Winter tyres - advice sought.

[pipmurray]

These days being retired I can mostly avoid traveling in bad conditions. If it's foggy, icy or snowing

heavily I just don't travel anywhere. No work so no need to commute anywhere, lovely!

[steve20bore]

Well it might save the UK from grinding to a halt every time we get an inch of snowfall if people used winter tyres in the winter months  :wonder:

 

 

 

 Don't hold your breath, Marie. 

 

 

 

 Steve.

[33q]

These days being retired I can mostly avoid traveling in bad conditions. If it's foggy, icy or snowing

heavily I just don't travel anywhere. No work so no need to commute anywhere, lovely!

I'm in the same position. Happily retired and don't commute anymore. After much thought and a very long thread discussion on this very subject last year I decided to go down the winter tyre route. First time I did this in over 40 years of driving.

It's a personal choice based on personal needs and desires.

I don't consider them snow tyres.....they are winter tyres....when the weather is colder, wetter.....and rarely snowy.

[Shanco]

It seems to me that 'normal' tyres are made of a different compound than they were years ago. I invested in a set of rims and winter tyres last January - my logic was that they would hopefully provide me with better grip whilst not costing me more in the long run - you can only wear out one set of tyres at a time.

My local tyre fitter changed them back to 'summer tyres' for £5 a corner.

[rockhopper]

It seems to me that 'normal' tyres are made of a different compound than they were years ago. I invested in a set of rims and winter tyres last January - my logic was that they would hopefully provide me with better grip whilst not costing me more in the long run - you can only wear out one set of tyres at a time.

My local tyre fitter changed them back to 'summer tyres' for £5 a corner.

I sold my car with 41,000 mile on the clock. It was still fitted with the original tyres. My winter tyres have 6mm left all round after 3 winters, so should do another 2 winters before needing to be replaced, so the winters will have done about 35-40,000 miles by the time they are at 4mm.

I don't remember what the depth of tread was on the summers, but I don't think they were wearing as well as the winters!!!! Even though they had done a similar mileage approx 20k on both sets.

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[FlintstoneR1]

I'm in the same position. Happily retired and don't commute anymore. After much thought and a very long thread discussion on this very subject last year I decided to go down the winter tyre route. First time I did this in over 40 years of driving.

It's a personal choice based on personal needs and desires.

I don't consider them snow tyres.....they are winter tyres....when the weather is colder, wetter.....and rarely snowy.

Spot on Nigel! 

 

Specialist "snow tyres" to my mind are those you can get in Scandinavia - very narrow, block tread with special holes/dimples to accept metal studs for pure ice. (You can climb the side of a house with those on!  But are studs still illegal in UK - due to the road damage if you use them on tarmac?)

 

Winter tyres are very different - optimised for plenty of cold, wet, metalled roads, with the occasional patch of slush and the odd day or mile or two on snow - just like a traditional British winter (And occasionally British summer?  I remember a Derbyshire cricket match when "snow stopped play" in July one year! :sun:    )

 

My Yokohama Winters will be going on sometime during November, when it feels like cold enough.  Will take the opportunity while the wheels are off to flush and replace the brake fluid too. Plus measure disk thickness, etc. to check wear rates. So I can predict when they'll need replacing.  With the kit to hand for those tasks, I find it preferable to DIY, rather than the hassle of paying someone else. Although not a native born Yorkshireman, I've adopted several of the finer characteristics since living here.....

 

It also gives me an excuse to check everything out under the wheel arches.  So every time I hit the brake pedal or steering, I have a better idea what condition all the crucial bits are in.   Bit like doing my own oil changes - so I know what has really gone in the sump.

[g6zru]

Well it might save the UK from grinding to a halt every time we get an inch of snowfall if people used winter tyres in the winter months  :wonder:

I doubt it MarieK, it might make a slight difference but most of the problem is the drivers not the vehicles!

 

Fred

[Sporky McGuffin]

It seems to me that 'normal' tyres are made of a different compound than they were years ago.

 

They are - also the typical tread patterns have changed. "Normal" tyres ten years or more ago were more like the current all season tyres.

[patnmand]

I first put winter tyres on my Superb and they were a revelation. Since then my brother-in-law has put them on his Mondeo, and my mother has fitted them to her Mercedes CLC. I don't know of anyone who has actually tried them who isn't completely convinced by them. Yes, it's a hassle to change them, but personally I'd rather know that I had everything going for me in an emergency. I now have steel wheels and tyres, and they'll go on as soon as it gets cold enough.

[stevie.d]

Got mine ready here and wouldn't be without a set now.

Even managed to sell my winter steelies and tyres from the fabia locally through gumtree which helped with the costs for the new set

[Paul52]

Quick and possibly daft question question. Can (should?) the wheel nuts currently holding on my alloys be used with steel wheels or will I need a new set? (I've been looking at a wheel/tyre package from Mytyres until I read Nick P's post above, which is a bit worrying as I'm pretty low annual mileage, and did ask them but got a technoblurb answer that left me more confused than ever).

[bilun777]

Quick and possibly daft question question. Can (should?) the wheel nuts currently holding on my alloys be used with steel wheels or will I need a new set? (I've been looking at a wheel/tyre package from Mytyres until I read Nick P's post above, which is a bit worrying as I'm pretty low annual mileage, and did ask them but got a technoblurb answer that left me more confused than ever).

Not at all daft....Yes they can be used.

[Llanigraham]

Yes, you can use the same nuts.

[skomaz]

They are - also the typical tread patterns have changed. "Normal" tyres ten years or more ago were more like the current all season tyres.

Absolutely - most modern tyres manufacturers seem to have an obsession with deep grooves along the tyre and solid rings of tread, as opposed to a directional V-tread or cross sipes, and as a result are bound to be worse in bad weather.

[oldtynesider]

All this talk about winter weather set my mind thinking. I have been retired for over 5 years now, but prior to that I have held a licence since I was 17. Used to travel on a motorbike over thirty miles across the wilder parts of Northumberland in all weathers with practically no protection other than news paper stuffed inside my wellingtons. when I graduated to a car (1936 Austin 10 ) it had no heater and I had to keep all the windows open to stop my breath freezing not the windscreen,

I am about to take delivery of my first new car (Octavia Estate se 1.6) and was wondering if I should consider winter wheels but have decided I will hibernate instead and buy a few more logs for the open fire instead.

I shall be thinking of all you motorists as I lay back in the armchair with my feet toasting and wishing you well

Best regards to all, George the old tynsider

[oldtynesider]

All this talk about winter weather set my mind thinking. I have been retired for over 5 years now, but prior to that I have held a licence since I was 17. Used to travel on a motorbike over thirty miles across the wilder parts of Northumberland in all weathers with practically no protection other than news paper stuffed inside my wellingtons. when I graduated to a car (1936 Austin 10 ) it had no heater and I had to keep all the windows open to stop my breath freezing on the windscreen,

I am about to take delivery of my first new car (Octavia Estate se 1.6) and was wondering if I should consider winter wheels but have decided I will hibernate instead and buy a few more logs for the open fire instead.

I shall be thinking of all you motorists as I lay back in the armchair with my feet toasting and wishing you well

Best regards to all, George the old tynsider