Just remember that winter tyres are expensive, wear out quickly, and are useless unless they have a decent amount of tread left on them; a friend was moaning he could not get up the steep bank to his house - when I checked he only had 2mm left. My "normal" evergreens didnt even slip going up the same bank.

To reqlly get the benifit of winter tyres, you really also have to fork out for a 2nd set of wheels and swap the winter shod tyres back to normal tyres when the weather improves.

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Of course that wont help you if it snows August Bank Holiday again ( Cleethorpes sometime in the 90's)

Just remember that winter tyres are expensive, wear out quickly,

+1

I was really annoyed that I only got around 15K miles out of my Nokian’s before I sold them…. with 6mm+ left on them, they were also just over half the price of my 18’s.

:think:

The beach !! Great, I'll get my trunks (the ones with the Bronze Medallion patch)

You can see a beach? All I see is some railings at bottom of road :p

Just remember that winter tyres are expensive, wear out quickly, and are useless unless they have a decent amount of tread left on them; a friend was moaning he could not get up the steep bank to his house - when I checked he only had 2mm left. My "normal" evergreens didnt even slip going up the same bank.

To reqlly get the benifit of winter tyres, you really also have to fork out for a 2nd set of wheels and swap the winter shod tyres back to normal tyres when the weather improves.

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.

.

.

Of course that wont help you if it snows August Bank Holiday again ( Cleethorpes sometime in the 90's)

More effective grip under 7Deg C is a factor that make them more attractive to people too. My 3 reasons for having them in order are:

1. If I hit a child that ran out on a cold road surface with no snow or ice with summer tyres on where winter rubber could have made a difference. I might have killed someone for not buying something I could afford, how would I live with that. (I did without to afford them at time)

2. I would like to know I have taken all possible precautions to make the car suitable for the conditions at all times.

3. I drive in Germany regularly and they are a legal requirement now. (least of my concerns, could just not go there)

I just don't regard seasonal compound tires for winter conditions to be only there to stop my wheels spinning some day inconveniencing me, I have responsibilities as we all do as a road user to do what I can. I am sure when my tires get to about 3mm I won't be eager to spend what money I have on early on new tires but I will for the same reasons.

None of us have to buy them but I will never tell someone they should have them, it is their own choice we are all adults. But I will never accept that chains/socks on summer tires is a 'better' option. I air on the side of caution and have summer tires and alloys / winter tires and alloys and snow chains.

Can't believe I've just read to the end of this thread

I think the moral of the story is don't buy a BMW.

Can't believe I've just read to the end of this thread

I think the moral of the story is don't buy a BMW.

What a heap of pi5h ^

You regretted reading the thread so much you thought youd share it with us. Dont bother next time.

Ré where is the beach??

Answer, I am an optimist - there is a tiny patch of yellow to the left of the road at the bottom - just left of the telegraph pole.

OT

I once had a 6 year old girl scream "I CAN SEE THE SEA!!" into my ear while I was driving. She must have had BLOODY GOOD eyesight, because we were pulling in to Michael Wood services!!!!

This thread is amazing! I can never understand some people's views against winter tyres. In my experience, people I have spoken to who are anti winter tyre haven't actually tried them.

I am in my 4th year on the same set of Vredestein Snowtrac 3s and the difference is simply amazing! They have turned my vRS from a sledge to a car I have complete confidence in when driving on snow and icy roads. Given that the 16" tyres are only about £75 each and whilst they're on I'm not wearing my 18" summer tyres at about twice the price there is practically no cost even when factoring in the cost of 4 x steel wheels. It's a no brainer for me. I'll be the first to admit that a vRS with 16" steels is no looker but neither is a vRS in a ditch (assuming you can get it out of your drive) if you dont bother with winters.

I have ordered a new Superb 4x4 and have already taken delivery of the winter tyres I will be running it on. Only difference in this case is that I've ordered 4 OEM alloys instead of steels at a mere £50 a corner extra.

If you haven"t tried winter tyres please do so. If you've tried them and still knock them and think there's a better solution please share it with us.

This thread is amazing! I can never understand some people's views against winter tyres. In my experience, people I have spoken to who are anti winter tyre haven't actually tried them.

I am in my 4th year on the same set of Vredestein Snowtrac 3s and the difference is simply amazing! They have turned my vRS from a sledge to a car I have complete confidence in when driving on snow and icy roads. Given that the 16" tyres are only about £75 each and whilst they're on I'm not wearing my 18" summer tyres at about twice the price there is practically no cost even when factoring in the cost of 4 x steel wheels. It's a no brainer for me. I'll be the first to admit that a vRS with 16" steels is no looker but neither is a vRS in a ditch (assuming you can get it out of your drive) if you dont bother with winters.

I have ordered a new Superb 4x4 and have already taken delivery of the winter tyres I will be running it on. Only difference in this case is that I've ordered 4 OEM alloys instead of steels at a mere £50 a corner extra.

If you haven"t tried winter tyres please do so. If you've tried them and still knock them and think there's a better solution please share it with us.

The thread is about Snow socks not winter tyres specifically hence why it socks being discussed. Dont think anyone is really knocking winter tyres either to be honest just discussing alternatives i.e socks and the spray on stuff but this doesnt mean these products are better in any way.

I have owned and tried winters on my last car but for me the socks i have for my current car are a better solution. The reason for this is because the socks have saved me hundreds of pounds and so far this winter the road conditions havent justified winter tyres so im glad i didnt buy them.

Certainly if we suddenly get a really bad dump of snow then winters would be more convienient but thats the gamble you take and going by this year so far and last year then winter tyres are overkill in this country.

You can harp on about how there better once temps drop below 7 degress but in reality the roads are hardly treacherous when its below 7. If below 7 was all we got in winter and never got any snow i doubt anyone would waste money on winter tyres. For me living in Scotland the only time i wish i have winter tyres on is when im stuck and cant get the car moving. These situations are very rare hence why socks make more economical sense IMO.

Even 3 and 4 years ago when we had lots of snow i only got stuck on 3 occasions in my BMW on summer tyres and each time someone pushed me out relatively easily. Getting stuck 3 times in 4 years hardly justifies winter tyres IMO. Certainly i would have them as the preferred option no questions but i just cant justify the expense for all the times i needed them.

I will fit all season tyres once my current summer tyres wear out and then leave these on all the time as i think these are a good compromise plus there is no additional expense of fitting these when my tyres need changing anyway. Hopefully these will perform better than the winters i ran last year on my BMW as those were wobbly as hell when the roads where dry. They actually felt unsafe in normal conditions due to the way the tread blocks move around.

What a heap of pi5h ^

You regretted reading the thread so much you thought youd share it with us. Dont bother next time.

Blimey. Somebody got out of bed the wrong side!

Glencoe yesterday, never needed my c0-cksocks.

& Saturday, needed my Sunshade & pooper scooper.

george

Sharn socks required.

Got the shredded T Shirt with Snow Socks.

Doing 20k miles a year fitting winter tyres cost nothing for me, I'd get through two sets of tyres during the car ownership and a set of narrower winters on steelies is the same price as a set of premium wide summer low profiles. Below 7 degrees winters wear far slower than summer tyres due to the scrubbing effect that summer tyres suffer from at low temperatures as the compound hardens. As for the amount of wear both summer and winter tyres have 6mm if you go to the recommended limits. Summer 8mm new, 2mm change. Winter 10mm new, 4mm change.

As proof of that my Summer 235/45x17 Conti Sport 3's have done 22k miles and are down to the wear limiters and will need replacing before the summers go back on. The Pirelli Sottozero 205/55x16 have done 14k miles and still have 7mm left so should see 28k miles before I'm down to 4mm.

Saying that we also have a BMW 1 series and a Fabia, both have winter tyres fitted even though they only do 6k miles a year. Trouble is once you run winter tyres and learn the safety and handling benefits it's hard not to fit them to the cars your family are running about in.

So yes snow socks will get you out of being stuck but that's it a one trick pony, winter tyres offer so much more. In many EU countries winter tyres are compulsory, they don't even grit the roads and traffic flows freely. Maybe the UK could do the same, save a fortune on grit, the traffic would flow, there'd be less corrosion on cars and the roads wouldn't get eaten badly every year.

And as for RWD not being able to handle snow?

Cheers

Lee

Trouble is once you run winter tyres and learn the safety and handling benefits it's hard not to fit them to the cars your family are running about in.

Top comment very true

In the past, not wearing seatbelts, drinking & driving, using mobile phone etc were all perfectly fine and legal. They were all pretty stupid things in hindsight and are wholly now socially unacceptable and illegal. Perhaps in the future if we follow suit to being required to have the most suitable tyres on vehicles for the conditions like a growing number of countries around the world, maybe then using summer tyres in winter (snow or not) will seem equally as silly. Change is resisted but generally accepted in the end.

Here is the Which review of snow socks 2012 (you need an account and be logged in)

I have to put one on the steering wheel :wonder: ??

RBW

... it obviously makes sense to fit AutoSock to the steering wheels as well as to the driving wheels....

I have to put one on the steering wheel :wonder: ??

RBW

OHHHHHHHH how did I miss that little gem earlier? Well spotted sir!

Got the shredded T Shirt with Snow Socks.

Doing 20k miles a year fitting winter tyres cost nothing for me, I'd get through two sets of tyres during the car ownership and a set of narrower winters on steelies is the same price as a set of premium wide summer low profiles. Below 7 degrees winters wear far slower than summer tyres due to the scrubbing effect that summer tyres suffer from at low temperatures as the compound hardens. As for the amount of wear both summer and winter tyres have 6mm if you go to the recommended limits. Summer 8mm new, 2mm change. Winter 10mm new, 4mm change.

As proof of that my Summer 235/45x17 Conti Sport 3's have done 22k miles and are down to the wear limiters and will need replacing before the summers go back on. The Pirelli Sottozero 205/55x16 have done 14k miles and still have 7mm left so should see 28k miles before I'm down to 4mm.

Saying that we also have a BMW 1 series and a Fabia, both have winter tyres fitted even though they only do 6k miles a year. Trouble is once you run winter tyres and learn the safety and handling benefits it's hard not to fit them to the cars your family are running about in.

So yes snow socks will get you out of being stuck but that's it a one trick pony, winter tyres offer so much more. In many EU countries winter tyres are compulsory, they don't even grit the roads and traffic flows freely. Maybe the UK could do the same, save a fortune on grit, the traffic would flow, there'd be less corrosion on cars and the roads wouldn't get eaten badly every year.

And as for RWD not being able to handle snow?

Cheers

Lee

I like the idea about making them compulsory and then not gritting the roads. I wonder how much money that would free up considering the gritters up here seem to do bog all anyway. I would happily pay for winters if it became mandatory.

Actually looks like i will have to anyway as i did a quick search on mytyres and blackcircles and there didnt seem to be any all seasons available for my VRS alloys. Pity as i was wanting all seasons as opposed to full winters.