Will you be switching to Winter tyres this year?

[bahnstormer vrs]

I seem to have read, in recent weeks, quite a degree of scaremongering about rising prices of winter tyres but from my own experience this does not seem to be the case.

Last December I bought some Yokohama W.drive in 225/50 17 98V for IIRC £153 each. They are currently being listed at £154.70 as here;- http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=62748569.110.3473&typ=R-150337&ranzahl=4&Breite=225&Herst=Yokohama&Quer=50&Felge=17&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi Hardly a change worth being made a fuss of.

Vredestein Wintrac Extreme in the same size/spec, which I would have preferred to buy but were out of stock last December, are only £157.20 as here http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=12291945.110.3466&typ=R-119178&ranzahl=4&Breite=225&Herst=Vredestein&Quer=50&Felge=17&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi

[Gizmo]

That's because by December they had already rocketed up in price as many had already sold out - as you found out.

[domhnall]

Ouch, I paid a lot less than that for my Vredesteins in August, like about £50 less per corner! :wonder:

Ah wait, mine are 16 inch. Why not go for the smaller size?

[bahnstormer vrs]

Ouch, I paid a lot less than that for my Vredesteins in August, like about £50 less per corner! :wonder:

Ah wait, mine are 16 inch. Why not go for the smaller size?

Because I want to keep to the OE 225/50 17 size to give good handling etc. when, for the majority of the time, there is no snow.

I then run 225/45 18s as my summer tyres.

[Llanigraham]

Because you have to acquire 16" wheels?

I'd love to go down to those but can't find any wheels to fit at a reasonable price.

[Gizmo]

Because you have to acquire 16" wheels?

I'd love to go down to those but can't find any wheels to fit at a reasonable price.

This is the one downside to winter tyres, people now think old rusty steel wheels are 'worth' £100+

If you are happy to run OE Audi alloys then there are lots available on eBay and other VAG forums

[rockhopper]

I decided to fit mine today. Back to comfort and 16" wheels. Bliss. Elsie the Helipad is now back to how Allams supplied her.....ish.

[karlbar2k]

I understand the need for winter tyres etc but what I dont get is what is the best way to go about sizing? I always assumed that you go down a size for Proper Snow use but as the UK is mostly just cold and damp with the odd bit of the white stuff.

SWMBO's Passat is currently on 205/60/15's which are probably 91V rated at a guess, so should I be looking for 195/65/15 91H rated winter tyres or stick to the 205/60/15 91V?

[rockhopper]

I understand the need for winter tyres etc but what I dont get is what is the best way to go about sizing? I always assumed that you go down a size for Proper Snow use but as the UK is mostly just cold and damp with the odd bit of the white stuff.

SWMBO's Passat is currently on 205/60/15's which are probably 91V rated at a guess, so should I be looking for 195/65/15 91H rated winter tyres or stick to the 205/60/15 91V?

Have you seen this thread which has been moved with the revisions to Briskoda recently from the Octavia section to the new Tyres section?

[rockhopper]

Having driven Elsie the Helipad this evening on winter tyres for the first time this autumn, the first things I noticed was how the ride had improved, despite the higher tyre pressures for winter tyres - 2.4 bar, but that the feel was quite different at the front, the steering felt quite light compared to my OEM Dunlop SP1 tyres, which were also correctly inflated to 2.2 bar.

[jeep]

Come November I'll be putting on the Conti WinterContacts again, they were good last winter and I also thought they had the edge on ride quality over the Goodyear summer tyres that came as standard. I see Continental are even advertising winter tyres on TV, so perhaps use of winter tyres will increase if we continue to have proper winters.

[laur]

I chose winter tyres : Kleber Krisalp HP2.

I do not understand why the link klebertires (in english) do not have winter tires.

[Weidehopf]

In almost all of northern Europe winter tyres are obligatory from end October until Easter; still a bit astonishing given the dampness and sliperiness of roads in the UK that it still hasn't made this change - usually the UK is at the forefront of road safety and with some of the lowest rates of road deaths per 100,000 each year, but this is rapidly slipping towards the EU average, perhaps in part because of the lack of winter tyres. One thing that was noticeable in Germany was that the accident rate only fell when EVERYONE was obliged to put on winter tyres (it is ruthlessly enforced now everywhere). Even if you use them the other 99% of drivers who chose not too are still a hazard you can't control. It also had a huge impact on the number of "Stau's" i.e. blocked roads due to accidents. The biggest difference is probably not on snow but on icy/wet roads. Going obligatory would have a huge benefit to the UK economy too - from tyre sales to storage facilities for those without garages. In the end your summer tyres last twice as long; it's just the initial outlay that's a big hit.

[900000]

In almost all of northern Europe winter tyres are obligatory from end October until Easter; still a bit astonishing given the dampness and sliperiness of roads in the UK that it still hasn't made this change - usually the UK is at the forefront of road safety and with some of the lowest rates of road deaths per 100,000 each year, but this is rapidly slipping towards the EU average, perhaps in part because of the lack of winter tyres. One thing that was noticeable in Germany was that the accident rate only fell when EVERYONE was obliged to put on winter tyres (it is ruthlessly enforced now everywhere). Even if you use them the other 99% of drivers who chose not too are still a hazard you can't control. It also had a huge impact on the number of "Stau's" i.e. blocked roads due to accidents. The biggest difference is probably not on snow but on icy/wet roads. Going obligatory would have a huge benefit to the UK economy too - from tyre sales to storage facilities for those without garages. In the end your summer tyres last twice as long; it's just the initial outlay that's a big hit.

Hear, hear. It is exactly what I said as well. We should pass the onus of winter travel to the driver and not just sit back and blame the Goverment when things go wrong when they can't/don't grit everywhere.

I can travel fine in my winter tyres but as you say I'm far more worried about the idiots around me on summer tyres with braking distances 3 times as long as mine...

[EdmundBlackadder]

Weidehopf - I think you would get 90% of people on this forum agreeing with you on this subject but in the current economic climate a politician who pushed through a law forcing everyone to spend money would be akin to turkeys asking for Christmas to happen twice a year. It makes sense, would save lives, would keep the economy moving in winter etc etc. but it will still not happen here for a few more years yet. Maybe when the economy picks up, people feel safe in their jobs, money is more freely being spent, then it could have a chance of being passed but not for now. This is cold political fact.

[fabdavrav]

Hear, hear. It is exactly what I said as well. We should pass the onus of winter travel to the driver and not just sit back and blame the Goverment when things go wrong when they can't/don't grit everywhere.

I can travel fine in my winter tyres but as you say I'm far more worried about the idiots around me on summer tyres with braking distances 3 times as long as mine...

+1

Same for me!

[wakev]

Having just arrived back from Cuba this morning at 6.30 my 110 was telling me it was 3.2C in the car park at gatwick (37C in Cuba yesterday swmbo has several coats on now ) the Goodyear all seasons still stuck to the road well, so happy with my choice so far, will see how they go when it gets below 0 and a little snow ( now back to reading the other 3 pages of posts on here you lot have been busy)

[Weidehopf]

Weidehopf - I think you would get 90% of people on this forum agreeing with you on this subject but in the current economic climate a politician who pushed through a law forcing everyone to spend money would be akin to turkeys asking for Christmas to happen twice a year. It makes sense, would save lives, would keep the economy moving in winter etc etc. but it will still not happen here for a few more years yet. Maybe when the economy picks up, people feel safe in their jobs, money is more freely being spent, then it could have a chance of being passed but not for now. This is cold political fact.

That's a fair point - not exactly the right time, but I think in Germany it was announced 3-4 years ahead to allow the stocks of winter tyres in the dealers (and the choice and prices) to reach acceptable levels - unlike the recent disastrous introduction of E10 bio-fuel. Although much of Germany is flat and no colder than the UK, going to the Alps without winter tyres was never an option (and no longer legal for all those Brits heading for Chamonix). Many had winter tyres on the family car and just summer tyres on the 2nd car (local runabout). The change was not really as dramatic as it would be in the UK where presumably a tiny proportion of drivers routinely now use winter tyres.

A decision by the HM Gov to make them obligatory from 2015 would show foresight and planning, but then again the UK government is not exactly known for it's long term perspective? Like most things (e.g. high speed trains) the costs initially outweigh the benefits - but now Germany has almost no need of internal flights (or new runways for its airports) as every major city is connected with 150-250 kmh ICE trains. And as the ICE is cheaper than real cost of driving it frees up a lot of Autobahn for those who have no choice but to drive.

[Bobdog]

in the current economic climate a politician who pushed through a law forcing everyone to spend money would be akin to turkeys asking for Christmas to happen twice a year. It makes sense, would save lives, would keep the economy moving in winter etc etc. but it will still not happen here for a few more years yet.

Mmmm ... if the government tried to pass a law today saying winter tyres would be compulsory from next week I agree with you. But legislation of this kind would more likely be phased in over time. If the government announced today that from (say) January 2014 winter tyres would be mandatory between certain months, the vast majority of us would need new tyres by then anyway and would be able to plan for the change at no significant expense. Bear in mind that 'all season' tyres such as the Nokian Ntyre and Goodyear 4 seasons are officially classified as winter tyres - legal in winter in Germany for example (and I'm sure other manufacturers have similar tyres in their ranges) we wouldn't all need to have two sets necessarily.

[Bobdog]

Although much of Germany is flat and no colder than the UK, going to the Alps without winter tyres was never an option (and no longer legal for all those Brits heading for Chamonix).

Chamonix is in France and you don't have to go through Germany to get there. France does not yet have compulsion with regard to winter tyres. ("Bof, in 1789 we had a revolution so nobody could tell us what to do") Nonetheless, I agree with the thrust of your argument ... and I drive to the French Alps (a couple of times) to ski every year.

[Breckie]

Well that's the Winter tyres on. Continental TS830. Temp was showing as 4 this morning at 9.00a.m. & as of now I can see the snow showers blattering over the hills.

[bahnstormer vrs]

Well that's the Winter tyres on. Continental TS830. Temp was showing as 4 this morning at 9.00a.m. & as of now I can see the snow showers blattering over the hills.

What's a 'blattered' snow shower look like? Sorry; just kidding.

Temperature is holding up here in Hertfordshire for now; 6 degC 1st thing and currently a sunny, if breezy, 11 degC. I'm holding out until 1st November before switching mine. Want to have a few more days of sharp handling.

In the meantime I have persuaded my MD at work to switch tyres for the winter, as his summer ones are worn out. He's happy to go for 'all season' but doesn't have the space, nor wants the expense, of a 2nd set of full winter tyres. The snag is that no-one seems to make 315/35 20 rear & 275/40 20 front all season run-flat tyres to go on his BMW X6. Serves him right.

I think I will suggest he switches to Pirelli Ice Scorpions that are only 10% more expensive than summer tyres, fitting them to his OE wheels, and then just buy a set of summer tyres in the spring and swap them over ....

.... or I happen to have a spare FIAT 500 Company car that he could drive!

[MCAMRA]

Chamonix is in France and you don't have to go through Germany to get there. France does not yet have compulsion with regard to winter tyres. ("Bof, in 1789 we had a revolution so nobody could tell us what to do") Nonetheless, I agree with the thrust of your argument ... and I drive to the French Alps (a couple of times) to ski every year.

I am not sure how it works with UK insurance, but if I have a crash (lets say in the snow) here in France, I would not be covered (under my French insurance) unless I have the 'appropriate tyres for the conditions' i.e..winter tyres. I have no idea what would happen if the crash resulted in a death !!

I wonder if there is a clause in 'UK' insurance when driving in France (for example) that you must have 'appropriate tyres for the conditions'.

[JCP]

Just a quick picture of my inexpensive option. Seat Altea 16" alloys and Continental TS 830s. Second hand from loadsawine (thank you again) 6j and 205/55 so not ideal size but they are in excellent condition and all for not much money.

The Seat logo on the wheel centres was a stick on which came off and after a good clean was replaced with stickers from fleabay.

I think 16s look a bit odd but since I am inside looking out I'll live with the loss of the Yeti stance until spring.

If I find them as useful as I think I may go for set which I think suit the car better and sell these-but will only buy when they are easily found next summer.

[MEDIX999]

I cant say I have ever felt the need for winter tyres. I have driven a car with them and yes there was a difference but I felt it was one that would leave many drivers being "over-confident" in the tyres.

From my experience any tyre with a good amount of tread will work well with the correct driving technique.

I think winter conditions require a completely different driving style altogether, having been through a phase of driving class 1's you come to realise that if the car/truck is going to slip, get stuck or skid its more than likely going to catch you unaware and happen regardless of the tyre's fitted.

It may be me but I think its false economy.