In an ideal world I would go and get a set of winter tyres on steel rims and fit them when the time comes.

Perhaps when the time comes to replace the existing tyres you might consider all season tyres that are marked as being suitable for use on snow and ice in jurisdictions that have that legal requirement.

Considering you are based in the south of the country, having tyres that are optimised for an overlapping but lower temperature range than what have hitherto been thought of as normal tyres would make more sense and be more appropriate for the range of ambient temperatures you experience.

Yes I am consistent.

I find it quite amusing that no more than 2 years ago very few people had even heard of "winter/summer/autumn" tyres. Then suddenly they are the "in-thing" to talk about and fit. A there lies the problem.

I will NOT be fitting winter tyres. I have no where to store spare wheels or tyres and the only place I have to work on my car is in the street, which is busy. If and when any of the UK government's make it compulsory then I will do something about it.

Personally I have much greater need to find a set of more aggressive tyres for use on muddy and rocky tracks. The fact that they "might" be better in snow could be a bonus.

Farewell!

I think the interesting , and for me the most important thing in what James posted a few posts above is the ability of winter tyres to stop much more effectively on ice. Now I accept that in some areas you might get a bit more time to sort out your braking, and if there weren't too many people around I really wouldn't mind sliding around a little and adjusting as necessary, but around here, there are a lot of people and cars about and even in the snow and ice a few foolish people do actually decide to just step off the kerb and expect you to stop. Okay they are foolish, but the ability to stop for me is crucial. Okay, I'm not a driving god, but do know how to get a car going and drive gingerly in the conditions, but having the winters on does make such a huge difference. I have spent a considerable amount on car mods over the years, but these represent the most effective thing I've experienced for the ice and snow. The Contis I had last year were also better in the wet than the stock dunlops too.

So top of my list for my Roomy this year.

I find it quite amusing that no more than 2 years ago very few people had even heard of "winter/summer/autumn" tyres. Then suddenly they are the "in-thing" to talk about and fit. A there lies the problem.

I will NOT be fitting winter tyres. I have no where to store spare wheels or tyres and the only place I have to work on my car is in the street, which is busy. If and when any of the UK government's make it compulsory then I will do something about it.

Graham, surely if lots of people are now more aware of a safety improvement then that is a good thing not a problem? I would imagine that once upon a time people were saying "pah, new fangled seat belts things, I have no need for them, it's just a fad".

Secondly, many dealers (including Skoda dealers) now supply and fit winter tyres and store your standard (aka summer) tyres and alloys over the winter.

Mind you, they are now saying we are due a heatwave over the next few days with one of the warmest days of the year forecast for tomorrow. I may hold off fittign my winter tyres for a few days yet

I was going to get snow socks but local tyre dealer offered me a good deal on 225/50R17 Vredstein Wintrac Extremes - he'd change them over twice a year for free, for life of the tyres (+ a few quid for valves). So I can keep my nice 17" alloys and have winter fun in the Yorkshire Dales.

I've also just had Goodyear 4Seasons fitted to my wifes 4x4 Suzuki SX4 (only really used for local journeys and needed new tyres). So I'll report back later after the first slush/snow/ice how they compare.

Bring on winter!

I'll change winter tyres, because in Finland is it not allowed to use summer tyres between 1st November and first tuesday after Easter.

Here in the northern dimension we have snow every year (last winter over one meter) and a little cold sometimes (last winter somedays below minus 30 degrees celsius).

I'll buy Nokian Hakkapeliitta R or Michelin X-ICE XI2 and size will be 215/60R16. Others are too light to use in real winter.

Edited 27 September, 201114 yr by Grumpy Finn

I find it quite amusing that no more than 2 years ago very few people had even heard of "winter/summer/autumn" tyres. Then suddenly they are the "in-thing" to talk about and fit.

It's not at all surprising when you consider how vehicles have changed over the years, and the corresponding demand on tyres and how they've been adapted to the changing task. Few people in Britain have direct experience of winter driving in other European countries, but many have found that their 'normal' tyres aren't suited to wet wintery conditions, and then are being impressed by how good winter tyres can be.

In many European countries tyres are categorised as summer, all season and winter, with the word 'summer' being used as a more convenient way to say 'not suitable in winter'. I think it would be better to think in terms of their target ambient temperature range because then it is made clear how all season tyres fit into the continuum of temperatures experienced in different parts of the UK.

I was quite surprised by the difference in grip between my octavia and swmbo's Leon which has narrower tyres (195 vs 205) with the same brand tyres on the front. There was no problem in getting off the drive and onto the road in the Leon while mine just sat there spinning the tyres.

I was quite surprised by the difference in grip between my octavia and swmbo's Leon which has narrower tyres (195 vs 205) with the same brand tyres on the front. There was no problem in getting off the drive and onto the road in the Leon while mine just sat there spinning the tyres.

That is very true. The best 2wd car I have ever driven in snow was a new style Fiat 500 which belonged to my wife. That coped in all sorts of snow without a flicker and that had very narrow tyres. Another good reason to try to get 16" tyres on a Yeti rather than 17".

I learnt to drive in an old Metro with very skinny tyres and I remember driving it in the snow without difficulty. Mind you when it rained the distributor filled up with water and you ground to a halt.

The common theme here is skinny tyres........which are great in snow, not the silly fat ones supplied by Skoda UK on 17" wheels.....

Umm, the recommended 16" tyres have a width of 215, the 17" standard fit tyres are 225. So there is very little difference there - less than 5% skinnier! Even if you go for the minimum width of 205 on the 16" wheel there isn't that much difference.

The main benefit of the 16" tyres is the need for a higher profile and more 'give' and consequent comfort that the extra depth of rubber gives. So any winter driving improvement in grip with the smaller winter tyres has got to be mostly down to any compound and tread changes that come with them being winter tyres.

It is a shame that we are denied the option of speccing 16" wheels on the Yeti in the UK but to be fair to Skoda UK, I bet that 99% of new buyers would opt for the larger wheels, as biggest is always best - at least to us Brits :wonder:

Having experienced both sizes of wheel/tyre combination on my Yeti, I would definitely go the 16" route if I were replacing my Yeti.

Edited 28 September, 201114 yr by Trevorminor

I've got the Winter Tyres - the question is: having ordered my Yeti in Week 15 and build date has recently shifted to Week 46 will I get the chance to use them this year!

Interesting voting so far, more than 3/4 will be going with winters.

Interesting voting so far, more than 3/4 will be going with winters.

I'm not surprised. We are enthusiasts on the whole and want to protect our investment and NCB. Those that don't are just better drivers than me.......

The tipping point for me was when my uncle's Zafira was better in the snow than my 4x4 Yeti - particularly in terms of stopping distance. The Yeti is leaps and bounds ahead of the crappy Avensis I was saddled with before, but even so, the right rubber makes easily as much difference again. He could stop from the same speed (we played a bit in the snow with no other cars around) in a third to half the distance I could, and it was pretty even on acceleration.

That was enough to convince me that a Yeti with winter tyres was the winning option. I've been fine in the past with 2WD and normal tyres, but there've been hairy moments - less from going too fast, as from not having the grip to cope with other people.

A huge percentage of people going for Winter tyres which is great, a great step forward for road safety!

It's the 24% that aren't using winters that need to be shown the benefits. Or perhaps these are people that if we do have bad weather don't need to leave the house, but it is worth remembering that these tyres are not just for snow or icey conditions. They are cold weather tyes and perform well in the wet and have a much higher resistance to aquaplaning.

Perhaps when the time comes to replace the existing tyres you might consider all season tyres that are marked as being suitable for use on snow and ice in jurisdictions that have that legal requirement.

Considering you are based in the south of the country, having tyres that are optimised for an overlapping but lower temperature range than what have hitherto been thought of as normal tyres would make more sense and be more appropriate for the range of ambient temperatures you experience.

I certainly will do but I am reliant on Motability being in a good mood and agreeing to it.

They don't often fit the same tyres as OE because of cost and will only replace tyres that are very close to the wear limit.

A huge percentage of people going for Winter tyres which is great, a great step forward for road safety!

It's the 24% that aren't using winters that need to be shown the benefits. Or perhaps these are people that if we do have bad weather don't need to leave the house, but it is worth remembering that these tyres are not just for snow or icey conditions. They are cold weather tyes and perform well in the wet and have a much higher resistance to aquaplaning.

I agree that some people have no interest in driving and vehicle safety.

They just get in and go, oblivious of the condition of their vehicle or other circumstances.

I'm not one of them, but as said before, there are some people who would if they could afford to?

I am just going to have to drive to the capabilities of my yeti and the conditions like I usually do.

I certainly will do but I am reliant on Motability being in a good mood and agreeing to it.

They don't often fit the same tyres as OE because of cost and will only replace tyres that are very close to the wear limit.

I agree that some people have no interest in driving and vehicle safety.

They just get in and go, oblivious of the condition of their vehicle or other circumstances.

I'm not one of them, but as said before, there are some people who would if they could afford to?

I am just going to have to drive to the capabilities of my yeti and the conditions like I usually do.

"Im convinced they are a major contribution to road safety"

My link

"Im convinced they are a major contribution to road safety"

My link

Sorry; link has gone iffy!

Sorry; link has gone iffy!

sorted - if you are of a certain age there should be no need to click the link, the catch phrase alone should do it

Try this link instead

sorted - if you are of a certain age there should be no need to click the link, the catch phrase alone should do it

Ah yes; I remember it well.

I even had a set of 'Goodyear Grand Prix S' with white lettering on the sidewalls in 185/70 14 (IIRC), which counted as 'low profile' back then, on my R reg Cavalier 1.9

Ah yes; I remember it well.

I even had a set of 'Goodyear Grand Prix S' with white lettering on the sidewalls in 185/70 14 (IIRC), which counted as 'low profile' back then, on my R reg Cavalier 1.9

ah, I'm not old enough to have actually had a car back then, I was still at school :-)

I went to a Winter tyre event held by a tyre manufacture recently and they certainly made a strong point for the benefits of winter tyres, also gave an extremely impressive demonstation. I knew winter tyres worked well but not the extent that they proved.

Driving a BMW up a ski slope for example was hugely impressive in my opinion!

My tyre fitter was at the same or similar event. I haven't bought the brand that held the event from him but have got winter tyres for this winter. I got some last year but had missed the worst (best?) of the snow. Prior to that my well worn summers had got us up through, over & across some bad snow in our 4x4 Octavia where other cars were stuck- as had my previous 4x4 on regular tyres. So, mainly due to this forum, I have bought into them but have yet to fully appreciate the benefit over regular tyres.

EDIT - excuse my vote & post - I came in from the recent posts results & didn't notice I was in the Yeti forum.