Winter tyres, snow socks and chains.

fadetoblack · 21 Jan 2013 at 17:50

Firestar_3x said:
Me either, in addition I visit the lakes for 3-4 weeks a year and stay well off the beaten track, I've been doing this for years, my time is usually over winter, never been proper stuck, not even during the last few years of really bad weather.

But nice try

Here we go again

You mean the lakes as the lakes where the Tourists go? Ore the proper parts
Where the real locals stay?

Firestar_3x · 21 Jan 2013 at 17:57

fadetoblack said:
Here we go again
You mean the lakes as the lakes where the Tourists go? Ore the proper parts
Where the real locals stay?

The proper parts, in small villages.

fadetoblack · 21 Jan 2013 at 18:01

Firestar_3x said:
The proper parts, in small villages.

The Proper parts are small hamlets not villages

To me a village is like a town (its a shame I've got move later this year)

Housey · 21 Jan 2013 at 18:07

I got my car out today, it slipped and slid lots but eventually got going fine. Once on the main roads snow was not an issue and my summer tyres (or as we used to call them, tyres) didn't die me to death.

MagicBoy · 21 Jan 2013 at 18:14

I've got autosocks in the boot just in case. Used them a few times on ungritted minor roads and icy access roads/driveways.

Housey · 21 Jan 2013 at 18:15

Autosocks seem like a sensible and cost effective half way house. Are they good?

Eliot · 21 Jan 2013 at 18:21

Winter tyre video is a bit silly as the summer tyre cars seem to have digital accelerator pedals

Mackass · 21 Jan 2013 at 18:21

Apart from getting stuck on a hill last Friday, my summer tyres have got me around fine this winter

Mickie · 21 Jan 2013 at 19:00

snow tyres are much better than any summer tyre on snow, you understand why when waiting at a green light and the person infront doesnt move, because he cant, his wheels just spinning, but in very deep snow even on flat ground snow tyres arent the best, you'll still get stuck.. you'd really need an awd or 4x4 with snow tyres for that..

i'd say snow tyres for a 4x4 and you'd probably get away with any tyres with an awd even in thick snow, we did in 2010 anyway but they'd not get us up very steep banks. but neither did my defender with normal mud tyres on..

Lopéz · 21 Jan 2013 at 19:05

Eliot said:
Winter tyre video is a bit silly as the summer tyre cars seem to have digital accelerator pedals

That's what happens when it's that snowy. You can feather the throttle all you like, it isn't going to make much difference if you have that little traction.

For instance, I've just been clearing the drive of thick snow just like in the video above. Before that the Skoda Fabia 1.6 diesel hire car I've got at the moment was wheelspinning on the spot with literally the weight of the ball of my foot rested on the throttle.

MagicBoy · 21 Jan 2013 at 19:06

Housey said:
Autosocks seem like a sensible and cost effective half way house. Are they good?

They work, very effectively on packed snow and ice. You need to remove them when the conditions improve otherwise the fabric will get torn to shreds. Downsides - grip on the driven wheels, still none on the undriven wheels, therefore lots of lift-off oversteer to catch the unwary.

Eliot · 21 Jan 2013 at 19:10

Hmmm, Dunno I seem to make better progress than that...
Maybe that is so, I guess of the snow was thick then fair enough

lordrobs · 21 Jan 2013 at 20:13

"Wiv my winter tyres I was driving on the untouched third lane of the motorway at like 80 and it was like driving on a summers day"

"LOLs I've got summer UHP tyres and apart from slipping a bit, getting my car stuck for 25 minutes on my own drive and taking a 5 mile detour I got where I needed to go just fine."

I use winter tyres. I could almost definitely get where I need to go without them but I could also probably drive to work in the pouring rain on bald tyres without parking my car on its roof, doesn't mean that I choose to do so.

OP to try and summarise -

Yes they are ultimately compromised on a road that isn't snowy or icy but in a run of the mill hatch this doesn't bother me, neither does running steel wheels. In fact I prefer having steels because in the winter my washing routine is snow foam, pressure wash, put my feet up

Wear is very good, not noticeably more than the summer tyres as far as I can tell. They won't last me as long as when they get below 4mm I'll bin them where as I take summer tyres to 3mm.

I think snow socks are a great idea but I'm too lazy to get in and out of the car to fit and remove the buggers and I hate the idea of crappy slushy bits of fabric messing up the inside of the car. I personally wouldn't touch chains for UK use.

Firestar_3x · 21 Jan 2013 at 20:28

lordrobs said:
"Wiv my winter tyres I was driving on the untouched third lane of the motorway at like 80 and it was like driving on a summers day"

"LOLs I've got summer UHP tyres and apart from slipping a bit, getting my car stuck for 25 minutes on my own drive and taking a 5 mile detour I got where I needed to go just fine."

I use winter tyres. I could almost definitely get where I need to go without them but I could also probably drive to work in the pouring rain on bald tyres without parking my car on its roof, doesn't mean that I choose to do so.

OP to try and summarise -

Yes they are ultimately compromised on a road that isn't snowy or icy but in a run of the mill hatch this doesn't bother me, neither does running steel wheels. In fact I prefer having steels because in the winter my washing routine is snow foam, pressure wash, put my feet up

Wear is very good, not noticeably more than the summer tyres as far as I can tell. They won't last me as long as when they get below 4mm I'll bin them where as I take summer tyres to 3mm.

I think snow socks are a great idea but I'm too lazy to get in and out of the car to fit and remove the buggers and I hate the idea of crappy slushy bits of fabric messing up the inside of the car. I personally wouldn't touch chains for UK use.

Didn't you fit some cheap junk just so you could have winters? They may work during the 5 days a year we have snow, but will be significantly worse otherwise.

High five!

OpenToSuggestions · 21 Jan 2013 at 20:54

Skalaberg said:
I have taken the plunge today and ordered a set of winter tyres for my c250 estate. The grip levels on the 255/35/18 rears is frankly shocking. Half an inch of snow renders it useless on anything other than flat ground. I'll let you know how I get on when they're fitted.

By the time they arrive and are fitted the snow will have gone.

[TW]Fox · 21 Jan 2013 at 21:30

OpenToSuggestions said:
By the time they arrive and are fitted the snow will have gone.

That's ok, he can then tell us how totally amazing they are even when there is no snow, compared to his perfectly-decent-before-the-snow-arrived current tyres...

norm · 21 Jan 2013 at 21:56

Anybody got experience of snow socks? I saw them used by the RAC on a vehicle stuck in foot deep snow and they seemed fairly effective.

sigma · 21 Jan 2013 at 22:03

I think I might invest in some snow chains (probably in summer if prices are lower then) - they surely make much more sense than winter tyres.

Korsun · 21 Jan 2013 at 22:07

I have a pair of snow chains which I use on my VW LT35 van. Being rear wheel drive its useless in the snow, especially when empty. The chains cost me £45 5 years ago and when fitted the van is unstoppable in the snow, no matter how deep or how steep the gradient. The peace of mind they give me when it starts to snow is worth every penny.

Skalaberg · 21 Jan 2013 at 22:42

[TW]Fox;23605915 said:
That's ok, he can then tell us how totally amazing they are even when there is no snow, compared to his perfectly-decent-before-the-snow-arrived current tyres...

i shall look forward to telling you how totally amazeballs they are!!