At last snow....

Winter tyres tried for first time today and got to say ... Brilliant!

Going up a hill this morning, transit van stuck spinning back wheels, behind that a new Tigra stuck spinning front wheels

Behind that me, before I drove round them and up the hill!

Last year I wouldn't have even got to bottom of the hill never mind driven up it.

Money well spent and if you are contemplating them, my advice is buy.

Winters on OE 18's by the way.

No snow here just Icy rain. The winter tyres sure feel better at motorway speeds in the freeze though. Fitted some new Bosch wipers from Eurocar parts so bring on the winter!

You will notice a big improvment in all aspects now the cold is here esspecially braking.

Edited 5 December, 201114 yr by ruffday

Winter wheels and tyres for the snow 29 inchers !

Cycle cross tyres for my bike, 20% hills on the moors round here, soon gets gridlocked with the snow, last year it took some people 5 hours to do 5 miles, took me an extra 20 mins getting past all the cars . good that I can drop them in/out in one minute for the pair :yes:

I still don't see the point in them. But then again I do live on the south coast. If it does snow, we get about 5 days max before it melts. That to me doesn't justify the extra cost and effort changing them across. Yes they may perform better in lower temperatures but I have never had a problem with my summer tyres throughout the winter months.

I still don't see the point in them. But then again I do live on the south coast. If it does snow, we get about 5 days max before it melts. That to me doesn't justify the extra cost and effort changing them across. Yes they may perform better in lower temperatures but I have never had a problem with my summer tyres throughout the winter months.

You are making the classic mistake of assuming winter tyres are for snow.

But then I suspect in the tropical South that you don't often get temperatures below 7 degrees and from what I hear it is also quite dry.

Compare and contrast with those of us where the temp is below 7 degrees for months on end and the rainfall this year has been well above average (we've seen a month's rainfall in one day on several occasions this year), and then consider the extended stopping distances needed for summer tyres. Don't see the point in them? Imagine a pedestrian steps out in front of you and you're travelling at say 30 mph. Would you prefer to be able to stop in a shorter distance or a longer distance? That's (one of) the point(s).

Not just for snow. :no:

It is probably below 7 degrees for about 3 months over winter on the south coast. I understand performance is better etc but still don't see the point in spending the money for 3 months.

I definitely don't consider winter tyres to be worth the money either. I think people expect too much from them. The manufacturers say the 70mph braking disatance is reduced from 70.5m to 65.7, 9http://conti-central.co.uk/winter-tyres/) not a massive reduction.

On snow, the stopping distance at 30mph reduces from 43m to 35m, (http://www.performancealloys.com/Winter-Tyres.aspx) or reduces by 2 car lengths. If there is snow on the road I'll just fit my snow chains that cost £30 and stop in a fraction of the distance that winter tyres take on snow.

I'll drive slower in cold conditions. I just hope other drivers around me are not ploughing on in the mistaken belief that their tyres are like superglue.

I'd put winter tyres on (we get snow regularly here every winter, 2' last year) but I can't afford to.

But I'm pretty used to driving in snow and I can make reasonable progress whatever the conditions as long as some berk in an X5 doesn't do the usual and drive like it's June then block the road with the ruined carcass of his knob enhancer.

I know when to stay in the house too which is an important part of safe winter driving.

AE Winter tyres.

Stopping distance is only one aspect of the extra safety they offer.

Edited 6 December, 201114 yr by foo

Imagine a pedestrian steps out in front of you and you're travelling at say 30 mph. Would you prefer to be able to stop in a shorter distance or a longer distance?

Do I get to pick which particular pedestrian steps out in front of me? :giggle:

You spend all that money on choosing the car, paying extra for lovely metallic paint... then for half the year you stick on black shopping trolley sized steel wheels? Some even go one step further and dress them with lovely £15 eBay wheel trims.

If you are going to invest the £500+ for winter tyres that will be on the car for half its life then at least fit them on the standard alloy wheels.

I can't afford the required outlay for winter tyres (which is a shame as I appreciate that the cost is in reality halved with the reduced outlay on the less used summer tyres together with their obvious and proven safety benefits), but even if I could I'd be fitting them to my existing wheels, if for nothing else to stop my vRS looking like an Ambiente with a boot spoiler

It is probably below 7 degrees for about 3 months over winter on the south coast. I understand performance is better etc but still don't see the point in spending the money for 3 months.

There is very little 'extra' expense to be honest. I swapped my Conti3's for Conti winters (similar price) 2 weeks ago. I will run them till next March (ish) and then swap back to the summer tyres.

You only run 1 set at a time therefore these 2 x sets will last as long (or maybe longer) than sticking 2 x sets of summer tyres throughtout the year.

What I would say is the difference in the 'feel' and handling of the car is massively improved below 7'C with winters. I was a doubter, but after trying them I am now a convert.

It is probably below 7 degrees for about 3 months over winter on the south coast. I understand performance is better etc but still don't see the point in spending the money for 3 months.

There is very little 'extra' expense to be honest. I swapped my Conti3's for Conti winters (similar price) 2 weeks ago. I will run them till next March (ish) and then swap back to the summer tyres.

You only run 1 set at a time therefore these 2 x sets will last as long (or maybe longer) than sticking 2 x sets of summer tyres throughtout the seasons.

What I would say is the difference in the 'feel' and handling of the car is massively improved below 7'C with winters. I was a doubter, but after trying them I am now a convert.

Winter tires on 4 months use should last 4 years, so it's not a great expense in longterm, let alone safety and not being stranded in snow and looking like an idiot.

Just reading up on the Continentals and it says this ...

'The Winter tyre is in the rim sizes from 15 to 16 inch and is available with free gifts to 210 km / h from autumn ready to trade.'

Here's hoping that you buy 4 and the FREE gift is an Octavia VRS !

Winter tires on 4 months use should last 4 years, so it's not a great expense in longterm, let alone safety and not being stranded in snow and looking like an idiot.

Used the standard Bridgestone ER300s last year and ... YUP 'looked like an idiot' as I was being driven around by a white van and a knackered old VW Golf. Might as well have used banana skins covered in oil for tyres for all the grip they gave me :(

Had an uneventful journey home last night on slush covered roads with winter tyres. As the roads weren't snow covered you couldn't use snow chains but the slush was bad enough that I wouldn't be happy with summer tyres.

As many people have said winter tyres aren't just for snow. When the temperature drops below 7° winter tyres will have the edge over summer tyres. Winter tyres are also much better at coping with wet conditions than summers.

If you shop around you can get a set of winter tyres and second hand alloys for not much more than a set of summer tyres (I recently paid around £600 for 16" alloys + tyres). Once you have your first set of winter wheels the long term running costs will be the same or slightly less than just running summer tyres (16" winter tyres are generally cheaper than 17" or 18" summers). The only hassle you have is storing a set of wheels and swapping them over twice a year.

For me it is an easy decision to make. A small amount of hassle is a small price to pay for the added safety and confidence when using winter tyres.

Winter tires have not been on the Scout for long, but driving round on the un-gritted minor road yesterday would have been a test without them! Have to say at one point, the road was so icy that It wouldn't have made much difference what you were driving! The back end of the Scout stepped out having just turned a 90 degree left at a T junction at no more than walking pace with the most delicate of throttle usage!!! There were a couple of blinks on the traction control light and that was about as exciting as it got! Just shows that even that little 2% torque that goes to the rears has an effect!

Used the standard Bridgestone ER300s last year and ... YUP 'looked like an idiot' as I was being driven around by a white van and a knackered old VW Golf. Might as well have used banana skins covered in oil for tyres for all the grip they gave me :(

Hi All

I had a set of the bridgestone turansa er300 tyres on my astravan from new - went off a straight snow/ice covered road at 15mph at the beginning of the year. I got a set of Continental WinterContact T830 tyres and 16" steel wheels for the wife's VRS from my local kwikfit so that the same didn't happen to her and when I tested them, I called kwikfit back and told them to keep me another set for my van. I am convinced that I would not have left the road at 15mph if I had the winter tyres on instead of the crappy bridgestones - they were even scary in the wet.

At the time, the tyres were aroung £130 each on the web but I called kwikfit, ordered them and got them fitted (next day) onto loose wheels for the VRS for just under £61 each. The day after that I got the set on the van - they were just under £71 each as he had to take the wheels off etc. so had to charge a fitting fee.

They were money well spent at the beginning of the year and saved us from getting stuck or skidding on icy/snowy roads. I got an extra set of wheels for the van when I put the summer tyres back on and have just put the winter wheels/tyres back on last week, just in time for the snow and ice.

I can see the point of the guys down south that it isn't really worth the expense for them but up in Scotland with the sometimes severe weather, it is definately worth it, bearing in mind that we are just spreading the miles travelled over 2 sets of tyres so apart from the additional cost of the wheels (ebay), there isn't really much difference in the overall cost.

Keeping myself, my wife and my 3yr old a wee bit safer = priceless.

Cheers

Dave

also better handling in the wet

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/winter-tyres-tested-in-the-wet-video-review/

I too didn't think it worth buying winter tyres having driven for 30 years here and in Germany in atrocious conditions. However the VRS really doesn't like any type of incline with a slight covering of snow or ice and embarrassing to get stuck watching a Police diesel Octy sail up the same moderate slope on an A road. The car couldn't get traction nursing it around stalling point in 2nd gear and simply sliding sideways. Finally crept up the slope in 4th gear wheels spinning even around 1500 RPM. Having an A3 set of alloys. and conti winters fitted tomorrow. The set cost less from Ebay than 2 decent summer tyrres.

Hi All

I had a set of the bridgestone turansa er300 tyres on my astravan from new - went off a straight snow/ice covered road at 15mph at the beginning of the year. I got a set of Continental WinterContact T830 tyres and 16" steel wheels for the wife's VRS from my local kwikfit so that the same didn't happen to her and when I tested them, I called kwikfit back and told them to keep me another set for my van. I am convinced that I would not have left the road at 15mph if I had the winter tyres on instead of the crappy bridgestones - they were even scary in the wet.

At the time, the tyres were aroung £130 each on the web but I called kwikfit, ordered them and got them fitted (next day) onto loose wheels for the VRS for just under £61 each. The day after that I got the set on the van - they were just under £71 each as he had to take the wheels off etc. so had to charge a fitting fee.

They were money well spent at the beginning of the year and saved us from getting stuck or skidding on icy/snowy roads. I got an extra set of wheels for the van when I put the summer tyres back on and have just put the winter wheels/tyres back on last week, just in time for the snow and ice.

I can see the point of the guys down south that it isn't really worth the expense for them but up in Scotland with the sometimes severe weather, it is definately worth it, bearing in mind that we are just spreading the miles travelled over 2 sets of tyres so apart from the additional cost of the wheels (ebay), there isn't really much difference in the overall cost.

Keeping myself, my wife and my 3yr old a wee bit safer = priceless.

Cheers

Dave

Pretty much covered most the points I would make! Must admit my vrs looks carp with 16" alloys but you can't put a price on safety. The difference is immense in the current temperatures with wet roads. I kind of like the stealth look too I think of the tiny wheels and big tyres!

People keeping mentioning how we don't need them in the south yet last December (and the year before that....) we had almost 3 weeks of snow on the ground due to two big drops (6 inches+), one early Dec, and one a few days before Christmas day!

Flights were cancelled out of Gatwick, my work was closed (2,700 employees) and most of the area was shut down.

Managed last year on a set of Rainsport2's on my van and so far this year surviving easily on the rainsports on the octy.