Hi; joined the  forum as was so impreseed with the amount and quality of replies to previous queries from members. What's the view on the necessity of winter tyres on the 4x4 hatchback please? I live in leicestershire and commute to centre of Birmingham every day.

many thanks

NIgel

Nigel,

 

I've just sold one, a 4x4 superb. I used to commute from Sheffield to Manchester. 

 

I did opt for winter tyres, in fact I have 4 in the garage I need to move on although they are 235's, but all fit in the superb hatch I used to take to tyre shop, swap all 4 in spring / autumn and take road tyres back home. Spare wheels would of been easier.

 

I would opt for them, from Nov onwards with things like water, they simply get rid of more quicker. The haldex 4x4 will get you out of most normal road scenarios, with the right tyres on you'll be driving around obstacles, up slopes etc, you could take to the side roads if m-way is blocked with much more confidence. If you're not convinced, then maybe consider all weather tyres, a hybrid between winter and summer.

 

2 things to consider though, is those ahead of you without them, are more likely to have a bump and thus stop you from making progress. A shut road is a shut road... Then those behind you when you stop quicker due to better grip and water removal, might whack you.

 

Also bear in mind, below 6mm of tread, they are way less effective, so may increase year on year running costs... small price to pay imho.

 

Last year, maybe the year before I took off down to my inlaws, south birmingham, the M5 was snow covered. Most everyone was doing 10mph on the inside lane... me and a freelander were in the outside lane chugging quite happily at 4/50+. There was a degree of trust in the fact neither of us would do something stupid. Something greatly lacking in normal conditions, but also something the Swedish I understand rely on, hence they would of been doing full speed

 

Either way the 4x4 is great and capable, when the snow is down, find a nice big car park to discover it.

 

ps

The travel re-routing can be a little aggressive or false, often re-routing when nothing exists... and just occasionally late enough to alert you as you've past the slip road of queues before next jcn, quite a few no ***** sherlock comments to my sat nav on moments like that.

Welcome.

Hi and welcome aboard.

Thanks very much for the welcome guys and I reallly appreciate your thoughts Colin.( Love to Sheffield , my home town !) I will certainly see how the tyres progress. My wife has a Octavia Scout with winter tyres which was absolutely brillliant in our local snow drifts earlier this year. I was going to buy and fit some mudflaps to the Elegance, but being quite low they might block up snow im thinking, so might leave these.

Im very happy still playing with all the butttons and gadgets and lighting options !! Big boys and toys I suppose !

Dont suppose you have any idea who would be interested in buying my old winter tyres from the Laguna i traded in for the Superb ???

Thanks again, will try to get involved in a range of threads and topics !

Cheers

Nigel

Might be slight off-topic, but here is the opinion from the country where winter tires is a must from Nov till April

 

Be or not to be depends also on average temperatures during winter season. Summer tires are loosing their performance under +5C, not talking about below zero. They will also wear quicker during winter. From other hand - if during winter there are longer periods of temperatures above +10-12C - winter tires also loosing their performance and wearing quicker. If there are periods of positive temperature during winter - I would go for winter tires with harder rubber (not for high speed winter tires which usually have soft rubber in order to provide good traction at very high speeds).

 

I wish you safe winter