Winter/Snow tyre discussion thread

[Jim 1]

People on Pistonheads ranting that the Mytyres and similar places have literally been doubling the price of the winter tyres now because of the supply / demand / greed.

 

I'll wait this winter out on normal rubber and invest in some winters next summer so I'm prepared!

[KIPVW 0]

People on Pistonheads ranting that the Mytyres and similar places have literally been doubling the price of the winter tyres now because of the supply / demand / greed.

 

I'll wait this winter out on normal rubber and invest in some winters next summer so I'm prepared!

 

Na Jim, ordered another set from my local Kwik Fit of all places and only works out a fiver more than i paid on my tyres.com 2 weeks ago. Just mention the online price when you call your local store.

 

195, 50, 15, Continental TS800 :salute:

 

Link, http://www.kwik-fit.com/tyre-search.asp

[borders16v 0]

Did the same about an hour ago,253 incl fitting etc for Conti`s,thurs fitting and hopefully they wont back out of the deal for some reason or other ?

[Purple Tom 0]

My Vredestein Snowtrac3's are bloody brilliant :clap:

 

I deliberately sought out some terrible roads yesterday after the 6" of snow we had on Friday night. The Corrado didn't put a foot wrong at all - in fact at one point I passed a Range Rover Sport which had just slid into a ditch. I've found them not particularly brilliant on black ice (not compacted snow, actual black ice!), but they are fantastic on both fresh and heavily compacted snow. They feel planted and I even found myself going quick enough at one point for the spoiler to go up...certainly wouldn't have felt like that on the T1-R's!

 

As Kev has said they are quite progressive in the dry. On the first day of using them before it snowed I found that cornering relatively hard would provoke a certain amount of an understeery slide, but its incredibly progressive and very very easy to predict and correct. Not a hint of lift-off oversteer either.

 

All in all - I will never run summer tyres through the winter again!!

[Laser Mark 0]

After reading this thread over the weekend I'll be buying a set of winter tyre's tomorrow. They will be going on my golf as I swapped out the 19" for the standard 16" on Saturday and the tread is getting a little close to minimum for my liking in these conditions.

I think I'll be getting the same as purple Tom as they are no too expensive, and he seems to be very impressed.

[Guest]

And another :clap: :clap: :clap: for the tyres on Kips 8v this morning.

We had now snow this morning and our hill was covered again. He pulled off the drive and just steadily climbed. Next door set off on the school run (no window clearing, just wipers on front and rear :cuckoo: ) and spent 5 mins spinning and zigzagging up.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Na Jim, ordered another set from my local Kwik Fit of all places and only works out a fiver more than i paid on my tyres.com 2 weeks ago. Just mention the online price when you call your local store.

 

195, 50, 15, Continental TS800 :salute:

 

Link, http://www.kwik-fit.com/tyre-search.asp

 

Nice one Kip! Good prices, I'll remember them next year :D

[Yandards 0]

Na Jim, ordered another set from my local Kwik Fit of all places and only works out a fiver more than i paid on my tyres.com 2 weeks ago. Just mention the online price when you call your local store.

 

195, 50, 15, Continental TS800 :salute:

 

Link, http://www.kwik-fit.com/tyre-search.asp

 

Nice one Kip! Good prices, I'll remember them next year :D

 

Just had a pair of new Continental Premium contact 2s fitted to the nugget before the weather arrived, 185/55/15s, for £155 all in. Better than all the online offers and £50 cheaper than the rest of the tyre monkeys, booked online, picked my day to get it done and that was that. They even phoned me the day before to say my tyres were in and that I could come in anytime to get them fitted.

 

I think Kwik Fit are also offering to hold onto your summer tyres and refit them when you want, some sort of tyre hotel!

 

Not gone for a set of winter tyres yet but as we have about 2ft in the village sat on the roads etc it's going to be a struggle getting into Elgin to get some fitted!

 

Don't want to try to move the C off the drive either as I can see it sliding into the wall on the way down and making a mess! :(

[Storm Warning 0]

Tried to get some winters today...left it a little late, only ones available were Hankooks which I've reserved for now. Trouble is they are 215/45/17, he said at the time they would be pretty much the same rolling size but thats clearly not right now I think about it. Will the fit ok though? car is lowered on coilovers.

[coullstar 0]

Probably rub with that width/profile Im afraid.

[Storm Warning 0]

bugger, maybe next year :-)

[The_Dude 0]

But having coilovers, surely you can jack up the ride height again to 4x4?

[Ben-B 0]

Once again I could really have done with my winter tyres today, still not arrived but I only ordered them a few days ago... hopefully they'll come this week, then at the weekend when I'm home I can get them fitted.

 

Can't wait to not worry about getting stuck on the back road between where I'm staying and work

[Dan_Storm 0]

My Raddo is locked up in the garage at the moment, but i've ordered a set of winter tyres for the Leon. I went for a set of Nokian WR G2. Looking forward to getting them on as I don't have much confidence with my summer tyres in the current conditions.

 

I bought them from www.reifen.com which is a German site but they ship to the UK for 4.95EUR per 2 tyres. It worked out cheaper than UK based outfits.

[Veearrhsix 0]

I've ordered a set of TS800's yesterday, and now just reading this thread. Kev, Kip - My confidence of winter driving will be restored now I think.

[KIPVW 0]

I've ordered a set of TS800's yesterday, and now just reading this thread. Kev, Kip - My confidence of winter driving will be restored now I think.

 

You will not be dissapointed matey, had another epic drive to work today, set off at 7 and beat the idiots, only took 10 mins more than normal and most of the route was off main roads.

 

I watched one guy trying to get up a slight incline near my house only to give up and roll back again so as soon as he was out the way i thought My Turn :lol: and effortlessly flew up and outta sight in seconds..... i bet he sat there thinking WTF! :lol:

 

Hope my rear ones arrive today as its covered again outside work! Bring it on!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Is there anything in the handbook about winter tyres? Just wondering what the optimum tyre pressures should be running winters?

 

Had my first drive on slush and snow today and it's a different car compared to last winter :clap: You can just drive normally-ish, with a slight squirm here and there. Epic! :D

 

There's enough grip to safely overtake people doing 10mph as well, much to their annoyance with the usual hand signs and flashing. Well f'ck em. If I have bothered myself to use the appropriate tyres I am going to bloody well use them!

[coullstar 0]

I would stick to standard pressures. The sidewall are slightly harder I think and if you run them too soft it could cause the snipes and grooves to close up. When I run full wets on the bike many people think softer pressures help but all that does is close up the gaps that allow the water to flow out which then defeats the purpose of the tyre. I could be wrong on the winter tyre though but it would make sense to me.

[Wendy 0]

Very annoyingly, it looks as if I have no option to get some too.

 

An inch of snow this morning, reversed out of the garage, turned car around and headed off in first at about 5mph.

Either direction out of my house is quite a steep slope to the main village road, decided to take the lesser steep slope.

Half way down, slipping and sliding then met another vehicle. applied brakes - nothing !!!!!!!!!, handbrake finally pulled me up.

Apparently further down the hill, 2 - 3 cars, one stuck almost in hedge - no getting past.

Selected reverse - managed 5 foot then slipping and sliding. Came to standstill and unable to move - in an inch of Snow !!!!!!!!!!

 

Fortunately neighbours, threw sand down behind my front wheels and gently weighted the front of the car enabling me to reverse all the way back and into my garage.

 

That is where the C is now staying - far to risky - not damaging her for the sake of a inch of snow.

Main road through village is almost clear and the main road to Banbury - hardly any snow on it what so ever.

 

Stunningly beautiful where I live, no chance of flooding ever - just a bit of a problem in the snow. !!!!!

 

Sadly now into Taxi fares - again, as no way will I either pay over the odds for Winter tyres now, but as Jim wait till Summer

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I would stick to standard pressures. The sidewall are slightly harder I think and if you run them too soft it could cause the snipes and grooves to close up. When I run full wets on the bike many people think softer pressures help but all that does is close up the gaps that allow the water to flow out which then defeats the purpose of the tyre. I could be wrong on the winter tyre though but it would make sense to me.

 

Makes perfect sense. Thanks chap :salute:

 

Next question then, what should the pressures be for 195/50/15 on a VR6? :D

 

Think the standard 205/50s are 36 psi fron and 32 rear? Sounds a little hight but I'll try those. You're right, the winters do have stiff sidewalls. Probably to make up for the tread being so soft..... driving over compacted ice is actually pretty crashy compared to summers.

 

Very annoyingly, it looks as if I have no option to get some too.

 

Sadly now into Taxi fares - again, as no way will I either pay over the odds for Winter tyres now, but as Jim wait till Summer

 

I find the way companies artificially inflate prices during peoples' time of need utterly dispicable. Winters are really cheap in Europe and they make sure they have enough stock.

 

I'm a convert. I will make sure I have a set of winters every year now and use them as a matter of course from Nov to Feb like the Germans do!

[Wullie 1]

Is there anything in the handbook about winter tyres? Just wondering what the optimum tyre pressures should be running winters?

 

Just had a look in the handbook for mine, 1'8 16v. There is no mention of changing tyre pressures for winter tyres.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Cheers Wullie!

 

Interesting about the 4mm bit and the tyres losing their effectivness, which is what Migwelda mentioned. I can see a set of winters only lasting a season :? Still, £250 on winter rubber is cheaper than a £500 excess for putting it in a ditch or under a bus.

[KIPVW 0]

Yeah just running 32 all round with my 8v Kev, I do use 36/32 on the VR though. Glad you like the tyres too :wave: :clap:

[big ben 10]

just buy another car for £250 and if you slide in a ditch leave it there :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah just running 32 all round with my 8v Kev, I do use 36/32 on the VR though. Glad you like the tyres too :wave: :clap:

 

Love em mate, they make a Corrado actually usable this time of year :D

 

just buy another car for £250 and if you slide in a ditch leave it there :lol:

 

Yeah but that would land you with a £250 littering fine :lol: . Which ever way you look at it mate, winter tyres are the cheapest solution :D