Cagey Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Got my winter wheels on yesterday. Got lucky in that a colleague in Germany changed their car and had a set of 16" tyres that he could no longer use. Sent them over earlier in the year FOC. The wheels are OEM Mercedes - £120 for the set. Not too bad I thought. OK, I guess it's too early to say whether I actually 'need' them, but for what it cost, I figured it to be a no-brainer. Also gives me a chance to re-furb my alloys as the diamond-cut finish is appalling. So, anyone else (UK) taken the plunge this year?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I've never swapped wheels and tyres in the winter, because I'm not that precious about wheels and we don't get enough snow to justify skinny tyres. I do get why you've done it though and a shed load of people do it in Germany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I'm not changing .... it would spoil the fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Was very tempted until the BMW stealer quoted "from" £1600. Sod that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lussac Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I have. I've swapped my 20" Jaguar Selena wheels for set of 18" Jaguar Cygnus with Nokian WR G2 Winter tyres as I travel a lot between SW France and the UK at short notice and can't afford to get stuck like last year. Read a lot of reports before I took the plunge and was convinced by the German ADAC tests on Summer v Winter tyres once the temperature drops below 7 degrees c and the improved traction on snow for a powerful RWD car . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I've never felt the need. I've had RWD car's with lots of bhp through the back for as long as I recently remember and have only ever got stuck once - and on that occasion I was joined by every other car in our road. I drive out into Northumberland today, feathering the throttle with never any danger of spinning and I watch dickheads in Corsa's doing 360's in the car park. Quite how they manage that when reversing out of a bay is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 dickheads in Corsa's doing 360's in the car park. Quite how they manage that when reversing out of a bay is beyond me. Depressing to watch, in some ways. In others, hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 It's funny when they're nowhere near your car. It's especially funny when two of them decide to reverse out at the same time, about 30 yards away from each other, and end up shouting and screaming. Both women drivers, both clearly suffering from a degree of monthly tension, both demanding that they had the right of way. Thing is, in a private car park when you're reversing out of a bay - just who does have right of way? We have a sandwich van that comes around twice a day too - and he's going to write a whole line of cars off one day. He flies into the car park like Ari Vatanen. Minus the skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 He flies into the car park like Ari Vatanen. Minus the skill. So just like Ari then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottenbend Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) Asked the Audi dealer about winter wheels and tyres last week. They have some good offers on at the moment. However, if you order now it might take up to 3 months for them to come :roflmao: Numpties Edited November 25, 2010 by rottenbend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 if you order now it might take up to 3 months for them to come :roflmao: Numpties :ffs::roflmao: Only an Audi dealership :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I do get why you've done it though and a shed load of people do it in Germany. Isn't it a legal requirement in Germany like it is in Sweden etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Isn't it a legal requirement in Germany like it is in Sweden etc? I believe so, yes. But they do get a bit more snow than us. Last January in Munich, they mentioned that the snow had been a disaster. The city had travel chaos for the whole day it was snowing! I told them we were on D+7 and still stationary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Isn't it a legal requirement in Germany like it is in Sweden etc? I was told if you have an accident after a certain date & don't have winter tyres on then it is counted as part your liability so for at least the area that guy lived in it wasn't a legal requirement but obviously most did change their wheels (the local tyre depot fits them for you & stores the other set of wheels) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) Fitted winter tyres to my car a couple of weeks ago. £780 for 4 Continentals. Didn't go down the route of smaller wheels, so it'll be interesting to see how 40 profile winter tyres drive. After last winters fun & games, I'm not taking the chance. We had 6" of snow & it took 10 days before we had a gritter anywhere near us. Our road is a single track about a mile long with 8 houses spread along it - not a high priority for the council. I just hope that we get the weather to justify them! Even though the news is showing the north grinding to a halt due to a couple of inches of snow, we've got nothing yet! Edited November 25, 2010 by Highlander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stooH Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I've charged up the battery in the freelander, had it serviced and been using it fairly regularly over the last week to keep it ticking over. I'll probably not need it this year but after spending the night sleeping in the GTI on the A3 in January I don't fancy risking it again. Any time there's the remotest chance of snow I'll be driving that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Catch me trying to go sideways from London to brume via m40 this wk end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ92 Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 Event Tyres fitted my winter boots a couple of weeks ago and am really pleased with the results.£380 supplied and fitted.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4ttm4son Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 I'm thinking of sticking some winter tyres on the Z. It might push me to get some nice new wheels in the summer. I really wouldn't like to go out in snow with the tyres that are on now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 Did ~100 miles today, and have to say I'm pleasantly suprised to find that there is little/no increase in road noise. I guess some of it is down to the narrower section/smaller diameter, but I was expecting more of a drone at Motorway speeds. Rides a little better too... Quite happy with the change really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 Event Tyres fitted my winter boots a couple of weeks ago and am really pleased with the results.£380 supplied and fitted.. CJ, are you on 17s or 18s? Which tyres did you go for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 I've got the same size as my summer tyres - Goodyear F1's 235/40/18. The winter tyres are Continental TS830's and are noticably quieter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 I've got the same size as my summer tyres - Goodyear F1's 235/40/18.The winter tyres are Continental TS830's and are noticably quieter. What car are you running them on? I'm going to order my dad some winter tyres for his 3 series. He couldn't even get off his drive last year as it slopes down towards the house and I am just wondering which ones to go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ92 Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 CJ, are you on 17s or 18s? Which tyres did you go for? I am on the 207-17's with Avon Ice Tourers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 It's an A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro What car are you running them on?I'm going to order my dad some winter tyres for his 3 series. He couldn't even get off his drive last year as it slopes down towards the house and I am just wondering which ones to go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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