Winter/Cold weather tyre - What do people recommend?
- Thread starter Gibbo
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Neither do I. I even made specific mention to low ground in an earlier post. But then the people who really do need these tyres already know and have used them for years. They are not salivating over them on internet forums for the first time in their entire life
They've always been prepared for winter because where they live, they've had to be, year in year out.
The rest of the UK is kneejerking to the max after 2 freak winters and the way some people go on about it it's as if they genuinelly think you are a big disadvantage if you don't have special tyres to get into the Trafford Centre to go Christmas shopping
In response to your little dig, we've had winter tyres fitted to our cars since I was born, so I know full well their advantages.[TW]Fox;17775798 said:But then the people who really do need these tyres already know and have used them for years. They are not salivating over them on internet forums for the first time in their entire life
We even had them fitted to our 9000 when we lived in Manchester
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Associate
IIRC winter tyres that perform around as well as summer tyres in warmer (up to the magical 7c) dry / wet temperatures are actually fairly new technology.
It's only been the last few years you weren't sacrificing dry / wet grip to improve snow grip, so you could argue that people have only picked up on them this year because the technology has only just been developed to allow a cold weather tyre to work in the UK climate...
You are at a genuine disadvantage to get to the trafford centre if it's snowing.
It's only been the last few years you weren't sacrificing dry / wet grip to improve snow grip, so you could argue that people have only picked up on them this year because the technology has only just been developed to allow a cold weather tyre to work in the UK climate...
You are at a genuine disadvantage to get to the trafford centre if it's snowing.
There we go again with the generalisation and this is what frustrates me about that whole thing. The term 'summer tyres' encompasses everything from a Sava Intensa to a Pilot Sport 3. I refuse to beleive they all exhibit the same performance below 7c. They are all very different tyres with very different compounds!
If you are driving to the trafford centre and its snowing to the extent that the carriageway is covered in snow then you need to rethink whether your journey is really a good idea, especially as you'll inevitably get stuck in a 7 hour mess of 'TRAFFIC CHOAS HITS UK' on the way. In the sort of snow showers we normally get - ie not the last two years (I'm going to look like quite a muppet if we get an entire month of sustained snow am I not
) - it doesnt find itself laid all over the road network.In reality even when it does snow - which isnt very often - the amount of times its snowed so hard that roads to the trafford centre are covered in snow must be so few its hard to even count.
Soldato
[TW]Fox;17775891 said:If you are driving to the trafford centre and its snowing to the extent that the carriageway is covered in snow then you need to rethink whether your journey is really a good idea, especially as you'll inevitably get stuck in a 7 hour mess of 'TRAFFIC CHOAS HITS UK' on the way. In the sort of snow showers we normally get - ie not the last two years (I'm going to look like quite a muppet if we get an entire month of sustained snow am I not
I think he was more saying that the Trafford Centre is best avoided at all times.
Associate
[TW]Fox;17775891 said:
Just as "winter tyres" encompasses everything from a Sava Eskimo S3 to a Michelin Alpin A4.
Premium, mid ranges and budget tyre manufactures make winter tyres as they do summer...
Associate
The answer is free and simple drive accordingly! Most people under estimate distances in adverse condition which leads everyone feeling they must buy winter tyre so they can brake and turn as if it were dry. The other key thing tyre tread depth any less than 3mm it doesn’t matter if you got budgets or super duper premiums if it can’t clear the water or snow your effectively aquaplaning, most people forget about conditions thinking they get another couple K out before legal limit.
To help you can drop tyre pressures 5-10psi this helps tremendously with feel feedback and traction without risking failure or damage when the temps come up around mid-day. Or use snow socks over the tyres these only work in snow and ice soon as your on tarmac they shred to bits but are very effective. For British winter use I go with any all season tyre with most amount of tread depth in a blocky asymmetric pattern not V patterns. I recommend something like Goodyear Hydragrip, any of the Uniroyal Rainsports, Continental or Michelin for bigger heavier cars but essentially fresh tyres with most tyre depth even if you can only stretch to budget brands.
To help you can drop tyre pressures 5-10psi this helps tremendously with feel feedback and traction without risking failure or damage when the temps come up around mid-day. Or use snow socks over the tyres these only work in snow and ice soon as your on tarmac they shred to bits but are very effective. For British winter use I go with any all season tyre with most amount of tread depth in a blocky asymmetric pattern not V patterns. I recommend something like Goodyear Hydragrip, any of the Uniroyal Rainsports, Continental or Michelin for bigger heavier cars but essentially fresh tyres with most tyre depth even if you can only stretch to budget brands.
Caporegime
I thought Gibbo's solution to this was an aged 5 series?
Caporegime
Speaking from the experience of last winter and relatively new "Happy Shopper" tyres on my 328i, I have to disagree with that, strongly!
I had barely legal tyres last winter and even a bit of slush was a nightmare, happened to have bought some wheels earlier that had some nearly new budgets on (was waiting to get them painted and decent rubber on). Threw them on as a stop gap and while they were generally useless they were better when any slush / snow was on the ground.
Soldato
Well, I was going to suggest Pirelli Scorpions. When doing reasearch on the X-trail I spotted they've a great following in the SUV market.
I have all season scorpions on the X-trail. If you can get 50% cash back, then that's a pretty big incentive too!
I have all season scorpions on the X-trail. If you can get 50% cash back, then that's a pretty big incentive too!
Soldato
This is what I found last year. I took the Baja out when it snowed hard.[TW]Fox;17775891 said:
Whilst I could have got through pretty much anything, I was surrounded by other cars who were practically stuck.
I lost the back end in Norway when I hit fresh snow too fast without concentrating.
With no warning at all, the back just went out and I ended up going into a snowbank backwards at ~30mph.
And that was with 4wd. Why? Because the rear winter tyres were worn well past 5mm..
Associate
Last year I bought 'winter tyres' (Vredestien Wintrac Extreme 235/35/19 and 265/30/19) for my M3 CSL because I was sick of being 'stuck' when it snowed. On the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 I could not move anywhere, but on the VWE I could get around fine. No need to call for taxis or walk. However, in anything but snow I found them much MUCH worse than the MPS2, which did surprise me to be honest.