Winter/Snow tyre discussion thread

[coullstar 0]

Ive been using winter tyres on my 4motion since mid December and I simply cannot believe the difference they make. I am on a mission to educate everyone I see now as I really think that most of the issues on the roads over the last couple of weeks would not be an issue if we had these fitted. As a good example of what they are like check out this vid. Theres also another one somewhere thats shows its pointless just putting two on the front wheels.

 

 

Winter tyres to recommend are Avon IceTouring ST's in 205/55/16 for the Mk4

 

Link to winter tyre review: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/re ... -tyres.htm

[Jim 2]

Holy heck... the last test really shows the difference!

 

Have to say, have been seriously considering a set of winter tyres on the rear of the Merc as it's been genuinely scary a few times in this weather.. but not sure I want the expense knowing that in a few weeks it could have all melted away and we'll be back to normal weather again - just lots of rain!

 

Food for thought though. I never imagined they'd make so much of an improvement.

[coullstar 0]

Thing is they work in all winter weathers, basically as soon as its gets below 7deg they come into there own. If you get a set they should last you a good few years.

[mrbeige 0]

I too have considered winter tyres over the last few weeks. Thought that they might be a waste of money....but after watching that video, I'm convinced :salute:

[coullstar 0]

I'm sure the haldex on your 4mo helps Coullstar!

Yeah that comes into play but I know people who have quattro etc and are still struggling on some of the roads. I can pretty much drive as normal in these conditions.

 

There is a massive market for them. I know someone in Norway who has 18in alloys on there A5 in winter to replace the 19in standard wheels. Obviously the thinner tyres seem to help but its more to do with the design. If you get a set they should last at least 3 winters, you sane wear on your "summer" tyres and possibly damage to your alloys if you get a 2nd set of wheels.

[coullstar 0]

ok so winter tyres seem to work but why? what makes them different from summer tyres. is it a softer compound or some sort of mega aggresive tread? :shrug:

 

Slightly softer compound and the tyres have loads if little slits in the tread block. Its the slits that seem to make the big difference.

The way I look at it is its a couple of hundred pounds against smashing your car. Thats probably less than most peoples excess.

[mimjed 0]

Its law to use winter tyres in germany. Gives a clue to how good they are.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/24852 ... ested.html

 

I'm defo getting some 'Cold weather' tyres next year based on those results!

 

What they don't mention in that article (but do in this month's magazine) is how Cold weather tyres actually work. It's a combination of a soft compound, the tread pattern and sipes (the little cuts in the tread blocks). It's the soft compound that contributes the biggest gains in grip apparently. I always assumed you needed a hard and narrow tyre with 4x4 type tread blocks to cut through the snow, but nope!

 

The experts say cold weather tyres should be used in conditions consistently at, or below 7 deg C, so that's November to early March effectively and they're not just for snow and ice, but for cold weather period. The softer compound warms up faster and keys into the tarmac better, so unless the tarmac is bone dry over winter (not often!), summer tyres have no advantage at all. They even go on to say that summer tyre compounds become too brittle and abrasive when cold, so wear accelerates.

 

Has anyone tried any snow tyres on their C? The Pirelli Zero Sottos in the test sound a tad expensive! There must be some decent and cheaper alternatives?

 

Oh and the reason snow tyres are used in Europe every year is because their insurance policies are null and void if they have a prang in winter, on summer tyres!!

[coullstar 0]

I bleeted on about these around christmas time and Im glad others are seeing the good sense in getting them. There is no downside at all that I can see other than an initial investment.

 

They simply allow you to drive as normal on snow and cold roads. I had a thread with a video showing the difference [Mod edit: now in 1st post of this thread]. Its the braking that Im most impressed with as we all know you can get caught out so being able to stop or manouvre quickly is when they come into there own. You only have to hope the guy behind has them fitted as well.

[mr lobitos 0]

went on a tyre test to austria courtesy of vredestein.they used two identical golfs one fitted with summers the other with winters.the results had to be seen to be believed,thats why i fit winters from november to april theres no competition.(you can get winters in 40 +45 series so no real need to have winter wheels)

[Rathion 0]

Just bought a set of winter tyres from a guy on here and another forum I visit and they are absolutely fantastic in the snow!

 

I live in Aberdeenshire and snow here has been pretty mental this winter and where I live I am surrounded by steep hills.

A few mornings I have seen cars struggling and not making it over the hill and my Corrado with the winter tyres just walks it.

Can't comment on how they will last but I'm intending running 2 sets of wheels/tyres on all my cars from now on.

 

The ones I am using are Michelin Alpins. Highly recommended.

[mr lobitos 0]

vredestein do a range called wintrac extreme in low profile sizes.try tyretraders or search online for your local dealer.i know during the last cold snap stocks ran out pretty quick (panic buying )as well as the importers not shipping enough into country because of no previous demand. same old britain wait till the horse has bolted then act!!!!

[StuartFZR400 0]

One small tip for the cautious lot of you; if you're putting on better rubber, don't expect those around you to stop in the same distance. I hate our local driving habits and would be highly warey of those tailgating you.

 

Kev, I know the article makes mention of same tyre width, but going by ralley cars, surely a narrow tyre is one step better still whean dealing with snow/slush- idea being you cut through the stuff, rather than float on top. Whereas a wide tread would be fine if just on an icey road. Personally I'd go for something slightly narrower if possible. If brakes allowed it, I wouldn't be interested in low profiles either as a secondary thought. You got any feedback on which is the best alrounder for winter? ie something that is soft, grips snow, but also manages to displace slush/water?

 

Sticking (pardon pun) with the soft tyres; yeh somewhat a thing some bikers chase. But what you should also realise is that come a sunny warmer day, you can soon trash your lovely set of winters in a few mile; round of those nice square blocks. Depends on just how soft they are. I'd imaine good road ones will be reasonably sturdy.

 

I can't see average joe swapping to wintyer tyres in extreme conditions; we dont get enough of it. If you're talking about the inbetween conditions, then of course the likes of you lot would take keenly to feeling some soft slippers under foot, but your average joe... dont think for one second they are 'feeling for grip', so come the day the swap back to summer tyres, but a cold snap hits, they'll be lost. I'd rather they just drove slowly. IMHO

[Kevin Bacon 5]

There's driving slowly, and there's crawling along struggling for grip, even at 10mph! As mentioned already, the biggest selling point of snow tyres is improved braking and actually being able to pull away from a standstill, especially in RWD applications. I don't think anyone's foolish enough to think of snow tyres purely as a way of driving fast on snow :D

 

The best progress I've made in snow to date with my C on normal summer tyres was on Bridgestone RE720s in the standard 205/50/15 size and also standard suspension.

 

Lowered onto 205/40/17s, it's always been diabolically poor in snow, regardless of tyre brand, so it's the stock suspension and squishier side walls that help there.

 

Rally cars used to use spiked tyres as you know, but they're banned from most tracks now, so it's just narrowness and effective compounds now :D Don't forget Rally cars weigh much less than their road car equivalents, so need the narrow 'cutting through' action more than road cars.

[StuartFZR400 0]

There's driving slowly, and there's crawling along struggling for grip, even at 10mph! As mentioned already, the biggest selling point of snow tyres is improved braking and actually being able to pull away from a standstill, especially in RWD applications.

 

Yeh, but that goes back to my initial point that those Average Joes would be well advised to use the tyres in the extreme conditions (where 10mph results); but they're not going to buy spare sets for those rare days - instead they should stay at home. But then you're missing work; so everyone makes an effort to get to work... slowly.

 

The amount of common mercs/bm's and other RWD guff, then yeh, those folk should take heed and consider a purchase. I personally would buy a set of steelies, if I wasn't planning on selling this year.

 

How longs the shelf life though? I guess you'd get 5 years say? Worth it at £60/corner - £48/year.

[coullstar 0]

Yes. Remember you are then saving on wear to your "summer" tyres. I bought mine as I prefer to make a decision when I can drive in the winter, not the weather.

I ran winter tyres on my old Passat in August / Sept last year and there was no noticable difference to wear.

We can debate all we like but believe me until you have tried them back to back with normal tyres you will not apprceiate the difference they make.

[Ben-B 0]

After someone skidded on snow/ice through some traffic lights and hit my car, I was driving my dads car a fair bit last winter, which had winter tyres on and they really were amazing...

I was able to drive up hills that people couldn't even walk up... and turning onto my road it's a sharpish downhill right turn, and people were going straight on into parked cars or even the wall (behind which is a 10 metre drop)... my dads car could handle it fine, it was about as slippy as summer tyres in the wet, so nothing like as good as in the dry, but as long as you appreciate that, they're better than you could ever expect.

 

And as I'm getting the Comp MO5s too, I think I'll get a cheap set of 17s to put them on, that I don't care whether they get wrecked or not (from salt, and the accidental slide on ice into a kerb etc)

[Purple Tom 0]

Me too, I've already got the 15" steelies ready to fit and the winter tyres on order, so bring on sub 7º temperatures!! It'll be useful if I can maintain traction on my country lane commute.

 

I did find that my VR with 205/50R15 Conti PremiumContact2 tyres and standard suspension was absolutely fantastic in the snow last winter, the traction control helped too (which I didn't know it had until I was doing below 10 kph with the wheels spinning).

[Toad 0]

I've been running rainsports 2s for a year, and am about to buy another 4. They seemed ok in the snow last year, but then I am amazing! ;)

[herisites 0]

I'm looking to get some winter tyres for my speedies in the next few months. I can't seem to f**king find any anywhere that are any good and in the right size (205/50/15) although 195/50/15's seem to be easier to get hold of as they are a more common size I suppose on small cars.

 

Anyone know a good place to buy good winter tyres? And not just budget crap with some variation on 'winter' or 'snow' in the title :lol:

Try Camskill.co.uk - On the left, click on winter car tyres

 

Also use this - http://www.alloywheels.com/tyrecalc.asp - to work out what tyres will fit the wheels, and also what other tyre sizes will have the same rolling radius as the originals (so as not to put the speedo out)

 

Yeah been looking on Camskill, there's not much choice for 205/50/15's but a bit more choice for 195/50/15's, the Vredestein Snowtrac 3's being the best really from what I read. £60 a pop though compared to £44 for say the Toyo Snowprox.

[emu 0]

When I did come to UK over 5 years ago I was amazed how hard was to buy winter tyres, it was almost impossible. People in garages were asking me, why do I need them. Finally when found some they were to expensive for me that time.

 

In Poland winters are very bad and you have to drive on winter tyres. Trust me, driving on winter tyres is something else, you can brake, you can accelerate and drive in corners without bigger problems.

[Jim 2]

The potential of winter tyres really opened my eyes - watching some video clips, reading some reviews and so forth after the diabolical winter. I'm definitely converted. It'll be awesome to wake up one snowy morning and actually look forward to the drive ;)

[mr lobitos 0]

If anybody is thinking of getting a set would advise to buy asap, spoke to two major wholesalers today, both said they are running short already due to last years bad winter, be warned.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah figured as much and the irony being there probably won't be any snow / ice this year :D

 

Any recommendations? I've never used a snow tyre on the Corrado before, so wouldn't know a good brand / model from a duff one.

[mr lobitos 0]

kumho are the best buy at moment,would be prepared to supply at cost but only for collection from depot in north wales