Roomster 3 Wheels

[jpsc]

I bought a Roomster Scout with low profile 16" Bridgestones last year and was horrified the first time I was out in the snow at how little grip there was. ( I had almost decided not to buy a Roomster because of the the daft low profile tyres, but then realised that the other cars I was considering - Golf Plus and Touran - had them also!)

I haven't had winter tyres for the last 20 years since I changed to a diesel car where the extra weight over the front wheels with normal tyres seemed to give perfectly good grip, but fitted set of winter tyres on 15" wheels to the Roomster the week before Xmas. Has been fine all through the bad weather. I opted for the Continental tyre from www.mytyres.co.uk

[jpsc]

Sorry forgot to second the comment about the Allegro in the snow - though I used to put winter tyres on the front then

[pedroxy]

I don't find it at all odd.

After all a veteran poster like yourself can post dead links without checking them first.....

Consumer organizations exist because 'fully proven and extensively tested' products can fail at the first genuine hurdle.

If any potential purchaser tries out alternative wheels, the differences will be immediately apparent. No further convincing would be required.

[Decron]

I don't find it at all odd.

After all a veteran poster like yourself can post dead links without checking them first.....

Worked when I posted it

Try this

Ultimate car handling upgrade - Make any car handle perfectly for less then £100!

Hope you find it useful

Consumer organizations exist because 'fully proven and extensively tested' products can fail at the first genuine hurdle.

If any potential purchaser tries out alternative wheels, the differences will be immediately apparent. No further convincing would be required.

Not saying different wheels wouldn't be better but having driven over 2000 miles in some simply horrendous weather (Even spending a night on the A3 after a load of artics got stuck) over the last three weeks I know my low profile equipped Roomster has been bloody marvellous and not had any problems with anything thrown at it. The night on the A3 was pretty hardcore

http://gallery.eggwan.com/main.php?g2_itemId=28370

http://gallery.eggwan.com/main.php?g2_itemId=28373

http://gallery.eggwan.com/main.php?g2_itemId=28379

http://gallery.eggwan.com/main.php?g2_itemId=28382

Edited 10 January, 2010 by Decron

[Broomster]

yes journey WAS done in order to get HOME from work ( you would not expext that the centre of Manchester to be not gritted.

no loss of control ....im police trained to drive in adverse weather, speed i was doing was 4mph.

Also been in contact wth Skoda dealer who advised me that they know that the tyres can de dangerous

Sorry to hear about your experience. I have driven my Roomy all winter with the standard Bridgestones with no issues, although the extra traction from the 1.9PD engine's weight helps a bit. I was even quite surprised how good it was.

The problem this winter is the temperature and snow patterns - keeps thawing and refreezing. Any roads not gritted at least twice daily end up with ice under the snow, and once you hit that nothing short of studded tyres will help. For summer tyres, profiles and tread patterns are irrelevant. You may as well have skids.

The 1.6 engine weighs a lot less than the 1.9 so you will get less traction, but that does not sound like your problem here. You just hit a patch of the black.

[Dan H]

I add my name to the list disappointed with the grip on 16" wheels - I have a "3" with Bridgestones half worn. Over Christmas I ended up going up a hill out of Winchcombe, Glos with about 2 inches of snow on the road. Car came to a halt with wheels spinning and the only way to make any forward progress was to steer hard one way, then the other with very light throttle and the car ever so slowly made forward progress. Car was one up with minimal luggage.

The auto gearbox means you don't get much feedback about when the wheels are gripping. Still, that would be true of any auto - although my auto C-Max did have traction control, which reduced wheelspin anyway.

Got to the top of the hill and had to do 8 miles of cross-country driving. On the bends the car was sliding about - with the stability control light flashing away, but not seemingly doing very much. Still, the Roomy got me home in one piece.

[The PM]

I'll also add my support to the "Bridgestones are rubbish" posters...

I think its a combination of a carp tyre and wide low profile, the 2001 1.9TDi Fabia Estate I had was brill in the snow a few years ago, shod with Continental Ecos, but these things on my present car made driving in the snow terrible... first car I've ever had where I have actually said that.

Anyhow they are due up shortly and I'll be looking elsewhere - any suggestions for a good all round tyre, wet weather, reletively quiet and ok in the snow?!

[Robjon]

any suggestions for a good all round tyre, wet weather, reletively quiet and ok in the snow?!

Have a look at Decron's recommendation near the beginning of this thread

Edited 23 January, 2010 by Robjon

[graham1970]

The tyres fitted are the dreadfull Bridgestone......no loss of control, just no control what so ever..i could not even turn the wheel.

Also off note i could not even drive up the incline toget to my house...all other cars managed this....as i said no grip on the Bridgestones...and the tyres are just 2 weeks old!

But thanks for all the coments including the sarky ones!

hi new to this but new tyres take between 500 and a 1000 miles rto bed in proper can make the ride slippey any time of year