Winter tyres. For my car though.

[mickle]

Volvo needs new tyres urgently. I fancy the idea of getting a set of winter tyres on a set of used steels and then getting another set of run of the mill summer tyres come spring to go on the original alloys. We've got the space to store them, around the back of the coal bunker.

Would the extra expense justify the improvements in performance and safety?

Does anyone use proper winter tyres? And are they worth the money?



And will they affect my ability to do snowy do-nuts in B&Q's car park.

 

[I like Skol]

TBH Mickle, if you are putting new tyres on anyway then the increased grip levels provided by a new tyre should be sufficient for most conditions. If they are not then maybe you should consider not travelling (that peice of weathermans advice to stay at home that we all always ignore!!!).

I did this not last winter but the one before, new regular tyres on the Astra estate we had around about September then it was the bad winter that lasted quite a while and I was running rings around the other motorists that were slipping and sliding all over the place.

3 things to consider;

1 new tyres
2 driving technique
3 common sense, you can't defeat the laws of physics so don't go hurtling around like a loony and carefully consider if you should be travelling at all.

 

[PaulSecteur]

I ordered some Goodyear Ultra grip 8 winters yesterday, and came today from camskill.

I havent used these before, but have used winter specific tyres (Vredestien wintracs) and there is a real difference, not just in snow, but also in just cold, wet weather from November to April.

I think this is the video that made my mind up to go for a winter and summer set, not just all season.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlYEMH10Z4s


"Mytyres" are also worth checking out too.

 

[mickle]

TBH Mickle, if you are putting new tyres on anyway then the increased grip levels provided by a new tyre should be sufficient for most conditions. If they are not then maybe you should consider not travelling (that peice of weathermans advice to stay at home that we all always ignore!!!).

I did this not last winter but the one before, new regular tyres on the Astra estate we had around about September then it was the bad winter that lasted quite a while and I was running rings around the other motorists that were slipping and sliding all over the place.

3 things to consider;

1 new tyres
2 driving technique
3 common sense, you can't defeat the laws of physics so don't go hurtling around like a loony and carefully consider if you should be travelling at all.

Thanks for that. I know that new tyres will be lots better than the near slicks that are on there right now, I'd be interested to know how much better new dedicated winter tyres are than new regular tyres.

I'm pretty happy with my driving technique (yeah I know, we all are!), I really enjoy driving in the snow. But if winter tyres can make my car safer, and perform better it's worth looking into.

 

[mickle]

Thanks Paul.

 

[Moodyman]

I thought they only seriously benefitted rear wheel drive cars which are more prone to skidding around.

Aren't Volvo's front drive?

 

[I like Skol]

I'm pretty happy with my driving technique (yeah I know, we all are!), I really enjoy driving in the snow. But if winter tyres can make my car safer, and perform better it's worth looking into.

I love driving in the snow and I often go out looking for snow drifts and such in my knobbly 4x4 but will still take the car when the weather is bad as it is sufficient. I consider myself to be a competent driver (even after running that opinion through the 'reality check' filter ). The problem is that even with the best tyres in the world it can still go wrong and chances are if you have dedicated winter tyres your typical speeds will creep up so when the unexpected happens the consequences are worse. Going back about 10 years I was out 'playing' in the snow in my 4x4, driving along a straight road with clear tracks when I clipped a bit of frozen slush and ended up spun off the road backwards straight through a drystone wall. Despite 4x4 and great snow condition tyres this incident taught me a lesson I really already knew but didn't always treat with the respect it deserves - You might think you are in total control but in reality you are not, consider this at all times!

 

[Strick]

Having been sceptical about if they actually make a difference or not, I have used winter tyres for the last two winters.
I have my new ones currently sitting upstairs waiting for the daytime temp to drop below a consistent 7C, then they will be going on.
They do make a difference, not only in snow, but also just the cold weather the grip is better too.
It doesn't neccessarily mean you can you can drive "normally" whatever the conditions, you still need to drive according to the conditions. However, from my experience, they do offer more grip.
There is a whole can of worms as to wether or not you should inform your insurers. Some companies acknowledge winter tyres no problem, others have a simple tick-box system and see it as an upgrade where they can charge you more money.

 

[Amanda P]

My policy for some years now has been to put tyres with a M+S rating on the driving end of any cars we own, as soon as replacing a pair of tyres is justified.

As far as I'm aware, there's no harm in running winter tyres outside of winter, other than that they're slightly more expensive. But once they're on, they're on, and no need for changing wheels or tyres or storing the ones you're not using.

Yes, they do make a big difference to the grip available. Not just in snow, but in mud too, which is probably useful more often (at least for me).

 

[PpPete]

Thanks for that. I know that new tyres will be lots better than the near slicks that are on there right now, I'd be interested to know how much better new dedicated winter tyres are than new regular tyres.

I'm pretty happy with my driving technique (yeah I know, we all are!), I really enjoy driving in the snow. But if winter tyres can make my car safer, and perform better it's worth looking into.

A lot !
It's not just about the tread pattern, although winter tyres are "blockier" than regular tyres, it's just as much that the rubber used in winter tyres stays flexible to lower temperatures.

Oh yes - and fit them to all 4 wheels, not just the drive wheels.

Look at mytyres.co.uk (huge range IME) and shop around for the cheapest tyre shop that will fit a customer supplied tyre - around here it varies from £10/tyre incl VAT to £25/tyre + VAT

 

[mickle]

Rear wheel drive is mine - with an LSD apparently.

 

[Globalti]

I've just bought these bad boys for Mrs Gti's Citroen C1:

Fulda Kristal Monteros, £43 each, made in Germany. Just off to a scrappie now to pick up four steel wheels for £50 then get them mounted and balanced for another tenner each. We have used winter tyres on hire cars in the Alps and they are fantastic in snow, real life-savers and Mrs Gti is now using her car for work.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I was once told by someone within the motor trade that winter tyres only have a benficial function when the mercury is -7 or lower. I don't know if it's true or not, just thought I'd share.

What I do know is you couldn't get winter tyres last year for love nor money, at least not from any of our suppliers. There seemed to be a huge increase in requests last year, in fact I can't recall ever being asked for them before last year.

When I questioned the tyre suppliers about having no stock availble, what I was continually told is that the tyre manufacturers hold most stock for the European countries were it is the law to use winter tyres, (makes sense), where as in the UK they don't import many as it's not a legal requirement.

We've just fitted a set for a guy who supplied his own tyres, I don't know where he bought them but they were horrific things, they were unbranded and they were actually stamped as re-moulds. I had to make sure his invoice stated the customer had supplied his own tyres.

 

[sunnyjim]

I used winter tyres on a Volvo 245 during the very snowy scottish winters of the 1980s, both with & without studs. Drive (rear) wheels only can be a problem, as you've got loads of grip in a straight line, but the front of the car tends to slide out. Being of the Volvo tank era, the 245 could stand a fair bit of bashing into snow banks..
Another problem in this country anyway is other drivers who don't realise you've got more grip than them. This could be especially dangerous on a dual carriageway with a snowy/rutted outside lane and slow traffic sticking to the relativly clear inside, you may be able to pull out to overtake safely, but inadvertently encourage someone behind to try follow at the same speed with horrible consequenses for more than just the follower.

 

[PaulSecteur]

I was once told by someone within the motor trade that winter tyres only have a benficial function when the mercury is -7 or lower. I don't know if it's true or not,

7 degress or less, not -7.

And with regard to the 4x4 with nobblies, just because they are nobbly dont mean they are winter tyres, or any good as winter road tyres. There is alot of difference between an offroad tyre and a winter road tyre.