I changed mine 3wks ago. Then we've had a 24hr blip in the weather. Something I wouldn't expect the 4x4 to be bothered by, but i managed to get it stuck this morning... 1st time its got stuck on either winters or summers and i had to dig it out. It had slid across the camber at less than walking pace and into the ploughed snow on the side, this was reversing back down the slope it failed to get up. It would have walked it on its winters. A pic from the earlier less deep snow

Untitled by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

I changed mine 3wks ago. Then we've had a 24hr blip in the weather. Something I wouldn't expect the 4x4 to be bothered by, but i managed to get it stuck this morning... 1st time its got stuck on either winters or summers and i had to dig it out. It had slid across the camber at less than walking pace and into the ploughed snow on the side, this was reversing back down the slope it failed to get up. It would have walked it on its winters. A pic from the earlier less deep snow

Untitled by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

proof for the non belioevers that it is the tyres that grip rather than the haldex system - lovely pic BTW

I changed mine 3wks ago. Then we've had a 24hr blip in the weather. Something I wouldn't expect the 4x4 to be bothered by, but i managed to get it stuck this morning... 1st time its got stuck on either winters or summers and i had to dig it out. It had slid across the camber at less than walking pace and into the ploughed snow on the side, this was reversing back down the slope it failed to get up. It would have walked it on its winters. A pic from the earlier less deep snow

How do you know??

I changed mine 3wks ago. Then we've had a 24hr blip in the weather. Something I wouldn't expect the 4x4 to be bothered by, but i managed to get it stuck this morning... 1st time its got stuck on either winters or summers and i had to dig it out. It had slid across the camber at less than walking pace and into the ploughed snow on the side, this was reversing back down the slope it failed to get up. It would have walked it on its winters. A pic from the earlier less deep snow

How do you know??

My guess would be that he drove the same or a similar place in snow with the winters previously and as he said the car "walked it"

The fact it nearly got up the top on its summers and the experience of winters on both this on and on 2wd cars, it would have managed it fine.

Just taken my Dunlop Wintersport 4Ds off my Scout.

I was impressed by the improvement in grip on ice, snow and in mud and there was no noticeable increase in noise. The handling was a bit more vague, but I don't exactly drive the car on the limit in bad weather.

They wore to 7mm from 9mm in 5 months and 4,000 miles which is more than I expected - suggests I'll only get 12k out of them if they should be changed at 3mm.

On taking the decision whether to remove winter tyres, or not, you can play with the stats to your heart's content @

http://www.metoffice.../ukmapavge.html

just wanted to ask- I saw that you mentioned mud, much of an improvement in the mud?

Edited 5 April, 201214 yr by 1.4tsi

I changed mine 3wks ago. Then we've had a 24hr blip in the weather. Something I wouldn't expect the 4x4 to be bothered by, but i managed to get it stuck this morning... 1st time its got stuck on either winters or summers and i had to dig it out. It had slid across the camber at less than walking pace and into the ploughed snow on the side, this was reversing back down the slope it failed to get up. It would have walked it on its winters. A pic from the earlier less deep snow

Untitled by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

How do you know??

on Wendesday moring I witnessed the difference between summer tyres and winter tyres in the snow, both in a scout. While at work in a scout with summer tyres on I struggled to get up a hill around Penistone, 20 minutes later while 'playing' in my own scout, with winter tyres on, around the same area and on the same hill never had wheel spin/traction control light on. So proof that winter tyres do make a difference in traction.

The scout with winters on is quite an awsome machine , was overwhelmed with smugness on hills where 2wd cars were sliding all over the place, I just stopped let them slide out of the way and set off again- no fuss :giggle: , no wheelspin just uggins of grip :rofl:

# As for when to change, I look at what the outside temp is reading when I go to work (07:45) and when I come home (18:00). If it's generally 7 degress or below, the winters stay on. Unfortunately I leave my desk so infrequently that the daytime temp in between those times doesn't matter too much. Last week in March this year bonkers though, as people have said. I saw a 20 degree temp change in 5 hours...

# Do tyres make that much of a difference on a 4x4 Scout? YES. In the snow in Jan 2010 (admittedly on worn Dunlops) I nearly shunted a friend, travelling in convoy, when going down a hill - all wheels locked, car just sliding under gravity. Got some winters (Nokian WRG2s) and the difference has to be experienced to be believed. Pic is taken in Dec 09 from my back door. To reverse out of my 'drive' I have to negotiate the corner of the cottage, then an angled, sloping and uphill gateway. After this pic nearly stuffed the car into the side of the house. A year later, on winters and in a measured 6" of snow, just brush the snow off and drive out as if it was a normal summer day.

# Thinking of swapping tomorrow? Countryfile forecast for next week has just given maxs of 9 degrees during the day, night frosts and snow showers for Scotland and N England. Guess it depends where in the country you live, but my winters are staying on a bit longer.

While at work in a scout with summer tyres on I struggled to get up a hill around Penistone, 20 minutes later while 'playing' in my own scout, with winter tyres on, around the same area and on the same hill never had wheel spin/traction control light on. So proof that winter tyres do make a difference in traction.

I take it that the emergency services don't use winter tyres then?

It seems strange to pay the premium by running Scouts for their emergency response vehicles but to then not fully utilise the 4x4 system by fitting winter rubber?

Our service has been putting on winter tyres on our rapid response cars for the last two winters. The focus estates have a lot of kit in the boot unweighting the front, not ideal. The winters transform it. We (the paramedics) wanted the scouts, but we've got BMW X1s instead, they still get winter tyres

I take it that the emergency services don't use winter tyres then?

It seems strange to pay the premium by running Scouts for their emergency response vehicles but to then not fully utilise the 4x4 system by fitting winter rubber?

Yes they do in Yorkshire, this is the first year they have been fitted to the A+E fleet. IIRC 4500 tyres were ordered initialy. Unfortunately the one I was driving on Tuesday night was a 12 plate so was still shod with the standard Dunlop SP01's :(