If, you will be able to react better with winter tyres than with summers.

In terms of trying to get out the way yes.. but a stopped car vs a 44 tonner isn't going to be pretty either way.

My Toyos being soft coped quite well in the cold last winter, better than GSD3s, both were useless in snow. I remember taking 1 hour just to get out of my drive (on a slight slope).

I am very tempted to buy a pair of Steelies and put winter tyres on them (probably Kumhos). I just wish I could get Vredestein or Nokian Winter/all-season tyres in my size.

To those who say they'll leave the car at home and get the train/bus/work from home that's fine, but last winter we had at least two days of heavy snow late afternoon. What, honestly do you do?

Leave the car at the side of the road / at work / in an NCP car park with a £35 excess charge or reckon you should be able to make it home?

I just made it back. Once simply because I only just managed sufficient traction up a 12% slope, the second time I was fine (on newish summer tyres) but others couldn't which added a couple of hours to my 30 minute commute. What was telling is how much better two-month old Dunlops were than those which had done 32k and were approaching the markers.

Following on from last winter, the many threads about them, about getting them etc and they are starting to make an appearance again. So I was wondering what people are going to do this winter.

Feel free to vote and add any comments about what tyre you use etc and why you always put them on because, for example, you live on Snowdon. I added option 6 for our European friends as I'm really talking about British drivers and although their (our European friends) experiences and contributions is valued I don't want them to skew the results of the poll. Hope you don't mind.

I drove all last winter in my Fabia vrs with Toyo T1-R tyres with no problems at all. I simply exercised a little throttle control and applied some forward planning.

What, honestly do you do?

This is partially the reason for me trying the winter tyres this year, last winter i had a phone call from my son's school saying they were shutting early and the school bus could not get near the school (it came down VERY quick that day) so I had to pick him up.

Getting there was no problem for me (I had just had new Dunlop's fitted before the winter) but others were sliding all over the place - most of them had no idea at all how to drive in the snow!

This 30 min journey took 3 hours, despite me not getting stuck once as I made sure that I kept my momentum on all the hills, others thought it was fine to tailgate the car in front right up to the point where the car in front lost traction and they both had to stop and found it almost impossible to get going again, because I had left a sufficient gap between us (about 100 yards) I could see they were stopping so timed it right so I could overtake them without slowing too much (I was doing all of around 5 - 10 miles an hour)

Another reason is because I cannot get public transport to work and if i don't work i don't get paid.

I am very tempted to buy a pair of Steelies and put winter tyres on them (probably Kumhos). I just wish I could get Vredestein or Nokian Winter/all-season tyres in my size.

If you still have the standard 288mm front brakes, then surely 15" steels would clear your brakes? Someone might know ?

Then you could put 195/55R15 snow tyres on. Nokian and Hankook both do an XL 89 load rated tyre in this size which should do for a Fab vRS (load rating 87 IIRC?)

If you still have the standard 288mm front brakes, then surely 15" steels would clear your brakes? Someone might know ?

Then you could put 195/55R15 snow tyres on. Nokian and Hankook both do an XL 89 load rated tyre in this size which should do for a Fab vRS (load rating 87 IIRC?)

You only need load rating 83 for the fabia (vrs). This means each tyre can carry 487 kg.

Rated gross vehicle weight is 1720kg (i.e. the max you should load it to). 1720/4=430kg, so an '83' tyre is ok. I think

Min kerb weight is 1305kg + a couple of good sized blokes 2 x 100kg = 1505kg.

Assuming a 60/40 split front/rear, then

(0.6x1505)/2=451.5kg, so still ok for '83' rated tyre.

To those who say they'll leave the car at home and get the train/bus/work from home that's fine, but last winter we had at least two days of heavy snow late afternoon. What, honestly do you do?

Leave the car at the side of the road / at work / in an NCP car park with a £35 excess charge or reckon you should be able to make it home?

I just made it back. Once simply because I only just managed sufficient traction up a 12% slope, the second time I was fine (on newish summer tyres) but others couldn't which added a couple of hours to my 30 minute commute. What was telling is how much better two-month old Dunlops were than those which had done 32k and were approaching the markers.

I drove home without much issue, passing cars that were slowed to a crawl due to their tyres slipping.

I was lucky though as I was already running winter tyres. Just goes to show what a difference they can make though.

Edited 16 September, 201015 yr by cheezemonkhai

If you still have the standard 288mm front brakes, then surely 15" steels would clear your brakes? Someone might know ?

Then you could put 195/55R15 snow tyres on. Nokian and Hankook both do an XL 89 load rated tyre in this size which should do for a Fab vRS (load rating 87 IIRC?)

For the Octy, 15" wheels are ok for 288mm brakes, 312mm brakes require 16" or above.

I would guess the same may be true for a fabia.

I've not got my new Yeti yet, but have ordered a set of winter tyres from the dealer to be delivered with the car. I also made the mistake to think winter tyres are ONLY for driving in the snow. Not so. Winter tyres are for driving in temperatures below 7 degrees when the compound that normal "summer" tyres are made from just can't cope. So winter tyres have a compound that works in low temperatures. That these tyres also have a thread pattern to disperse water and snow is (to me) just an added advantage to having grip all the time.

I also think a decent set of silver steel wheels on a car can look very nice. I know this is a Tiguan but this is what I hope mine will look like:

Edit: added picture

Edited 16 September, 201015 yr by 900000

Looks quite purposeful that Tiguan, on steelies

Nice

Looks quite purposeful that Tiguan, on steelies

Nice

It is the base spec in Europe called "Trend" I think. Something we'd never see in the UK. We don't even like plastic hubcaps let alone standard steel wheels!

I have a DSG box . For me its a MUST in the winter months.

Dont forget that Winter Tyres will give much more grip on cold roads and in wet conditions.

Its a no brainer for me

I am with you on that.

I have space for storage and the winter tyres perform so much better in the cold anyway without even thinking about what happens when it snows.

(Not all winter tyres are good in snow though apparently according to some reviews)

Looks quite purposeful that Tiguan, on steelies

Nice

If by purposeful you mean like a van with windows then I'd agree

For the Octy, 15" wheels are ok for 288mm brakes, 312mm brakes require 16" or above.

I would guess the same may be true for a fabia.

Yes, according to brake catalogues, the 2.0l petrol Fabia has 288mm dia discs and I think they has 15 alloys.

If by purposeful you mean like a van with windows then I'd agree

Haha, well yes - that too, maybe

At least it's honest about its aspirations though eh? Rather than a mini-SUV or whatever they choose to call the segment this week, with large shiny alloys and low-profile performance tyres. Would be useful in a field that :wonder:

I didnt have any real problems in the snow/ice with either of my cars. I certainly wont be buying winter tyres, for the 20 minutes of driving they'll be needed.

did anyone try Snowsocks? Ive heard they are a good budget alternative, somewhere half way between summer and winter tyres...

did anyone try Snowsocks? Ive heard they are a good budget alternative, somewhere half way between summer and winter tyres...

I asked the same thing in this thread:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/158438-winter-tyres-or-autosocks/

So no. Socks cannot be used on tarmac at all. They can ONLY be used on snow in emergencies.

I never changed my tyres last winter with all that snow, it's the way you drive that makes the differeance.

I also made the mistake to think winter tyres are ONLY for driving in the snow. Not so. Winter tyres are for driving in temperatures below 7 degrees when the compound that normal "summer" tyres are made from just can't cope. So winter tyres have a compound that works in low temperatures.

Highlighted the important bit in your thread.

We dont have sustained temps below 7C to warranty winter tyres 'just in case' we get the one day of heavy snow every 20 years this year. Above 7C you simply burn them out faster, so mile for mile they're a very expensive option in the UK. You're better, IMO, picking a good all season tyre.

SWMBO coped fine on the Pilot sport 2's, and I coped fine on the Michelin HP's on the Mondeo. SWMBO's accident was on sheet ice, and unless you had studs, could have easily happened - and did to many other people, even a 4x4.

I never changed my tyres last winter with all that snow, it's the way you drive that makes the differeance.

+1.

Highlighted the important bit in your thread.

We dont have sustained temps below 7C to warranty winter tyres 'just in case' we get the one day of heavy snow every 20 years this year. Above 7C you simply burn them out faster, so mile for mile they're a very expensive option in the UK. You're better, IMO, picking a good all season tyre.

I'm sorry, but what are you talking about, like many other regions of Europe we have at least a few months where the temperatures in the morning and evening when people are driving are below 7 degrees.

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=cet;sess=

(5 months from that)

It's not minus 7 degrees we are talking, but plus 7.

Edited 20 September, 201015 yr by cheezemonkhai

There has been lots of talk about this (again!) on the Yeti forum. Have a look here:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/174528-oh-well-winter-tyres-again/

There has been lots of talk about this (again!) on the Yeti forum. Have a look here:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/174528-oh-well-winter-tyres-again/

But it falls more under general then Yeti, no

But it falls more under general then Yeti, no

It does but you know how forums go. Things get duplicated all the time.