I hear all the voices in my head syaing buy some winter wheels but i think the lazy gremlin there also says i cant be arsed.

Am very tempted by snow socks i looked last year and i am sure they were about £30 looking around now and even the god of all things cheap ebay the cheapest i can find them is £50, anyone know where to get them cheaper? online would be good.

Also i note that snow chains are a fair bit cheaper never used them except hire cars abroad so just wonder if any or how much damage they do to your alloys or any ways round it?

I know the snows not here yet but after getting stuck last year i thought just this once i would be prepared!

Just put a spade in the boot and a bag of grit

I'm about to buy some snow socks, as I got stuck last year. Have only read good things about them and they're apparently dead easy to put on and take off, so I think it's the way forward. I have shopped around on the internet and can't find any decent ones for less than around 45 quid, so I'm going to bite the bullet. Fleabay seems to be the cheapest.

Bob.

I hear all the voices in my head syaing buy some winter wheels but i think the lazy gremlin there also says i cant be arsed.

Am very tempted by snow socks i looked last year and i am sure they were about £30 looking around now and even the god of all things cheap ebay the cheapest i can find them is £50, anyone know where to get them cheaper? online would be good.

Also i note that snow chains are a fair bit cheaper never used them except hire cars abroad so just wonder if any or how much damage they do to your alloys or any ways round it?

I know the snows not here yet but after getting stuck last year i thought just this once i would be prepared!

I don't think the use of snow chains is allowed in the UK?! Don't quote me on that though.

i bought some last week of ebay - couldn't find anything else cheaper. 47 quid IIRC for good year snow socks in vrs / 18" - not arrived yet.

i very nearly got stuck last year - full car, late at night, long way from home, middle of nowhere, family in the car etc i'm not taking the risk again for the sake of 40 quid.

i looked last year but everywhere was out of stock (during the snow, what do you expect!)

Just ordered a pair of ALL NEW FIX&GO TEX SNOW CHAIN SOCKS for £47.50 from eBay. Cheaper than the brand leader. Fingers crossed. For emergencies only.

Probably will discourage the snow - many years ago I bought a spare pair of wheels and snow tyres for my Polo. It never snowed again while I owned the car!

Just ordered a pair of ALL NEW FIX&GO TEX SNOW CHAIN SOCKS for £47.50 from eBay. Cheaper than the brand leader. Fingers crossed. For emergencies only.

Probably will discourage the snow - many years ago I bought a spare pair of wheels and snow tyres for my Polo. It never snowed again while I owned the car!

Do us all a favour and buy some snow tyres again

I bought some socks last year and they arrived just as the last bit of snow melted.

Still, I'm dying to try them this year

Steve

Just ordered a pair of ALL NEW FIX&GO TEX SNOW CHAIN SOCKS for £47.50 from eBay. Cheaper than the brand leader. Fingers crossed. For emergencies only.

yep, same one's I got.

yep, same one's I got.

You guys got there before me - they're out of stock now More stock due in November - I just hope the weather holds out...

Bob.

I have never read a positive review about snow socks, they dont last long and give less traction than true winter tyres.

I have never read a positive review about snow socks, they dont last long and give less traction than true winter tyres.

But for 1/4 the cost of a set of winter tyres?

If you're in an area where you might get snow, but might not, they must be the best cost compromise for emergency use?

If you want Socks. I would suggest getting them now rather than wait until it falls.

Last winter they were sold out and were only getting a few each week.

But for 1/4 the cost of a set of winter tyres?

If you're in an area where you might get snow, but might not, they must be the best cost compromise for emergency use?

El cheapo chains perform better for less costs. However summer tyres with chains still have only half the amount of grip of winter tyres without chains.

Chains are a liability - forget using them on alloys and they completely sod your tyres. Oh and I've seen the damage caused when they come adrift........they can also cause other damage

I direct you to this link;

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/snow-chains/

Socks are a much better proposition for the lower half of the UK and I bought these last year;

http://www.roofbox.c...car-snow-socks/

I had a pair of the cheap and nasty £40 ebay ones and they lasted about 15 miles. Be warned!

Proper winter tyres are the solution for Scotland!

Edited 25 October, 201015 yr by wardth

Read only last week on a German site that socks are no good on hills and only to be used on flat roads.

When socks break off (and they do easily!) they will wrap around your axles.

One important test review is that you will not see any socks being used by locals in the Alp regions.

But the we only live on the Downs, not the Alps.

Read only last week on a German site that socks are no good on hills and only to be used on flat roads.

I live in the Malvern Hills and use Autosocks; I have no problems getting a RWD People carrier up steep hills while the 4x4 drivers are sliding off into the ditches.

It nearly got me into trouble last year, I drove round the hill and back up the same road three times smiling and waving at all the stuck Land Cruisers, Shoguns, Discoverys and Range Rovers:rofl:

I have has my auto socks since 2006 and they are still going strong, you can do 30mph with them, and you dont have to take them off if you are crossing a cleared road and onto another snow or ice covered one.

Try doing 30 mph or driving on a cleared road in chains!!

But the we only live on the Downs, not the Alps.

But the 'Downs' is only half the story, there must be an equivalent number of 'Up's'

But how many socks are needed for Haldex cars, like the Scout?

If you have 4 winter tires, socks should be only on front wheels. Either way chains are not to be fitted to rear wheel on haldex cars.

When socks break off (and they do easily!) they will wrap around your axles.

One important test review is that you will not see any socks being used by locals in the Alp regions.

I'm struggling with this comment about socks breaking off - perhaps these are the cheapo ebay ones? Socks need to be sized correctly and driven on in accordance with the instructions issued by the manufacturer. At least three of us at work uses socks and the only person who's had an issue has been one of my collegues who was driving 30 miles a day on them, most of that on clear roads and at over 40mph. Basically he wore them out. Then again he is a BMW driver..................

As for them not being used in the Alp regions - we live in the UK which is certainly not the Alps by any stretch of the imagination. If you live in an area prone to lots of snow and / or "Alp-like" consitions then use winter tyres!

If you have 4 winter tires, socks should be only on front wheels. Either way chains are not to be fitted to rear wheel on haldex cars.

I've never understood this advice - fitting chains to the front only, however many and whichever wheels are driven. I imagine going down a steep hill with a bend in very slippery conditions; my concern is what happens when you need to slow down, and what is to prevent the back of the car sliding when it has so much less grip than the front?

Rear tired do very little stopping of the car anyway. Unless your in deep snow rear tires on haldex shouldn't come often, and TC will cut power anyway unless you disable it (which you should to get out).