7 years ago vertually nobody had heard of winter tyres in the UK let alone 37 years ago.

Cars used to have narrow tall (sidewall) tyres, these were much better suited to snow than the current fashion of wide low profile tyres.

Tyre compounds are evolving all the time, which is why a decent winter tyre will work on sheet ice, if you open your mind up to what is being designed you will see that it is not all about experience,

There have been very few times in my driving history that I have truly been stuck in snow, (and I do approx. 100K miles PA) those times that I have been stuck I was down to taking an HGV down a snow covered lane to a farm, everyone knew I would get stuck (myself included) but goods need to be delivered all year round - the farmer also agreed to come out and keep me moving when I got stuck.

Yet given the choice I will ALWAYS use winter tyres as they are safer on ice and make driving on snow a doodle,

Do not talk sharn.

We have fitted suitable tyres for winter to family cars since i was a baby.

Those were Austin Cambridge or Oxfords, Zephyrs, Zodiacs etc

We went to the Skiing every Easter towing Caravans before Aviemore was built.

(That is Lambing Snow time up here)

Sometimes with an Austin Gypsy & sometimes the family car.

Back then snow tyres were a regular thing to use

& about every bigger car up north had Town & Countys on wheels for fitting in winter.

My mum propably knows more about her car tyres than you appear to.

She had suitable winter tyres on her Minis or Austin 1100 when i was a school boy.

(she took her driving style from Paddy Hopkirk)

Look at the storm of 1963 in the NE, winter lasted 3 months with roads blocked between Aberdeen & Banff,

busses stuck for 3 days with snow higher than them..

Yes compounds changed over the years.

My first Winter Remoulds used to be Stirlings in the 1970's

Always Vredesteins snows fitted each winter in the 80's

george

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_1962-1963_in_the_United_Kingdom

Ask an oldie about this winter.

everytime i have a serious day in the snow, i am told, its nothing like 1963 was.

Maybe 2013 will be the next Big One.

In order of winter safety I'd say:

4 * winter

4 * good all season

4 * summer

Mixed Summer/winter pairs

If you look online you'll find you can get 16" winter steels and 205/55/R16 tyres for a lot less than your 18" tyres on the vRS.

The hard summer compounds often wear faster in winter when cold, so you might find you'd save yourself quite a bit on the expensive tyres.

In order of winter safety I'd say:

4 * winter

4 * good all season

4 * summer

Mixed Summer/winter pairs

If you look online you'll find you can get 16" winter steels and 205/55/R16 tyres for a lot less than your 18" tyres on the vRS.

The hard summer compounds often wear faster in winter when cold, so you might find you'd save yourself quite a bit on the expensive tyres.

Snowsocks are are pain in the bum from what i remember as when you get stuck the weather tends to be "not nice" so faffing about in the cold dark may not be such a great idea.

I went on the mytyres site, where i bought my last ones from, if i put my reg in it only gives me a few options but there are more, cheaper, options albeit with different load ratings etc if i just type my tyre size in manually. Does this really matter? Im not going to be hooning about in the car anyway.

Load rating must correct, but for a vRS in winter, you could probably save a good amount by looking at H speed rated tyres.

They're close enough to your top speed and lets face it you're unlikely to go beyond 70 anyway.

Some will say insurance might complain, but TBH, H is so far above the speed limits in the UK, that you'd have other things to wonder about.

The load rating has to match the minimum for your car, I think there are no ifs or buts on that one. Speed rating is more flexible. I think my Octy manual states I can equip lower speed rating tyres than the standards as long as I do not exceed them. As long as they're T or more (H, V) they should be ok.

The load rating has to match the minimum for your car, I think there are no ifs or buts on that one. Speed rating is more flexible. I think my Octy manual states I can equip lower speed rating tyres than the standards as long as I do not exceed them. As long as they're T or more (H, V) they should be ok.

That's the case with the Yeti so I'd expect the other models to be similar - winter tyres can be a lower speed rating as long as it's not exceeded. Whilst a vRS could go over the 130mph of an H rated tyre it's unlikely a standard Yeti could (the TDi 170 and TSi 160 are both max 125) and the standard tyre is W rated! I have 205/55/16 94 H XL Nokian tyres on mine, bought early (£80 each) expecting costs to go up and they are now £1 cheaper (from oponeo.co.uk). Having a higher load rating is okay - quite a few folk seem to get 99 XL winter boots.

Ok so minimum load rating is critical but a lower speed rating is ok. I'll check again tonight at prices as a lot of people are saying the weather is due to turn bad after the weekend and stay bad for a long time. Ive heard this all before though and it ends up being mild. You cant win.

We've used winter tyres on the driven wheels our cars and had no problems when driving. At the moment we have Vred Quatrac 3 all-season tyres on Mothers car and I have a pair of Goodyear winters. Both cars have summer tyres on the back (mine are brand new), In the Spring (Easter ish) we swap wheels and put summers back on front.

My Father's first experience was with a pair of Colway Rally M&S tyres on the front of his MG Maestro. He had no trouble at all with them, he got to places no summer tyres would get to (on front).

Edited 5 December, 201213 yr by Jim H

I have Hankook icebears on the front of my vrs and normal tyres on back and its fine altho not driven it in snow yet as we've not had any yet over this way

given that they're winter tyres, why would you need to worry about speed ratings? Load ratings count more with winters. If used correctly and in the conditions they're designed for, our speed should be lower anyway, no? I'm running Good-Year Ultragrip 8's, pretty sure the speed rating is higher than the NSL.

It says in the manuals for both the mkI and mkII Octavias that it is fine to use lower speed rated tyres as long as drive appropriately and most tyres on the market easily allow for speeds you can't do on UK roads.

I hope that people do not listen to other beliefs & comments on speed rating.

that includes mine and take them as gospel.

Check yourself, because some comments here may be totally wrong.

& a Manufacturers Owners Manual should maybe ignored when its your insurance cover that matters.

Load & Speed ratings do matter, obviously.

Speed ratings are nothing to do with Your countries National speed limit & the fact you will never get near the Speed the tyres are rated to.

70 mph is the Uk's Max legal limit, & we know that.

Yes a lower rating for Winter tyres is most likely acceptable.

(but then how long is Winter, if the weather is not cold.

I have Winter tyres on all year, but the meet the vehicles Summer tyre Speed & load rating)

If in the event your vehicle is Inspected after an Incident, your tyres better meet the Requirements for the vehicle.

Maybe your Underwriter will accept Tyre sizes recommended for the vehicle and a Speed Rating lower for Winter use. (is it winter driving still on a Speed Rating 1 below in March like this year year when it was ambient temps of 27*C in Scotand.?

(the next week it was snowing)

But best check your Insurer,because not everyone does or others know your Company..

4 or 5 months of Winter & i doubt that will be 30 days of cold weather each months.

Tyre Load & Speed Rating are so much more than just straightline speed, when the Designated tyre requirement is Chosen by the Manufacturer.

Obviously anyone can make their own choices,

just please do not be lead by mis-informed or those that do not know.

(me included.)

https://www.blackcir...inter-tyres/faq

http://www.btmauk.co...1_June_2011.pdf

george

One of my cussies that has many hundreds vans in their fleet out on contract hire that come back after the hire period, changes the front tyres that are usually/if ragged for winters....."simply because they are cheaper"..

Staggering.

try lovetyres.com and take a look at the Kleber Quadraxer. 4 season tyres WITH the M&S symbol so suitable for alpine use. A very good all rounder if you dont want to have to be changing all the time.

Got them on SWMBO's A2 and they work well

try lovetyres.com and take a look at the Kleber Quadraxer. 4 season tyres WITH the M&S symbol so suitable for alpine use. A very good all rounder if you dont want to have to be changing all the time.

Got them on SWMBO's A2 and they work well

M&S is not good enough for alpine use.

For alpine use you need the snowflake in the mountain symbol.

They're probably fine for your typical UK use though, as long as you're sensible.

Sorry that's what I meant to put. They are mountain and snowflake. Forgot the M&S is the old mud and snow rating.

Seems that having winters on front only on FWD car should be ok then? Im not saying changing all 4 isnt better but as long as only changing the front 2 still leaves the car driveable. Think i will definately check this with my insurance company though.

I appreciate that the front will have more grip than rears by doing this so will drive accordingly to compensate. This setup would be my preference if insurance allows as it save hassle of fitting snow socks but halfs costs of fitting 4 tyres.

Fingers crossed insurance company agree with me.

Cheers for advice.

Seems that having winters on front only on FWD car should be ok then?

Its fine until you drive onto compacted snow or sheet ice, then you get the 'interesting' sensation of the front of the car gripping the road like glue but the rear end of the car sliding all over the place like bambi.....brake slightly too hard or change down a gear slightly too fast and the rear of the car will try to overtake the front, and usually succeed. You never actually get stuck, but you end up facing backwards very easily indeed.

During winter 2010 I had winter tyres on the front and summers on the back - never again!

Look at next weeks forecast.

Old Grampian sayings, & my Dads.

From the East the snow will blow, from the West the snow will go.

Easterlies next week.

george

Its fine until you drive onto compacted snow or sheet ice, then you get the 'interesting' sensation of the front of the car gripping the road like glue but the rear end of the car sliding all over the place like bambi.....brake slightly too hard or change down a gear slightly too fast and the rear of the car will try to overtake the front, and usually succeed. You never actually get stuck, but you end up facing backwards very easily indeed.

During winter 2010 I had winter tyres on the front and summers on the back - never again!

Was this on your Skoda?

Was this on your Skoda?

Yep, I've switched to all-seasons on all four wheels for the last two winters and it feels incredibly safe on ice in comparison.

Yep, I've switched to all-seasons on all four wheels for the last two winters and it feels incredibly safe on ice in comparison.

I cant seem to find all season tyres to fit the oem alloys.

http://www.camskill.co.uk

http://www.blackcircles.com

Maybe see what you can find, then see what price you can get local.

There were tyre stocks, but those might be dissapearing or being put aside rather quickly.

george

Just get some nokian wr d3 or similar on 16" steels.

Far safer than trying 2 and 2