A remider why winter tyres are worth having!

[mr rooney]

Not seen much snow at all this year but i did get the chance to try them out on the Glenshee ski car park and Lecht ski car park in Scoootland the other day and very good they were too! Goodyear eagle 8's on the front and Nankang sv2's on the back. Managed to drive up at sheet ice slope at Lecht ski car park without even the slightest wheel spin even though all the ski people were falling over lol!

The people in this video need to buy some winter tyres i think.

http://www.wimp.com/drivecarefully/

Edited 27 January, 2012 by mr rooney

[Jim H]

I've invested this year in some winter tyres.

I just want some snow to test them! Having said that, I've had wheelspin and ABS cutting in this morning when driving on a frosted road (GY Ultragrip 3s).

[devonutopia]

Have to admit "so far" my lack of winter tyre gamble is paying off. Still getting good traction out of yoko spec 2, but ensuring I take care when the 4 degC BOONNNNNGGGG goes off.

[R1DAVIE]

-2 on the way home tonight,still on summer tyres

Just drive sensibly and watch out for hero's in their 4x4's

[alkip]

Mine have got me up the lane a couple of times this winter when I would otherwise have been well and truly stuck.

I'm very pleased that I invested

[Latte]

I have never been able to understand why anyone would want to spend good money on extra tyres when the ones on the car are still legal.

But last year taught me just how poor my tyres were in winter.

So I thought I would buy some winters early on just to try, in the sure knowledge I could move them on via ebay to some poor mug when there was a cool spell.

However I have been staggered at the difference these make. Far, far stickier in the cold, in snow, in rain. A little less ultimate grip and feel in the dry. Much reduced road noise in all conditions. Wonderful. Sorry not going on ebay!

[Raf_]

I wanna move there and run an auto body shop! I'll be a millionaire after one winter

[Macdemon]

I wanna move there and run an auto body shop! I'll be a millionaire after one winter

I'd rather be a recovery agent, pulling cars out of ditches looks fun :p

I'm still on stock tyres, but my brother has put winter tyres on his VW Polo. :yes:

I'll leave my snow chains in the boot a little longer me thinks.

[VladSoilerOfCarpets]

Pfft. Drove round in thick snow last year on my Michelin Primacies. Never got stuck, skidded, or had trouble getting up snow-covered hills. Not seen the Octavia in action in those conditions yet though- an extra 100lb/ft may be the tipping point.

[fabdavrav]

AAAhhhhhh the Lecht........

Drove over from Aviemore to Aberdeen last Sunday morning....Via **** Bridge, Bridge of Brown, The Lecht, to Braemar then to Aberdeen........there was some snow.....but mainly slush, then ice, sleat, and small blizzards....everything you could get in one trip...

And even on my 4 winter tyres...there were a couple of places when in "let go".......just before the steep drive upto the Lecht (from Aviemore side) there was a snowy/icey righthand corner....took it at around 40mph.....and the car drifted as a whole...drive car around on accelerator with some opposite lock on........hehe......then when I took the ungritted single track B road shortcut to Braemar......slowed right down...but then couldn't get traction up some steep slopes without the ASR light flashing!!.......considering that I was the first person out on that stretch of road and it was covered in a thin layer of icy snow....if I hadn't of had the winter tyres on and the years of experiance.....would DEFO NOT have made it!!...

[mr rooney]

AAAhhhhhh the Lecht........

Drove over from Aviemore to Aberdeen last Sunday morning....Via **** Bridge, Bridge of Brown, The Lecht, to Braemar then to Aberdeen........there was some snow.....but mainly slush, then ice, sleat, and small blizzards....everything you could get in one trip...

And even on my 4 winter tyres...there were a couple of places when in "let go".......just before the steep drive upto the Lecht (from Aviemore side) there was a snowy/icey righthand corner....took it at around 40mph.....and the car drifted as a whole...drive car around on accelerator with some opposite lock on........hehe......then when I took the ungritted single track B road shortcut to Braemar......slowed right down...but then couldn't get traction up some steep slopes without the ASR light flashing!!.......considering that I was the first person out on that stretch of road and it was covered in a thin layer of icy snow....if I hadn't of had the winter tyres on and the years of experiance.....would DEFO NOT have made it!!...

Good to see you getting your moneys worth from your winter tyres! I love it up and around the Braemar area (i stayed in the Hilton in Ballater)

only problem is it's a 400 miles away from my house. My winter tyres were also excellent on the return trip in torrential rain on the m74 and m6 in temps only just above freezing.

[sharkrider]

Good to see you getting your moneys worth from your winter tyres! I love it up and around the Braemar area (i stayed in the Hilton in Ballater)

only problem is it's a 400 miles away from my house. My winter tyres were also excellent on the return trip in torrential rain on the m74 and m6 in temps only just above freezing.

wow, small world! a friend's parents used to have a big lodge timeshare at the hilton in ballater, I went 4 years in a row when they couldn't go due to ill health, beggining of march in the snow.. I LOVED it up there sadly their helth was not to improve and they asked me to sell it for them :( lovely place... one year it was the coldest i've ever driven in at -19C had -17C here in cumbria last year though. some days it was so cold the deer would come down off the mountains into the town!

[mr rooney]

wow, small world! a friend's parents used to have a big lodge timeshare at the hilton in ballater, I went 4 years in a row when they couldn't go due to ill health, beggining of march in the snow.. I LOVED it up there sadly their helth was not to improve and they asked me to sell it for them :( lovely place... one year it was the coldest i've ever driven in at -19C had -17C here in cumbria last year though. some days it was so cold the deer would come down off the mountains into the town!

Yes small world! Those timeshare lodges looked really nice! A great place to get away for a relaxing few days (with a mistress lol!).

I first went to the area after renting a caterham 7 from a guy based in Perth and drove as far as Braemar.

[VWD]

Soz guys - perhaps I'm being to winter tyres what my dad was to windscreen washers & reversing lights -but I can't see the need . Before someone shouts about not having driven in bad weather - my credentials -when I started driving ,there were no FWD cars - no radial tyres and brakes were drum all round .I also hail from the West coast of Scotland ,where the road was ( untill a couple of years ago ) the last remaining A class single track road . My first winter ,I drove from Inverness to the west coast .On the last stretch ,we found a snow plough out (we then looked for a flying pig ,as snow ploughs were unknown) . We never found the pig, but we did find the snow plough stuck in a ditch -it had skidded off the road that we were driving on ( with little difficulty) (apart from having to sand each other up hills).Since then ,I 've driven in all weathers in most parts of the UK-with a few problems . But it all boils down to something an old mate of mine in Rhodesia said about Land Rovers in the rainy season (and applies to all vehicles, in any weather ) -"it's knowing where you CAN'T GO that matters, NOT where you think you can " . And I'd add to that ,"it's not how well you think you can handle poor road conditions, but how well you can ,in practice" .And after about 45 years on the road - I still manage to get about in any weather . Personally ,I'd say ,if you need more grip -it's perhaps time to look at -

1) Whether you need to go out

2) Whether you should consider som form of training to cope with conditions ,remembering that the worse the conditions, the GENTLER you need to apply controls -but there is more of a need to look further ahead .

[sharkrider]

Soz guys - perhaps I'm being to winter tyres what my dad was to windscreen washers & reversing lights -but I can't see the need . Before someone shouts about not having driven in bad weather - my credentials -when I started driving ,there were no FWD cars - no radial tyres and brakes were drum all round .I also hail from the West coast of Scotland ,where the road was ( untill a couple of years ago ) the last remaining A class single track road . My first winter ,I drove from Inverness to the west coast .On the last stretch ,we found a snow plough out (we then looked for a flying pig ,as snow ploughs were unknown) . We never found the pig, but we did find the snow plough stuck in a ditch -it had skidded off the road that we were driving on ( with little difficulty) (apart from having to sand each other up hills).Since then ,I 've driven in all weathers in most parts of the UK-with a few problems . But it all boils down to something an old mate of mine in Rhodesia said about Land Rovers in the rainy season (and applies to all vehicles, in any weather ) -"it's knowing where you CAN'T GO that matters, NOT where you think you can " . And I'd add to that ,"it's not how well you think you can handle poor road conditions, but how well you can ,in practice" .And after about 45 years on the road - I still manage to get about in any weather . Personally ,I'd say ,if you need more grip -it's perhaps time to look at -

1) Whether you need to go out

2) Whether you should consider som form of training to cope with conditions ,remembering that the worse the conditions, the GENTLER you need to apply controls -but there is more of a need to look further ahead .

all good, and all true, the young driver doesn't know they're born with ESP ect helping them, I learned in a volvo 340, RWD and leaf spring suspension... teaches you car control, and NOTHING can beat that...

BUT, I'm an advanced driver, I'm a DSA ADI and hold an IHCD qualification in blue light response driving, and was a member of ORDIT (Official register of driving instructor trainers) ..however... winter tyres ROCK....

yes you can control a car without them, yes the skills you may have will be enough... I agree with all the obove post... BUT, why on earth would you drive with a car that take up to 5 times longer to stop in wintery conditions, when you can drive a car that will have stopped from 20 mph on winter tyres, when a car with summers will still be soing 18 mph... (I can post the vid is ness) I dont know... why wouldn't you want the safety?

and its NOT more expensive.... you are doing the SAME mileage on "a" set of tyres... for me , with a set of winters, yes it cost me, but it will be alot later than the me in a parralell universe that didn't buy winters, and has to buy new summers because of the six months of mileage more he has put on them than I have...

same miles... one set of tyres..... it costs the same.....

why coose to compromise on safety? I dont. i go to too many RTC's that I'm pulling people out of cars... when I think... "what if... ?" hhmmm :|

[sharkrider]

Yes small world! Those timeshare lodges looked really nice! A great place to get away for a relaxing few days (with a mistress lol!).

I first went to the area after renting a caterham 7 from a guy based in Perth and drove as far as Braemar.

some cracking roads up there ... really! scotland has some cracking roads...

[fabdavrav]

1) Whether you need to go out

2) Whether you should consider som form of training to cope with conditions ,remembering that the worse the conditions, the GENTLER you need to apply controls -but there is more of a need to look further ahead .

I wouldn't disagree.......but instead of crawing around at 20mph on a main "A" road...winters let do 40mph plus no problem....just take a look at the Scandinavian countries!!!

The right tools for the job make it easier..........do you still use a brace and bit when drilling holes ????.....or a cordless drill/driver???.....

[fabdavrav]

some cracking roads up there ... really! scotland has some cracking roads...

Yeah I know......I LIVE HERE....and DRIVE them ALL the time.....Aviemore/area etc...... :p :p :p

Rally style of corse.......(pun intended)....

[sharkrider]

Yeah I know......I LIVE HERE....and DRIVE them ALL the time.....Aviemore/area etc...... :p :p :p

Rally style of corse.......(pun intended)....

I did find some out of the way roads (surrounded by silver birch) that were just like rally stages, and deserted! the only time EVER i have used the handbrake on a public road to alter position into a bend! lol....... Scotland ****es on England for good driving roads

[fabdavrav]

all good, and all true, the young driver doesn't know they're born with ESP ect helping them, I learned in a volvo 340, RWD and leaf spring suspension... teaches you car control, and NOTHING can beat that...

Same here...family car...then we got the top version...360GLTi......big 2lt engine from a 240 shoehorned in...... ...FUN.....

[Grizzle]

still on rainsports 2's still no snow = saving of £400..... i thank you

[sharkrider]

still on rainsports 2's still no snow = saving of £400..... i thank you

but you're not! you are wearing them pout and will have to buy new ones soon, much sooner than i will have to buy new summers...

think of the maths.. its the SAME number of miles you are travelling on ONE set of tyres... it cannot cost more, simple maths.... (Until you die and there's, you winters in the shed half worn..)

when you shell out shed loads of money on new rainsports ( good tyres by all accounts) I will still have 6 months of wear on my summers,and not have to spend! and six months on the winters in the shed... another year with no payout... so I paid for the winters, then nothing.... you will then pay for the summers, that I wont need... works out even...

[sharkrider]

Same here...family car...then we got the top version...360GLTi......big 2lt engine from a 240 shoehorned in...... ...FUN.....

oooh! we just had the 1.4 :p but power, RWD and absolutley no drip, makes for an interesting car! lol..

you know they have a following in the "drift" world wher they turbo charge the engine there was a guy on here had one! posted it up in a projects section!

[Neo_VR]

After coming back from a weeks Skiing in the alps and seeing just how capable winter tyres actually are... i must say im very impressed!

I managed to bag a set of hankook icept evos for the wIIp over xmas.. for 165quid a worthy investment for my spare set of rims i think.

[matt_theforce]

My Wintrac's are prooving a worth while purchase. Over the last few days with the snow/ice/freezing temperatures in the Peaks, I've been able to get to the Horses stables by car where as last year I had to hike and that is a great benefit as it means I only have to get up for a day shift at 5:15 instead of 3:30am

They do loose traction occasionaly but thats only because I'm learning where the limits are & Ice on a steep/unsheltered hill = loss of traction

In fact, I'm that impressed that when the all seasons on SWMBO's Rav need replacing it will get winters on permanently