grip in the summer.  I'm not sure what I'd do another time....I don't, in all honesty, absolutely have to have winters due to my usage and location.....I just wanted to cover as many options as possible from new and haven't regretted it as the winters are good in cold and wet conditions as well as being better in snow/ice.  But I'd consider the All Seasons route on any new car as well as the Michelin winter option and keep them on all year round.

 

Plenty of reading on this and other sites if you have time to look.

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Standard "summer " tyres on your Yeti will be on a par with your Merc on snow and ice, except you'll spin all 4 wheels instead of just the rears on your Merc

Don't agree with this at all. My 4wd car has summer Dunlop's. One Saturday winters morning had to go to work with deep snow on the ground and did manage to get up a hill where all the 2 wheel drive cars were skidding all over the place and trying to turn back.

Only you know what roads you are likely to be travelling on. Why not wait to see how the yeti performs in bad weather before going to the trouble and expense of winter wheels and tyres

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Don't agree with this at all. My 4wd car has summer Dunlop's. One Saturday winters morning had to go to work with deep snow on the ground and did manage to get up a hill where all the 2 wheel drive cars were skidding all over the place and trying to turn back.

Only you know what roads you are likely to be travelling on. Why not wait to see how the yeti performs in bad weather before going to the trouble and expense of winter wheels and tyres

Wow, impressive, but next time a child might step of the kerb and you won't be able to stop. You won't be so smug then.
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As Graham said above -

 

....It doesn't matter how many wheels are driven, when going down hill gravity is the greater force!!....

 

The last lot of snow was before my Yeti and I still had the 4x4 X-Trail.  On Scorpions, it was willing to climb anything reasonable - the only time I totally lost it was downhill, idling in first gear :peek: .  (No harm done, out in the wilds with nice soft verges...)

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Don't agree with this at all. My 4wd car has summer Dunlop's. One Saturday winters morning had to go to work with deep snow on the ground and did manage to get up a hill where all the 2 wheel drive cars were skidding all over the place and trying to turn back.

Only you know what roads you are likely to be travelling on. Why not wait to see how the yeti performs in bad weather before going to the trouble and expense of winter wheels and tyres

 

4x4 will give you the advantage of traction to get moving and to climb the hills but when you get to the down-hills or you need to brake, even gently, it has NO advantage, as I have previously said.

It is the same comment that is said by lots of new, untrained, inexperienced 4x4 owners when they come for training and has often been the first thing that we have disproved. Even a small slope can quickly become a toboggan run when the brakes are even gently on. Gravity is a far bigger force than people expect!

 

Engine braking is no better with the 4x4. On a trailing or no throttle there is does not appear to be any drive to the rear axle, which is why I would never recommend people to use the Hill Descent system in neutral; there are occasions where a gentle and quick "squirt" of power can be used to keep things under control.

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Graham....you are right....I can get up hills with my 4x4 on winters but going down hill still requires care, concentration and appropriate speed.

 

In fact 4x4s are worse going down hill if things get nasty as they are heavier and I do agree that gravity is a greater force...even greater with more mass.

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Welcome to BRISKODA, federalexpress . As you've already found, lots of help and opinions here.

Would be interested to know which model of Mercedes you've swapped from and how the Yeti compares, go on be objective.

Now back to tyres, I've been reading a lot on BRISKODA and other sites, come to the conclusion that a second set of wheels with Winter tyres I could just bolt on myself is the best option. My opinion is that you risk damage to the tyres 'bead' every time they are removed and refitted so would prefer a separate set of wheels - reasonably cheap to buy from a breakers ( in the spring ).

I, too, have moved out of London to the country but it's not too hilly in East Anglia. As it was mild last winter, I didn't have any problems with my 2wd Yeti.

Having covered 24,000 miles in 17 months, and interchanged the wheels front to rear, I'm anticipating buying 4 replacement tyres in the next few months SO maybe will try Allweather or 4Seasons tyres for the first time. Many posts seem to say how satisfied they are with this option and I don't need the ultimate in handling and performance, just to be able to GET to my destination safely.

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I now have Goodyear 4seasons on my car as I've now retired and am happy to compromise... I don't need to get out in extreme conditions.

However when I had a full set of summers and winters I used a tyre depot called HiQ. They offer summer / winter store age and swap overs as necessary. The cost is actually the same as some depots charge for the annual swaps. I cannot speak highly enough about this company.

I'm sure they are not the only company who have a "Tyre Hotel" facility.

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Four wheel drive and winter tyres here. Wouldn't be without them.

You ask what good is all wheel drive if it's not the best solution for snow, well, it's good in the rain, it's good for making confident starts uphill, good for towing and lots of other situations like that. It makes the car far more predictable and easier to control in my experience.

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Was tempted to get a set of 16" and winter tyres, as I'm on 17" and heard 16"s are softer ride.

A kind forum member, Clive, gave me a ride in his Yeti with 16". The ride was slightly better than my 17"s.

Decided that as I'm past working and don't NEED to drive every day, I'm sticking with what I have and, most of my mileage is on motorways anyway.

IF I had to drive everyday I would get a spare set of wheels with winter tyres. All the info points to being a safer bet in Winter.

Only point I will make is, get 4 tyres the same and not just 2.

Good luck with your choice and the drive.

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