Who else is dressed for winter?

[Cagey]

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.

Depending on supply, it could be a case of getting what's available right now. Although surely pretty much any M+S/Winter tyre is going to perform better in cold/wet/icy conditions than a summer tyre?

I had a 3-series before my Merc and in the '09 snow, faced the embarrassing problem of getting it stuck in front of a neighbours driveway. Wouldn't have been so bad, but they had just got into their car and were waiting to go as I reversed out of my drive....

[Chav]

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!

well thats a waste of £780 then or are they studded?

you need narrow wheels or same pressure/inch so you'll still float over the snow

[Highlander]

well thats a waste of £780 then or are they studded?

you need narrow wheels or same pressure/inch so you'll still float over the snow

Not studded, but the grip compared to last years fun & games is incredible.

They feel a lot more secure on the road. Pulling out of an uphill junction now, the tyres actually get some purchase on the snow, rather than spinning.

The treads fill up with snow & helps you to get traction. Think of rubbing 2 snowballs together - they stick!

[NewNiceMrMe]

We have about 10" of snow now and the gritters haven't been anywhere near here - but I still managed to get a 6-series with 340 bhp through the rear wheels off our inclined drive, down the road, up a bank and 4 miles further on whilst passing a few cars pulled over because they were stuck.

I agree it sounds like they may be worth it in your case Highlander, but it's still a hell a lot of money. You could rent a Land Rover for a month when you look at the costs involved.

I can't help but think a lot of snow problems are over-egged in this country. In years and years of RWD ownership with lots of power at the back and in an area where we get plenty of snow I've still only ever got stuck once - and that was for 20 minutes on packed ice when not a soul got their cars moving for hours. It's nowt to do with driving skill on my part either. I just switch the traction completely off, keep the power on gently and don't hit the brakes - and it sails through.

Edited November 27, 2010 by MrMe

[Fergy]

Im glad we got rid of the 1 series this year after 2 bad winters with it. I did think of putting winter tyres on it but then thought better and got rid altogether. MrMe, my neighbour has a 5GT and that barge has no problems. I thing weight over the rear axle has a hell of a lot to do with RWD and the 1 series had none even with 4 bags of sand and 2 dead bodies in the boot

[NewNiceMrMe]

even with 4 bags of sand and 2 dead bodies in the boot

Shhhhh. You promised we'd never say anything about that.

They deserved it.

[CJ92]

Im glad we got rid of the 1 series this year after 2 bad winters with it. I did think of putting winter tyres on it but then thought better and got rid altogether. MrMe, my neighbour has a 5GT and that barge has no problems. I thing weight over the rear axle has a hell of a lot to do with RWD and the 1 series had none even with 4 bags of sand and 2 dead bodies in the boot

Winter tyres totally transform the handling of the 1series in winter weather-just ask our nordic cousins.

Just out of interest,were you running on runflats..

Edited November 28, 2010 by CJ92

[CJ92]

We have about 10" of snow now and the gritters haven't been anywhere near here - but I still managed to get a 6-series with 340 bhp through the rear wheels off our inclined drive, down the road, up a bank and 4 miles further on whilst passing a few cars pulled over because they were stuck.

I agree it sounds like they may be worth it in your case Highlander, but it's still a hell a lot of money. You could rent a Land Rover for a month when you look at the costs involved.

I can't help but think a lot of snow problems are over-egged in this country. In years and years of RWD ownership with lots of power at the back and in an area where we get plenty of snow I've still only ever got stuck once - and that was for 20 minutes on packed ice when not a soul got their cars moving for hours. It's nowt to do with driving skill on my part either. I just switch the traction completely off, keep the power on gently and don't hit the brakes - and it sails through.

When i think about it i never had any real problems with the E30/36's i use to own-imo runflats are the issue unless you have the winter versions.

The Avon Ice Tourers i have on my 123d totally transform the handling in snow/icey conditions..

[max_b]

Reckon I'm gonna have some major fun over the next few weeks then unless anybody know where I can get a cheap set of 17 with winter wheels, that will clear the calipers on my 123??

Either that or I'll just have stay at home

[CJ92]

Reckon I'm gonna have some major fun over the next few weeks then unless anybody know where I can get a cheap set of 17 with winter wheels, that will clear the calipers on my 123??

Either that or I'll just have stay at home

Dont despair max-have a look at these-Pirelli SottoZero 240 series1 225/40/18 92v.

www.Pirelli.co.uk

[max_b]

Thanks CJ, I havent really bothered with winter tyres previously (my thinking being if you can keep a s2000 on the straight and narrow, well just about(!) in dodgy weather then a bm 1 series shouldnt be that bad (have also had 320 and 330's before and other rwd stuff, 911)

More of a concern is the wider tyre size on the rears, 245 profile, that will give a wider footprint over the snow, thus less effective grip. This was the thinking behind trying to find some 17's with narrow tyres to try and provide more 'grip'. I think I'll see how I get on and as said if all else fails I'll join the many 100's that say they can't make it to work

[Fergy]

Winter tyres totally transform the handling of the 1series in winter weather-just ask our nordic cousins.

Just out of interest,were you running on runflats..

Indeed 120d MSport with auto box and runflats

[Milo]

My quattro A4 with bog standard 18" low profile tyres has pissed the current bad weather and every other winter. No need to buy silly tyres every year, just get a car with a proper drive system, Audi or not

[NewNiceMrMe]

Or learn to drive. Fergy.

[CJ92]

My quattro A4 with bog standard 18" low profile tyres has pissed the current bad weather and every other winter. No need to buy silly tyres every year, just get a car with a proper drive system, Audi or not

Thanks-thats very informative..

[Divine]

Mine's ready....

[Chav]

Cheers dude. Love browsing this site and seeing a black skoda with steels wheels. fab.

[Milo]

[Cagey]

Well the snow has reached here and I am absolutely astonished at how well the winter tyres work. The A43 was crawling along this morning, so I baled out at Silverstone and took the country lanes the rest of the way. None of the roads had been touched by a gritter/plough, but the car coped admirably including up a couple of fairly steep hills. There is no way that I would have dared to go anywhere near roads like that with summer tyres.

I even got a cheery wave and a thumbs up from the Shogun driver that I had followed most of the way. Can't imagine he expected to see a RWD Merc following him, when they are normally one of the first casualties at the merest hint of snow.

Definite convert here.

[NewNiceMrMe]

I had a new set of rear tyres fitted a week ago.

For the first ever I opted for Pirelli P Zero Rosso and I must admit I'm very impressed with how they fared in the snow this morning.

[TP27]

I'm running the Continental Winter Contact (TS830P) on the R32. Straight swap on the OEM 18" alloys and I have to say they've been terrific - an ideal solution for the weather that's with us and (touch wood) even in fairly deep snow with ice below, they've been faultless. Good on Kwik Fit too - ordered and fitted by return and less than £150 a corner.

[Chelsea Mick]

For the first time ever, this year I have splashed out on some winter tyres.

Had a bit of a moment last year in the ice and decided I wouldn't want that to happen again so bit the bullet.

Trying to get decent grip in a 380bhp front wheel drive car is difficult at the best of times let alone in these conditions

Tried to get the Vredestein Snowtrac tyres but were difficult to get hold of.

Settled for the Hankook Icebears at £100 a corner

Had a spare set of (standard) alloys so kept the same size tyres (225/40/18)

These tyres are just brilliant.

Not having winter tyres before, I now realise what I have been missing out on.

No more worrying if your car is going to slide out of control

The road noise is actually less than my normal tyres..

Mind you my normal summer tyres are not really ideal for anything other than...erm..Summer

[Lussac]

Well, just completed my run down to SW france from snowy/icy N. Herts in the XF equipped with Nokian WR G2 winters. Car and tyres performed well in snow/slush/ice and sleet and did in 900+ kms without problems where others in N France had abandoned their cars. XF gearbox has a "winter" setting and the DSC has a TRAC setting and using this got out of a few tight spots on packed snow. Brilliant car and great tyres and am very happy I made the decision in summer to buy a spare set of rims for winter tyres.