As above,im starting to wonder if i made a mistake fitting them so soon,it doesnt help that i hate how my vrs looks on 16" audi alloys,im tempted to fit my 18" zeniths back on seen as they have new tyres fitted now. I know its been mild up to now but i want some snow! 

Edited 30 December, 201312 yr by mikey vrs

I know its been mild up to now but i want some snow! 

 

Don't be wishing things like that!

 

Remember, your tyres will be working better than the summer ones when the temperature is below 7° so you've probably already had some benefit but maybe just not enough to justify the outlay to swmbo!

This is really annoying ! When I fitted winter to swmbo's VW Beetle I had to drive hundreds of miles up to the ski slopes in the Cairngorm's in Scotland!! I did find snow and ice in abundance and satisfied my lust for driving in snow with winters on but really need some snow near home as it could get expensive driving up to Scotland for snow lol! ?

I have noticed some improvement when driving through standing water but that was comparing it to the worn out tyres on the zeniths  "below 7"......i think ive only had one day like that here. 

I've gone back to the standard zeniths as the snowtracs are dissolving in the weather.Plus it looks so much better with the 18" as opposed to the 16" steels

I've noticed loads more grip on wet / greasy roads.

Does look pants on black 16" steels though.

You don't need snow to see the benefits

Don't remove them yet...Too early

You don't need snow to see the benefits

Don't remove them yet...Too early

Agreed that the lack of grip with the "summer" tyres on is quite apparent but ill change them back when the weather turns.Bald winters (3rd winter for the snowtracs) are no good to anyone so every mm counts

Been weather watching like a hawk for a long cold spell before I fit mine.

I still don't understand this whole winter tyre thing. I just keep my "all year," round wheels and tyres on. I don't think our weather is severe enough all the time to warrant new tyres. Just adjust my driving and haven't crashed yet in 10 years.

Please note these are simply my opinions. I'm not saying I'm right.

Its your opinion....Fine

But in my opinion...they do

More grip, better stopping distances and behaviour generally on cold wet roads

When snow eventually does arrive I find I can drive virtually normally ...

I'm more worried about other drivers with normal summer tyres on, than my own grip

I still don't understand this whole winter tyre thing. I just keep my "all year," round wheels and tyres on. I don't think our weather is severe enough all the time to warrant new tyres. Just adjust my driving and haven't crashed yet in 10 years.

Please note these are simply my opinions. I'm not saying I'm right.

 

I didn't either until I put some on my Vrs, I need to be at work some mornings at 5am and driving on virgin snow was a nightmare especially as my Vrs has the DSG box. Winter tyre's improved my journey to work even driving up a steep slope to get into the works car park. Even in cold weather you can feel the difference 

That's fair enough.

I worry about drivers who have too much confidence and think winter tyres mean they can drive as normal. I just fit tyres which are good all year round. To be honest I've never felt any difference in cars with them fitted.

None of this is a dig at you by the way.

SWMBO leaves for work before 7am each day and since early November more often than not the temperature has been well below 7 degrees when she has left.  Once you realise what a difference they make to driving when it is cold not just in snow you will never think of using normal "summer tyres".

The reason i got winter tyres is over the last 2 winters i got caught out in the snow,my vrs is the only car ive had trouble with(due to the wide standard tyres) so im wanting to try my winters in the same situation so i can compare them both. 

Hmmm perhaps I need to give these a try. Although I've never felt any difference in cars with them fitted. I've only driven a very short distance on them. Probably haven't given them a fair chance.

I'll look at a set.

I'm guessing in Oxford you are less likely to see adverse weather conditions than those further north.

 

Remember winter tyres are proven to out perform summer tyres in temperatures below 7 degrees, even in the dry.

 

It is also worth pointing out that it'll be just before impact that you'll appreciate the reduced braking distances offered by winter tyres.

 

That doesn't of course mean the guy behind with summers on won't run up the back of you!

Before I fitted winters to my old Octavia I often got a bit of wheel spin (slip might be a better word) when setting of at junctions, particularly off camber one, once I fitted the winters it never happened again.

If you have the Continental SportContact 2's on the car and they are worn a bit then they are lethal in ice and snow. The design is basically longitudinal groves with virtually no horizontal blocks or sipes which is good for dry grip only. Having approached a downhill T junction on them and ended up sliding out onto the road at 5 mph and also struggling to get any grip pulling away etc..........I went to winters and boom.........safe controllable and confidence building knowing that you can stop/manoeuvre in an emergency situation.

Holding just about every licence I can tell you they are one of the best inventions.........which you only discover when you need them !

Fitted my first set of winters to the scout in 2011, and they paid for themselves the very next day. I stopped quickly in snow, because the car who slid across the junction in front of me didn't.

Plus I commute across the Pennines every day so I will ALWAYS have a set of winters. As will SWMBO.

Once you've had em in foul cold weather, you'll never go back.

Edited 3 January, 201412 yr by JJBS3

Will agree , until you have driven a set in cold bad weather , you won't appriciate them. Also due to the fact you only use them for a quarter of the year ( at the most , sometimes ) , they last for years. 

Will agree , until you have driven a set in cold bad weather , you won't appriciate them. Also due to the fact you only use them for a quarter of the year ( at the most , sometimes ) , they last for years.

Actually last year since we still had snow into April I had mine on for 7 months (October to April)

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It has been consistently below 7 degrees up here for ages, I certainly have noticed the difference though when its cold and a bit damp if i boot it in 3rd. It seems a lot more reluctant to set the traction control light flickering than with the normal summer tyres.

This is  like saying "I had a flu Jab and not had flu!