Winter tyres. For my car though.

[GilesM]

Winter tyres make a huge difference, I've driven alot with them in Germany over the years, last winter they were fanatastic, the cut off temperature is designed to be 7deg C (not -7 as somone had mentioned) although I have driven with them on the autobahn in 15 deg C at autobahn speeds and they were fine, in really hot weather they will struggle if pushed to hard. I have a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks to go on my Mini Clubman, I'll fit them in a couple of weeks, I bought them from Blackcircles, usually a bit more than Mytyres, but I find them much quicker to deliver.

Edited to say I was too, late PaulSecteur already pointed out the 7deg not -7deg cut off.

 

[dubhghall]

They make a huge difference and have been absolutely essential up in the bleak north the last two winters. Not only do they get me home at night when "normal" tyres don't they have far better traction when braking in colder temperatures. The more open tread pattern self clean so they don't pack with snow and act like slicks and the rubber compound does not go hard and lose traction at low temperatures.

I have a front wheel drive Volvo and only do the drive wheels which my insurer says is quite acceptable. I frequently get where "modern" 4x4 vehicles with huge wide "normal" tyres don't and as much as I'd like to put this down to my driving I think it is tyres!

 

[I like Skol]

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.

I agree with this although many 4x4 tyres are rated M&S (mud + snow) where mud and snow grip is a similar although different thing. What a knobbly 4x4 tyre will let you down on is cold and wet or icy conditions where tyre compound and sipes come into play.

 

[Night Train]

I have just had two tyres replaced during a service. One was punctured on the edge of the sidewall and the other was just getting near the limit so I decided that it was worth changing them.

So now I have two Avon Ice Touring 205 55R16 now on the back, non drive wheels, for the time being. The fronts are still on the previous Dunlop SP2000 as they are still good for maybe 4000 miles or so.

The idea is that the Avons won't get as much wear on the back for now and I can swap them to the front when it gets properly cold and then change the Dunlops when they are more worn.

I don't know what they are like in snow and ice yet but the chap who fitted them use them on his own car and sells a lot of winter tyres due to the amount of hills local to him.

I asked for Vredestien but he said there is along wait for them as there is a high demand and they are appeaing in ones and twos as they become available.
I guess that means they are popular.

If I could afford it I would have an extra set of wheels and run summer and winter tyres.

 

[Alien8]

Honest John likes 'em - winter tyres that is.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Our default car last Winter was Mrs BFB's MX5 with Winter tyres F&R - as others have said, the difference really is very marked indeed. We were being held up by X5s and the like during the snow.

Mrs BFB didn't stuff her car into a wall, unlike the previous Winter, so that's empirical proof that they really work!

 

[fossyant]

No point in South Manchester. Both cars run summer tyres, mine being big low profiles. Wife's car is fine in the snow.

Me, if the weather is bad, I have a bike with spikes ! Car can stay tucked up on the drive.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

we use snow chains for the wife's micra. last year we were the only ones who could get out of the estate (ridiculously steep 200 yards to main road), and most of the neighbours have fancy expensive 4x4's (but they have stupidly wide useless in snow tyres fitted). the problem is that our estate can be frozen/blocked by snow for 6 weeks at a time, and manchester road is easily blocked by snow.

the ones we have, have 2 tensioners per chain and takes about less than 3 or 4 mins to fit/remove and pack down into a little plastic carrier thing.

 

[Svendo]

we use snow chains for the wife's micra. last year we were the only ones who could get out of the estate (ridiculously steep 200 yards to main road), and most of the neighbours have fancy expensive 4x4's (but they have stupidly wide useless in snow tyres fitted). the problem is that our estate can be frozen/blocked by snow for 6 weeks at a time, and manchester road is easily blocked by snow.

the ones we have, have 2 tensioners per chain and takes about less than 3 or 4 mins to fit/remove and pack down into a little plastic carrier thing.

+1 on chains, the traction is as good as it gets.

When I used to ski at my Dad's in Santa Fe on snowy days the road down the hill was hardpack and beginning to freeze. With chains on my Ford Ranger '79 pickup (with a sleeper and some rocks in the bed) I more than once pulled fancy 4x4s out of the snow banks. Beyond a certain point 4 wheel drive just increases the number of useless spinning wheels on your car!

Problem in this country is the stretches of road that need chains are for a lot of people relatively short so you have to fit and remove them frequently, but it's still a cheaper option than a set of winter tyres, and ultimately gives a lot more traction.

 

[Mad at urage]

+1 on chains, the traction is as good as it gets.

When I used to ski at my Dad's in Santa Fe on snowy days the road down the hill was hardpack and beginning to freeze. With chains on my Ford Ranger '79 pickup (with a sleeper and some rocks in the bed) I more than once pulled fancy 4x4s out of the snow banks. Beyond a certain point 4 wheel drive just increases the number of useless spinning wheels on your car!

Problem in this country is the stretches of road that need chains are for a lot of people relatively short so you have to fit and remove them frequently, but it's still a cheaper option than a set of winter tyres, and ultimately gives a lot more traction.

Snow socks, which in certain conditions have better grip than chains (ostensibly). They certainly worked for me last winter!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Snow socks, which in certain conditions have better grip than chains (ostensibly). They certainly worked for me last winter!

we used snow socks year before last, very very good but for stretches where it frequently changes from snow/ice/slush to tarmac and back wears them out quickly. excellent back up and take up no room.

 

[Andrew Br]

I've also got snow tyres fitted to my car. They're Nokians in my case, one of the few makes available in the correct size.
My experience of winter driving in the frozen north (that would be Sweden and Finland) convinced me that they were a good idea. Standard tyres on my car are actually "all weather/all terrain" and they were significantly better than "summer" tyres in the snow at the end of 2009. The winter tyres are an even bigger improvement.

As has been said, they begin to work best when the temperature is below 7[sup]o[/sup]C because the compound doesn't harden up and the bigger grooves and sipes provide much better snow traction. They're also quite grippy in mud.

Strangely enough grip improves when the temperature drops below ~ -5[sup]o[/sup]C because there's no water to lubricate the ice, it's just ice.

I would only fit the tyres to all four wheels otherwise you'll run the risk of terminal under or oversteer just when you really don't want it. Chains are great when the weather turns bad suddenly but they're really, IMO, a get you out of jail card and they're certainly not suitable for long trips. If nothing else, the vibration will drive you mad and the cold, cold fingers as you put them on/take them off/put them on/take them are are not good. If you're like me, you'll always worry that you've not got them on correctly.
Edit to add; And the chances are that the chains won't be on the car when you hit that patch of ice...............

Mickle, since you have the spare wheels and space to store them I'd say go for it. You'll get several years use out of the snow tyres and also save wear on your summer tyres. It's important to store the tyres correctly; cold and dark is best. Covered up in a dark shed/garage/cellar would work.

 

[mickle]

Thanks all for a wealth of great advice.

 

[byegad]

I had a pair of Mud and Snow tyres for my rear wheel drive Chevette in the 1980s. Excellent performance, I was the only car in the car park, driving in from 10 miles away while the muppets who lived locally had to walk in as they couldn't get out of their drives. As I'm now retired I wouldn't go to the expense, as front wheel drive cars need 4 not two wheels & tyres. I stay home and get Tesco or Asda to deliver.

 

[Night Train]

Despite having got my Ice Touring tyres I should point out that I was never stuck over the last two winters, with heavy snow, running on my summer tyres. Driving ability makes a lot of difference.

Skidding while braking is another matter. ABS, slower speeds and bigger gaps are hugely important even with snow and ice tyres.