I've tried out my winter tyres for real!

[sharkrider]

this was the A66 as I drove over the tops back from the whitby meet yesterday (top picture)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2069801/UK-snow-Britain-braced-white-Christmas.html

and there was none settling there, dunno when that pic was taken, but there was 3-4 inch of settled snow when I went over the top!

tyres worked brilliantly! (I have never tried winters before) we were all going v.slow approx 20 mph (70 mph dual carrigeway) in one lane, with a few inch of nice smooth fallen snow in the other lane, so decided id go over and test the grip...

quite impressive... I proceeded to overtake evrybody (30-40 mph) with no instability, no grip issues, not pushing it to any limits at all, just normal steady drivivng, in the outside lane.....

2 people came past me, a mad transit driver, and a hyundia 4x4.....

but I was mighty impressed, absolutley no sliding around at all I was watching other really struggling :S

a big thumbs up to winter tyres :yes:

[martinocti]

Hello, What have you put on??

Tell us!

lol

:wonder:

[devonutopia]

Hello, What have you put on??

Tell us!

lol

:wonder:

Ahem, it says in the title! :p :p

[Phil-E]

Wasn't going to bother with them but the more I think about it and the more I look at the spare set of Seat alloys sat doing nothing (thanks Brimma) the more I think I should.

We got some on the Pug when we were in Germany over xmas and were as impressed as you.

We also travelled in a few cars there (compulsary to have winter tyres) and were even more impressed with how well they managed. Even in the back of a Taxi (they're all big Mercs there) it didn't bat an eye lid at climbing a steep hill of about 20%.

The most impressive was the Touareg with some really good winter rubber on that didn't mind having the throttle mashed to the floor and with minimal flashing of the TCS light... it also took crashing into the mound of snow like a king (I wasn't driving)

[900000]

I wrote very similar things on here last year when I went out for the first time on my winter tyres. They are AMAZING on snow and ice. I once drove over sheet ice in a pub car park and fell right over when I got out of my car! I had not realised what I was driving on since the car just stuck to it like as if it was normal tarmac in the middle of the summer.

The best bit I did was this though:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/184516-my-yeti-doing-donuts-in-the-snow/

[sharkrider]

been at work, and just done a Middlesborough transfere, the same run in an ambulance! now that wasn't fun..... still snowing up there!

[Yetiflute]

Glad to hear a good report with Nankangs. They are what I have fitted. Everybody seems to buy and compare very expensive winter tyres - which will be excellent - but I've not heard any really negative reports on the SV-2 tyres.

[sharkrider]

Glad to hear a good report with Nankangs. They are what I have fitted. Everybody seems to buy and compare very expensive winter tyres - which will be excellent - but I've not heard any really negative reports on the SV-2 tyres.

I'm very happy with them so far

[sharkrider]

update: over the last few days these have been tried for the first time in frosty and icy conditions, and again, I am very impressed... the steering went light on the icy back roads, and I thought, "oh no, just as bad as summers" but bloody hell the grip is there! I could accelerate, turn, and best of all brake!! more grip in icy conditions than I have ever had before.. a BIG for winter tyres!

[Yetiflute]

update: over the last few days these have been tried for the first time in frosty and icy conditions, and again, I am very impressed... the steering went light on the icy back roads, and I thought, "oh no, just as bad as summers" but bloody hell the grip is there! I could accelerate, turn, and best of all brake!! more grip in icy conditions than I have ever had before.. a BIG for winter tyres!

Hmmm - I think people should still air on the side of caution on ice. I have SV-2's fitted on my 4x4 Yeti and on a narrow country lane near home I was faced with an oncoming car. There was just room for two to pass by but I always slow down a bit on these narrow country lanes so I braked. Absolutely nothing happened - as our paths crossed I was travelling with seemingly all 4 wheels locked with no reduction in speed (despite the obvious efforts of ABS). One good thing was that I still had directional control. A few years back on a similar road nearby I touched my brakes on ice in a 2 wheel drive car (Citroen Xsara) with summer tyres and instantly the car rotated 360 degrees on a very narrow road luckily without hitting anything.

[sharkrider]

Hmmm - I think people should still air on the side of caution on ice. I have SV-2's fitted on my 4x4 Yeti and on a narrow country lane near home I was faced with an oncoming car. There was just room for two to pass by but I always slow down a bit on these narrow country lanes so I braked. Absolutely nothing happened - as our paths crossed I was travelling with seemingly all 4 wheels locked with no reduction in speed (despite the obvious efforts of ABS). One good thing was that I still had directional control. A few years back on a similar road nearby I touched my brakes on ice in a 2 wheel drive car (Citroen Xsara) with summer tyres and instantly the car rotated 360 degrees on a very narrow road luckily without hitting anything.

of course you should err on the side of caution you are always limited by simple physics however, compaired to summers, its like night and day ...

[tuscan30]

I agree that driving to the conditions is paramount but I can also say that the winter tyres do make a considerable difference. We put SV-2's on one Roomster (the "commuting" car) but left t'other on Bridgestone R300's and the difference is very noticeable. We'll be getting another set for next year.

[sharkrider]

I agree that driving to the conditions is paramount but I can also say that the winter tyres do make a considerable difference. We put SV-2's on one Roomster (the "commuting" car) but left t'other on Bridgestone R300's and the difference is very noticeable. We'll be getting another set for next year.

nice to have someone who has a direct comparison to give an informed opinion kinda removes the placebo effect :yes:

[thejames]

Winter wheels are top of my shopping list. (Although my tsi probably won't show till March, so perhaps next winter now)

It seems anyone that's ever tried them raves about them. The people that knock them have never had them.

I HATE driving when it's slippery - wish I'd known about winter tyres in years gone by.

FWIW, I'm probably going to go for Vredestein Snowtrac3's.

[tuscan30]

nice to have someone who has a direct comparison to give an informed opinion kinda removes the placebo effect :yes:

Most graphic example so far in the little bit of snow / ice that we've had so far this winter is having both cars parked side by side on the drive - to gain access to the street they need to reverse about 15 feet onto the road and then up an incline to meet the main road. Winter tyred car did it without any fuss, summer tyred car could reverse ok (cos there was no lying snow under the car) once onto slippery stuff though it couldnt go forwards uphill (weigh transfer and FWD plus no momentum) simply sat there spinning its wheels. Persevere long enough and get the thing turned round to attempt to reverse up the hill and still no progress. Slither downhill to the flat bit and try to build up some momentum is fine in theory until you remember you need to slow/stop at the top as it's a junction. Cue more wheelspin and little progress. These Brigestones are in good condition too with loads of tread, but they are in no way a match for cold-weather tyres.

[sharkrider]

Most graphic example so far in the little bit of snow / ice that we've had so far this winter is having both cars parked side by side on the drive - to gain access to the street they need to reverse about 15 feet onto the road and then up an incline to meet the main road. Winter tyred car did it without any fuss, summer tyred car could reverse ok (cos there was no lying snow under the car) once onto slippery stuff though it couldnt go forwards uphill (weigh transfer and FWD plus no momentum) simply sat there spinning its wheels. Persevere long enough and get the thing turned round to attempt to reverse up the hill and still no progress. Slither downhill to the flat bit and try to build up some momentum is fine in theory until you remember you need to slow/stop at the top as it's a junction. Cue more wheelspin and little progress. These Brigestones are in good condition too with loads of tread, but they are in no way a match for cold-weather tyres.

perfect example of the difference, thankyou

[Phil-E]

We also noticed the same in Germany last christmas.

With the all seasons on we couldn't get up the steep hill to the relatives house not even in reverse. We put the snow chains on in the end and get straight up.

Then the next day we went to get our winter tyres fitted came back and the car drove straight up the hill with no fuss whatsoever!

We also then had no trouble in the mountain skiing regions as did nobody else as everyone had winter tyres on.

It really is night and day between summer/all season tyres and winters.

I really wish they would make them compulsary in this country too. Although we haven't bought any this year yet if it was compulsary we would and I would be happy to do so. I think it would help with the availability of them etc too.

Also people often in Germany buy their tyres from a garage which includes a service to swap them over and store their summer/winter tyres.

Think of it this way... you wouldn't go out in the snow/ice wearing your normal, flat everyday shoes... you stick wellies/boots on!

Phil

[domhnall]

Also people often in Germany buy their tyres from a garage which includes a service to swap them over and store their summer/winter tyres.

Think of it this way... you wouldn't go out in the snow/ice wearing your normal, flat everyday shoes... you stick wellies/boots on!

Phil

"I've never needed them before and I also manage fine walking in the snow with my slippers on, it's all a tyre company conspiracy and proper driving technique is all you need" blah blah

My local Skoda dealer offers a tyre hotel service if you buy winters from them. I think quite a few places are doing that now.

[cheezemonkhai]

One of my work colleagues was surprised to see me drive straight out of a parking space on deeper snow and carry on driving out of the works car park.

His lift home was in an Audi TT quatro, which got moving but was slipping a fair bit and said he was amazed that I just drove off as if I was on a wet road.

[martinocti]

Ahem, it says in the title! :p :p

mmmm...so it does....

[jcm]

Yep , using my winter tyres in "anger" for the first time today , getting my wife to work.

About 5" of snow in my area - Nan SV2's worked perfectly.

John

[Raf_]

Used mine last night before the gritters showed up, had 3 cars stuck trying to go up a steep hill. Stopped to let traffic past before driving up without any slip whatsoever. Was on the duel carriage way and over took a load of muppets doing 5mph on a straight stretch, drove lovely, was stable and controlled throughout on the virgin stuff the scooby behind me tried to copy me and had a lil spin lol

[cbr600]

Avon ice touring, spot on.

[jrw]

Used mine no problems last night like i did last year. Although i couldn't get up my drive this time....then realised i was rocking with 40psi in the tyres from a full load last week.....Let them down to 25 PSI (just to get on drive) and they went straight up no problem.

Also tried out my snow chains that Nick chucked in when i bought the wheels off him. I put them on the Bora (after much confusion and fiddling) and it went straight up the drive whereas previously with a whiff of white stuff it will not get past the pavement! Then they were even harder to remove! Ok if you live in the alps i suppose!